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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294867
Title: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes associated with fertilizing ability of sperm and subsequent embryonic development in cattle

Author
item COCHRAN, SARAH - University Of Florida
item Cole, John
item Null, Daniel
item HANSEN, PETER - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Biology of Reproduction
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/19/2013
Publication Date: 7/31/2013
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58859
Citation: Cochran, S.D., Cole, J.B., Null, D.J., Hansen, P.J. 2013. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes associated with fertilizing ability of sperm and subsequent embryonic development in cattle. Biology of Reproduction. 89(3):69.

Interpretive Summary: Fertilization and development of the preimplantation bovine embryo is under genetic control. The goal of this study was to identify genetic markers associated with variation in fertilization and early embryonic development. Embryos were produced using in vitro procedures (n=3-6 replicates per bull) with semen from 93 bulls, and cleavage rate and development of cleaved embryos was compared to the genotype for each genetic marker. Genetic markers in 9 genes were associated with cleavage rate, including an enzyme involved in androgen metabolism, cell stress genes, a neurotransmitter transporter, a gene that regulates sperm capacitation, a gene participating in vesicular trafficking and remodeling of membrane lipids, and a gene involved in adenosine metabolism. Genes associated with embryonic development included four genes that may be involved in signaling systems that control embryonic, two genes participating in vesicular, two genes that control programmed cell death, a complement protein (C1QB), and three genes that encode enzymes. Genetic selection of cattle based on the genotype at one or more of these 19 loci may prove useful in conjunction with other genetic markers for improving genetic merit for fertility. These results also highlight previously-unknown genes that are involved in fertilization and embryonic development.

Technical Abstract: Fertilization and development of the preimplantation embryo is under genetic control. The goal of the current study was to test 434 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for association with genetic variation in fertilization and early embryonic development. The approach was to produce embryos from 93 bulls using in vitro procedures (n=3-6 replicates per bull) and relate cleavage rate (CR) and development of cleaved embryos to the blastocyst stage (BDRC) with the genotype for each SNP. The repeatability was 0.84 for CR and 0.55 for BDRC. Semen extender affected CR (P = 0.003), with lower results in milk extender than yolk extender. There was no significant correlation between DPR and either CR or BDRC. A total of 100 SNP had a minor allele frequency sufficiently high (>5%) to allow association analysis. SNPs in 9 genes were associated with CR, including an enzyme involved in androgen metabolism (HSD17B6), cell stress genes (AVP and EPAS1), a neurotransmitter transporter (SLC18A2), a gene that regulates capacitation (SERPINE2), a gene participating in vesicular trafficking and remodeling of membrane lipids(TBC1D24), and a gene involved in adenosine metabolism (NT5E). Other genes related to CR were C28H10orf10 and C7H19orf60. There were SNPs in 12 genes associated with BDRC. These included four genes that may be involved in signaling systems that control embryonic development (FAM5C, IRF9, SLC18A2, and WBP1), two genes participating in vesicular trafficking (MON1B and TBC1D24), two genes that control apoptosis (HSPA1A and PARM1), a complement protein (C1QB), and three genes that encode for enzymes (PCCB, PMM2 and TTLL3). In conclusion, results are demonstrative that in vitro fertilization and blastocyst development is under genetic control. Selection of cattle based on the genotype at one or more of these 19 loci may prove useful in conjunction with other genetic markers for improving genetic ability for fertility. In addition, results point out the potential importance of some previously-unknown genes for control of the processes leading to fertilization and embryonic development.