This study characterized variations in the methylation profile of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) during initial bovine embryo development and correlated the presence of methylation with mtDNA transcription. Bovine oocytes were obtained from abattoir ovaries and submitted to in vitro culture procedures. Oocytes and embryos were collected at various stages (immature oocyte, IM; mature oocyte, MII; zygote, ZY; 4-cells, 4C; 16-cells, 16C and blastocysts, BL). Total DNA (including mtDNA) was used for Whole Genome Enzymatic Methyl Sequencing and for quantification of mtDNA copy number. Extracted RNA was used for quantification of mitochondrial transcripts using Droplet Digital PCR. We selected ND6, CYTB, tRNA-Phe and tRNA-Gln based on their location in the mitochondrial genome, functionality and/or previous literature associating these regions with cytosine methylation. The number of mtDNA copies per oocyte/embryo was found to be similar, while methylation levels in mtDNA varied among stages. Higher total methylation levels were found mainly at 4C and 16C. In specific gene regions, higher methylation levels were also observed at 4C and 16C (ND6, CYTB and tRNA-Phe), as well as an inverse correlation with the quantity of transcripts for these regions. This is a first description of epigenetic changes occurring in mtDNA during early embryonic development. Our results indicate that methylation might regulate the mtDNA transcription at a local level, particularly around the time of embryonic genome activation.
Keywords: embryos; metabolism; methylation; mtDNA; oocytes.