Accumulation of RNA in blastocysts during embryonic diapause and the periimplantation period in the western spotted skunk

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Abstract
The in vivo incorporation of 3H‐uridine into RNA was studied in delayed implanting and activated blastocysts obtained from 33 western spotted skunks. 3H‐uridine was incorporated into RNA by all blastocysts; however, significantly more label was incorporated as blastocyst diameter increased. Activated blastocysts with diameters of 1.6 mm or greater on average incorporated 65 times more 3H‐precursor in 5 hr than diapausing blastocysts with diameters of 1.1 mm or less. Polyadenylated RNA was likewise synthesized by delayed implanting and activated skunk blastocysts; however, the proportion of polyadenylated RNA synthesized by the former was greater than in the latter (43.9% vs. 27.5%). Our data suggest that the transition from embryonic diapause to fully activated blastocysts first occurs gradually for several days before entering a 1–2‐day period of rapid development characterized by an abrupt increase in RNA accumulation.