The increasing evidence of fetal developmental effects on postnatal life, the still unknown fetal growth mechanisms impairing offspring generated by somatic nuclear transfer techniques, and the impact on stillbirth and dystocia in conventional reproduction have generated increasing attention toward mammalian fetal growth. We identified a highly significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) affecting fetal growth on bovine chromosome 6 in a specific resource population, which was set up by consistent use of embryo transfer and foster mothers and, thus, enabled dissection of fetal-specific genetic components of fetal growth. Merging our data with results from other cattle populations differing in historical and geographical origin and with comparative data from human whole-genome association mapping suggests that a nonsynonymous polymorphism in the non-SMC condensin I complex, subunit G (NCAPG) gene, NCAPG c.1326T.G, is the potential cause of the identified QTL resulting in divergent bovine fetal growth. NCAPG gene expression data in fetal placentomes with different NCAPG c.1326T.G genotypes, which are in line with recent results about differential NCAPG expression in placentomes from studies on assisted reproduction techniques, indicate that the NCAPG locus may give valuable information on the specific mechanisms regulating fetal growth in mammals.

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Here we report on the genomic structure of the bovine aromatase cytochrome P450-encoding gene (Cyp19) and its tissue-specific transcript variants. The gene comprises at least 14 exons (1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, 1.3,1.4, and 2-10) spanning more than 56 kilobases of genomic DNA. The coding area is confined to exons 2-10. Transcriptional start sites of Cyp19 were examined in granulosa cells, placenta, testis, adrenal gland, and brain, employing 5'-RACE (rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends) and primer extension. The analysis of 5'-RACE clones revealed six Cyp19 transcript variants that were different within their 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTR). Yet, the coding region was identical in all clones. Although two of these 5'-UTR (the first 152 nucleotides of exon 2 and exon 1.4) are conserved among different species, four others (exons 1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, and 1.3) did not show sequence homology to any other species. Transcription from exons 1.1 and 2 starts at several adjacent sites. In granulosa cells and placenta, but not in brain, a fraction of transcripts starting with exon 1.2a contains an additional untranslated exon, 1.2b, due to alternative splicing. Transcript variants comprising exon 1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, or 1.3 were mainly found in the placenta, those with the 5'-UTR of exon 2 were predominant in granulosa cells, and transcripts with exon 1.4 prevailed in the brain. Estimates of Cyp19 transcript concentrations in six different tissues revealed high levels in granulosa cells and placenta, intermediate levels in testis and brain, and low levels in adrenal gland and liver. Our experiments demonstrate that six transcript variants of the bovine Cyp19 gene, including 9-11 exons, are expressed with tissue-specific preferences. These transcripts are presumably generated using five different promoter regions and tissue-specific alternative splicing.

In addition to many other functions, the placenta is a source of a vast number of autocrine, paracrine and endocrine factors. However, the spectrum of placental regulatory factors, their concentrations, gestational profiles and roles may differ considerably even between phylogenetically closely related species. Depending on the species, placental regulatory factors of a broad range of molecule classes have been found including (glyco-)proteins, peptides, steroids and prostaglandins. Local placental regulatory factors are especially important for the dialogue between the fetal and the maternal compartment immediately at the feto-maternal borderline and for the control of growth, differentiation and functions of the placenta itself. Moreover, placental hormones in a proper sense may also have effects in more remote targets within the maternal compartment, serving functions such as pregnancy-specific adaptations of maternal circulation, provision of hemotrophe to the fetus or the development and function of the mammary gland. Functions of placental hormones in the fetus proper are less clear but may be especially important before the establishment of a functional fetal endocrine system and near term within the highly species-specific networks of signals preparing and initiating parturition. This review takes a comparative view on the situation in different domestic animals focusing on ruminants and on placental hormones occurring at significant concentrations in the maternal circulation.

The aim of the present study was the characterization of the ovine aromatase cytochrome P450 encoding gene (Cyp19) and the analysis of its tissue‐specific expression. Two loci with considerable sequence identity were found (Cyp19 and Cyp19b). From Cyp19, tissue‐specific transcript variants with different untranslated first exons but identical coding regions could be identified. Cyp19b transcripts were not detected. In the sheep brain and ovarian granulosa cells transcript variants, starting with the untranslated exons 1.4 and 2, respectively, were preferentially found. Exons 1.2 and 1.3 which had been described in bovines could not be detected in sheep and the major 5′ untranslated region of the bovine placental transcript, exon 1.1, was also not found to predominate in the sheep placenta. However this exon frequently was combined with a new untranslated exon (exon 1.1a) thus generating an alternative splice variant. The main placental transcripts in sheep had a different first exon (exon 1.5). Two alternatively spliced variants of this transcript were found with tissue‐specific preference.  From the present data it can be concluded: (a) that the ovine genome contains two copies of Cyp19 of which only one is transcribed and may encode a functional protein; and (b) that in spite of being closely related species, sheep and cattle have remarkable differences concerning tissue‐specific transcript distribution and presumable promoter usage.

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Here we report on the genomic structure of the bovine aromatase cytochrome P450-encoding gene (Cyp19) and its tissue-specific transcript variants. The gene comprises at least 14 exons (1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, 1.3,1.4, and 2-10) spanning more than 56 kilobases of genomic DNA. The coding area is confined to exons 2-10. Transcriptional start sites of Cyp19 were examined in granulosa cells, placenta, testis, adrenal gland, and brain, employing 5'-RACE (rapid amplification of complementary DNA ends) and primer extension. The analysis of 5'-RACE clones revealed six Cyp19 transcript variants that were different within their 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTR). Yet, the coding region was identical in all clones. Although two of these 5'-UTR (the first 152 nucleotides of exon 2 and exon 1.4) are conserved among different species, four others (exons 1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, and 1.3) did not show sequence homology to any other species. Transcription from exons 1.1 and 2 starts at several adjacent sites. In granulosa cells and placenta, but not in brain, a fraction of transcripts starting with exon 1.2a contains an additional untranslated exon, 1.2b, due to alternative splicing. Transcript variants comprising exon 1.1, 1.2a, 1.2b, or 1.3 were mainly found in the placenta, those with the 5'-UTR of exon 2 were predominant in granulosa cells, and transcripts with exon 1.4 prevailed in the brain. Estimates of Cyp19 transcript concentrations in six different tissues revealed high levels in granulosa cells and placenta, intermediate levels in testis and brain, and low levels in adrenal gland and liver. Our experiments demonstrate that six transcript variants of the bovine Cyp19 gene, including 9-11 exons, are expressed with tissue-specific preferences. These transcripts are presumably generated using five different promoter regions and tissue-specific alternative splicing.