摘要：SummaryNuclear transfer systems represent the efficient means to reprogram a cell and in theory provide a basis for investigating the development of endangered species. However, conventional nuclear transfer using oocytes of laboratory animals does not allow reprogramming of cross-species nuclei owing to defects in cell divisions and activation of embryonic genes. Here, we show that somatic nuclei transferred into mouse four-cell embryos arrested at the G2/M phase undergo reprogramming toward the embryonic state. Remarkably, genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming is induced within a day, and ZFP281 is important for this replication-free reprogramming. This system further enables transcriptional reprogramming of cells fromOryx dammah, now extinct in the wild. Thus, our findings indicate that arrested mouse embryos are competent to induce intra- and cross-species reprogramming. The direct induction of embryonic transcripts from diverse genomes paves a unique approach for identifying mechanisms of transcriptional reprogramming and genome activation from a diverse range of species.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Mouse embryos arrested at the four-cell stage can induce transcriptional reprogramming•ZFP281 plays a role in transcriptional reprogramming•Embryonic environment permits cell division- and DNA replication-free reprogramming•Transcriptional reprogramming of cross-species nuclei is induced in mouse embryosCell biology; Stem cells research; Developmental biology
