The bovine fatty acid binding protein 4 and 5 (FABP4 and 5) is a major positional and physiological candidate gene for the bovine marbling and carcass weight. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between economic traits of Korean cattle (Hanwoo) and genetic variation in fatty acid binding protein 4 and 5 (FABP4 and 5) genes within carcass/meat quality traits and the before/after of fatting in breed Hanwoo. Here, we characterized the nucleotide polymorphism of FABP4 and 5 in 86 cattle. We were detected the variability of three types (GG, AG, and AA) by PCR, and economic traits were analyzed by the mixed regression model implemented in the ASReml program. As the result of statistical and supersonic analysis, FABP4 gene was highly showed significant effect (p<0.006) on marbling score (MS), in contrast FABP5 gene was lowed (p<0.084) on MS before fatting. But, FABP4 gene was highly showed significant effect (p<0.0054) on MS, in contrast FABP5 gene lowest (p<0.0899) on MS in the after of fatting. Compare to supersonic result before fatting in FABP4 gene, it was detected type GG: (p<7.18), AG: (p<8.50), and AA: (p<10.50) (n=50), showed type GG: (p<4.88), AG: (p<2.33), and AA: (p<0.00) after weed out (n=20). Futhermore, it was detected type GG: (p<9.30), AG: (p<7.95), and AA: (p<7.40) (n=50) before fatting in the FABP5 gene. It was shown type GG: (p<2.67), AG: (p<3.50), and AA: (p<5.00) after weed out (n=50). Our results indicate that FABP4 and 5 gene transcription is regulated by the environment of feeding and management, and suggest that feeding and management could be potential key in determining FABP4 and 5 genes transcription for carcass/meat quality traits in breed Hanwoo.

Oct4 and Nanog are transcription factors involved in pluripotency of stem cells. In general, Oct4 is up-regulated by Nanog. In previous results, however, Oct4 was differentially regulated by various doses of Nanog in P19 cells. High dose Nanog down-regulated the Oct4 expression. This negative feedback event was performed by DNMT and HDAC through the inhibitor assays (5-AZA-cytidine and trichostatin A). To identify the precise recruited sites for DNMT and HDAC, ChIP assay was performed in differential doses of Nanog. As a result, HDAC1, HDAC2, DNMT3A and Nanog were recruited to CR2, CR3, CR1, and CR4 upon high dose Nanog, respectively. Next, to investigate the differentiation potency of the cells upon high dose Nanog, RT-PCR with specific markers for three germ layers was performed. However, there was no increase for three germ layers in high dose Nanog treated cells except E-cadherin expression. E-cadherin is a specific marker for epithelial cells. Taken together, high dose Nanog induces Oct4 down-regulation and results in differentiating embryonic carcinoma cells to epithelial cell type. These results will be helpful for study on regulation of pluripotency-related genes in embryonic stem cells. * This study was supported by 2012 Post Doctoral Fellowship Program of National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. This work received grant support from the Agenda Program (No.PJ007577), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Immunological rejection of the organ grafted onto a primate arises from two antibody mediated processes, hyperacute rejection (HAR) and acute humoral rejection (AHR). Functional ablation of α1,3-galactosyltransferase (GalT) and concurrently overexpression of complement regulatory proteins are known to inhibit HAR and AHR. In previous study, we reported that production of porcine male fibroblasts harboring a MCP expression cassette targeted to GalT locus. In this study, we constructed a different MCP expression cassette, in which the EF1α promoter regulates MCP expression and internal ribosome entry site-mediated neomycin resistance gene expression. Subsequently, this cassette was inserted between the left and the right homologous arms to target exon 9 of the GalT gene. Female fibroblasts were isolated from ear skin of 10 days old miniature pig, and used for nucelofection of the the construct for MCP expression at GalT locus. PCR analysis showed that four clones of forty neomycin resistant clones carry MCP expression cassette at exon 9 of the GalT gene. Two clones analyzed downregulated GalT expression, as determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Flow cytometry analysis showed that MCP was efficiently expressed at the cell surface.

Oct4 and Nanog are well-known transcription factors related with self renewal of embryonic stem cell. In low-dose of Nanog, transcription of oct4 is increased; however, oct4 is down-regulated upon high-dose of Nanog. There is a negative feedback loop between oct4 and Nanog. To identify this regulation, we generated 4 nested sets for mouse oct4 promoter. Luciferase activities of oct4 were declined upon high-dose Nanog in all constructs. The declined effects of oct4 upon high-dose Nanog were moderated with DNMT and HDAC inhibitors (5-AZA-cytidine and trichostatin A) in 3 constructs (1867, 1346, 754). But, one construct (2179) was only sensitive to TSA. Taken together, these effects were also represented in semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting data. These data suggest that negative regulation of oct4 gene upon high-dose Nanog would be accomplished by DNMT and HDAC. Further, it will be studied whether these constraining molecules bind to CR1-4 region of oct4 promoter upon low- and high-dose of Nanog.

Unstable Epigenetic reprogramming was DNA methylation, imprinting, RNA silencing, co-valent modifications of histones and remodelling by other chromatin-associated complexes. After fusion with an enucleated oocyte, a differentiated somatic cell can restructure its genetic program and acquire totipotent characteristics. However, these cases happen only with low frequency. primordial germ cells (PGC) was effectively remove of epigenetic modifications in the genetic totipotency which is necessary for the development. The present study was in vitro development of reconstruct PGC NT embryos compared with somatic cell NT embryos. The rate of cleavage did not differ between NT embryos from PGC and somatic cells (87.26 vs 91.36%). However, the rate of development to the blastocyst stage was significantly higher in PGC cell NT than somatic cell NT (31.03 vs 19.27%). PGC from a slightly younger stage of development have succeed to promote normal development of recipient eggs. This difference in results between germ cell and somatic cell nuclear transfers could only be a reflection of intimate differences in their reprograming. These results suggest that PGC NT embryos are significantly higher for the in vitro development. Furthermore, These study may represent an approach towards achieving better production of transgenic animal.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of donor cell treatments on the production of transgenic cloned piglets. Ear fibroblast cell obtained from NIH MHC Inbred minipig was used as control. The GalT knock-out/CD46 knock-in (GalT/CD46) transgenic cell lines were established and used as donor cells. The reconstructed GalT/CD46 embryos were surgically transferred into oviduct of naturally cycling surrogate sows (Landrace × Yorkshire) on the second day of standing estrus. Unlike control (1.2 kV/cm,, 75.4%), the fusion rate of the GalT/CD46 donor cells was significantly higher in 1.5 kV/cm, (84.5%) than that of 1.25 kV/cm, (20.2%) (p<0.01). When the number of the transferred embryos were more than 129, the pregnancy and delivery rates were increased to 13/20 (65%) and 5/20 (25%) compared to less than 100 group [1/6 (16.7%) and 0/6 (0%)], respectively. To analyze the effect of donor cell culture condition on pregnancy and delivery rates, the GalT/CD46 donor cells were cultured with DMEM or serum reduced medium. In serum reduced medium group, the pregnancy and delivery rates were improved to 8/12 (66.7%) and 5/12 (41.7%) compared to DMEM group [3/7 (42.9%) and 0/7 (0%)], respectively. In conclusion, it can be postulated that an appropriate fusion condition and culture system is essential factors to increase the efficiency of the production of transgenic cloned piglets.

This study was performed to comprehend the plasma proteins expressed specifically during early pregnancy in pregnant or non-pregnant Hanwoo using proteomic analysis technique. Plasma samples (0, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 11 weeks after AI) were obtained from pregnant (P, n=3) or non-pregnant (NP, n=4) Hanwoo, respectively. To evaluate proteins differentially expressed, 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) was conducted. Normalized protein spots were selected for the significant expression variation deviated over two fold in its expression level between two groups. Molecular functions of the proteins were DNA binding, protein binding, hemoglobin binding, ferrochelatase and transporter activity and arylestera, respectively. According to western blotting, haptoglobin was specifically expressed only in NP group during early pregnancy; however, paraoxonase 1 was highly expressed in pregnant group. Based on these results, pregnancy was maintained successfully by the activation of specific plasma proteins associated with immune system and antioxidant regulation during early pregnancy in Hanwoo

Osmolarity of culture media is one of the most important factors affecting in vitro development. This study was conducted to investigate the DNA methylation status of Pre-1 and satellite sequence in pig nuclear transfer (pNT) embryos produced under different osmolarity culture conditions. Control group of pNT embryos was cultured in PZM-3 for six days. Other two treatment groups of pNT embryos were cultured in modified PZM-3 with 138 mM NaCl or 0.05M sucrose (mPZM-3, 320 mOsmol) for two days, and then cultured in PZM-3 (270 mOsmol) for four days. Previous our studies have reported that pNT embryos cultured in both hypertonic media showed significantly higher blastocyst formation rate than that of control. The DNA methylation status of the satellite sequences in blastocyst was characterized using bisulfite-sequencing technology. The satellite region had a similar methylation pattern of in vivo blastocyst among two culture groups excepting the control group. Each level of methylation is that the satellite DNA moderately methylated (43.10% of PZM-3; 56.12% of NaCl; 55.06% of sucrose; 60.00% of in vivo embryos). As a result of the sequence of PRE-1, CpG methylation pattern was similar to three groups, including in vivo group. In case of the satellite DNA region, the osmolarity conditions were affected CpG DNA methylation status while PRE-1 sequence was not affected CpG DNA methylation in pNT blastocyst stage. These results indicate that the modification of osmolarity in a culture media may influence to spatially change of DNA methylation of repetitive sequence for pNT embryo development.

This study was performed to comprehend the developmental characteristics of cloned embryos knocked out (KO) of α-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GalT) gene. Immature oocytes were collected and cultured for 40 hrs (1-step) or 20hrs (with hormone) + 20hrs (without hormone) (2-step). The embryos transferred with miniature pig ear fibroblast cell were used as control. The reconstructed embryos were cultured in PZM-3 with 5% CO2 in air at 38.5℃ for 6 days. To determine the quality of the blstocysts, TUNEL and quantitative realtime RT-PCR were performed. The embryos were transferred to a surrogate (Landrace) at an earlier stage of the estrus cycle. The maturation rate was significantly higher in 2-step method than that of 1-step (p<0.05). The blastocyst development of GalT KO embryos was significantly lower than that of normal cloned embryos (p<0.05). The total and apoptotic cell number of GalT KO blastocysts was not different statistically from control. The relative abundance of Bax-α/Bcl-xl ratio was significantly higher in both cloned blastocysts than that of in vivo blastocysts (p<0.05). Taken together, it can be postulated that the lower developmental potential and higher expression of apoptosis related genes in GalT KO SCNT embryos might be a cause of a low efficiency of GalT KO cloned miniature pig production.