Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T01:23:20.420Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sex determining of cat embryo and some feline species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2008

Francesca Ciani ,
Natascia Cocchia ,
Maria Rizzo ,
Patrizia Ponzio ,
Gennaro Tortora ,
Luigi Avallone  and
Roberto Lorizio
Francesca Ciani*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy. Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
Natascia Cocchia
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinic Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
Maria Rizzo
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
Patrizia Ponzio
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Disease, University of Torino, Via L. Da Vinci, 44 – 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy.
Gennaro Tortora
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinic Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
Luigi Avallone
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
Roberto Lorizio
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Clinic Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy.
*
All correspondence to: F. Ciani. Department of Biological Structures, Functions and Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via F. Delpino, 1 – 80137 Naples, Italy. Tel: +39 81 2536103. Fax: +39 81 2536104. e-mail: ciani@unina.it
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Sex identification in mammalian preimplantation embryos is a technique that is used currently for development of the embryo transfer industry for zootechnical animals and is, therefore, a resource for biodiversity preservation. The aim of the present study was to establish a rapid and reliable method for the sexing of preimplantation embryos in domestic cats. Here we describe the use of nested PCR identify Y chromosome-linked markers when starting from small amounts of DNA and test the method for the purpose of sexing different species of wild felids. To evaluate the efficiency of the primers, PCR analysis were performed first in blood samples of sex-known domestic cats. Cat embryos were produced both in vitro and in vivo and the blastocysts were biopsied. A Magnetic Resin System was used to capture a consistent amount of DNA from embryo biopsy and wild felid hairs. The results from nested PCR applied on cat blood that corresponded to the phenotypical sex. Nested PCR was also applied to 37 embryo biopsies and the final result was: 21 males and 16 females. Furthermore, β-actin was amplified in each sample, as a positive control for DNA presence. Subsequently, nested PCR was performed on blood and hair samples from some wild felines and again the genotyping results and phenotype sex corresponded. The data show that this method is a rapid and repeatable option for sex determination in domestic cat embryos and some wild felids and that a small amount of cells is sufficient to obtain a reliable result. This technique, therefore, affords investigators a new approach that they can insert in the safeguard programmes of felida biodiversity.

