Development of body weight in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) after embryotransfer of reciprocal nuclear combinations to a neutral line of recipients

Title of the paper: Development of body weight in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuni culus) after embryo transfer of reciprocal nuclear combinations to a neutra l line of recipients. The article describes differences in the development of body weight of the F1-generations in the rabbit, which occured after emb ryo transfer from reciprocal nuclear combinations to a neutral line of reci pients. These differences can be explained as expression of maternal cyto-p lasmatical and / or imprinting-effects. The two races - Deutsche Riesen and Farbzwerge -, which are extremly different in body weight were used for th e reciprocal crosses. The neutral recipients were a commercial breed "Zika" . Results show a significant higher litter weight of the offspring which de scended from the heavier mother race. On the 84th day of life exists no dif ferences in weight between the crosses. Differences were within the crosses between the females and males and between the crosses reciprocal different Causes for the reciprocal sexdimorphism can be A: extrachromosomal respect ively cytoplasmatic factors or B: a sex-linked and a sex-influenced heredit y, which coinside and are regulated by imprinting.