• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.62-62
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• 2006

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

The efficiency of transgenic livestock animal production may be improved by early selection of transgenci preimplantation embryos. To examine the possibility of GFP gene as a non-invasive marker for the early screening of transgenic embryo, the GFP gene was microinjected into rabbit zygotes and the later stages of preimplantation embryos were examined for the expression of GFP. The presence of injected DNA was detected by PCR analysis and the expression of GFP was detected by observing green fluorescence in embryos under a fluorescent microscope. Out of 108 GFP gene-injected rabbit zygotes, seventy three(67.6%) were fluorescence-positive. When 11 fluroresecence-positive blastocysts were analyzed for the presence of GFP gene by PCR, 6(54.5%) were positive, and all of the 8 flrouescence-negative blastocysts were also negative by PCR. The results indicate that the screening of transgene in rabbit embryos by PCR analysis and GFP detection could be a promising method for the preselection of transgenic embryos.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.153-160
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• 2014

Adaptive development of early stage embryo is well established and recently it is explored that the mammalian embryos also have adaptive ability to the stressful environment. However, the mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, to evaluate the possible role of aquaporin in early embryo developmental adaptation, the expression of aquaporin (AQP) 5 gene which is detected during early development were examined by the environmental condition. To compare expression patterns between in vivo and in vitro, we conducted quantitative RT-PCR and analyzed localization of the AQP5 by whole mount immunofluorescence. At in vivo condition, Aqp5 expressed in oocyte and in all the stages of preimplantation embryo. It showed peak at 2-cell stage and decreased continuously until morula stage. At in vitro condition, Aqp5 expression pattern was similar with in vivo embryos. It expressed both at embryonic genome activation phase and second mid-preimplantation gene activation phase, but the fold changes were modified between in vivo embryos and in vitro embryos. During in vivo development, AQP5 was mainly localized in apical membrane of blastomeres of 4-cell and 8-cell stage embryos, and then it was localized in cytoplasm. However, the main localization area of AQP5 was dramatically shifted after 8-cell stage from cytoplasm to nucleus by in vitro development. Those results explore the modification of Aqp5 expression levels and location of its final products by in vitro culture. It suggests that expression of Aqp5 and the roles of AQP5 in homeostasis can be modulated by in vitro culture, and that early stage embryos can develop successfully by themselves adapting to their condition through modulation of the specific gene expression and localization.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.47-61
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• 2014

Stored maternal factors in oocytes regulate oocyte differentiation into embryos during early embryonic development. Before zygotic gene activation (ZGA), these early embryos are mainly dependent on maternal factors for survival, such as macromolecules and subcellular organelles in oocytes. The genes encoding these essential maternal products are referred to as maternal effect genes (MEGs). MEGs accumulate maternal factors during oogenesis and enable ZGA, progression of early embryo development, and the initial establishment of embryonic cell lineages. Disruption of MEGs results in defective embryogenesis. Despite their important functions, only a few mammalian MEGs have been identified. In this review we summarize the roles of known MEGs in mouse fertility, with a particular emphasis on oocytes and early embryonic development. An increased knowledge of the working mechanism of MEGs could ultimately provide a means to regulate oocyte maturation and subsequent early embryonic development.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.233-239
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• 2003

We have developed a reliable and high-frequency genetic transformation and regeneration system via somatic embryogensis of Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus. Embryogenic callus obtained from seed were co- cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA101/pIG121Hm harboring genes for intron-$\beta$-glucoronidase(GUS), kanamycin and hygromycin resistance. Following co-cultivation, two types of samples(fine embrogenic calli and early globular embryo clusters) were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog(MS) medium containing 1 mg/L2.4-D for 3day in dark. Transient expression of GUS gene was found to be higher in the early globular embryo clusters than in the embryogenic calli. Also, co-cultivated period affected expression of GUS gene; the best result was obtained when globular embryo clusters were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3 days. Subsequently, this callus transferred to selective MS medium containing 1mg/L2.4-D, 50mg/L kanamycin or/and 30mg/L hygromycin and 300mg/L cefortaxime. These embryogenic calls were subcultured to the same selection medium at every 2 weeks intervals. Approximately 24.5% of the early globular embryos co-cultivated with Agrobacterium for 3days produced kanamycin or/and hygromycin-resistant calli. Transgenic somatic embryos were converted into plantlets in half strength MS medium supplemented with 3mg/L GA$_3$ kanamycin and were confirmed by GUS histochemical assay and polymerase chain reaction analysis. Genomic Southem blot hybridization confirmed the incorporation of NPT II gene into the host genome.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.81-86
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• 1998

Recent identification and characterization of plant homeobox genes suggest that they play important roles in morphogenetic events. OSH1, one of the rice homeobox genes, is thought to be related to organ development since the changes of OSH1 gene expression cause morphological abnormalities of leaves by the ectopic expression and is expressed during early embryogenesis. In this experiment, the expression pattern of OSH1 was analyzedinmutants by in situ hybridization, and OSH1's potential as a molecular marker was explored. Region-specific expression of OSH1 during early embryogenesis shows that OSH1 could be used as a molecular marker for characterizing embryo mutants. Although several organless and shootless mutants showed normal expression of OSM1, some mutants exhibited abnormal expression patterns. In a minute organless cle1-1 embryo whose epidermis resembled morphologically the epithelium of scutellum, OSH1 expression was limited to a small basal region. This expression pattern suggests the gross deletion of the basal part. In a radicleless mutant, odm115, OSH1 expression was detected in a basal region instead of subcentral region of the ventral side. Together with other characteristics (short embryo and normal adventitious roots), odm115 was estimated to be derived from the deletion of basal region. Among five shootless mutants, three showed normal expression of OSH1. In the shl2 embryo, no expression of OSH1 was observed. In the shl1 embryo, however, OSH1 expression was extended to a dorsal side, indicating that SHL2 might be related to dorsoventral patterning. The above results of in situ hybrydization clearly indicate that OSH1 can be utilized as a marker for characterizing gene functions of embryo mutants.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.866-871
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• 2007

