The Use of RNAi Technology to Interfere with Zfx Gene Increases the Male Rates of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Offspring

Zinc finger protein X-linked (Zfx) was regarded to be a sex determination factor and plays a critical role in spermatogenesis. RNAi is an effective method of silencing Zfx mRNA expression. However, there has been little research on the use of RNAi technology to control the sex of the offspring of red deer (Cervus elaphus). The objective of this study was first to explore an efficient method to alter the red deer offspring sex-ratio by silencing the gene Zfx during spermatogenesis. Three recombinant expression vectors pLL3.7/A, pLL3.7/B, and pLL3.7/C were constructed to interrupt the Zfx gene. The results showed that the expression of Zfx mRNA was significantly silenced by pLL3.7/A (P<0.01), compared with the control group. The group injected with pLL3.7/A produced 94 red deer, including 68 males and 26 females. The male rates (72.34%) were significantly higher than the control groups (P<0.01). Our result suggests that Zfx siRNA is a useful approach to control offspring sex in red deer. This study further confirms that the Zfx gene plays a significant role in the process of X spermatogenesis.

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The RNAi vecter construction and verification of the functions in sexual control of Cervus elaphus Zfx gene

10.21203/rs.2.19002/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Limin Wei ◽

Song Jiang ◽

Jifeng Xi ◽

Yongsheng Zhang ◽

Bo Zeng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Zinc Finger Protein ◽

Recombinant Expression ◽

Critical Role ◽

Expression Vectors ◽

Control Group ◽

Offspring Sex Ratio ◽

Rnai Technology ◽

Offspring Sex ◽

Sexual Control

Abstract Background: Zinc finger protein X-linked (Zfx) was regarded to be a sex determination factor, and plays a critical role in spermatogenesis. RNAi is an effective method of silencing Zfx/Zfy mRNA expression. However, there has been little research on the use of RNAi technology to control the sex of the offspring of Cervus elaphus. The objective of this study was first to explore an efficient method to alter the Cervus elaphus offspring sex-ratio by silencing the genes Zfx during spermatogenesis.Results: Three recombinant expression vectors pLL3.7/A, pLL3.7/B and pLL3.7/C were constructed to interrupt the Zfx gene. The results showed that the expression of Zfx mRNA was significantly silenced by pLL3.7/A (P < 0.01), compared with the control group. The group injected with pLL3.7/A produced 94 Cervus elaphus, including 68 males and 26 females. The male rates (72.34%) were significantly higher than the control groups (P < 0.01).Conclusions: Our experiment suggest that the Zfx gene plays a significant role in the process of X-sperm formation. Zfx siRNA may be a useful approach to control offspring sex in Cervus elaphus.

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Offspring sex ratio in relation to body reserves in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Zeitschrift für Jagdwissenschaft ◽

10.1007/bf02192397 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 48 (S1) ◽

pp. 99-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

W. T. Flueck

Keyword(s):

Sex Ratio ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Offspring Sex Ratio ◽

Body Reserves ◽

Offspring Sex

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Social rank and reproductive performance in a herd of farmed red deer females (Cervus elaphus)

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an16838 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 58 (9) ◽

pp. 1642 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Villagrán ◽

L. Alvarez ◽

R. Ungerfeld

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Social Rank ◽

Hormonal Treatment ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Offspring Sex Ratio ◽

The Social ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

The Relationship ◽

Rate Female

Hierarchical relationships between individuals determine unequal access to recourses like food and individuals of the other gender, resulting in a higher reproductive success of high-social ranked individuals. Environmental conditions and food availability may determine how strong these effects are. The aim of this work was to determine if social rank of farmed red deer females affect the reproductive results of a hormonal oestrous synchronisation treatment with ad libitum food. The studied responses included the time to oestrus onset, percentage of females that came into oestrus, conception and calving rates, gestation length, and calf gender. The study was performed during autumn on a research farm located in Mexico (20°36ʹ N, 99°55ʹ W). Forty-nine adult red deer females were assigned to two replications of 21 and 28 animals respectively and were allocated into independent paddocks with ad libitum food and water availability. Oestrous cycles were synchronised with a traditional protocol of intravaginal devices impregnated with progesterone. Agonistic behaviours between females were recorded (total = 1626 interactions), hierarchical position (Success Index = SI) of each animal was calculated and individuals were categorised as high (n = 13), medium (n = 20) or low-ranked (n = 16) individuals. Reproductive data were recorded during the 5 days after the oestrous synchronisation treatment and during the calving period. Any of the recorded responses differ between HR, MR and LR females. Female SI, age and bodyweight were not related with the probability of coming into oestrus, result pregnant, and giving birth to a male calf. Thirty-seven (78.5%) females of this study gave birth. From these calves, 15 were males and 22 were females. Due to high percentage of females in oestrus that gave birth (85.7%), it was not possible to detect the relationship between female SI, age, and bodyweight with the conception rate. Female SI, age and bodyweight were unrelated to time to oestrus onset (r2 = 0.09; P = 0.17), and to gestation length (r2 = 0.10; P = 0.20). In conclusion, with ad libitum high quality food, the social rank of red deer hinds did not affect the time to oestrus onset, percentage of females that came into oestrus, gestation length, calving and conception rates, and offspring sex ratio after an oestrous synchronisation hormonal treatment.

