X-Chromosome inactivation in cloned mouse embryos

To study whether cloning resets the epigenetic differences between the two X chromosomes of a somatic female nucleus, we monitored X inactivation in cloned mouse embryos. Both X chromosomes were active during cleavage of cloned embryos, followed by random X inactivation in the embryo proper. In the trophectoderm (TE), X inactivation was nonrandom with the inactivated X of the somatic donor being chosen for inactivation. When female embryonic stem cells with two active X chromosomes were used as donors, random X inactivation was seen in the TE and embryo. These results demonstrate that epigenetic marks can be removed and reestablished on either X chromosome during cloning. Our results also suggest that the epigenetic marks imposed on the X chromosomes during gametogenesis, responsible for normal imprinted X inactivation in the TE, are functionally equivalent to the marks imposed on the chromosomes during somatic X inactivation.     

Effects of enucleation method on in vitro and in vivo development rate of cloned pig embryos

Enucleation is a crucial procedure for mammalian somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), especially for domestic animal cloning. Oocytes of domestic animals such as pigs and cattle contain dark lipid droplets that hinder localization and removal of the nucleus. Using an oocyte enucleation technique that can obtain a high enucleation rate but has minimal negative effects on the reprogramming potential of oocyte for cloning is beneficial for enhancing the outcome of SCNT. In this study, we compared the pig cloning efficiency resulting from blind aspiration-based (BA-B) enucleation and spindle imaging system-assisted (SIS-A) enucleation, and compared the pig SCNT success rate associated with BA-B enucleation and blind aspiration plus post-enucleation staining-based (BAPPS-B) enucleation. SIS-A enucleation achieved a significantly higher oocyte enucleation success rate and tended to obtain a higher in vivo full term development rate of SCNT embryos than BA-B enucleation. BAPPS-B enucleation also obtained significantly higher in vitro as well as in vivo full term development efficiency of cloned porcine embryos than BA-B enucleation. These data indicate that SIS-A and BAPPS-B enucleation are better approaches for pig SCNT than BA-B enucleation.     

胚胎移植方法和受体母猪因素对克隆猪生产效率的影响

【目的】建立高效的胚胎移植技术体系,以提高克隆猪的生产效率。【方法】比较不同移植方法和不同受体母猪状况的胚胎移植分娩率和克隆猪的出生效率,利用体外发育能力相似的不同品种和发育阶段的克隆胚胎混合移植确定最佳的受体母猪发情同期时间。【结果】克隆胚胎经由输卵管伞移植比输卵管打孔移植具有更高的移植分娩率和克隆猪效率（2.2% 和0.4%,P＜0.01）,而胚胎移植后辅助人工授精会降低克隆效率（0.6% 和 2.2%,P＜0.01）。利用经产母猪作为移植受体比青年猪受体具有更高的克隆效率（3.0%和0.8%,P＜0.01）和平均窝产仔数（（5.5±0.7）头和（2.7±0.3）头,P＜0.05）。受体母猪发情时间比胚胎激活时间晚12-36 h组的克隆效率分别为显著（P＜0.05）和极显著（P＜0.01）,高于晚0 h和早12-24 h 组的克隆效率（2.0%、0.5%和0%）。最佳的受体母猪发情时间为晚于克隆胚胎激活后24 h,克隆效率达3.0%。【结论】选择自然发情时间晚于克隆胚激活后24 h的经产母猪为受体,通过输卵管伞端移植胚胎,能够获得较高的克隆效率,是猪克隆胚胎移植的较理想方法。     

Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian development

DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification of the genome that regulates crucial aspects of its function. Genomic methylation patterns in somatic differentiated cells are generally stable and heritable. However, in mammals there are at least two developmental periods-in germ cells and in preimplantation embryos-in which methylation patterns are reprogrammed genome wide, generating cells with a broad developmental potential. Epigenetic reprogramming in germ cells is critical for imprinting; reprogramming in early embryos also affects imprinting. Reprogramming is likely to have a crucial role in establishing nuclear totipotency in normal development and in cloned animals, and in the erasure of acquired epigenetic information. A role of reprogramming in stem cell differentiation is also envisaged. DNA methylation is one of the best-studied epigenetic modifications of DNA in all unicellular and multicellular organisms. In mammals and other vertebrates, methylation occurs predominantly at the symmetrical dinucleotide CpG (1-4). Symmetrical methylation and the discovery of a DNA methyltransferase that prefers a hemimethylated substrate, Dnmt1 (4), suggested a mechanism by which specific patterns of methylation in the genome could be maintained. Patterns imposed on the genome at defined developmental time points in precursor cells could be maintained by Dnmt1, and would lead to predetermined programs of gene expression during development in descendants of the precursor cells (5, 6). This provided a means to explain how patterns of differentiation could be maintained by populations of cells. In addition, specific demethylation events in differentiated tissues could then lead to further changes in gene expression as needed. Neat and convincing as this model is, it is still largely unsubstantiated. While effects of methylation on expression of specific genes, particularly imprinted ones (7) and some retrotransposons (8), have been demonstrated in vivo, it is still unclear whether or not methylation is involved in the control of gene expression during normal development (9-13). Although enzymes have been identified that can methylate DNA de novo (Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b) (14), it is unknown how specific patterns of methylation are established in the genome. Mechanisms for active demethylation have been suggested, but no enzymes have been identified that carry out this function in vivo (15-17). Genomewide alterations in methylation-brought about, for example, by knockouts of the methylase genes-result in embryo lethality or developmental defects, but the basis for abnormal development still remains to be discovered (7, 14). What is clear, however, is that in mammals there are developmental periods of genomewide reprogramming of methylation patterns in vivo. Typically, a substantial part of the genome is demethylated, and after some time remethylated, in a cell- or tissue-specific pattern. The developmental dynamics of these reprogramming events, as well as some of the enzymatic mechanisms involved and the biological purposes, are beginning to be understood. Here we look at what is known about reprogramming in mammals and discuss how it might relate to developmental potency and imprinting.     

In vivo and in vitro development of Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) interspecific cloned embryos

The Tibetan antelope is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, China, and is now considered an endangered species. As a possible rescue strategy, the development of embryos constructed by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) was examined. Tibetan antelope fibroblast cells were transferred into enucleated bovine, ovine and caprine oocytes. These cloned embryos were then cultured in vitro or in the oviducts of intermediate animals. Less than 0.5% of the reconstructed antelope-bovine embryos cultured in vitro developed to the blastocyst stage. However, when the cloned antelope-bovine embryos were transferred to caprine oviducts, about 1.6% of the embryos developed to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, only 0.7% of the antelope-ovine embryos developed to the morula stage and none developed to blastocysts in ovine oviducts. The treatment of donor cells and bovine oocytes with trichostatin A did not improve the embryo development even when cultured in the oviducts of ovine and caprine. When the antelope-bovine embryos, constructed from oocytes treated with roscovitine or trichostatin A, were cultured in rabbit oviducts 2.3% and 14.3% developed to blastocysts, respectively. It is concluded that although some success was achieved with the protocols used, interspecies cloning of Tibetan antelope presents difficulties still to be overcome. The mechanisms resulting in the low embryo development need investigation and progress might require a deeper understanding of cellular reprogramming.     