Testis-specific protein (TSPY) is a Y-specific gene, with up to 200 copy numbers in bulls. In order to make bovine embryo sexing under farm condition more feasible, the possibility of using a non-electrophoretic method to detect the TSPY gene for sexing bovine early embryos was examined. Primers were designed to amplify a portion of the TSPY gene and a common gene as an internal control primer. PCR optimization was carried out using a DNA template from bovine whole blood. Furthermore, embryo samples were diagnosed by this method and the sexing results were contrasted with those of the Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method. The results showed that TSPY was as reliable a sexing method as LAMP. Forty-three morula and blastocyst embryos collected from superovulated donor dairy cattle were sexed by this method, and twenty-one embryos judged to be female embryos were transferred non-surgically to recipients 6 to 8 days after natural estrus. Out of 21 recipients, 9 were pregnant (42.86%) and all delivered female calves. The results showed that the sex predicted by this protocol was 100% accurate. In conclusion, the TSPY gene was a good male specific marker and indicated that a non-electrophoretic method was feasible and accurate to detect the TSPY gene for sexing preimplantation bovine embryos.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.87-87
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• 2003

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, $^{+}NH_3CH_2CH_2{SO_3}^{-}$) is endogenous $\beta$-amino acid which is essential in fetal nutrition and development and is present in abundant quantities in several tissues of fetus. In utero, taurine deficiency causes abnormal development and abnormal function of brain, retina, kidney and myocardium. Thus, transfer of taurine into fetus is important during embryonic development. Taurine transporter (TauT) has 12 hydrophobic membrane -spanning domains, which is typical of the $Na^{+}$- and $Cl^{-}$-dependent transporter gene family. Among the various biosynthetic enzymes of taurine, cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSD) is the rate-limiting enzyme for biosynthesis of taurine. However, the enzyme activities of taurine biosynthesis are limited in early stage of embryonic development. To analyze the expression period of TauT and CSD during embryonic development, we have investigated the gene expression of TauT and CSD using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in mouse and chicken embryos. RT-PCR anaylsis revealed that both TauT and CSD mRNAs were already expressed at Day-4.5 in mouse embryo. In chicken whole embryo, TauT and CSD mRNAs began to appear on developing times of 48 hrs and 12 hrs, respectively. TauT mRNA was detected in the organs of heart, brain and eye of the day-3 chicken embryo. Our data show that TauT and CSD mRNAs were expressed in early stage of embryonic development.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2020

Partheno Embryo's research is known to play a very important role in identifying the development of embryonic cells or analyzing the genetic mechanisms of embryonic development, but the information on apoptosis formed during the early stage of development on Partheno Embryo is very little. Therefore, this study analyzed whether the embryonic cell death of unit embryos can be inhibited by adding Scriptaid, one of HDACi, which plays a role in demethylation of histone proteins as a method of regulating the cell cycle in the early embryo development of Partheno Embryo. As a result, the differentiation rate was higher in the group that added Scriptaid and FBS, but the cellular development was higher in the group that added pregnant serum to Scriptaid. As a result of analyzing the expression of the gene through IF and PCR, the group with the addition of gestational serum increased the expression of BCL2 and PCNA, which affects the anti-Casp3 action in cell survival. In addition, it is interpreted that treatment of Scriptaid for 16 hours, rather than 24 h treatment lowers the expression of Casp-3, a representative factor of apoptosis, and also increases embryonic development, thus affecting early embryo development. Therefore, it is concluded that the 16-hour treatment of Scriptaid and the use of gestational serum will inhibit cell death in the early embryonic development and increase the development rate of the embryo.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2000

The efficiency of transgenic livestock production could be improved by early screening of transgene-integration and sexing of embryos at preimplantational stages before trasferring them into recipients. We examined the effciency of multiplex PCR analysis for the simultaneous confirmation of the trasgene and sex during the preimplantational development of bovine embryos and the possibility of green fluorescent protein(GFP) gene as a non-invasive marker for the early screening of transgenic embryos. The GFP gene was microinjected into the male pronuclei of bovine zygotes produced in vitro. The injected zygotes were co-cultured in TCM-199 containing 10% FCS with boving oviductal epithelial cells in a 5% CO2 incubator. Seventeen(13.0%) out of 136 gene-injected bovine zygotes developed by multiplex PCR analysis and the expression of GFP was detected by observing green fluorescence in embryos under a fluorescent microscope. Eight(67%) of 12 embryos at 2-cell to blastocyst stage were positive in the PCR analysis, but only two(11.8%) of 17 blastocysts expressed the GFP gene. Their sex was determined as 7 female and 5 male embryos by the PCR analysis. The results indicate that the screening of GFP gene and sex in bovine embryos by PCR analysis and fluorescence detection could be a promisible method for the preselection of transgenic embryos.