title: Transcriptome fingerprint of bovine 2-cell stage blastomeres is directly correlated with the individual developmental competence of the corresponding sister blastomere.
abstract: To date, gene expression profiles of bovine preimplantation embryos have only been indirectly related to developmental potential due to the invasive nature of such procedures. This study sought to find a direct correlation between transcriptome fingerprint of blastomeres of bovine 2-cell stage embryos with developmental competence of the corresponding sister blastomeres. Isolated blastomeres were classified according to the sister blastomere's development into three groups: two groups displayed developmental incompetency, including those blastomeres whose corresponding sister blastomeres either stopped cleaving after separation (2CB) or were blocked after two additional cleavages before embryonic genome activation (8CB). In the third group were competent blastomeres, which were defined as those whose sister blastomeres developed to the blastocyst stage (BL). As a result, developmental capacity of corresponding sister blastomeres was highly similar. Microarray analysis revealed 77 genes to be commonly differentially regulated among competent and incompetent blastomeres as well as blocked blastomeres. Clustering of differentially expressed genes according to molecular functions and pathways revealed antioxidant activity, NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response, and oxidative phosphorylation to be the main ontologies affected. Expression levels of selected candidate genes were further characterized in an independent model for developmental competence based on the time of first cleavage postfertilization. Moreover, overall results of this study were confirmed by higher developmental rates and more beneficial expression of CAT and PRDX1 when cultured in an antioxidative environment. These results will help us to understand molecular mechanisms defining developmental destination of individual bovine preimplantation embryos.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Science, Animal Breeding and Husbandry Group, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Held
authors.forename: Dessie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salilew-Wondim
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linke
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zechner
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rings
authors.forename: Dawit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tesfaye
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schellander
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoelker
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D004477:Ectogenesis; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D054464:Peroxiredoxins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007527:Isoenzymes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054464:Peroxiredoxins; D002374:Catalase