马-牛无透明带卵异种克隆的研究

 【目的】开展异种克隆,为濒危动物的保护、细胞核重编程与核质互作研究提供新途径。【方法】以马耳成纤维细胞为供体,牛卵母细胞为受体,采用无透明带手工克隆方法构建异种胚胎,比较不同的激活液、培养液、体细胞同期方式、核移植方法对马-牛异种克隆胚胎体外发育的影响。【结果】（1）A23187 + 6-DMAP联合激活获得的克隆胚胎发育较好,囊胚率2.60%;（2）克隆胚胎于mCR1aa中的卵裂率和桑葚率显著高于CR1aa和SOF（83.65%vs 77.49%,74.87%;22.36%vs19.37%,18.98%,P＜0.05）,且发育到囊胚（2.72%）,CR1aa与SOF间无显著差异;（3）供体细胞经血清饥饿或接触抑制处理后,获得的异种克隆胚的融合率、卵裂率、桑葚率和囊胚率无显著差异;（4）无透明带手工克隆法的融合率显著高于显微注射法（90.33% vs 72.94%）,卵裂率、桑葚率和囊胚率无显著差异;（5）马-牛异种克隆胚与牛同种克隆胚比较,融合率和卵裂率无差别,桑葚率和囊胚率有显著差异（21.78%vs63.52%;2.71%vs37.48%）。【结论】牛卵母细胞能支持马体细胞去分化,进行核重编程。但由于二者的物种距离较远,异种克隆胚胎的发育能力远低于同种克隆胚胎。     

Autophagy is essential for preimplantation development of mouse embryos

After fertilization, maternal proteins in oocytes are degraded and new proteins encoded by the zygotic genome are synthesized. We found that autophagy, a process for the degradation of cytoplasmic constituents in the lysosome, plays a critical role during this period. Autophagy was triggered by fertilization and up-regulated in early mouse embryos. Autophagy-defective oocytes derived from oocyte-specific Atg5 (autophagy-related 5) knockout mice failed to develop beyond the four- and eight-cell stages if they were fertilized by Atg5-null sperm, but could develop if they were fertilized by wild-type sperm. Protein synthesis rates were reduced in the autophagy-null embryos. Thus, autophagic degradation within early embryos is essential for preimplantation development in mammals.     

A small-RNA perspective on gametogenesis, fertilization, and early zygotic development

Transient populations of cis- and trans-acting small RNAs have recently emerged as key regulators of extensive epigenetic changes taking place during periconception, which encompasses gametogenesis, fertilization, and early zygotic development. These small RNAs are not only important to maintain genome integrity in the gametes and zygote, but they also actively contribute to assessing the compatibility of parental genomes at fertilization and to promoting long-term memory of the zygotic epigenetic landscape by affecting chromatin. Striking parallels exist in the biogenesis and modus operandi of these molecules among diverse taxa, unraveling universal themes of small-RNA-mediated epigenetic reprogramming during sexual reproduction.     

影响哺乳动物克隆效率因素研究进展

哺乳动物克隆效率低下,克隆后代发育异常已成为目前制约动物克隆技术发展和应用的瓶颈.概述哺乳动物克隆中供体细胞的选择、供体核再编程和重构胚的培养等因素对克隆效率的影响,以及提高克隆效率的策略.     

Clonal propagation of primate offspring by embryo splitting

Primates that are identical in both nuclear and cytoplasmic components have not been produced by current cloning strategies, yet such identicals represent the ideal model for investigations of human diseases. Here, genetically identical nonhuman embryos were produced as twin and larger sets by separation and reaggregation of blastomeres of cleavage-stage embryos. A total of 368 multiples were created by the splitting of 107 rhesus embryos with four pregnancies established after 13 embryo transfers (31% versus 53% in vitro fertilization controls). The birth of Tetra, a healthy female cloned from a quarter of an embryo, proves that this approach can result in live offspring.     

