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Expression of homeobox‐containing genes in cDNA libraries derived from cattle oocytes and preimplantation stage embryo
Author(s) -
Ponsuksili Siriluck,
Wimmers Klaus,
Adjaye James,
Schellander Karl
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.1091
Subject(s) - biology , homeobox , cdx2 , blastocyst , homeobox a1 , embryo , zygote , genetics , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , hnf1b , emx2 , transcription factor , embryogenesis
The homeobox‐containing gene family plays a pivotal role in regulating, patterning, and axial morphogenesis in the developing embryo. But there is still very little known about the expression and function of these genes in mammalian oocytes and preimplantation stage embryos. In this study we have used degenerate primers corresponding to the highly conserved regions of Antennapedia class homeodomains as a rapid and an efficient method to survey bovine cDNA libraries derived from unfertilised oocytes, single 2‐cell, 4‐cell, 8‐cell, morula, and blastocyst stage embryos for the presence of homeobox sequences. Our results provide, for the first time, evidence for the transcription of Hox a3 and Hox d1 in oocytes; Cdx 1 and Cdx 2 in the 2‐cell; Cdx 1, Hox a1, Hox d1, and Hox d4 in the 4‐cell; Cdx 1, Hox a1, and Hox c9 in the 8‐cell; Cdx 2, Hox b9, and Hox c9 in the morula; Cdx 2, Hox b7, Hox b9, and Hox c9 in blastocyst stage cattle embryos. These are candidate genes for the developmental capacity of in vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 60: 297–301, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.