Requirement for expression of WW domain containing transcription regulator 1 in bovine trophectoderm development

WW domain-containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1) is one of the primary effectors in Hippo pathway, which plays essential roles cell differentiation into trophectoderm (TE) and inner mass lineages at blastocyst stage. However, little known about WWTR1 preimplantation development. The present study aimed to explore significance expression development using an mRNA knockdown (KD) system bovine embryos. We first quantitated protein levels from fertilization proteins gradually shifted extranuclear localization during 16-cell stage nuclear by morula was also transiently upregulated KD efficiently repressed levels. embryos developed rates equivalent those controls, but TE numbers were significantly decreased. Representative TE-expressed genes, including CDX2 IFNT decreased blastocysts. These results provide demonstration that responsible for normal