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Reproductive performance and expression of imprinted genes in somatic cell cloned boars
Author(s) -
Kawarasaki Tatsuo,
Enya Satoko,
Otake Masayoshi,
Shibata Masatoshi,
Mikawa Satoshi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12838
Subject(s) - biology , cloning (programming) , gene , somatic cell , single nucleotide polymorphism , semen , snp , genetics , genomic imprinting , allele , fertility , insulin like growth factor 2 , andrology , gene expression , genotype , population , medicine , demography , sociology , computer science , dna methylation , programming language
To assess the performance of boars derived by somatic cell cloning, we analyzed various aspects of their reproductive characteristics and the expression of two imprinted genes. Cloned boars (cloned Duroc × Jinhua) were analyzed for birth weight, growth rate, age at first ejaculation, semen characteristics and fertility, in comparison with naturally bred control boars of the same strain. The expression of imprinted genes was analyzed using the microsatellite marker SWC 9 for the paternally expressed gene insulin‐like growth factor ‐2 ( IGF 2 ) and with single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNP s) for the gene maternally expressed 3 ( MEG 3 ). The cloned boars had high production of semen and were nearly equal in level of fertility to conventional pigs; they showed similar characteristics as naturally bred boars of the same strains. The expression of IGF 2 was partially disturbed, but this disturbed expression was not linked to a change in developmental fate or reproductive performance. These results indicate that use of cloned boars could be highly effective for proliferation of pigs with desirable characteristics, preservation of genetic resources and risk reduction against epidemic diseases, such as foot‐and‐mouth disease, through storage of somatic cells as a precautionary measure for use in regenerating pig populations after a future pandemic.