Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (4): 1700-1711.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.04.019

• Animal Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles     Next Articles

PDGFD Gene Editing in Altay Sheep Embryos

MA Xiuling1(), ZHANG Xinru2, CHEN Ying2, LIANG Hongyan2, ABDUREYIMU Gulimire2, WANG Liqin2, LIN Jiapeng2, LI Weijian1, WANG Xuguang1,*(), WU Yangsheng2,*()   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
    2. Institute of Biotechnology, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
  • Received:2024-08-28 Online:2025-04-23 Published:2025-04-28
  • Contact: WANG Xuguang, WU Yangsheng E-mail:2234594165@qq.com;wangxuguang@xjau.edu.cn;xj_wys@126.com

Abstract:

The study aimed to generate gene edited embryos of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGFD) gene in Altay sheep using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Five sgRNAs (PDGFD-314-sgRNA2, PDGFD-314-sgRNA5, PDGFD-410-sgRNA, PDGFD-397-sgRNA2, PDGFD-397-sgRNA7) were designed and synthesized based on 3 SNP loci related to lipid tail traits of PDGFD gene in Altay sheep, combined with Cas9 nuclease for in vitro activity analysis. Electroporation of Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) in Altay sheep embryos 4-5 h after in vitro fertilization, 35-40 embryos per group, triple repetition. The blastocyst rate was counted on the 7th day of in vitro culture, and the genomic target gene loci were amplified and sequenced. PDGFD and MSTN genes (non-PDGFD gene) homologous recombination gene editing materials were electroporated into zygotes, and the blastocyst rate and PDGFD sgRNA off-target efficiency were analyzed on the 7th day of culture. All 5 sgRNAs had high cleavage activity in vitro. There was no significant difference in the survival rate and cleavage rate between the electroporated zygotes and control groups (P>0.05), but the blastocyst rate in the electroporation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The editing efficiency of PDGFD-397-sgRNA2 was higher than other sgRNAs in embryos. There were 19 off-target sites with one-base mismatch of PDGFD-397-sgRNA2 in the sheep genome, and the genes covering the exon region included CFDP1, APOO, PCDH11X, etc. There were 31 2-base mismatch sites, and TIMM17B, C1H1orf228 and TLL1 genes covered the exon region. PDGFD and MSTN genes homologous recombination editing materials were electroperforated respectively, there was no significant difference in the survival rate and cleavage rate between the two groups (P>0.05), but the blastocyst rate of the PDGFD group was significantly lower than that of the MSTN group (P < 0.05). The results of this study showed that CRISPR/Cas9 editing of SNP locus related to tail fat trait of PDGFD gene in Altay sheep significantly reduced the blastocyst rate of in vitro embryos, suggesting that PDGFD gene may affect the early embryo development of sheep. In conclusion, PDGFD gene may play an important role in the early development of ovine embryo.

Key words: electric transmission, CRISPR/Cas9, PDGFD, embryonic development

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