• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.177-183
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• 2022

Objective: The present study evaluated the efficiency of embryo development and pregnancy of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos using different source-matured oocytes in Camelus dromedarius. Methods: Camelus dromedarius embryos were produced by SCNT using in vivo- and in vitro- matured oocytes. In vitro embryo developmental capacity of reconstructed embryos was evaluated. To confirm the efficiency of pregnancy and live birth rates, a total of 72 blastocysts using in vitro- matured oocytes transferred into 45 surrogates and 95 blastocysts using in vivo- matured oocytes were transferred into 62 surrogates by transvaginal method. Results: The collected oocytes derived from ovum pick up showed higher maturation potential into metaphase II oocytes than oocytes from the slaughterhouse. The competence of cleavage, and blastocyst were also significantly higher in in vivo- matured oocytes than in vitro- matured oocytes. After embryo transfer, 11 pregnant and 10 live births were confirmed in in vivo- matured oocytes group, and 2 pregnant and 1 live birth were confirmed in in vitro- matured oocytes group. Furthermore, blastocysts produced by in vivo-matured oocytes resulted in significantly higher early pregnancy and live birth rates than in vitro-matured oocytes. Conclusion: In this study, SCNT embryos using in vivo- and in vitro-matured camel oocytes were successfully developed, and pregnancy was established in recipient camels. We also confirmed that in vivo-matured oocytes improved the development of embryos and the pregnancy capacity using the blastocyst embryo transfer method.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.497-501
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• 1999

Biotinylation of recombinant proteins is a powerful tool for the detection and analysis of proteins of interest in a large variety of assay systems. The recent development of in vivo biotinylation techniques in E. coli has opened new possibilities for the production of site-specifically biotinylated proteins without the need for further manipulation after the isolation of the recombinantly expressed proteins. In the present study, a novel vector set was generated which allows the convenient cloning and expression of proteins of interest fused with an N-terminal in vivo biotinylated thioredoxin (TRX) protein. These vectors were derived from the previously reported pBIOTRX vector into which was incorporated part of the pBluescript II+phagemid multiple cloning site (MCS), amplified by PCR using a pair of sophisticated oligonucleotide primers. The functionality of these novel vectors was examined in this system by recombinant expression of rat transforming growth factor-$\beta$. Western-blot analysis using TRX-specific antibodies or peroxidase-conjugated streptavidin confirmed the successful induction of the fusion protein and the in vivo conjugation of biotin molecules, respectively. The convenience of molecular subcloning provided by the MCS and the effective in vivo biotinylation of proteins of interest makes this novel vector set an interesting alternative for the production of biotinylated proteins.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.3
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• pp.577-586
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• 2024

The in vitro maturation (IVM) rate of canine oocytes remains low compared to other mammals due to their unique reproductive characteristics. This study aimed to explore the effect of hormone supplementation during the IVM of canine immature oocytes on nuclear maturation and subsequently assess its potential application in canine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Immature oocytes were collected and cultured in an IVM medium supplemented with hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH] and progesterone [P4]) or without hormones (control) for 24 hours. The maturation rates of oocytes in the hormone-treated group (94.92 ± 3.15%) were significantly higher than those in the control group (61.01 ± 4.23%). Both in vitro and in vivo matured oocytes underwent NT to evaluate their utility, and the fusion rates were higher in the in vitro matured group than those in the vivo matured group, not significant between in vivo and in vitro matured group (73.28% and 82.35%, respectively). As a result, 14 fused embryos from the in vitro matured group were transferred into two surrogates, with one surrogate achieving a successful pregnancy and delivering four puppies. Whereas in the in vivo matured group, 85 fused embryos were transferred to 8 surrogate mothers, leading to three surrogates becoming pregnant and delivering one, four, and two puppies. The pregnancy rates were not significant between both groups (50% and 37.50%), but the number of offspring exhibited a significant difference (28.57% and 8.23%). In conclusion, we achieved a remarkable milestone by successfully producing cloned puppies using in vitro matured oocytes, underscoring the feasibility of canine cloning from in vitro recovered oocytes. It is important to note that this study focused only on immature oocytes after ovulation and only during the estrus stage. Further research targeting other stages of the estrous cycle could potentially enhance canine cloning efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.214.1-214
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• 1996

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2008

Hox genes are known to be transcription factors controlling vertebrate pattern formation along the anteroposterior body axis by regulating many target gene expressions during vertebrate embryogenesis. In order to isolate in vivo Hox responsive target genes, ChIP-cloning technique has been applied using Hoxc8 antibody. Here murine embryo of day 11.5 post coitum (E11.5) highly expressing Hoxc8 gene was used after removing head and tail portions where Hoxc8 is rarely expressing. After fixation with formaldehyde, the chromatin DNAs harboring bound proteins were isolated. After sonication, about 0.5- to 1 Kb chromatin DNAs were immunoprecipitated with anti Hoxc8 antibody. After removing the bound proteins with proteinase K, DNAs were isolated, cloned into the pBluescsript II SK vector, and then sequenced. Total 33 random clones sequenced were anlalyzed to be located at 12 different genomic regions. Among these, 8 turned out to be introns and 4 were intergenic regions localized in random chromosomes. The base composition of total cloned genomic sequences (6608 bp) were AT-rich, i.e., 40% GC. When the Hoxc8 core binding sites, such as TAAT, ATTA, TTAT, and ATAA were analyzed total number of 55, 45, 54, and 55 were found, respectively, which are than twice as many as expected number of 26. Although this in silico analysis does not mean that the ChIP-cloned sequence is real Hoxc8 regulatory element in vivo, these results strongly imply that the DNA fragments cloned through chromatin immunoprecipitation could be very much likely the putative Hoxc8 downstream target genes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2009.02a
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• pp.49-57
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• 2009

The cloning of canids was succeeded in 2005, several years after the birth of Dolly the sheep and also after the cloning of numerous other laboratory and farm animal species. The delay of successful somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)was due to the unique reproductive characteristics of the female dogin comparison to other domestic mammals, such as ovulation of immature canine oocyte and a requirement of 25 days for the completion of meiosis within the oviduct (Holst & Phemister, 1971). When the technology for the recovery of in vivo matured oocyte was established, the application of cloning also became possible and cloned dog offspring were obtained. This report summarizes the progress of technical procedures that are required for cloning canids and the application of this technique. The first cloned dog, Snuppy, was achieved using an in vivo-matured oocyte which was enucleated and transferred with an adult skin cell of male Afghan hound. After establishment of a criterion of well-matured oocyte for the improvement of SCNT efficiency, we obtained three cloned female Afghan hound and a toy poodle cloned from 14 year-old aged Poodle using SCNT through this factor. To date, cloned dogs appeared to be normal and those that have reached puberty have been confirmed to be fertile. Through application of canine SCNT technique, first, we demonstrated that SNCT is useful for conserving the breed of endangered animal from extinction through cloning of endangered gray wolves using inter-species SCNT and keeping the pure pedigree through the cloning of Sapsaree, a Korean natural monument. Secondly, we showed possibility of human disease model cloned dog and transgenic cloned dog production through cloning of red fluorescent protein expressing dog. Finally, SCNT can be used for the propagation of valuable genotypes for making elite seed stock and pet dog. In summary, dog cloning is a reproducible technique that offers the opportunity to preserve valuable genetics and a potential step towards the production of gene targeted transgenic cloned dogs for the study of human diseases.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 1999

C-P compounds(Pn; phosphonate) such as glyphosate(GPS), aminoethylphosphonate(AEPn) and methyl-phosphonate(MPn) biodegrading genes were cloned from Pseudomonas sp. strain #A1 Which assimilated GPS as sole phosphorous source. Carrying out the in vivo molecular cloning by means of Mini-Mu plasmid, the size of clones($AEPn^+$, $MPn^+$, $GPS^+$) for the gene to degrade C=P compounds are 10-19Kb, 10Kb, and 12-18 Kb, respectively. Moreover, they expressed the phenotype for each Pn when they were transformed into $\Delta phn$ mutants. Hence, it is postulated that Pseudomonas sp.#A1 has three kind of Pn degradative pathway, separately. The phn clones($AEPn^+$, $MPn^+$, $GPS^+$) are verified as the members of PHO regulon because of their phoBR-dependent characteristics.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2001

