四氯化碳诱导小鼠肝脏纤维化的差异蛋白质组学

以四氯化碳(Carbon tetrachloride,CCl4)诱导小鼠肝组织纤维化为研究模型,发现并探讨纤维化肝组织与正常肝组织在蛋白质组水平上的差异。实验小鼠(C57 BL/6)随机分为两组,由橄榄油和四氯化碳诱导15周,并分别对这两组肝组织的全蛋白表达谱进行质谱检测,应用GO(Gene Ontology)功能分类分析和KEGG(Kyoto Enyoolpedia of Genes and Genomes)信号通路的富集分析方法对鉴定到的全蛋白表达谱进行差异表达分析。在对照组和实验组中,我们分别鉴定到17 382和20 486条特异性肽段,图谱平均利用率大于50%,共计鉴定到蛋白4 991种(蛋白特异性肽段个数至少为1),其中差异表达蛋白有2 135种(差异倍数大于或等于2),表达上调蛋白1 264种,下调蛋白871种。纤维化肝脏组织中与细胞外基质组成(Extracellular matrix organization)、细胞骨架组成(Cytoskeleton organization)、有机磷酸代谢(Organophosphate metabolic process)、细胞定位(Cellular localization)和细胞组分调节(Regulation of cellular component organization)相关蛋白的表达是上调的;另外,与小分子代谢(Small molecule metabolic process)、蛋白质转运(Protein transport)和有机氮化合物的代谢(Organonitrogen compound metabolic process),以及四吡咯的合成过程(Tetrapyrrole biosynthetic process)有关蛋白的表达是下调的。信号通路富集分析结果表明,纤维化与VEGF和T细胞受体信号调节通路密切相关。结果提示,纤维化的形成不仅是一个复杂的信号转导过程,更是一个炎症与免疫相互促成的结果;增强肝实质细胞的存活,降低相关信号的传递及接收都有可能对纤维化的发生和发展起到抑制效果。     

亚急性梭曼染毒豚鼠颈部脊髓差异表达蛋白分析

目的：利用蛋白质组学技术研究亚急性梭曼染毒豚鼠颈部脊髓中的差异表达蛋白,探讨梭曼中毒影响的主要生物学通路,为其中毒诊断、治疗及预后提供重要生物标志物。方法：以雄性成年豚鼠为研究对象,连续14天每天1次对豚鼠背部皮下注射梭曼(0.2×LD₅₀)进行亚急性染毒;末次染毒后取颈部脊髓组织,利用蛋白质组学技术分析梭曼染毒组与对照组之间的差异表达蛋白;利用KEGG数据库对差异表达蛋白进行功能注释与通路富集分析;对重要通路中的差异蛋白进行功能分析与讨论。结果：豚鼠颈部脊髓组织中共鉴定出通过KEGG库注释的蛋白质数目为3 563个;采用主成分分析和偏最小二乘法分析表明,梭曼染毒后共有407个差异表达蛋白,其中276个蛋白质表达上调,131个蛋白质表达下调,这些差异蛋白主要与代谢、遗传信息处理、环境信息处理、细胞过程、组织系统、人类疾病相关;上调蛋白质主要富集于27个通路(P<0.05),下调蛋白质主要富集于8个通路(P<0.05);上调蛋白质的主要富集通路包括吞噬体、紧密连接、细胞外基质-受体相互作用、PI3K-Akt信号通路、JAK-STAT信号通路、补体和凝血级...     

