Embryonic fate after somatic cell nuclear transfer in non-enucleated goldfish oocytes is determined by first cleavages and DNA methylation patterns.

Reducing the variability in nuclear transfer outcome requires a better understanding of its cellular and epigenetic determinants, in order to ensure safer fish regeneration from cryobanked somatic material. In this work, clones from goldfish were obtained using cryopreserved fin cells as donor and non-enucleated oocytes as recipients. We showed that the high variability of clones survival was not correlated to spawn quality. Clones were then characterized for their first cleavages pattern in relation to their developmental fate up to hatching. The first cell cycle duration was increased in clones with abnormal first cleavage, and symmetric first two cleavages increased clone probability to reach later on 24 h- and hatching-stages. At 24 h-stage, 24% of the clones were diploids and from donor genetic origin only. However, ploidy and genetic origin did not determine clones morphological quality. DNA methylation reprogramming in the promoter region of pou2, nanog, and notail marker genes was highly variable, but clones with the nicest morphologies displayed the best DNA methylation reprogramming. To conclude, non-enucleated oocytes did allow authentic clones production. The first two cell cycles were a critical determinant of the clone ability to reach hatching-stage, and DNA methylation reprogramming significantly influenced clones morphological quality.