Comparison of Gene Expression between Bovine Embryos Produced in vitro and Cloned Arabian Oryx Embryo from Bovine Ova

Embryonic biotechnology is an application used in animal production to expand the number of livestock animal species, provide animal products for global demand and preserve endangered species to improve reproduction, maintain biodiversity and genetic diversity and reduce the interval between generations. This animal production will supply goods and services for the human population’s well-being leading to economic growth. This biotechnology encompasses the use of assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) like in vitro fertilization and nuclear transfer using somatic cells. This study compared the relative expression of some genes between the embryos that were fertilized in vitro (IVF) and cloned embryos by nuclear transfer of bovine (SCNT-B) and Arabian Oryx (SCNT-O).

The oocytes were matured, then fertilized and cultured for the IVF technique, while for the SCNT technique, the matured oocytes were enucleated to recipe the donor cells for bovine and Arabian Oryx then cultured, the embryos for both techniques were used for the gene expression of the studied genes.

The expression of each studied gene (OCT4, DNMT1, BAX, GLUT1 and HSP70) was assessed in the early and late cleavage stages of the embryos produced by IVF in bovine, SCNT in bovine and SCNT in Arabian Oryx; this gene expression was compared between the three types of embryos. There was a non-significant difference in the relative expression between the embryos produced by the techniques mentioned above.