title: Expression of c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes by ovine preimplantation embryos.
abstract: The c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes are involved in the regulation of gene expression, cell proliferation, differentiation and tumorigenesis. Embryogenesis, like tumorigenesis, involves dramatic cell growth, cleavage and differentiation processes. Activation of the c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes in sheep conceptuses during the period of rapid growth and elongation was examined using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The specificity of PCR products was determined by Southern blot hybridisation analysis with a non-radioactive DNA probe. A band corresponding to a 507 bp fragment (predicted amplified c-fos gene cDNA product) was observed in 3 of 9 day-13, 1 of 4 day-14 and 1 of 2 day-16 embryos. Meanwhile, a 400 bp c-jun transcript was also detected in 1 of 2 day-12, 3 of 9 day-13 and 2 of 2 day-16 embryos. These results suggest that mRNA transcripts of c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes were specifically expressed during the period of ovine embryonic elongation and may have a possible role in preimplantation embryonic development of sheep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, Northwestern Agricultural University, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000235:genetics*; D016758:Genes, jun / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger