MitoGen's Services
MitoGen provides the following services and technologies to clients who wish to protect and propagate high-end genetics for breeding purposes:
- Mito-SCNT
- mICSI
- Embryo storage
- Storage of genetic material for future use
- Advise on genetic matching for breeding programs
MitoGen Innovation
Development Success
We have developed a method to produce cloned offspring that inherit their genetics as if they had been generated through normal breeding programs. With our technology, called mito-SCNT, we ensure that the animal's genetics is not compromised as with less sophisticated technologies. Furthermore, the desired animals can be generated in one round of production and not the multiple rounds as required by other breeding programs.
We have developed a method to overcome the poor fertility suffered by some high end livestock. This technology known as mICSI (mitochondrial supplementation at ICSI) allows us to enhance egg quality at the time of fertilisation and ensure that better quality embryos are produced.
The science behind our approach has been validated by peer review and publication in leading scientific journals.
Research Highlights
Mito-SCNT
- Lloyd RE, Lee J-H, Alberio R, Bowles EJ, Ramalho-Santos J, Campbell KHS, St. John JC. Aberrant nucleo-cytoplasmic cross-talk results in donor cell mtDNA persistence in cloned embryos. Genetics 2006; 172:2515-2527.
- Bowles EJ, Lee J-H, Alberio R, Lloyd RE, Campbell KHS, St. John JC. Contrasting effects of in vitro fertilisation and nuclear transfer on the expression of mtDNA replication factors. Genetics 2007; 176:1511-1526.
- Lee J-H, Peters A, Fisher P, Bowles EJ, St. John JC, Campbell KHS. Generation of mtDNA Homoplasmic Cloned Lambs. Cellular Reprogramming 2010; 12:347-355.
- Srirattana K, St. John JC. Manipulating the mitochondrial genome to enhance cattle embryo development. Genes, Genomes, Genetics (G3) 2017; 7:2065-2080.
mICSI
- El Shourbagy S, Spikings E, Freitas M, St. John JC. Mitochondria directly influence fertilisation outcome in the pig. Reproduction 2006; 131:233-245.
- Cagnone GL, Tsai TS, Makanji Y, Matthews P, Gould J, Bonkowski MS, Elgass KD, Wong AS, Wu LE, McKenzie M, Sinclair DA, St. John JC. Restoration of normal embryogenesis by mitochondrial supplementation in pig oocytes exhibiting mitochondrial DNA deficiency. Scientific Reports 2016; 6:23229.
Genetic matching
- Tsai TS, Rajasekar S, St. John JC. The relationship between mitochondrial DNA haplotype and the reproductive capacity of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). BMC Genetics 2016; 17:67.
- Srirattana K, McCosker K, Schatz T, St John JC. Cattle phenotypes can disguise their maternal ancestry. BMC Genetics 2017; 18:59.
