cDNA cloning of porcine CDH1 and its expression profile in porcine early parthenotes.

binding regions. The porcine CDH1 protein showed high homology with cattle (89%), horse (87%), dog (86%), human (84%), chimpanzee (83%) and mouse (83%) CDH1. The results from RT-PCR and real-time PCR indicated that CDH1 gene could be expressed in both immature and mature oocytes, as well as early parthenotes (2-, 4-, 8-cell embryos, morula, blastocysts). The data of real-time PCR showed that the expression of CDH1 was the highest at 2cell parthenogenetic embryos stage, and then it decreased significantly till 8-cell embryos stage; the second increased expression level occurred at morulas stage, and then also showed a diminishing trend in the following developmental stage. This is the first report of cloning and analysing the porcine CDH1 cDNA that provides critical information for further research of its functions in pig embryo development.