Irina Polejaeva
Animal, Dairy & Veterinary Sciences (ADVS)
Developmental Biology

Educational Background
Expertise
Large Animal Transgenic Models, Animal Cloning // Program goals: Production of transgenic animals using somatic cell nuclear transfer technology (SCNT or cloning) for biomedical and agricultural applications
Biography
Dr. Polejaeva is currently a Professor. She joined the ADVS department in April 2011 as an Associate Professor. She is a member of the Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Disease USTAR team and Utah Collaborative Arrhythmia Program.
Research Interests
The area of her research interest includes:
• Production of transgenic animals using somatic cell nuclear transfer technology (cloning) for biomedical and agricultural applications;
• Improve efficiency of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) through understanding molecular mechanism of epigenetic reprogramming;
• Development of accurate pre-implantation embryo assessment methods using combination of individual embryo culture system, imaging and gene expression/metabolomic analysis
Awards
The CAAS Faculty Researcher of the Year , 2020
CAAS
The ADVS Faculty Researcher of the Year , 2020
ADVS, USU
The ADVS Department Graduate Research Mentor of the Year Award, 2018
ADVS, USU
Best of Basic Science, 2013
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions
Publications | Abstracts
- Keim, J., Zhang, W., Rutigliano, H., Zhou, A., Polejaeva, I., (2020). Analyzing metabolomic profile of bovine IVF and SCNT embryos through Raman spectroscopy. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Thomas, A., Jones, R., Regouski, M., Polejaeva, I., Davies, C., (2016). Identification of Transgene Insertion Sites by Target Selection and Next-Generation Sequencing. Proceedings of the Large Animal Genetics Engineering Summit
- Polejaeva, I., Ranjan, R., Davies, C., White, K.L, (2016). TGF-β1 Transgenic Goat Model of Atrial Fibrillation. Proceedings of the Large Animal Genetics Engineering Summit
- Hu, S., Hall, J., Wang, Z., Polejaeva, I., (2014). TALEN-mediated targeted insertion of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) gene into the goat AAVS1 locus. . Transgenic research
- Polejaeva, I., Ranjan, R., Wang, Z., Olsen, A.L, Davies, C., White, K.L, (2014). Transgenic goat models to study cardiac fibrosis and atrial fibrillation. Transgenic research
- Hall, J., Yang, M., Meng, Q., Dai, J., Polejaeva, I., (2014). Effect of follicular size of cytoplast donor on cloning efficiency in goats.. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Hu, S., Wang, Z., Polejaeva, I., (2014). Knockout of goat nucleoporin 155 (NUP155) gene using CRISPR/CAS9 systems.. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Polejaeva, I., Ranjan, R., Hall, J., Rutigliano, H., Thomas, A.J, Dosdall, D., MacLeod, R., Marrouche, N., Wang, Z., Olsen, A.L, White, K.L, Davies, C., (2013). Cardiac specific overexpression of Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 (TGF-Beta1) increases susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in transgenic goats. Circulation
- Rutigliano, H., Wilhelm, A., Hall, J., Sessions, B., Meng, Q., White, K.L, Bunch, T.D, Davies, C., Polejaeva, I., (2013). Aberrant gene expression at the fetal-maternal interface in sheep and goats produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. Amernican Journal of Reproductive Immunology
- Hall, J., Meng, Q., Sessions, B.R, Fan, Z., Wang, X., Stott, R.D, Rutigliano, H., Davies, C., Panter, K., Bunch, T.D, White, K.L, Polejaeva, I., (2012). Effect of embryo culture length on production of cloned transgenic goats. Reproduction, Fertility & Develpment
- Meng, Q., Hall, J., Rutigliano, H., Zhou, X., Sessions, B.R, Stott, R.D, Panter, K., Davies, C., Ranjan, R., Dosdall, D., MacLeod, R., Marrouche, N., White, K.L, Wang, Z., Polejaeva, I., (2012). Generation of cloned transgenic goats with cardiac specific overexpression of transforming growth factor β1. Reproduction, Fertility & Develpment
