Effect of oocyte quality on the relative abundance of specific gene transcripts in bovine mature oocytes and 16-cell embryos.

Although the developmental potential of oocytes is related to oocyte quality, whether the expression of specific genes is altered in oocytes of different quality and in resulting embryos is not known. Semi-quantitativereverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to compare the relative abundance of 2 transcripts for housekeeping proteins (beta-actin and ribosomal protein L30) and 3 transcripts for growth factor ligand or receptors (platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRalpha), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)), in mature bovine oocytes of high versus low developmental potential. The transcripts for L30, PDGFRalpha, and bFGF in 16-cell embryos originating from these oocytes were also examined. No significant effect of oocyte quality was detected for any of the transcripts examined from oocytes or 16-cell embryos. In conclusion, a lower developmental potential of oocytes with advanced signs of atresia, was not associated with a lower level of abundance of the transcripts examined.