Abstract
BackgroundIn mammals the parental genomes are epigenetically reprogrammed after fertilization. This reprogramming includes a rapid demethylation of the paternal (sperm-derived) chromosomes prior to DNA replication in zygotes. Such active DNA demethylation in the zygote has been documented for several mammalian species, including mouse, rat, pig, human and cow, but questioned to occur in rabbit.ResultsWhen comparing immunohistochemical patterns of antibodies against 5-methyl-cytosine, H3K4me3 and H3K9me2 modifications we observe similar pronuclear distribution and dynamics in mouse, bovine and rabbit zygotes. In rabbit DNA demethylation of the paternal chromosomes occurs at slightly advanced pronuclear stages. We also show that the rabbit oocyte rapidly demethylates DNA of donor fibroblast after nuclear transfer.ConclusionOur data reveal that major events of epigenetic reprogramming during pronuclear maturation, including mechanisms of active DNA demethylation, are apparently conserved among mammalian species.
Highlights
In mammals the parental genomes are epigenetically reprogrammed after fertilization
Dynamics of DNA demethylation in rabbit one-cell embryos following somatic nuclear transfer To obtain further proof for a demethylation activity in rabbit oocytes we examined one-cell embryos produced by nuclear transfer (NT) using rabbit fetal fibroblasts as nuclear donors
We show that the dynamics of chromatin modifications are conserved in zygotes of mice, cattle and rabbit
Summary
In mammals the parental genomes are epigenetically reprogrammed after fertilization This reprogramming includes a rapid demethylation of the paternal (sperm-derived) chromosomes prior to DNA replication in zygotes. Such active DNA demethylation in the zygote has been documented for several mammalian species, including mouse, rat, pig, human and cow, but questioned to occur in rabbit. Epigenetics & Chromatin 2008, 1:8 http://www.epigeneticsandchromatin.com/content/1/1/8 decrease of DNA methylation during early embryonic development apparently largely reflects demethylation of (some) repetitive elements. Bisulfite sequencing of zygotic DNA confirmed these rapid demethylation events for some single copy sequences and repetitive elements but revealed that imprinting control regions of imprinted genes and certain classes of repeat sequences remain refractory to such general demethylation [9,10,11]
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