Transcriptome Profiling of Rabbit Parthenogenetic Blastocysts Developed under In Vivo Conditions

Abstract

Parthenogenetic embryos are one attractive alternative as a source of embryonic stem cells, although many aspects related to the biology of parthenogenetic embryos and parthenogenetically derived cell lines still need to be elucidated. The present work was conducted to investigate the gene expression profile of rabbit parthenote embryos cultured under in vivo conditions using microarray analysis. Transcriptomic profiles indicate 2541 differentially expressed genes between parthenotes and normal in vivo fertilised blastocysts, of which 76 genes were upregulated and 16 genes downregulated in in vivo cultured parthenote blastocyst, using 3 fold-changes as a cut-off. While differentially upregulated expressed genes are related to transport and protein metabolic process, downregulated expressed genes are related to DNA and RNA binding. Using microarray data, 6 imprinted genes were identified as conserved among rabbits, humans and mice: GRB10, ATP10A, ZNF215, NDN, IMPACT and SFMBT2. We also found that 26 putative genes have at least one member of that gene family imprinted in other species. These data strengthen the view that a large fraction of genes is differentially expressed between parthenogenetic and normal embryos cultured under the same conditions and offer a new approach to the identification of imprinted genes in rabbit.

Effect of in vitro and in vivo conditions on development of parthenogenetic rabbit embryos after vitrification

“…The results from the current study are similar to the outcomes of our previous work 220" [30], as development rate to late morula/early blastocyst stage at Day 3 post-activation…”

“…addressed previously [30,31,32]. So, as recommended by these previous studies and by 249" Brevini et al [4] and from the results revealed in this work, the consideration of rates, which although low are those expected for rabbit parthenogenetic embryos.…”

“…However, the developmental rates of parthenogenetic rabbit vitrified embryos to the implantation rate reached by non-vitrified rabbit parthenogenetic embryos (10.2%, 236" [30]). Nevertheless, no parthenote embryo from Group 2 developed to the blastocyst…”

Transcriptome Analysis of Thermal Parthenogenesis of the Domesticated Silkworm

“…Transcriptomic profile analysis in rabbits indicated that 2541 genes were differentially expressed between parthenotes and normally in vivo fertilized blastocysts. In addition, among those DEGs, 76 genes related to DNA and RNA binding were upregulated and 16 genes related to transport and protein metabolic process are downregulated in in vivo cultured parthenote blastocysts (using a cut-off of 3-fold-change) [ 24 ].…”

“…TREX2 was reported to participate in double-stranded DNA break repair [ 59 ]. Alfonso et al found that a DNA repair protein gene was downregulated in rabbit parthenogenetic blastocysts developed under in vivo conditions [ 24 ]. We hypothesized that downregulation of DNA repair proteins may be the major reason why parthenogenesis in rabbits can be induced but cannot develop completely.…”