奶牛性控胚胎体外生产的影响因素及控制措施

针对奶牛胚胎体外生产环节,对体外受精和培养等技术进行了研究,旨在建立奶牛性控胚胎体外生产技术体系。结果表明,卵母细胞外周卵丘细胞至少保持3层以上,在成熟基础液中添加10ng/ml的EGF,利于核质成熟;在精子获能液中添加咖啡因降低精子的存活时间;牛胚胎前3d用CR1aa BSA培养,再用SOFaa 5?S培养,获得高的囊胚发育率,并且添加50ng/mlIGF-I后胚胎的发育得到了很大的改善。利用性控精液进行体外受精,受精率有轻微下降,但对生产的胚胎发育质量无明显(P>0.05)影响,胚胎移植后受胎率为40%左右。     

Epigenetic dynamics of imprinted X inactivation during early mouse development

The initiation of X-chromosome inactivation is thought to be tightly correlated with early differentiation events during mouse development. Here, we show that although initially active, the paternal X chromosome undergoes imprinted inactivation from the cleavage stages, well before cellular differentiation. A reversal of the inactive state, with a loss of epigenetic marks such as histone modifications and polycomb proteins, subsequently occurs in cells of the inner cell mass (ICM), which give rise to the embryo-proper in which random X inactivation is known to occur. This reveals the remarkable plasticity of the X-inactivation process during preimplantation development and underlines the importance of the ICM in global reprogramming of epigenetic marks in the early embryo.     

两种无冷冻保护剂冷冻精子方法的比较

小鼠卵胞浆内单精子注射(ICSI)的开展使解冻后的精子无需具有活动能力就可以使卵子受精和发育,因此多种简单的精子冻存方法被开发。从复苏后精子受精和支持胚胎发育的能力,以及DNA甲基化方面研究比较无冷冻保护剂的条件下-20℃和-196℃冻存的两种方法。结果表明,两种方法都不改变胚胎DNA甲基化状态,-196℃保存的精子的受精率和胚胎发育率降低,但是通过卵子激活可以修复受精和胚胎发育的能力。-20℃保存精子1个月不影响受精和胚胎发育能力,冻存6个月降低精子的受精和胚胎发育潜能。因此,-20℃短期保存精子是一种简单、有效且安全的方法。     

牛体外发育胚胎特定阶段差异表达基因研究

[目的]研究不同发育时期牛体外受精胚胎在基因表达模式上的差异。[方法]利用单个胚胎mRNA差异显示技术,对单个8细胞期胚胎与囊胚进行mRNA差异显示,获得1条特异表达条带,对其进行克隆、测序,并与GenBank进行对比。[结果]该序列与牛核糖体蛋白L31（ribosomal protein L31,RPL31）基因序列具有99%的同源性。采用实时定量PCR技术检测8细胞期和囊胚期胚胎RPL31的mRNA表达量,结果表明,RPL31在8细胞期胚胎的相对表达量为囊胚期胚胎的3.2倍。[结论]为揭示和阐明控制牛早期胚胎发育的相关机理提供依据。     

供体细胞来源和TSA处理对牦牛iSCNT胚胎重编程的影响

【目的】探讨不同来源的供体细胞和TSA处理对牦牛异种体细胞核移植(Interspecies nuclear transfer,iSCNT)胚胎的影响。【方法】以黄牛卵母细胞为受体,分别以牦牛50日龄胎儿及6和18月龄个体成纤维细胞为供体,构建牦牛iSCNT胚胎,研究供体细胞来源对牦牛iSCNT胚胎的影响。分别用0(对照),20,40,60和80 nmol/L的TSA处理50日龄胎儿成纤维细胞12 h,构建iSCNT胚胎,比较其发育情况,确定TSA的最佳处理浓度;用最佳浓度的TSA处理50日龄胎儿成纤维细胞0(对照),6,12和18 h,构建iSCNT胚胎,比较其发育情况,确定TSA的最佳处理时间。用最佳TSA作用时间和浓度处理供体细胞,构建牦牛iSCNT,之后用40和80 nmol/L的TSA分别处理iSCNT胚胎6 和12 h,比较不同处理方式对牦牛iSCNT胚胎发育的影响。采用qRT-PCR方法检测40 nmol/L TSA处理供体细胞6 h 的iSCNT胚胎及40 nmol/L TSA处理供体细胞6 h且处理iSCNT胚胎12 h的iSCNT胚胎去乙酰化酶2(HDAC2)基因mRNA的表达水平,以不进行TSA处理的iSCNT胚胎为对照。【结果】以50日龄胎儿成纤维细胞作为供体细胞,牦牛iSCNT胚胎的囊胚率最高,但与其他组差异不显著(P＞0.05)。40 nmol/L TSA处理供体细胞6 h能显著提高牦牛iSCNT胚胎的囊胚率(30.6%),且与对照组差异显著(P＜0.05)。用40 nmol/L TSA处理牦牛iSCNT胚胎12 h组的囊胚率高于80 nmol/L TSA处理iSCNT胚胎6 h组,2组间差异不显著(P＞0.05)。用TSA处理供体细胞和iSCNT胚胎之后,HDAC2 mRNA表达水平降低,且与对照组差异显著(P＜0.05)。【结论】不同来源的供体细胞对iSCNT胚胎发育的影响不明显;40 nmol/L TSA处理供体细胞6 h和iSCNT胚胎12 h能显著提高牦牛iSCNT胚胎体外发育及重编程能力。     

