MicroRNA Expression Profile During Porcine Oocyte Maturation And Early Embryo Development

Pigs are economic animals raised worldwide, and provide an important source of meat; pigs are also important experimental animals and one of the experimental models for human medicine. microRNAs (miRNAs) participate regulation of many biological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation. Previous studies found that, in the process of oocytes maturation and early embryonic development of many species, miRNA expression was dynamic changes. miRNA can affect oocyte maturation and early embryo cleavage and maternal mRNA degradation process. However, little is known about miRNA functions for pig oocyte maturation and early embryonic development. This study selected GV oocytes, MII oocytes,4-cell embryos and blastocysts sample of pigs for solexa sequencing for miRNA expression profiles, and differentially expressed miRNAs were screened during oocytes maturation and early embryonic development. After the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predited, target gene pathway analysis was done. Additionally, verifying solexa sequencing results by Q-PCR and critical miRNA such as mir-27, let-7i, etc. was further studyed, the study layed the foundation for uncovering the miRNA regulatory mechanism of porcine oocyte maturation and early embryonic development.