- Polejaeva, I., Hall, J., Meng, Q., Zhou, X., Sessions, B.R, Panter, K., Stott, R.D, Rutigliano, H.M, Davies, C., Wang, Z., Ranjan, R., Dosdall, D., MacLeod, R., Marouche, N., White, K.L, (2012). Development of a transgenic goat model with cardiac-specific overexpression of human transforming growth factor-β1 to study the relationship between atrial fibrosis and atrial fibrillation. Circulation Research
- Tessanne, K., Stroud, T., Long, C., Sadeghieh, S., Hwang, E., Chen, S., Polejaeva, I., Westhusin, M., (2009). Development of transgenic livestock with reduced myostatin expression using RNA interference. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Xiang, T., Walker, S., Gregg, K., Zhou, W., Farrar, V., Sadeghieh, S., Hwang, W., Findeisen, B., Arenivas, F., Polejaeva, I., (2009). Reprogramming of Oct-4 following equine somatic cell nuclear transfer. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Gregg, K., Chen, S., Sadeghieh, S., Guerra, T., Xiang, T., Meredith, J., Polejaeva, I., (2009). Risk assessment of infectious disease transmission via in vitro embryo production using somatic cell nucleus transfer. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Ayaers, D., Kind, A., Schnieke, A., Campbell, K., McCreath, K., Howcroft, J., Emslie, L., Mycock, K., Gibson, Y., Dai, Y., Polejaeva, I., Phelps, C., Geyer, C., Vaught, T., Mullins, J., Coleman, A., (1999). Gene targeting in livestock. Transgenic research
- Polejaeva, I., Ashktorab, H., Bunch, T., Ellis, L., Reed, W., White, K., (1996). Stable transfection of mink embryonic stem (ES) cells and the expression of green fluorescent protein under cytomegalovirus promoter control. Theriogenology
- White, K., Polejaeva, I., Bunch, T., Suh, T., Reed, W., Spendlove, R., Wilkinson, R., (1995). Effect of non-serum supplemented media on establishment and maintenance of bovine embryonic stem-like cells. Theriogenology
- Polejaeva, I., White, K., Ellis, L., Reed, W., (1995). Isolation and long-term culture of mink and bovine embryonic stem-like cells. Theriogenology
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
- Polejaeva, I., (2006). A double nuclear transfer technique for cloning pigs. : Methods of Molecular Biology. Methods of Molecular Biology.
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Cuthbert, J.M, Russell, S.J, Polejaeva, I., Meng, Q., White, K.L, Benninghoff, A., (2021). Comparing mRNA and sncRNA profiles during the maternal-to-embryonic transition in bovine IVF and scNT embryos.. Biology of Reproduction, 105:6, 1401–1415. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioab169
- Cuthbert, J.M, Russell, S.J, Polejaeva, I.A, Meng, Q., White, K.L, Benninghoff, A.D, (2021). Dynamics of small non-coding RNAs in bovine scNT embryos through the maternal-to-embryonic transition. Biology of Reproduction, 105:4, 918-933. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioab107
- Yun, S., Song, B., Frank, J.C, Julander, J.G, Olsen, A.L, Polejaeva, I.A, Davies, C.J, White, K.L, Lee, Y., (2018). Functional genomics and immunologic tools: the impact of viral and host genetic variations on the outcome of Zika virus infection. Viruses, 10:8, E422. doi: 10.3390/v10080422
- Rutigliano, H., Wilhelm, A., Hall, J., Shi, B., Meng, Q., Stott, R.D, Bunch, T.D, White, K.L, Davies, C., Polejaeva, I., (2017). Cytokine gene expression at the maternal-fetal interface after somatic cell nuclear transfer pregnancies in small ruminants.. Reproduction, Fertility, and Development, 29:4, 646-657. doi: doi:10.1071/RD15103
- Yang, M., Hall, j., Fan, Z., Regouski, M., Meng, Q., Rutigliano, H., Stott, R.D, Rood, K., Panter, K., Polejaeva, I., (2016). Oocytes from small and large follicles exhibit similar development competence following goat cloning despite their differences in meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation. Theriogenology, 86:9, 2302-2311.
