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Differential expression of oxygen‐regulated genes in bovine blastocysts
Author(s) -
Harvey A.J.,
Santos A. Navarrete,
Kirstein M.,
Kind K.L.,
Fischer B.,
Thompson J.G.
Publication year - 2007
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.20617
Subject(s) - biology , blastocyst , embryo , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , andrology , gene , regulation of gene expression , oxygen , embryo culture , embryogenesis , limiting oxygen concentration , genetics , chemistry , medicine , organic chemistry
Low oxygen conditions (2%) during post‐compaction culture of bovine blastocysts improve embryo quality, which is associated with a small yet significant increase in the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT‐1), suggesting a role of oxygen in embryo development mediated through oxygen‐sensitive gene expression. However, bovine embryos to at least the blastocyst stage lack a key regulator of oxygen‐sensitive gene expression, hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF1α). A second, less well‐characterized protein (HIF2α) is, however, detectable from the 8‐cell stage of development. Here we use differential display to determine additional gene targets in bovine embryos in response to low oxygen conditions. While development to the blastocyst stage was unaffected by the oxygen concentration used during post‐compaction culture, differential display identified oxygen‐regulation of myotrophin and anaphase promoting complex 1 expression, with significantly lower levels observed following culture under 20% oxygen than 2% oxygen. These results further support the hypothesis that the level of gene expression of specific transcripts by bovine embryos alters in response to changes in the oxygen environment post‐compaction. Specifically, we have identified two oxygen‐sensitive genes that are potentially regulated by HIF2 in the bovine blastocyst. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.