Keywords

Domestic catEmbryo biopsyNested PCRSexingWild felids
Type
Research Article
Information
Zygote , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , May 2008 , pp. 169 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aasen, E. & Medrano, J.F. (1990). Amplification of the ZFY and ZFX genes for sex identification in human, cattle, sheep and goats. Biotechnology 8, 1279–81.Google Scholar
Appa Rao, J.K.C., Pawshe, C.H. & Totey, S.M. (1993). Sex determination of in vitro developed buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos by DNA amplification. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 36, 291–6.Google Scholar
Bogliolo, L., Leoni, G., Ledda, S., Naitana, S., Zedda, M., Carluccio, A. & Pau, S. (2001). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection of in vitro matured oocytes of domestic cats with frozen–thawed epididymal spermatozoa. Theriogenology 56, 955–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bredbacka, P. (1998). Recent developments in embryo sexing and its field application. Reprod. Nutr. Dev. 38, 605–13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bredbacka, P., Kankaanpaa, A. & Peippo, J. (1995). PCR-sexing of bovine embryos: a simplified protocol. Theriogenology 44, 167–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bredbacka, P. & Peippo, J. (1992). Sex diagnosis of ovine and bovine embryos by enzymatic amplification and digestion of the DNA from the ZFY/ZFX locus. Agric. Sci. Finl. 2, 233–8.Google Scholar
Chrenek, P., Boulanger, L., Heyman, Y., Uhrin, P., Laurincik, J., Bulla, J. & Renard, J.P. (2001). Sexing and multiple genotype analysis from a single cell of bovine embryo. Theriogenology 55, 1071–81.Google Scholar
Collins, M.E., Stevens, D.A., Jenner, L.J. & Brownlie, J. (1995). A rapid method for rRNA detection in single cell biopsies from preimplantation-stage bovine embryos. Theriogenology 43, 1227–38.Google Scholar
Comizzoli, P., Wildt, D.E. & Pukazhenthi, B.S. (2006). In vitro development of domestic cat embryos following intra-cytoplasmatic sperm injection with testicular spermatozoa. Theriogenology 66, 1659–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, R.G. & Gardner, R.L. (1967). Sexing of live rabbit blastocysts. Nature 214, 576–7.Google Scholar
Farstard, W. (2000). Current state in biotechnology in canine and feline reproduction. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 60–1, 375–87.Google Scholar
Freistedt, P., Stojkovic, M. & Wolf, E. (2001). Efficient in vitro production of cat embryos in modified synthetic oviduct fluid medium: effects of season and ovarian status. Biol. Reprod. 65, 9–13.Google Scholar
Ford, S.P. & Conley, A.J. (1994). Effect of sex and recipient breed of porcine embryonic development. Biol. Reprod. 50, 88.Google Scholar
Gomez, M.C., Pope, C.E., Giraldo, A., Lyons, L.A., Harris, R.F., King, A.L., Cole, A., Godke, R.A. & Dresser, B.L. (2004). Birth of African wildcat cloned kittens born from domestic cats. Cloning and Stem Cells 6, 247–58.Google Scholar
Greenlee, A.R., Krisher, R.L. & Plotka, E.D. (1998). Rapid sexing of murine preimplantation embryos using a nested, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Mol. Reprod. Dev. 49, 261–7.3.0.CO;2-M>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grifo, J.A., Tang, Y.X. & Krey, L. (1997). Update in preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Ann. N Y Acad. Sci. 26, 162–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Handyside, A.H., Pattinson, J.K., Penketh, R.J.A., Delhanty, J.D.A., Winston, R.M.L. & Tuddenham, E.G.D. (1989). Biopsy of human preimplantation embryos and sexing by DNA amplification. Lancet I, 347–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrick, J.R., Bond, J.B., Magarey, G.M., Bateman, H.L., Krisher, R.L., Dunford, S.A. & Swanson, W.F. (2007). Toward a feline optimized culture medium: impact of ions, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, vitamins and serum on development and metabolism of in vitro fertilization-derived feline embryos relative to embryos grown in vivo. Biol. Reprod. [Epub ahead of print].Google Scholar
Herr, C.M., Matthaei, K.I., Bradley, M.P. & Reed, K.C. (1990). Rapid accurate sexing of livestock embryos. Proceedings of 4th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production XVI, 343.Google Scholar
Izquierdo, D., Villamediana, P. & Paramio, M.T. (1999). Effect of culture media on embryo development from prepubertal goat IVM-IVF oocytes. Theriogenology 52, 847–61.Google Scholar
Kajta, M. (1998). Preovulatory dynamics of steroids demonstrated in vivo by ovarian follicles of cyclic and superovulated rat females. Endocr. Regul. 32, 43–50.Google Scholar
Kirkpatrick, B.W. & Monson, R.L. (1993). Sensitive sex determination assay applicable to bovine embryos derived from IVM and IVF. J. Reprod. Fertil. 98, 335–40.Google Scholar
Kunieda, T., Xian, M., Kobayashi, E., Imamichi, T., Moriwaki, K. & Toyoda, Y. (1992). Sexing of mouse preimplantation embryos by detection of Y chromosome-specific sequences using polymerase chain reaction. Biol. Reprod. 46, 692.Google Scholar
Leoni, G., Ledda, S., Bogliolo, L. & Naitana, S. (2000). Novel approach to cell sampling from preimplantation ovine embryos and its potential use in embryonic genome analysis. J. Reprod. Fertil. 119, 309–14.Google Scholar
Lopes, R.F.F., Forell, F., Oliveira, A.T.D. & Rodrigues, J.L. (2001). Splitting and biopsy for bovine embryo sexing under field conditions. Theriogenology 56, 1383–92.Google Scholar
Macháty, Z., Páldi, A., Csáki, T., Varga, Z., Kiss, I., Bárándi, Z. & Vajta, G. (1993). Biopsy and sex determination by PCR of bovine embryos. J. Reprod. Fertil. 98, 467–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Manna, L., Neglia, G., Marino, M., Gasparrini, B., Di Palo, R. & Zicarelli, L. (2003). Sex determination of buffalo embryos (Bubalus bubalis) by polymerase chain reaction. Zygote 11, 17–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mara, L., Pilichi, S., Sanna, A., Accardo, C., Chessa, B., Chessa, F., Dattena, M., Bomboi, G. & Cappai, P. (2004). Sexing of in vitro produced ovine embryos by duplex PCR. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 69, 35–42.Google Scholar
Park, J.H., Lee, J.H., Choi, K.M., Joung, S.Y., Kim, J.Y., Chung, J.M., Jin, D.I. & Im, K.S. (2001). Rapid sexing of preimplantation bovine embryos using consecutive and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with biopsied single blastomeres. Theriogenology 55, 1843–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peippo, J., Huhtinen, M. & Kotilainen, T. (1995). Sex diagnosis of equine preimplantation embryos using the polymerase chain reaction. Theriogenology 44, 619–27.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pelican, K.M., Wildt, D.E., Pukazhenthi, B. & Howard, J. (2006). Ovarian control for assisted reproduction in the domestic cat and wild felids. Theriogenology 66, 37–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peura, T., Hyttinen, J.M., Turunen, M. & Janne, J. (1991). A reliable sex determination assay for bovine preimplantation embryos using the polymerase chain reaction. Theriogenology 35, 547–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pope, C.E. (2000). Embryo technology in conservation efforts for endangered felids. Theriogenology 53, 163–74.Google Scholar
Pope, C.E., McRae, M.A., Plair, B.R., Keller, G.L. & Dresser, B.L. (1997). In vitro ed in vivo development of embryos produced by in vitro maturation and in vitro fertilization of cat oocytes. J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl. 51, 69–82.Google Scholar
Pope, C.E., Gomez, M.C. & Dresser, B.L. (2006). In vitro embryo production and transfer in domestic and non-domestic cats. Theriogenology 66, 1518–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shea, B.E. (1999). Determining the sex of bovine embryos using polymerase chain reaction results: a six-year retrospective study. Theriogenology 51, 785–97.Google Scholar
Spindler, R.E., Crichton, E.G., Agca, Y., Loskutoff, N., Crister, J., Gardner, D.K. & Wildt, D.E. (2006). Improved felid embryo development by group culture is maintained with heterospecific companions. Theriogenology 66, 82–92.Google Scholar
Thibier, M. & Nibart, M. (1995). The sexing of bovine embryos in the field. Theriogenology 43, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, T.C. & Wildt, D.E. (1997). Effect of the quality of the cumulus–oocytes complex in the domestic cat on the ability of oocytes to mature, fertilize and develop into blastocysts in vitro. J. Reprod. Fertil. 110, 355–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, T.C., Bayers, A.P., Jennette, B.E. & Wildt, D.E. (1995). Influence of protein and hormone supplementation on in vitro maturation and fertilization of domestic cat eggs. J. Reprod. Fertil. 104, 315–23.Google Scholar