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Chinese Livestock and Poultry Breeding ›› 2026, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (9): 95-102.doi: 10.19543/j.cnki.1673-4556.20260803.001cstr: 32418.14.j.cnki.1673-4556.20260803.001

• Regulation of Embryonic Development and Stem Cell Differentiation • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress on the DLK1–DIO3 imprinted cluster in livestock embryonic development

Sihan Ju(), Liang Zhu, Wenqian Zhao, Zhonghua Liu, Xiaogang Weng()   

  1. College of Life Sciences, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang
  • Received:2026-01-05 Online:2026-09-26 Published:2026-09-10
  • Contact: Xiaogang Weng

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Abstract:

Imprinted genes are regulated through epigenetic mechanisms and are expressed in a parent-of-origin-specific manner. These genes are often clustered together and serve as crucial regulators in normal embryonic development and individual health. The DLK1-DIO3 imprinted cluster is a key regulatory region influencing livestock embryonic development and placental formation. The imprinting status of this cluster is primarily determined by the parent-of-origin-specific methylation of the core imprinting control region, IG-DMR(Imprinting Gene Differentially Methylated Region), which governs the overall parent-specific expression pattern of the cluster. GTL2-DMR(GTL2-Differentially Methylated Region), as a secondary DMR, maintains the stable expression of the maternal transcripts. This review summarizes the composition, imprinting regulation, and functional roles of this cluster, with a particular focus on the regulatory functions of the paternal genes DLK1, RTL1, DIO3, and the maternal gene GTL2 in placental angiogenesis, muscle growth, neural differentiation, and energy metabolism. The case of the Callipyge (CLPG) sheep, exhibiting a polar overdominant inheritance pattern, highlights the potential of manipulating this gene cluster to improve meat production traits and reproductive performance in livestock, so as to provide theoretical reference for improving the production performance and reproductive efficiency of livestock.

Key words: Genomic imprinting, DLK1-DIO3, Livestock, Embryonic development

CLC Number: 

  • S82

Fig. 1

Schematic diagram of the DLK1-DIO3 imprinted cluster Note: Blue and red represent the translation of paternally and maternally expressed genes, respectively, gray shapes represent imprinted genes with no expression."

Fig. 2

Regulatory model of the Callipyge phenotype Note: A→G:The CLPG mutation occurs in this region, where the original adenine (A) base is mutated to guanine (G). gray shapes represent imprinted genes with no expression.In the CLPG phenotype: CLPGPAT/+ animals exhibit overexpression of DLK1 leading to the CLPG phenotype; +/CLPGMAT animals display overexpression of maternal miRNAs and normal expression of paternal DLK1, which does not result in the CLPG phenotype; in CLPGPAT/CLPGMAT animals, paternal overexpression of DLK1 is post-transcriptionally suppressed by maternal overexpression of miRNAs, will not lead to CLPG phenotype."

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