[Electrophoretic analysis of the protein patterns of the nuclear transplant rabbit embryos]

The qualitative patterns of protein synthesis in nuclear transplant rabbit embryos were examined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining. The results indicated that the qualitative pattern of several protein synthesis in NT embryos was very different from the protein pattern of donor morulae or recipient oocytes, and also not as the same as the protein pattern obtained from fertilized ova at pronuclear formation stage. After fertilization or nuclear transfer, several maternal proteins were no longer synthesized or decreased in the embryo, and some new bands were observed and several protein synthesis were increased obviously. The most intriguing aspect of this study was the observation that all major changes in the protein pattern took place after fertilization or nuclear transfer and were rather similar. It is suggested that the gene activities of the donor nucleus from rabbit morulae are reprogrammed by the oocyte cytoplasm in current nuclear transfer technology, but the reprogramming is incomplete. This paper stresses on the paternal effect during fertilization on gene expression in nuclear transplant rabbit embryos.