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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2016, Vol. 15 Issue (3): 618-628    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(15)61100-5
Animal Science · Veterinary Science Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Methylation profile of bovine Oct4 gene coding region in relation to three germ layers
 ZHOU Xin-yu, LIU Liang-liang, JIA Wen-chao, PAN Chuan-ying
1、College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
2、School of Computer Science & Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, P.R.China
3、College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University/Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for
Agriculture, Yangling 712100, P.R.China
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摘要  Previous studies have shown that octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) plays a significant role in early embryonic development of mammalian animals, and different Oct4 expression levels induce multi-lineage differentiation which are regulated by DNA methylation. To explore the relationship between the methylation pattern of Oct4 gene exon 1 and embryonic development, in this work, five different tissues (heart, liver, lung, cerebrum and cerebellum) from three germ layers were chosen from low age (50–60 d) and advanced age (60–70 d) of fetal cattle and the differences between tissues or ages were analyzed, respectively. The result showed that the DNA methylation level of Oct4 gene exon 1 was significant different (P<0.01) between any two of three germ layers in low age (<60 d), but kept steady of advanced age (P>0.05) (>60 d), suggesting that 60-d post coital was an important boundary for embryonic development. In addition, in ectoderm (cerebrum and cerebellum), there was no significant methylation difference of Oct4 gene exon 1 between low age and advanced age (P>0.05), but the result of endoderm (liver and lung) and mesoderm (heart) were on the contrary (P<0.01), which indicated the development of ectoderm was earlier than endoderm and mesoderm. The methylation differences from the 3rd, 5th and 9th CpG-dinucleotide loci of Oct4 gene exon 1 were significantly different between each two of three germ layers (P<0.05), indicating that these three loci may have important influence on bovine embryonic development. This study showed that bovine germ layers differentiation was significantly related to the DNA methylation status of Oct4 gene exon 1. This work firstly identified the DNA methylation profile of bovine Oct4 gene exon 1 and its association with germ layers development in fetus and adult of cattle. Moreover, the work also provided epigenetic information for further studying bovine embryonic development and cellular reprogramming.

Abstract  Previous studies have shown that octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) plays a significant role in early embryonic development of mammalian animals, and different Oct4 expression levels induce multi-lineage differentiation which are regulated by DNA methylation. To explore the relationship between the methylation pattern of Oct4 gene exon 1 and embryonic development, in this work, five different tissues (heart, liver, lung, cerebrum and cerebellum) from three germ layers were chosen from low age (50–60 d) and advanced age (60–70 d) of fetal cattle and the differences between tissues or ages were analyzed, respectively. The result showed that the DNA methylation level of Oct4 gene exon 1 was significant different (P<0.01) between any two of three germ layers in low age (<60 d), but kept steady of advanced age (P>0.05) (>60 d), suggesting that 60-d post coital was an important boundary for embryonic development. In addition, in ectoderm (cerebrum and cerebellum), there was no significant methylation difference of Oct4 gene exon 1 between low age and advanced age (P>0.05), but the result of endoderm (liver and lung) and mesoderm (heart) were on the contrary (P<0.01), which indicated the development of ectoderm was earlier than endoderm and mesoderm. The methylation differences from the 3rd, 5th and 9th CpG-dinucleotide loci of Oct4 gene exon 1 were significantly different between each two of three germ layers (P<0.05), indicating that these three loci may have important influence on bovine embryonic development. This study showed that bovine germ layers differentiation was significantly related to the DNA methylation status of Oct4 gene exon 1. This work firstly identified the DNA methylation profile of bovine Oct4 gene exon 1 and its association with germ layers development in fetus and adult of cattle. Moreover, the work also provided epigenetic information for further studying bovine embryonic development and cellular reprogramming.
Keywords:  bovine       DNA methylation       octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4)       exon       germ layer  
Received: 11 February 2015   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, China (2014JQ3104), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000655) and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project (2014M560809).

Corresponding Authors:  PAN Chuan-ying, Tel: +86-29-87092102, Fax: +86-29-87092164,E-mail: panyu1980@126.com     E-mail:  panyu1980@126.com
About author:  ZHOU Xin-yu, E-mail: zhouxinyu0531@163.com; LIU Liangliang,E-mail: lingyun79626@126.com;* These authors contributed equally to this study.

Cite this article: 

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