- Polejaeva, I., Ranjan, R., Davies, C., Regouski, M., Hall, J., Olsen, A.L, Meng, Q., Rutigliano, H., Dosdall, D., Angel, N., Sachse, F., Seidel, T., Thomas, A., Stott, R.D, Panter, K., Lee, P., Van Wettere, A., Stevens, J.R, Wang, Z., MacLeod, R., Marrouche, N., White, K.L, (2016). Increased Susceptibility to Atrial Fibrillation Secondary to Atrial Fibrosis in Transgenic Goats Expressing Transforming Growth Factor-β1. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. , 27:10, 1220-1229.
- Yun, S., Song, B., Polejaeva, I.A, Davies, C.J, White, K.L, Lee, Y., (2016). Comparison of the live-attenuated Japanese encephalitis vaccine SA14-14-2 strain with its pre-attenuated virulent parent SA14 strain: similarities and differences in vitro and in vivo. Journal of General Virology (J Gen Virol), 97:10, 2575-2591. doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.000574
- Yun, S., Song, B., Frank, J.C, Julander, J.G, Polejaeva, I.A, Davies, C.J, White, K.L, Lee, Y., (2016). Complete genome sequences of three historically important, spatiotemporally distinct, and genetically divergent strains of Zika virus: MR-766, P6-740, and PRVABC-59. Genome Announcements (Genome Announc), 4:4, e00800-16. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00800-16
- Yun, S., Song, B., Frank, J.C, Julander, J.G, Polejaeva, I.A, Davies, C.J, White, K.L, Lee, Y., (2016). Complete genome sequences of three historically important, spatiotemporally distinct, and genetically divergent strains of Zika virus: MR-766, P6-740, and PRVABC-59. Genome Announcements (Genome Announc), 4:4, e00800-16. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00800-16
- Martins, L.T, Polejaeva, I., N., (2016). Developmental outcome and related abnormalities in goats: comparison between somatic cell nuclear transfer- and in vivo-derived concepti during pregnancy through term.. Cellular reprogramming, 18:4, 264-279. doi: 10.1089/cell.2015.0082
- Polejaeva, I., Rutigliano, H., Wells, K.D, (2016). Livestock in biomedical research: history, current status and future prospective. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 28:2, 112-124.
- Rutigliano, H., Wilhelm, A., Hall, J., Shi, B., Meng, Q., Stott, R., Bunch, T.D, White, K.L, Davies, C., Polejaeva, I., Cytokine gene expression at the maternal?fetal interface after somatic cell nuclear transfer pregnancies in small ruminants.. Reproduction, Fertility and Development
- Ni, W., Qiao, J., Hu, S., Zhao, X., Regouski, M., Yang, M., Polejaeva, I., Chen, C., (2014). Efficient gene knockout in goats using CRISPR/Cas9 system.. PLoS One, 2014, 9 (9), :e106718
- Gong, J., Chen, G., Wang, Z., Polejaeva, I., Silisga, R., Chen, C., Kao, C., Chen, L., (2014). Activation of human K-ras G12D stimulates oncogenic transformation in transgenic goat fetal fibroblast cells. . PLoS One, 9(3): e90059
- Zhou, W., Gosch, ., Guerra, T., Broek, D., Wu, G., Walker, S., Polejaeva, I., (2014). Amino acid profiles in first trimester amniotic fluids of healthy cloned pregnancies are similar to those of IVF pregnancies, but not nonviable cloned pregnancies . Theriogenology, 81:2, 225-229. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.09.012
- Polejaeva, I., Broek, D., Walker, S., Zhou, W., Walton, M., Benninghoff, A., Faber, D., (2013). Longitudinal study of reproductive performance of female cattle produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. PLoS One, 8:12, e84283. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084283
- Polejaeva, I., Mitalipov, S., (2013). Stem cell potency and the ability to contribute to chimeric organisms. Reproduction , 145:3, R81-88. doi: 10.1530/REP-12-0396
- Mendicino, M., Ramsoondar, J., Phelps, C., Vaught, T., Ball, S., LeRoith, T., Monahan, J., Chen, S., Dandro, A., Boone, J., Jobst, P., Vance, A., Wertz, N., Bergman, Z., Sun, X., Polejaeva, I., Butlet, J., Dai, Y., Ayares, D., Wells, K., (2011). Generation of antibody- and B cell-deficient pigs by targeted disruption of the J-region gene segment of the heavy chain locus. Transgenic Research, 20:3, 625-641.