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Vocalizations in red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), and red × sika hybrids

Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1017/s0952836998001149 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 244 (1) ◽

pp. 123-134 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. M. Long ◽

N.P. Moore ◽

T. J. Hayden

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Sika Deer ◽

Cervus Nippon

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The deer of the island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Archipelago, Italy): literary references and osteological evidence

Archives of Natural History ◽

10.3366/anh.2002.29.1.51 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 51-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

MARCO MASSETP ◽

BRUNO ZAVA

Keyword(s):

Nineteenth Century ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

Taxonomic Relationships

During the nineteenth century, scientific literature and official reports recorded the occurrence of a population of red deer, Cervus elaphus, on the island of Lampedusa (Pelagian Archipelago, Italy). Osteological specimens collected by the zoologist Enrico Hillier Giglioli towards the end of the century confirmed these references. Since cervids are not found among the fossil fauna of the island, the red deer must have been introduced by man although we do not yet know precisely when. The former existence of the species on Lampedusa is discussed by comparison of literary material and bone evidence. The population's probable origins and its taxonomic relationships with other Mediterranean red deer populations are also analysed.

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Role of ovarian failure in reproductive senescence in aged red deer (Cervus elaphus) hinds

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/jrf.0.1200211 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 120 (2) ◽

pp. 211-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Fisher ◽

B. McLeod ◽

D. Heath ◽

S Lun ◽

P. Hurst

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Ovarian Failure ◽

Reproductive Senescence

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Production of interferon by red deer (Cervus elaphus) conceptuses and the effects of roIFN-tau on the timing of luteolysis and the success of asynchronous embryo transfer

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/reprod/118.2.387 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 387-395 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

KJ Demmers ◽

HN Jabbour ◽

DW Deakin ◽

AP Flint

Keyword(s):

Embryo Transfer ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Pregnancy Loss ◽

Red Deer ◽

Interferon Tau ◽

Recombinant Interferon ◽

Uterine Flushing ◽

Calving Rate

The role of interferon in early pregnancy in red deer was investigated by (a) measuring production of interferon by the conceptus, (b) testing the anti-luteolytic effect of recombinant interferon-tau in non-pregnant hinds, and (c) treatment of hinds with interferon after asynchronous embryo transfer. Blastocysts were collected from 34 hinds by uterine flushing 14 (n = 2), 16 (n = 2), 18 (n = 8), 20 (n = 13) or 22 (n = 9) days after synchronization of oestrus with progesterone withdrawal. Interferon anti-viral activity was detectable in uterine flushings from day 16 to day 22, and increased with duration of gestation (P < 0.01) and developmental stage (P < 0.01). When interferon-tau was administered daily between day 14 and day 20 to non-pregnant hinds to mimic natural blastocyst production, luteolysis was delayed by a dose of 0.2 mg day(-1) (27.3 +/- 1.3 days after synchronization, n = 4 versus 21 +/- 0 days in control hinds, n = 3; P < 0.05). Interferon-tau was administered to hinds after asynchronous embryo transfer to determine whether it protects the conceptus against early pregnancy loss. Embryos (n = 24) collected on day 6 from naturally mated, superovulated donors (n = 15) were transferred into synchronized recipients on day 10 or day 11. Interferon-tau treatment (0.2 mg daily from day 14 to 20) increased calving rate from 0 to 64% in all recipients (0/11 versus 7/11, P < 0.005), and from 0 to 67% in day 10 recipients (0/8 versus 6/9, P < 0.01). The increased success rate of asynchronous embryo transfer after interferon-tau treatment in cervids may be of benefit where mismatched embryo-maternal signalling leads to failure in the establishment of pregnancy.

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Predisposition assessment of mountainous forests to bark peeling by red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) as a strategy in preventive forest habitat management

Wildlife Biology in Practice ◽

10.2461/wbp.2011.7.7 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ursula Nopp-Mayr ◽

Friedrich Reimoser ◽

Friedrich Voelk

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Habitat Management ◽

Red Deer ◽

Forest Habitat ◽

Bark Peeling

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The population of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) in Tulcea county (Romania)

Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” ◽

10.2478/v10191-010-0026-3 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 351-356

Author(s):

Sorin Geacu

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Forest Land ◽

The West ◽

Spreading Area ◽

Deer Population ◽

The North ◽

Natural Expansion ◽

North Western

The population of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) in Tulcea county (Romania) The presence of the Red Deer in the North-western parts of Tulcea County is an example of the natural expansion of a species spreading area. In North Dobrogea, this mammal first occurred only forty years ago. The first specimens were spotted on Cocoşul Hill (on the territory of Niculiţel area) in 1970. Peak numbers (68 individuals) were registered in the spring of 1987. The deer population (67 specimens in 2007) of this county extended along 10 km from West to East and 20 km from North to South over a total of 23,000 ha (55% of which was forest land) in the East of the Măcin Mountains and in the West of the Niculiţel Plateau.

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