In vivo and in vitro development of Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) interspecific cloned embryos

Bai Chunling,Bou Shorgan,Cheng Lei,Gao Li,Gao Yu,Li Guangpeng,Liu Kun,Su Guanghua,Wei Zhuying,Yin Fengxia

doi:10.15302/j-fase-2014012

Abstract

The Tibetan antelope is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, China, and is now considered an endangered species. As a possible rescue strategy, the development of embryos constructed by interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) was examined. Tibetan antelope fibro- blast cells were transferred into enucleated bovine, ovine and caprine oocytes. These cloned embryos were then cultured in vitro or in the oviducts of intermediate animals. Less than 0.5% of the reconstructed antelope-bovine embryos cultured in vitro developed to the blastocyst stage. However, when the cloned antelope-bovine embryos were transferred to caprine oviducts, about 1.6% of the embryos developed to the blastocyst stage. In contrast, only 0.7% of the antelope-ovine embryos developed to the morula stage and none developed to blastocysts in ovine oviducts. The treatment of donor cells and bovine oocytes with trichostatin A did not improve the embryo development even when cultured in the oviducts of ovine and caprine. When the antelope-bovine embryos, constructed from oocytes treated with roscovitine or trichostatin A, were cultured in rabbit oviducts 2.3% and 14.3% developed to blastocysts, respectively. It is concluded that although some success was achieved with the protocols used, interspecies cloning of Tibetan antelope presents difficul- ties still to be overcome. The mechanisms resulting in the low embryo development need investigation and progress might require a deeper understanding of cellular repro- gramming.

Highlights

The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is the sole member of the genus Pantholops
In antelope-bovine, about 0.5% of the cloned embryos developed to the blastocyst stage
Around 52% of the embryos developed to 8- to 16-cell stage none of the embryos developed to the morula stage (Fig. 2)

Summary

Introduction

The Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii) is the sole member of the genus Pantholops. It was formerly classified in the subfamily Antilopinae, but morphological and molecular evidence led to it being placed in its own subfamily, Pantholopinae, which is closely allied to caprine-antelopes of the subfamily Caprinae [1,2,3]. The Tibetan antelope inhabits open alpine and cold steppe environments between 3250 and 5500 m elevation. They are found almost entirely in China, where they inhabit Tibet, southern Xinjiang and western Qinghai and their numbers were nearly a million at the turn of the 20th century. Tibetan antelope are listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union, a consequence of commercial poaching for their underwool and competition with local domesticated herds

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion