期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：1995
卷号：92
期号：5
页码：1317-1321
DOI：10.1073/pnas.92.5.1317
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：Study of gene expression kinetics during preimplantation mammalian development is difficult because of the limited amount of material and the usually destructive, static nature of molecular analyses. We describe continuous, noninvasive monitoring of gene expression in preimplantation embryos by using a secreted luminescent reporter, Vargula luciferase. Transgene expression profiles were followed by assaying aliquots of culture medium or by direct visualization of Vargula luciferase secretion from living embryos in real time through photon imaging. With this approach, it is possible to observe epigenetic modulations of gene expression and to link this over time to the developmental capacity of individual embryos. In addition, by developing a strategy where expression from integrated transgenes is enhanced relative to that from nonintegrated DNA, we provide evidence that rapid detection of transgene integration prior to the blastocyst stage should be possible. Thus, imaging of Vargula luciferase secretion may also be useful in the early screening of embryos, for example, in the production of transgenic livestock.