It has been reported that cloning cattle is inefficient. One of the problems was placental abnormality, finally resulting in fetal mortality after transfer of nuclear transfer (NT) bovine embryos. This study was focused on the allocations of embryonic cells to the inner cell mass (ICM) or to the trophectoderm(TE) in NT bovine blastocysts. Somatic cells were derived from a Day 45 fetus of gestation, individually transferred into enucleated oocytes and developed to the blastocyst stage in vitro. Differential staining was used to assess the qualify of blastocysts derived from NT, IVF and in vivo. Development rate of NT embryos to blastocysts (25.0%, 41/164) was similar to that of IVF embryos (28.7%, 49/171). The total cell number of NT blastocysts (101.3$\pm$45.9) was not different compared with that of IVF embryos (107.9$\pm$34.2, P>0.05), but was lower than in vivo embryos (122.5$\pm$21.6, P<0.05). Ratio of ICM/total cells was higher in NT embryos (51.6$\pm$ 18.6%) than in IVF and in vivo embryos (42.3$\pm$ 15.3% and 34.9$\pm$8.9%, respectively) (P<0.05). Most IVF (56.8%, 25/44) and in vivo blastocysts(80.8%, 21/26) was distributed in the proportion of ICM/total cells ranging from 20 to 40% group. However, most NT blastocysts was biased in the 40-60%(34.1%, 15/44) and >60% (31.8%, 14/44) groups. Our findings suggest that placental abnormalities or early fetal losses in the present cloning system may be due to aberrant allocation of NT embryos to the ICM cells.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.14-17
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• 2001

Positional cloning (map-based cloning) of mutations or genetic variations has been served as an invaluable tool to understand in-vivo functions of genes and to identify molecular components underlying phenotypes of interest. Mice homozygous for the cerebellar deficient folia (cdf) mutation are ataxic, with cerebellar hypoplasia and abnormal lobulation of the cerebellum. In the cdf mutant cerebellum approximately 40% of Purkinje cells are ectopically located within the white matter and the inner granule cell layer (IGL). To identify the cdf gene, a high-resolution genetic map for the cdf-gene-encompassing region was constructed using 1997 F2 mice generated from C3H/HeSnJ-cdf/cdf and CAST/Ei intercross. The cdf gene showed complete linkage disequilibrium with three tightly linked markers D6Mit208, D6Mit359, and D6Mit225. A contig using YAC, BAC, and P1 clones was constructed for the cdf critical region to identify the gene. A deletion in the cdf critical region on chromosome 6 that removes approximately 150kb of DNA was identified. A gene associated with this deletion was identified using cDNA selection. cdf mutant mice with the transgenic copy of the identified gene restored the brain abnormalities of the mutant mice. The positional cloning of cdf gene provides a good example showing the identification of a gene could lead to finding a new component of important molecular pathways.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2000

Plasmid pLEX3 isolated from the recombinant cosmid library of Zoogloea ramigera 115 was found to be responsible for the restoration of the rugose colony phenotype. To confirm the essential region responsible for the complementation, subclones were constructed from plasmid pLEX3 and transformed into mutant strain Z. ramigera 115SLR. The recombinant plasmids pLEX10 and pLEX11 were shown to complement the slime-forming property of Z. ramigera 115SLR. In a compositional analysis of the exopolysaccharides from Z. ramigera 115, Z. ramigera 115SLR, and Z. ramigera 115SLR harboring plasmid pLEX11, the exopolysaccharides showed a similar composition with glucose, galactose, and side chain groups. The complete nucleotide sequence of the 3.25kb genocim DNA insert in plasmid pLEX11 was determined and its analysis identified two open reading frames which could encode two proteins. The gene products derived form the two open reading frames were confirmed by and in vivo transcription using a T7-RNA polymerase. The ORF1 produced a 30 kDa protein, whereas the ORF2 was found responsible for the complementation of the morphological mutation and produced a 14 kDa protein. An in vivo gene expression of plasmid pTEX10 showed another open reading frame encoding a 50 kDa protein. The gene products form ORF1 and ORF2 are regarded as novel proteins which do not show any homology with other proteins.