- Gregg, K., Xiang, T., Arenivas, S., Hwang, E., Arenivas, F., Chen, S., Walker, S., Picou, A., Polejaeva, I., (2011). Risk assessment of porcine reproductive and Respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) transmission via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryo production using oocytes from commercial abattoirs. . Anim Reprod Sci, 125:1-4, 148-157.
- Ramsoondar, J., Mendicino, M., Phelps, C., Vaught, T., Ball, S., Monahan, J., Chen, S., Dandro, A., Boone, J., Jobst, P., Vance, A., Wertz, N., Polejaeva, I., Butler, J., Dai, Y., Ayares, D., Wells, K., (2011). Targeted disruption of the porcine immunoglobulin kappa light chain locus. Transgenic Research, 20:3, 643-653.
- Gregg, K., Gosch, G., Guerra, T., Chen, S., Xiang, T., Broek, D., Bruner, B., Polejaeva, I., (2010). Large scale in vivo risk assessment of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) transmission through transfer of bovine embryos produced via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).. Theriogenology, 74:7, 1264-70.
- Gregg, K., Riddell, K., Chen, S., Galik, P., Xiang, T., Guerra, T., Marley, M., Polejaeva, I., Givens, M., (2010). Risk and prevention of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) transmission through embryo production via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using oocytes from persistently infected donors. . Theriogenology, 74:1, 1-10.
- Gregg, K., Chen, S., Guerra, T., Sadeghieh, S., Xing, T., Meredith, J., Polejaeva, I., (2009). A sensitive and efficient detection method for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in single preimplantation bovine embryos.. Theriogenology, 71, 966-974.
- Gregg, K., Chen, S., Sadeghieh, S., Guerra, T., Xiang, T., Meredith, J., Polejaeva, I., (2009). Experimental risk assessment of bovine viral diarrhea virus transmission via in vitro embryo production using somatic cell nucleus transfer.. Theriogenology, 72:1, 99-110.
- Gregg, K., Polejaeva, I., (2009). Risk of equine infectious anemia virus disease transmission through in vitro embryo production using somatic cell nucleus transfer. Theriogenology, 72:3, 289-299.
- Zhou, W., Sadeghieh, S., Abruzzese, R., Uppada, S., Meredith, J., Ohlrichs, C., Broek, D., Polejaeva, I., (2009). Transcript levels of several epigenome regulatory genes in bovine somatic donor cells are not correlated with their cloning efficiency. . Cloning and Stem Cells, 11, 397-405.
- Zhou, W., Xiang, T., Walker, S., Abruzzese, R., Hwang, E., Farrar, V., Findeisen, B., Sadeghieh, S., Arenivas, F., Chen, S., Polejaeva, I., (2008). Aggregation of Bovine Cloned Embryos at the Four –Cell Stage Stimulated Gene Expression and In Vitro Embryo Development. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 75, 1281-1289.
- Zhou, W., Xiang, T., Walker, S., Farrar, V., Hwang, E., Findeisen, B., Sadeghieh, S., Arenivas, F., Abruzzese, R., Polejaeva, I., (2008). Global Gene Expression Analysis of Bovine Blastocysts Produced by Multiple Methods. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 75, 744-758.
- Walker, S., Christenson, R., Ruiz, R., Reeves, D., Pratt, S., Arenivas, F., Williams, N., Bruner, B., Polejaeva, I., (2007). Comparison of meat composition from offspring of cloned and conventionally produced boars. Theriogenology, 67, 178-184.
