Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT), is a laboratory cloning technique that combines the donor nucleus from one species with the enucleated (DNA-removed) egg cell (oocyte) of a different, closely related species to create a viable embryo. The study compared three different cloning combinations using pig oocytes as the “host”: Intraspecies, Interspecies (Close) and Interspecies (Distant).
The article presented that the further apart the two species were evolutionarily, the lower the rate of “blastocyst” formation (the stage where an embryo is ready to implant). Closely related species showed significantly better development than more distant relatives. Meanwhile, Scriptaid, a HDAC inhibitor (Histone Deacetylase inhibitor), was found helpful to reprogram donor DNA more effectively, which ultimately led to improved development rates in both intra- and interspecies clones, & better activation of important embryonic genes that are often ‘silenced’ during failed cloning attempts.
This research has significant implications for wildlife conservation especially. If we can successfully use domestic animal oocytes to clone closely related endangered species (like certain wild suids), we can potentially rescue genetic diversity from extinct or highly endangered populations.
The full article can be accessed here.
1ESCAR Lab, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. 2Mandai Wildlife Group, Singapore. 3Cell Fate Engineering and Therapeutics Lab, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. 4A*STAR Skin Research Labs, Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. 6Sincere Healthcare Group, Singapore. 7Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore. 8NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, National University of Singapore. 9Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore.
