@article{barnwell_farin_ashwell_farmer_galphin_farin_2016, title={Differences in mRNA populations of short and long bovine conceptuses on Day 15 of gestation}, volume={83}, ISSN={["1098-2795"]}, DOI={10.1002/mrd.22640}, abstractNote={SUMMARYThe majority of pregnancy loss in cattle occurs between Days 8 and 16 of gestation, coincident with the initiation of conceptus elongation and the onset of maternal recognition of pregnancy. Differences in conceptus length on the same day of gestation may be related to an inherent lack of developmental competency or may simply be a consequence of asynchrony with the maternal environment. The objective of this work was to characterize differential patterns of mRNA expression between short and long bovine conceptuses recovered on Day 15 of gestation. Embryos were produced from super‐ovulated Holstein donor cows, and groups of Grade‐1 and Grade‐3 compact morulas were transferred into recipient heifers at Day 6.5 of their cycle. Conceptuses were recovered at Day 15 of gestation, and measured to assess overall length and area. Total RNA was extracted and analyzed on individual GeneChip Bovine Genome Arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA). Gene expression was compared between conceptuses derived from the transfer of Grade‐1 versus Grade‐3 embryos; no differences were identified in the profiles of Day‐15 conceptuses of these different embryo grades. When gene expression was compared between conceptuses classified as either short (mean length of 4.2 ± 0.1 mm [standard error]) or long (24.7 ± 1.9 mm) upon recovery at Day 15 of gestation, a total of 348 genes were differentially expressed. Of these, 221 genes were up‐regulated and 127 were down‐regulated in long compared to short conceptuses. In summary, differences in gene expression were identified between conceptuses recovered on Day 15 of gestation, based on their length. These data may be used to identify genes and cellular pathways involved in enhanced conceptus elongation that could serve as markers of successful pregnancy. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 424–441, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.}, number={5}, journal={MOLECULAR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT}, author={Barnwell, Callie V. and Farin, Peter W. and Ashwell, Christopher M. and Farmer, William T. and Galphin, Samuel P., Jr. and Farin, Charlotte E.}, year={2016}, month={May}, pages={424–441} }
 @article{ji_barnwell_grunden_2015, title={Characterization of recombinant glutathione reductase from the psychrophilic Antarctic bacterium Colwellia psychrerythraea}, volume={19}, ISSN={["1433-4909"]}, DOI={10.1007/s00792-015-0762-1}, abstractNote={Glutathione reductases catalyze the reduction of oxidized glutathione (glutathione disulfide, GSSG) using NADPH as the substrate to produce reduced glutathione (GSH), which is an important antioxidant molecule that helps maintain the proper reducing environment of the cell. A recombinant form of glutathione reductase from Colwellia psychrerythraea, a marine psychrophilic bacterium, has been biochemically characterized to determine its molecular and enzymatic properties. C. psychrerythraea glutathione reductase was shown to be a homodimer with a molecular weight of 48.7 kDa using SDS-PAGE, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and gel filtration. The C. psychrerythraea glutathione reductase sequence shows significant homology to that of Escherichia coli glutathione reductase (66 % identity), and it possesses the FAD and NADPH binding motifs, as well as absorption spectrum features which are characteristic of flavoenzymes such as glutathione reductase. The psychrophilic C. psychrerythraea glutathione reductase exhibits higher k cat and k cat/K m at lower temperatures (4 °C) compared to mesophilic Baker's yeast glutathione reductase. However, C. psychrerythraea glutathione reductase was able to complement an E. coli glutathione reductase deletion strain in oxidative stress growth assays, demonstrating the functionality of C. psychrerythraea glutathione reductase over a broad temperature range, which suggests its potential utility as an antioxidant enzyme in heterologous systems.}, number={4}, journal={EXTREMOPHILES}, author={Ji, Mikyoung and Barnwell, Callie V. and Grunden, Amy M.}, year={2015}, month={Jul}, pages={863–874} }
 @article{barnwell_farin_whisnant_alexander_farin_2015, title={Maternal serum progesterone concentration and early conceptus development of bovine embryos produced in vivo or in vitro}, volume={52}, ISSN={["1879-0054"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.domaniend.2015.03.004}, abstractNote={The hormone progesterone is essential for proper embryonic development. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between recipient serum concentrations of progesterone, at the time of embryo transfer and at conceptus recovery, on conceptus development from in vivo- or in vitro-produced embryos. Embryos were produced in vivo by superovulation of Holstein cows (IVO; n = 17) or in vitro with either serum-containing (IVPS; n = 27) or serum-restricted medium (IVPSR; n = 34). Single grade I blastocysts from each embryo production system were transferred into heifers on day 7 of development. Conceptuses were recovered on day 17 of gestation and classified as complete, degenerated, or no conceptus. Compared with the IVO group, in vitro-produced embryos had more (P = 0.055) degenerated conceptuses (IVO, 0%; IVPS, 18.5%; and IVPSR, 20.6%). There were no differences in progesterone concentrations at the time of transfer when recipients received either male or female embryos (P > 0.05). Progesterone concentrations in recipients receiving in vivo-produced embryos were higher (P < 0.05; 3.74 ± 0.4 ng/mL; least-squares mean ± standard error of the mean) on day 7 compared with those receiving in vitro-produced embryos (IVPS, 2.4 ± 0.2; IVPSR, 2.58 ± 0.3 ng/mL). However, there was no difference in progesterone concentration on day 7 between treatment groups for heifers from which short conceptuses (≤194 mm) were recovered on day 17. In contrast, when longer (>194 mm) conceptuses were recovered on day 17, heifers receiving in vitro-produced embryos had lower (P = 0.05) serum concentrations of progesterone on day 7 compared with those receiving in vivo-produced embryos (IVPS, 2.2 ± 0.5; IVPSR, 2.3 ± 0.5; IVO, 3.9 ± 0.5 ng/mL). In conclusion, differences in autonomy may exist between in vitro- and in vivo-produced embryos during the period of conceptus elongation with in vitro-produced embryos relying more on intrinsic factors to influence elongation.}, journal={DOMESTIC ANIMAL ENDOCRINOLOGY}, author={Barnwell, C. V. and Farin, P. W. and Whisnant, C. S. and Alexander, J. E. and Farin, C. E.}, year={2015}, month={Jul}, pages={75–81} }
 @article{farin_barnwell_farmer_2015, title={Abnormal offspring syndrome}, DOI={10.1002/9781118833971.ch67}, abstractNote={This chapter begins with a discussion on the utilization of embryo biotechnologies in cattle. Next, it talks about the effects of embryo manipulation on offspring development. Manipulation of bovine embryos became a reality with the development of techniques for embryo recovery and transfer. Assessment of development following transfer and calving supported the conclusion that normal development of offspring was associated with production by embryo transfer. The term abnormal offspring syndrome (AOS) was used to more accurately describe the range of characteristics found associated with this syndrome. Designation of this syndrome as AOS is useful when discussing developmental anomalies associated with in vitro manipulation of embryos in other mammalian species. In cattle, the expression of anomalies associated with AOS can range from changes in gene expression in preimplantation-stage embryos to moderate alterations with little apparent phenotypic compromise to severe alteration in phenotype accompanied by abortion or neonatal death.}, journal={Bovine Reproduction}, author={Farin, C. E. and Barnwell, C. V. and Farmer, W. T.}, year={2015}, pages={620–638} }