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Transcriptome Profiling of In-Vivo Produced Bovine Pre-implantation Embryos Using Two-color Microarray Platform
Published on: January 30, 2017
Putative imprinted gene expression in uniparental bovine embryo models
Nancy T D' Cruz1, Katrina J Wilson, Melissa A Cooney
1Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia. nancy.dcruz@med.monash.edu.au
Reproduction, Fertility, and Development
|June 26, 2008
Summary
Most imprinted genes in bovine embryos do not show monoallelic expression, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Imprinted genes are crucial for embryonic development, with altered expression linked to developmental abnormalities and pregnancy loss.
- Previous research in sheep indicated a shift from biallelic to monoallelic expression for certain imprinted genes during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the imprinting status and expression patterns of 17 genes in bovine blastocysts.
- To determine the prevalence of monoallelic expression in early bovine embryonic development, particularly in ruminants.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 17 putatively imprinted genes (including Ata3, Impact, L3Mbtl, Magel2, Mkrn3, Peg3, Snrpn, Ube3a, Zac1, and Xist) in in vivo, parthenogenetic, and androgenetic bovine blastocysts.
- Gene expression analysis to assess monoallelic versus biallelic expression patterns.
Main Results:
- All investigated genes, except Xist, exhibited biallelic expression in bovine embryos, failing to show monoallelic expression.
- Ata3 gene was not detected in the bovine embryos studied.
- Findings align with recent observations in ovine embryos regarding imprinted gene expression patterns.
Conclusions:
- Monoallelic expression may not be essential for most imprinted genes during the preimplantation stage in ruminants.
- The development of monoallelic gene expression appears to be gene-specific and dependent on developmental timing.

