[Study on the cloning goat by cross-breed somatic cell nuclear transfer]

Shaneng goat is a famous milking species. Boer goat is world famous goat breed for creophagism. In this study, we evaluated the development potential of adult Boer goat's somatic nuclei after nuclear tansfer (NT) into enucleated MII oocytes of the Shaneng goat. Somatic donor cells were obtained from two different sources: 1) adult granulosa cells (GCs) and 2) adult skin fibroblasts (FCs). The reconstructed embryos that developed to morula or blastocyst stage in vivo were transferred to 38 synchronized recipient.

Somatic donor fibroblast cells were obtained from a fetal at 35 day. In the same way the reconstructed embryos were directly transferred to synchronized recipient of Shaneng goats. (1) Experimental group: NT embryos derived from GC and FC developed into morulas and blastocysts at a frequency of 46.8% and 31.4% respectively. Fifty-two NT morula and blastocyst stage embryos were transferred in to 38 recipients, Three of which were confirmed to be pregnant (7.9%). All pregnancies were not maintained to term. (2) CONTROL group: 136 NT embryos were transferred in to 14 recipients, Six of which were confirmed to be pregnant (42.9%). Four of those were maintained to term. Four recipients delivered four male kids (2.9% of embryos transferred). One male kid died at birth, the dead lamb shows as "large offspring syndrome". the others appeared health and normal. DNA analysis confirmed that those kids were genetically identical to their donor. These results demonstrated that Shaneng goat somatic cells could direct normal development and Shaneng goat oocyte cytoplasm supported development of preimplantation embryos produced by NT of somatic cell nuclei from Boer goat.