- Williams, N., Walker, S., Reeves, D., Sherrer, E., Galvin, J., Polejaeva, I., Rampacek, G., Benshek, L., Christenson, R., Graves, W., Pratt, S., (2006). A Comparison of Reproductive Characteristics of Boars Generated by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer to Highly Related Conventionally Produced Boars. Cloning and Stem Cells, 8, 130-139.
- Ji, W., Zhou, W., Abruzzese, R., Guo, W., Blake, A., Davis, S., Davis, S., Polejaeva, I., (2005). A method of determining zygosity of transgenic zebra fish by TaqMan real-time PCR. Analytical Biochem, 344:2, 240-246.
- Zhou, W., Abruzzese, R., Polejaeva, I., Davis, S., Davis, S., Ji, W., (2005). Amplification of nanogram amount of total RNA by the SMART-based PCR method for high-density oligonucleotide microarrays.. Clinical Chemistry, 51:12, 2354-2356.
- Gwazdauskas, F., Walters, A., McGilliard, M., Ball, S., Ellefson, N., Flesher, S., Keyes, L., Nicholson, W., Rosoff, K., Strahsmeier, K., Wheeler, M., Polejaeva, I., Ayares, D., (2003). Behavioral comparisons of cloned and non-cloned pigs. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2:8, 430-436.
- Phelps, C., Koike, C., Vaught, T., Boone, J., Wells, K., Chen, S., Ball, S., Specht, S., Monahan, J., Jobst, P., Sharma, S., Lamborn, A., Polejaeva, I., Moore, M., Demetris, A., Rudert, W., Bottino, R., Bertera, S., Trucco, M., Starzl, T., Dai, Y., Ayares, D., (2003). Production of a1,3-galactosyltransferase deficient pigs. Science, 299, 411-414.
- Chen, S., Vaught, T., Monahan, J., Boone, J., Emslie, E., Jobst, P., Lamborn, A., Schnieke, A., Robertson, L., Colman, A., Dai, Y., Polejaeva, I., Ayares, D., (2002). Efficient production of transgenic cloned calves using preimplantation screening. Biology of Reproduction, 67, 1488-1472.
- Dai, Y., Vaught, T., Boone, J., Chen, S., Phelps, C., Ball, S., Monahan, J., Jobst, J., McCreath, K., Lamborn, A., Cowell-Lucero, J., Wells, K., Colman, A., Polejaeva, I., Ayares, D., (2002). Targeted disruption of the α1, 3-galactosyltransferase gene in cloned pigs. Nature biotechnology, 20, 251-255.
- Polejaeva, I., (2001). Pig cloning: advances and applications. Reproduction, 58, 293-300.
- Polejaeva, I., Chen, S., Vaught, T., Page, R., Mullins, J., Dai, Y., Boone, J., Walker, S., Ayares, D., Colman, A., Campbell, K., (2000). Cloned Piglets Produced by Nuclear Transfer from Adult Somatic Cells. Nature, 407, 86-90.
- Polejaeva, I., Campbell, K., (2000). New advances in somatic cell nuclear transfer: application in transgenesis. Theriogenology, 53, 117-126.
- Polejaeva, I., Reed, W., Bunch, T., Ellis, L., White, K., (1997). Effect of Prolactin on the Reactivation of Mink blastocysts in Obligate Diapause in Vitro and Embryonic Stem Cells Establishment. Journal of Reproduction & Fertility, 109, 229-236.
- Wolf, E., Kramer, R., Polejaeva, I., Thoenen, H., Brem, G., (1994). Efficient generation of chimaeric mice using embryonic stem cells after long-term culture in the presence of ciliary neurotrophic factor. Transgenic Research, 3, 152-158.
Professional Journal
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
Newsletter
- Polejaeva, I., Gregg, K., Kraemer, D., (2011). Biosafety issues and mitigations regarding the use of tissues and oocytes for cloning. Embryo Transfer Newsletter
Other
- Polejaeva, I., Wang, Z., Hu, S., Ranjan, R., Davies, C., Thomas, A., White, K.L, (2015). Method for transgenic bovidae expressing cardiac fibrosis and associated pathology. United States Patent Application Publication *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.