U2 small nuclear RNA localization and expression during bovine preimplantation development

This study describes the localization of the U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and the major U snRNA group ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) during bovine preimplantation development. In vitro maturation, fertilization, and oviductal epithelial cell coculture methods were employed to produce several developmental series totalling over 2,000 preimplantation‐stage bovine oocytes and embryos. These oocytes and preimplantation embryos were processed for in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence and Northern blotting methods. The U2 snRNA and the major U group snRNPS were localized initially over the germinal vesicle (GV) of preovulatory oocytes but following GV breakdown were released throughout the ooplasm. They subsequently reassociated with both pronuclei during fertilization. From the two‐cell to the blastocyst stages, the U2 snRNA and U snRNPs were localized to the interphase nucleus of each blastomere. The levels of U2 snRNA throughout bovine preimplantation development were determined by probing a Northern blot containing total RNA isolated from the following preimplantation bovine embryo stages: one to two cell, eight to 16 cell, early morula (>32 cell), and late morula/early blastocysts. The levels of U2 snRNA remained constant between the one‐cell and eight‐to 16‐cell bovine embryo stages but increased 4.4‐fold between the eight‐ to 16‐cell stage and the late morula/early blastocyst stages. The results suggest that a maternal pool of snRNAs is maintained in mammalian preimplantation embryos regardless of the duration of maternal control of development.