Activation of the embryonic genome

Activation of its genome is amongst the essential task the embryo has to undertake following fertilization of the egg. In animal and plants, this activation follows a period of transcriptional silence, which is made necessary by the requirement for an almost complete and functional reprogramming of the DNA coming from both gametes. The process by which DNA is silenced, reprogrammed and reactivated is not fully understood yet but progresses are being made, especially with the help of genomic tools. This review will focus on the recent discoveries made in different animal models and more specifically on the efforts made to further characterize the event of maternal to embryonic transition in bovine embryos.