Nucleosome-to-protamine exchange during mammalian spermiogenesis is essential for compaction and protection of paternal DNA. It is interesting that, depending on the species, 1% to 15% of nucleosomes are retained, but the generalizability and biological function of this retention are unknown. Here, we show concordantly in human and bovine that nucleosomes remained in sperm chromatin predominantly within distal intergenic regions and introns and associated with centromere repeats and retrotransposons (LINE1 and SINEs). In contrast, nucleosome depletion concerned particularly exons, 5'-UTR, 3'-UTR, TSS, and TTS and was associated with simple and low-complexity repeats. Overlap of human and bovine genes exhibiting nucleosome preservation in the promoter and gene body revealed a significant enrichment of signal transduction and RNA- and protein-processing factors. Our study demonstrates the genome-wide uniformity of the nucleosome preservation pattern in mammalian sperm and its connection to repetitive DNA elements and suggests a function in preimplantation processes for paternally derived nucleosomes.

Although somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) cloning is more efficient in cattle than in any other species tested so far, there is a high rate of pregnancy failure that has been linked to structural and functional abnormalities of the placenta. We tested the hypothesis that these changes may originate from disturbed embryo-maternal interactions in the peri-implantation period. Therefore, we evaluated the response of the endometrium to SCNT embryos (produced from 7 different fetal fibroblast cell lines) as compared with embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF). SCNT embryos and IVF embryos were cultured under identical conditions to the blastocyst stage (day 7) and were transferred to corresponding recipients, which were slaughtered at day 18 of pregnancy. The mRNA profiles of endometrium samples were obtained using a custom cDNA microarray enriched for transcripts differentially expressed in the endometrium and/or oviduct epithelium during the estrous cycle and/or early pregnancy. Overall, the variation in mRNA profiles was greater in the SCNT group than in the IVF group. Furthermore, 58 transcripts were differentially abundant in endometria from SCNT and IVF pregnancies. Prominent examples are orphan nuclear receptor COUP-TFII and connexin 43, both known to play important roles in uterine receptivity and conceptus placentation. These findings suggest that placental failure in bovine clone pregnancies may originate from abnormal embryomaternal communication that develops during the peri-implantation period. Endometrium transcriptome profiles may serve as a tool to evaluate SCNT embryos for their ability to establish pregnancy and develop a functional placenta.Bos taurus ͉ cloning ͉ early pregnancy ͉ gene expression ͉ microarray C loning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) (1) is an important strategic tool for animal breeding and biotechnology. For example, animals carrying rare desired alleles can be multiplied to introduce the desired allele into the breeding population. The life span and capacity of valuable breeding animals and the physiologically limited number of offspring of female animals can be increased, thus enhancing selection intensity. Moreover, cloning allows the propagation of desired genotypes without the risk of genetic recombination that is inherent to sexual reproduction. In animal biotechnology, SCNT using genetically modified donor cells is a powerful approach for the generation of transgenic animals (2) and so far is the only technique facilitating targeted mutagenesis in livestock species (3). Moreover, cloning can be used to multiply transgenic animals and to propagate multitransgenic individuals without segregation of the individual transgenes.Despite the plethora of important applications of cloning, the efficiency of this technology still is very low. Although SCNT is more efficient in cattle than in any other species tested so far, a recent survey covering the results of bovine cloning in Brazil, Argentina, and the United States over a 5-year period revealed that only 9...

Interferon tau (IFNT), a type I IFN similar to alpha IFNs (IFNA), is the pregnancy recognition signal produced by the ruminant conceptus. To elucidate specific effects of bovine IFNT and of other conceptus-derived factors, endometrial gene expression changes during early pregnancy were compared to gene expression changes after intrauterine application of human IFNA2. In experiment 1, endometrial tissue samples were obtained on Day (D) 12, D15, and D18 postmating from nonpregnant or pregnant heifers. In experiment 2, heifers were treated from D14 to D16 of the estrous cycle with an intrauterine device releasing IFNA2 or, as controls, placebo lipid extrudates or PBS only. Endometrial biopsies were performed after flushing the uterus. All samples from both experiments were analyzed with an Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array. Experiment 1 revealed differential gene expression between pregnant and nonpregnant endometria on D15 and D18. In experiment 2, IFNA2 treatment resulted in differential gene expression in the bovine endometrium. Comparison of the data sets from both studies identified genes that were differentially expressed in response to IFNA2 but not in response to pregnancy on D15 or D18. In addition, genes were found that were differentially expressed during pregnancy but not after IFNA2 treatment. In experiment 3, spatiotemporal alterations in expression of selected genes were determined in uteri from nonpregnant and early pregnant heifers using in situ hybridization. The overall findings of this study suggest differential effects of bovine IFNT compared to human IFNA2 and that some pregnancy-specific changes in the endometrium are elicited by conceptus-derived factors other than IFNT.endometrium, hormone action, pregnancy, reproductive immunology, uterus

The porcine conceptus undergoes rapid differentiation and expansion of its trophoblastic membranes between Days 11 and 12 of gestation. Concomitant with trophoblast elongation, production of conceptus estrogen, the porcine embryonic pregnancy recognition signal, increases. Conceptus attachment to the uterine surface epithelium starts after Day 13, initiating epitheliochorial placentation. To analyze the transcriptome changes in the endometrium in the course of maternal recognition of pregnancy, deep sequencing of endometrial RNA samples of Day 12 pregnant animals (n = 4) and corresponding nonpregnant controls (n = 4) was performed using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Between 30 000 000 and 35 000 000 sequence reads per sample were produced and mapped to the porcine genome (Sscrofa10.2). Analysis of read counts revealed 2593 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Expression of selected genes was validated by the use of quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis identified several functional terms specifically overrepresented for up-regulated or down-regulated genes. Comparison of the RNA-Seq data from Days 12 and 14 of pregnancy was performed at the level of all expressed genes, the level of the DEG, and the level of functional categories. This revealed specific gene expression patterns reflecting the different functions of the endometrium during these stages (i.e., recognition of pregnancy and preparation for conceptus attachment). Genes related to mitosis, immune response, epithelial cell differentiation and development, proteolysis, and prostaglandin signaling and metabolism are discussed in detail. This study identified comprehensive transcriptome changes in porcine endometrium associated with establishment of pregnancy and could be a resource for targeted studies of genes and pathways potentially involved in regulation of this process.

Uterine secretions have a dominant impact on the environment in which embryo development takes place. The uterine serpins (SERPINA14, previously known as UTMP) are found most abundantly during pregnancy in the uterus of ruminants. Although progesterone is currently assumed to be the major regulator of SERPINA14 expression, our recent study of transcriptome changes in bovine endometrium during the estrous cycle unexpectedly detected a marked upregulation of SERPINA14 mRNA levels at estrus. The present study describes the full-length mRNA sequence, genomic organization, and putative promoter elements of the SERPINA14 gene. The SERPINA14 mRNA abundance was quantified by real-time RT-PCR in intercaruncular endometrium at several time points during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Highest levels were found at estrus, followed by a dramatic decrease and a moderate expression during the luteal phase. Transcript levels were higher in pregnant endometrium compared with controls at Day 18. At estrus, immunoreactive protein was localized in deep glandular epithelium, and Western blotting concomitantly showed the 52-kDa form in uterine flushings. SERPINA14 mRNA was significantly upregulated in glandular endometrial cells in vitro after stimulation with estradiol-17beta and progesterone, but not after interferon-tau treatment. Our results clearly demonstrate that SERPINA14 appears distinctly in bovine endometrium during the estrus phase. A supporting role toward providing a well-prepared endometrial environment for passing gametes, especially sperm, is assumed.