ARID1A, a component of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes, is required for porcine embryo development

Mammalian embryos undergo dramatic epigenetic remodeling that can have a profound impact on both gene transcription and overall embryo developmental competence. Members of the SWI/SNF (Switch/Sucrose non-fermentable) family of chromatin-remodeling complexes reposition nucleosomes and alter transcription factor accessibility. These large, multi-protein complexes possess an SNF2-type ATPase (either SMARCA4 or SMARCA2) as their core catalytic subunit, and are directed to specific loci by associated subunits. Little is known about the identity of specific SWI/SNF complexes that serve regulatory roles during cleavage development. ARID1A, one of the SWI/SNF complex subunits, can affect histone methylation in somatic cells; here, we determined the developmental requirements of ARID1A in porcine oocytes and embryos. We found ARID1A transcript levels were significantly reduced in 4-cell porcine embryos as compared to germinal vesicle-stage oocytes, suggesting that ARID1A would be required for porcine cleavage-stage development. Indeed, injecting in vitro-matured and fertilized porcine oocytes with double-stranded interfering RNAs that target ARID1A, and evaluating their phenotype after seven days, revealed that the depletion of ARID1A results in significantly fewer cells than their respective control groups (p < 0.001).