Epigenetic reprogramming in embryonic and foetal development upon somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning. 2008

Heiner Niemann, and X Cindy Tian, and W Allan King, and Rita S F Lee
Department of Biotechnology, Institute for Animal Breeding (FAL), Mariensee, Hoeltystr. 10, 31535 Neustadt, Germany . niemann@tzv.fal.de

The birth of 'Dolly', the first mammal cloned from an adult donor cell, has sparked a flurry of research activities to improve cloning technology and to understand the underlying mechanism of epigenetic reprogramming of the transferred somatic cell nucleus. Especially in ruminants, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is frequently associated with pathological changes in the foetal and placental phenotype and has significant consequences for development both before and after birth. The most critical factor is epigenetic reprogramming of the transferred somatic cell nucleus from its differentiated status into the totipotent state of the early embryo. This involves an erasure of the gene expression program of the respective donor cell and the establishment of the well-orchestrated sequence of expression of an estimated number of 10 000-12 000 genes regulating embryonic and foetal development. The following article reviews the present knowledge on the epigenetic reprogramming of the transferred somatic cell nucleus, with emphasis on DNA methylation, imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation and telomere length restoration in bovine development. Additionally, we briefly discuss other approaches towards epigenetic nuclear reprogramming, including the fusion of somatic and embryonic stem cells and the overexpression of genes crucial in the formation and maintenance of the pluripotent status. Improvements in our understanding of this dramatic epigenetic reprogramming event will be instrumental in realising the great potential of SCNT for basic biological research and for various agricultural and biomedical applications.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002417 Cattle Domesticated bovine animals of the genus Bos, usually kept on a farm or ranch and used for the production of meat or dairy products or for heavy labor. Beef Cow,Bos grunniens,Bos indicus,Bos indicus Cattle,Bos taurus,Cow,Cow, Domestic,Dairy Cow,Holstein Cow,Indicine Cattle,Taurine Cattle,Taurus Cattle,Yak,Zebu,Beef Cows,Bos indicus Cattles,Cattle, Bos indicus,Cattle, Indicine,Cattle, Taurine,Cattle, Taurus,Cattles, Bos indicus,Cattles, Indicine,Cattles, Taurine,Cattles, Taurus,Cow, Beef,Cow, Dairy,Cow, Holstein,Cows,Dairy Cows,Domestic Cow,Domestic Cows,Indicine Cattles,Taurine Cattles,Taurus Cattles,Yaks,Zebus
D004622 Embryo, Mammalian The entity of a developing mammal (MAMMALS), generally from the cleavage of a ZYGOTE to the end of embryonic differentiation of basic structures. For the human embryo, this represents the first two months of intrauterine development preceding the stages of the FETUS. Embryonic Structures, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo,Mammalian Embryo Structures,Mammalian Embryonic Structures,Embryo Structure, Mammalian,Embryo Structures, Mammalian,Embryonic Structure, Mammalian,Embryos, Mammalian,Mammalian Embryo Structure,Mammalian Embryonic Structure,Mammalian Embryos,Structure, Mammalian Embryo,Structure, Mammalian Embryonic,Structures, Mammalian Embryo,Structures, Mammalian Embryonic
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D044127 Epigenesis, Genetic A genetic process by which the adult organism is realized via mechanisms that lead to the restriction in the possible fates of cells, eventually leading to their differentiated state. Mechanisms involved cause heritable changes to cells without changes to DNA sequence such as DNA METHYLATION; HISTONE modification; DNA REPLICATION TIMING; NUCLEOSOME positioning; and heterochromatization which result in selective gene expression or repression. Epigenetic Processes,Epigenetic Process,Epigenetics Processes,Genetic Epigenesis,Process, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetic,Processes, Epigenetics
D053652 Nuclear Transfer Techniques Methods of implanting a CELL NUCLEUS from a donor cell into an enucleated acceptor cell. Nuclear Transplantation,Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technique,Nuclear Transfer Technique,Transplantation, Nuclear
D018507 Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action during the developmental stages of an organism. Developmental Gene Expression Regulation,Embryologic Gene Expression Regulation,Gene Expression Regulation, Embryologic,Regulation of Gene Expression, Developmental,Regulation of Gene Expression, Embryologic,Regulation, Gene Expression, Developmental,Regulation, Gene Expression, Embryologic
D019175 DNA Methylation Addition of methyl groups to DNA. DNA methyltransferases (DNA methylases) perform this reaction using S-ADENOSYLMETHIONINE as the methyl group donor. DNA Methylations,Methylation, DNA,Methylations, DNA
D019976 Cloning, Organism The formation of one or more genetically identical organisms derived by vegetative reproduction from a single cell. The source nuclear material can be embryo-derived, fetus-derived, or taken from an adult somatic cell. Cloning, Embryo,Cloning, Human,Embryo Cloning,Human Cloning,Cloning,Clonings, Embryo,Clonings, Human,Clonings, Organism,Embryo Clonings,Human Clonings,Organism Cloning,Organism Clonings
D035845 Research Embryo Creation The creation of embryos specifically for research purposes. Embryo Creation, Research,Creation, Research Embryo,Creations, Research Embryo,Embryo Creations, Research,Research Embryo Creations
D065150 Cellular Reprogramming A process where fully differentiated or specialized cells revert to pluripotency or a less differentiated cell type. Cell Reprogramming,Nuclear Reprogramming,Reprogramming, Cell,Reprogramming, Cellular,Reprogramming, Nuclear

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