Expression of selected candidate genes during in vitro oocyte maturation and early embryonic development of in vitro generated Egyptian buffalo (bubalus bubalis)‎ embryos

Abstract EN

The present study aimed at finding out the gene expression analysis of some candidate genes during in vitro maturation of Egyptian buffalo oocytes and in early embryonic developmental stages.

Good quality oocytes were recovered from ovaries of slaughtered buffalo cows subjecting to in vitro maturation and fertilization process.

Real-time PCR was used for expression analysis of genes regulating cell cycle (PTTG1), calcium ion (ANAX2), prostaglandin biosynthesis (PTGS2), protein binding (KRT8) and translation (EEF1A1) during target stages.

Quantitative real-time PCR results showed a high expression of all the selected genes in mature oocytes except PTTG1 and KRT8 that showed a lower expression after maturation.

The transcript abundance of PTGS2, EEF1A1, KRT8 and ANAX2 genes increased slightly at 4- to 8-cell stage embryos and continued to increase till blastocyst stage.

PTTG1 expression profile was decreased at 4- to 8-cell stage embryos up to blastocyst stage.

In conclusion, selected candidate genes showed a spatiotemporal expression during in vitro maturation and early embryonic development which reflects that transcription regulation of early development in buffaloes is also stage dependent as other species but has some peculiarities when compared to bovine.

Keywords: Buffalo, oocyte,