Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family, is a negative regulator for muscle growth. Loss of the function of this gene is associated with the phenotype described as "double muscling", an extreme form of muscle development characterized by a large increase in muscle mass. Two replacement vectors, pA2T-Mstn4.0 and pA2T-Mstn3.2, were constructed, linearized, and transfected into the bovine fetal fibroblasts through electroporation. 170 drug-resistant cell colonies were obtained in cell culture medium containing 600 microg/mL G418 and 50 nmol/L GCV. Targeted homologous integration occurred in colony No. 58 as identified by PCR, and the targeted colony was further confirmed by sequencing and Southern blotting. This suggested that one allele of myostatin was successfully mutagenized in bovine fetal fibroblasts.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; China ; Electroporation ; Fetus ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Gene Targeting ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; veterinary ; Myostatin ; genetics

In this study, pEGFP-N1 was chosen as the reporter plasmid and transferred into Ctenopharyngodon idellus kidney (CIK) cells by electroporation, and the optimal electroporation conditions were determined by testing the transfection efficiency with different voltages, pulse times, plasmid amounts, and numbers of shocks. The results showed that the maximum electroporation efficiency was achieved under the following conditions in a 0.2 cm electroporation cuvette containing CIK cells (1.5 x 10(7)/mL, 200 microl): electric voltage 200 V, pulse time 45 ms, plasmid 30 microg, and one electric shock. The total genomic RNA of grass carp reovirus (GCRV) was extracted in this experiment and reversely transcribed into cDNA, which was used to amplify the gene segment of GCRV non-structural protein NS26 using designed specific primers. The PCR product was recombined into pEGFP-N1 vector. The fusion protein EGFP-NS26 was successfully and efficiently expressed in the CIK cells by electroporation, which was confirmed by both fluorescent imaging and Western blot analysis. This experiment laid a foundation for further functional studies of the non-structural protein NS26 of GCRV.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cyprinidae ; Electroporation ; Fish Diseases ; virology ; Gene Expression ; Kidney ; virology ; Reoviridae ; genetics ; physiology ; Reoviridae Infections ; veterinary ; virology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

This study describes the neuropathologic features of normal canine brain ablated with non-thermal irreversible electroporation (N-TIRE). The parietal cerebral cortices of four dogs were treated with N-TIRE using a dose-escalation protocol with an additional dog receiving sham treatment. Animals were allowed to recover following N-TIRE ablation and the effects of treatment were monitored with clinical and magnetic resonance imaging examinations. Brains were subjected to histopathologic and ultrastructural assessment along with Bcl-2, caspase-3, and caspase-9 immunohistochemical staining following sacrifice 72 h post-treatment. Adverse clinical effects of N-TIRE were only observed in the dog treated at the upper energy tier. MRI and neuropathologic examinations indicated that N-TIRE ablation resulted in focal regions of severe cytoarchitectural and blood-brain-barrier disruption. Lesion size correlated to the intensity of the applied electrical field. N-TIRE-induced lesions were characterized by parenchymal necrosis and hemorrhage; however, large blood vessels were preserved. A transition zone containing parenchymal edema, perivascular inflammatory cuffs, and reactive gliosis was interspersed between the necrotic focus and normal neuropil. Apoptotic labeling indices were not different between the N-TIRE-treated and control brains. This study identified N-TIRE pulse parameters that can be used to safely create circumscribed foci of brain necrosis while selectively preserving major vascular structures.
Animals ; Brain/metabolism/*pathology/surgery/ultrastructure ; Caspase 3/metabolism ; Caspase 9/metabolism ; Dogs ; Electroporation/veterinary ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Necrosis/metabolism/pathology ; Neurosurgical Procedures/*adverse effects

For parthenogenetic activation as a model system of nuclear transfer, microinjection and electroporation as activation treatments in bovine metaphase II oocytes were administered to each of three groups as follows: control group (treatments with Ca2+, Mg2+ -free PBS+100 micro M EGTA), IP3 group (control+25 micro M IP3) and IP3+ ryanodine group (control+25 micro M IP3+10 mM ryanodine). In experiments using microinjection, no significant differences were observed between any of the developmental stages of the electroporation experiment. For electroporation, cleavage rates were significantly higher in the IP3+ryanodine group than in the IP3 or control group (85.6% vs 73.7% or 67.6%, respectively). In the subsequent stages of embryonic development, such as morula and blastocyst formation, the IP3 and ryanodine group exhibited significantly higher rates of morula fomation than the IP3 or control groups (40.6% vs 24.2% or 16.7%, respectively). Similarly, the rate of blastocyst formation in the IP3+ryanodine group was significantly higher than the control group (16.3% vs 6.9%) but did not differ significantly from the IP3 group (16.3% vs 9.5%). In nuclear transfer, activation was performed at 30 hpm by microinjection and elecroporation with 25 micro M IP3+ 10 mM ryanodine followed by 6-DMAP treatment. No significant differences were observed at any stage of embryonic development and none of the embryos activated by electroporation reached either the morula or blastocyst stage. However, 3.8% and 1.9% of embryos activated by microinjection sucessfully developed to the morula and blastocyst stages, respectively. In conclusion, activation treatments using IP3 and ryanodine are able to support the development of bovine parthenogenetic and reconstructed embryos.
Adenine/administration & dosage/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Animals ; Cattle/*embryology/physiology ; Cell Fusion ; Electroporation/veterinary ; Embryonic and Fetal Development/*drug effects ; Enzyme Inhibitors/administration & dosage/pharmacology ; Female ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Microinjections/veterinary ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Oocytes/drug effects/growth & development ; Parthenogenesis/*drug effects ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; Ryanodine/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Skin/cytology