Comparison of DNA methylation levels of repetitive loci during bovine development

摘要

AbstractBackgroundDNA methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotide controls gene expression and dramatically changes during development. Its pattern is disrupted in cloned animals suggesting incomplete reprogramming during somatic cell nuclear transfer (the first reprogramming). However, the second reprogramming occurs in the germ cells and epigenetic errors in somatic cells of cloned animals should be erased. To analyze the DNA methylation changes on the spermatogenesis of bulls, we measured DNA methylation levels of three repetitive elements in blastocysts, blood and sperm.