Epigenetic reprogramming in plant and animal development

Epigenetic modifications of the genome are generally stable in somatic cells of multicellular organisms. In germ cells and early embryos, however, epigenetic reprogramming occurs on a genome-wide scale, which includes demethylation of DNA and remodeling of histones and their modifications. The mechanisms of genome-wide erasure of DNA methylation, which involve modifications to 5-methylcytosine and DNA repair, are being unraveled. Epigenetic reprogramming has important roles in imprinting, the natural as well as experimental acquisition of totipotency and pluripotency, control of transposons, and epigenetic inheritance across generations. Small RNAs and the inheritance of histone marks may also contribute to epigenetic inheritance and reprogramming. Reprogramming occurs in flowering plants and in mammals, and the similarities and differences illuminate developmental and reproductive strategies.     

植物体细胞胚胎发生及其分子调控机制研究进展

植物的每个细胞都包含着该物种的全部遗传信息,具备发育成完整植株的遗传能力,这被称为植物细胞的全能性。体细胞胚胎(体胚)发生是指在没有受精的情况下,由体细胞或营养细胞发育成胚胎,是诱导植物细胞全能性的一种形式。体胚发生在种质资源保存、种苗生产、分子育种和植物基础研究等方面都有着广泛的应用,已成为重要的植物生物技术工具和研究平台。多年来的分子遗传学研究表明:体胚发生受到由众多转录因子、激素信号途径及表观遗传修饰等构成的复杂网络的调控。本研究概述了植物体胚发生的途径,并重点综述了体胚发生关键基因的功能与调控机制、体胚发生的表观遗传修饰以及体胚发生关键基因在基因工程中的应用。随着研究的深入和新技术的出现,体胚发生过程中涉及的代谢组分动态变化、转录调控、激素信号转导与表观遗传调控等复杂生物学过程有望得到更深入地阐释,将更进一步地解析植物体胚发生的分子调控机制。此外,利用体胚发生关键基因的功能与调控机制,开发更高效的体胚诱导和遗传转化方法,有望为更多植物的基因功能研究和遗传改良提供新的思路和技术。参81     

水牛胚胎体外生产研究综述

近年来采用其它家畜上的程序来进行水牛体外胚胎生产(invitroproduction,IVP)引起了越来越多的关注。水牛胚胎体外生产已获得了较高的卵母细胞成熟率、受精率和卵裂率,但囊胚发育率和体外胚的移植成功率仍较低,水牛IVP胚胎体外生产效率比黄牛低得多。在IVP技术应用于水牛生产育种之前,还有一些问题必须解决。笔者对水牛胚胎体外生产的不同技术,包括未成熟卵母细胞的体外培养成熟和受精以及胚胎体外培养卵裂发育至囊胚等进行综述。还讨论了胚胎体外生产存在的问题及可能的解决方案。