LncRNAs in bovine early embryo development and during SCNT reprograming

• Grant number: 19/04738-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: July 01, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Flávio Vieira Meirelles
• Grantee: Ricardo Perecin Nociti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/08135-2 - CTC - Center for Cell-Based Therapy, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/11912-7 - LncRNAs in haploid bovine early embryo development and embryonic stem cells: a model for parental contributions during development, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

A fully differentiated cell does not, naturally, return to cellular pluripotency. Although, somatic nuclear transfer, cloning, and other methodologies based on exogenous expression, shows cellular reversibilitty through nuclear reprogramming. Embryonic development and cell differentiation originate complex tissues and structures from gene expression. Furthermore, these processes are regulated by a series of complex genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, including, among others, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA). LncRNAs are a relatively new class of noncoding RNAs with increasing scientific interest, due to its embryonic development and gene regulation role. However, little is known about its role in bovine embryonic development. For the present project, we hypothesized that nuclear reprogramming and early bovine embryonic development are also regulated by lncRNA present in gametes and inherited to the zygote. Using transcriptomics, bioinformatics and reverse engineering techniques, we aim to identify and predict lncRNA expressed in gametes and zygotes. Hoping to determine these lncRNAs importance during early embryonic development and bovine nuclear reprogramming.