Porcine oocytes matured in a chemically defined medium are transcriptionally active

The statement that fully-grown porcine oocytes are transcriptionally quiescent is not as strong as before. Currently, we know that there is a difference in the transcription profile of germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII) oocytes. The goal of our study was to compare the transcription profile of GV, germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase (MII) oocytes cultivated in a chemically defined, FLI medium. Oocytes were sequenced and subsequently validated using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Total RNA was isolated from denuded porcine oocytes from 4 experimental groups. RNA libraries were prepared and sequenced using RNAseq.