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Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian nuclear transfer

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Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Somatic cloning has been succeeded in some species, but the cloning efficiency is very low, which limits the application of the technique in many areas of research and biotechnology. The cloning of mammals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) requires epigenetic reprogramming of the differentiated state of donor cell to a totipotent, embryonic ground state. Accumulating evidence indicates that incomplete or inappropriate epigenetic reprogramming of donor nuclei is likely to be the primary cause of failures in nuclear transfer. This review summarizes the roles of various epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone acetylation, imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, telomere maintenance and expressions of development-related genes on somatic nuclear transfer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, 100094, Beijing, China

    Shijie Li, Weihua Du & Ning Li

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science, Hebei Agriculture University, 071001, Baoding, China

    Shijie Li

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  1. Shijie Li
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  2. Weihua Du
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  3. Ning Li
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Correspondence to Shijie Li.

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Li, S., Du, W. & Li, N. Epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian nuclear transfer. Chin. Sci. Bull. 49, 766–771 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889744

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889744

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