Analysis of selected transcript levels in porcine spermatozoa, oocytes, zygotes and two-cell stage embryos

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2008;20(4):513-8. doi: 10.1071/rd07211.

Abstract

It has been suggested that spermatozoa can deliver mRNAs to the oocyte during fertilisation. Using reverse transcription and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis (RQ-PCR), we evaluated the presence of clusterin (CLU), protamine 2 (PRM2), calmegin (CLGN), cAMP-response element modulator protein (CREM), methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), linker histone 1 (H1), protamine 1 (PRM1), TATA box-binding protein associated factor 1 (TAF1) and TATA box-binding protein (TBP) in porcine mature oocytes, zygotes and two-cell stage embryos. Spermatozoa isolated from semen samples of boars contained all transcripts investigated, whereas oocytes contained only CREM, H1, TAF1, and TBP mRNAs. The zygote and two-cell stage embryos contained CLU, CREM, H1, PRM1, PRM2, TAF1 and TBP transcripts. Our observations suggest that porcine spermatozoa may delivery CLU, PRM1 and PRM2 mRNAs to the oocyte, which may contribute to zygotic and early embryonic development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism
  • Cleavage Stage, Ovum / metabolism
  • Clusterin / genetics
  • Clusterin / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator / genetics
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator / metabolism
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / genetics
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism*
  • Embryonic Development / genetics
  • Female
  • Histones / genetics
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Inheritance Patterns
  • Male
  • Molecular Chaperones / genetics
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Oocytes / metabolism*
  • Pregnancy
  • Protamines / genetics
  • Protamines / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Spermatozoa / metabolism*
  • Swine / genetics*
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors / genetics
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors / metabolism
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein / genetics
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Zygote / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • Clusterin
  • Histones
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Protamines
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • spermatid transition proteins
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element Modulator
  • calmegin
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases