Basanti Jyotsana

Handmade Cloned Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos Produced from Somatic Cells Isolated from Milk and Ear Skin Differ in Their Developmental Competence, Epigenetic Status, and Gene Expression.

We compared the cloning efficiency of buffalo embryos produced by handmade cloning (HMC) using ear skin- and milk-derived donor cells. The blastocyst rate was lower (p < 0.05) for milk-derived than that for skin-derived embryos, whereas the total cell number and apoptotic index were similar. The global level of H3K9ac was higher (p < 0.05) in skin- than in milk-derived cells, whereas the level of H3K27me3 was similar in the two groups. The global level of H3K9ac was similar between milk-derived and in vitro-fertilized (IVF) blastocysts, which was higher (p < 0.05) than that in skin-derived blastocysts. The level of H3K27me3 was similar among the three groups. The expression level of IGF-1R and G6PD was higher (p < 0.05) in skin- than in milk-derived cells, whereas DNMT1, DNMT3a, and HDAC1 expression level was similar. In the blastocysts, the expression level of DNMT1, HDAC1, OCT4, and CDX2 was higher (p < 0.05) in skin-derived than that in IVF blastocysts. The expression level of DNMT3a and IGF-1R, was in the order (p < 0.05) skin-derived and IVF > milk-derived blastocysts and that of NANOG was (p < 0.05) IVF-> milk-derived > skin-derived blastocysts. The expression level of all these genes, except NANOG, was lower (p < 0.05) in milk- than in skin-derived or IVF blastocysts. In conclusion, milk-derived cells can be used for producing HMC embryos of quality similar to that of skin-derived embryos, although with a lower blastocyst rate.

Molecular cloning, characterization, polymorphism, and association study of the interleukin-2 gene in Indian crossbred cattle.

The majority of India’s large population of cattle is made up of nondescript, lowproducing animals. Crossbreeding was started in India to overcome the problem of low productivity. Crossbred cattle account for only 13.3% of the cattle population but contribute 44.4% of milk produced by cattle in India. Crossbred animals, however, are more susceptible to various diseases. Interleukins belong to a family of cytokines that are secreted by leukocytes and act on other leukocytes. Of all cytokines, interleukin-2 (IL-2) can be said to be the central molecule for the activation of both helper and cytotoxic T-cells leading to clonal expansion of these cells. As they expand, these cells begin synthesis and secretion of other cytokines, which in turn induce cytokine production in other cells, establishing a cascade of events that interact in an autocrine way or on an array of cells within the immune system.