不同抗性苹果品种应答轮纹病菌胁迫的差异蛋白质组分析

为鉴定不同抗性苹果(Malusdomestica)品种响应轮纹病菌胁迫的抗性相关蛋白表达差异,以抗病品种华月及易感品种金冠为试材,采用高通量同位素标记定量(IBT)技术结合液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS)鉴定技术,对病原菌处理前后抗、感病品种叶片的蛋白质组差异表达进行分析,共鉴定出171个差异表达蛋白(DEPs)。GO富集及KEGG通路分析表明,在细胞组分、分子功能和生物过程3类中共注释到686个GO条目,其中52个DEPs注释于KEGG通路的18个显著差异途径(P0.05)。亚细胞定位预测分析表明, 171个DEPs中有170个分别定位于8类细胞器。蛋白功能注释分析表明, 46个DEPs注释于7类抗性相关蛋白,包括类甜蛋白、过氧化物酶、多酚氧化酶、过敏原蛋白、几丁质酶、内切葡聚糖酶以及主乳胶蛋白。此外,还对抗性相关蛋白的表达特点及基因定量结果进行了分析。该研究结果可为进一步解析抗、感病苹果品种应答轮纹病菌胁迫的抗性机制提供参考。     

金针菇菌柄发育的转录组与蛋白组分析

菌柄是金针菇等食用菌的主要商品部位,但其生长机制仍不明确。本研究对金针菇伸长期和成熟期菌柄进行了转录组联合蛋白组分析,结果显示,两样本显著性差异表达基因和蛋白分别为721个和61个,均以上调表达为主。GO（gene ontology）功能聚类分析表明：有72.41%的差异表达基因富集在催化活性（catalytic activity）条目下。细胞组分（cell part）和绑定结合（binding）条目同时富集了较多的差异表达基因和蛋白。KEGG通路富集分析显示：碳水化合物代谢通路（carbohydrate metabolism）和氨基酸代谢通路（amino acid metabolism）富集的差异表达基因较多。差异表达蛋白富集较多的通路是单环菌素生物合成（monobactam biosynthesis,ko00261）、链霉素生物合成（streptomycin biosynthesis,ko00521）和有机含硒化合物代谢（selenocompound metabolism,ko00450）等。内质网蛋白质加工（protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum,ko04141）和MAPK信号通路（MAPK signaling pathway-yeast,ko04011）在转录组和蛋白组的KEGG富集分析中均为差异通路。本研究联合转录组和蛋白组数据筛选了40个金针菇菌柄发育中差异表达基因,为深入研究揭示食用菌菌柄发育过程提供候选基因。     

不同抗性苹果品种应答轮纹病菌胁迫的差异蛋白质组分析

为鉴定不同抗性苹果(Malus domestica)品种响应轮纹病菌胁迫的抗性相关蛋白表达差异, 以抗病品种华月及易感品种金冠为试材, 采用高通量同位素标记定量(IBT)技术结合液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS)鉴定技术, 对病原菌处理前后抗、感病品种叶片的蛋白质组差异表达进行分析, 共鉴定出171个差异表达蛋白(DEPs)。GO富集及KEGG通路分析表明, 在细胞组分、分子功能和生物过程3类中共注释到686个GO条目, 其中52个DEPs注释于KEGG通路的18个显著差异途径(P<0.05)。亚细胞定位预测分析表明, 171个DEPs中有170个分别定位于8类细胞器。蛋白功能注释分析表明, 46个DEPs注释于7类抗性相关蛋白, 包括类甜蛋白、过氧化物酶、多酚氧化酶、过敏原蛋白、几丁质酶、内切葡聚糖酶以及主乳胶蛋白。此外, 还对抗性相关蛋白的表达特点及基因定量结果进行了分析。该研究结果可为进一步解析抗、感病苹果品种应答轮纹病菌胁迫的抗性机制提供参考。     

GST pull-down联合质谱筛选(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在小鼠睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质北大核心CSCD

(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1(dystrobrevin binding protein 1,dysbindin-1)是溶酶体相关细胞器生物发生复合体-1(biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 1,BLOC-1)的1个亚基,在多种组织细胞中广泛表达;然而,其在睾丸组织中的作用至今尚不明确。为寻找(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质,以进一步研究(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸中的作用,本研究首先在Rosetta(DE3)菌种中表达可溶性GST-dysbindin-1融合蛋白,经谷胱甘肽-琼脂糖珠亲和纯化后,与小鼠的睾丸组织蛋白质孵育进行GST pull-down实验,并通过液相色谱串联质谱(LC MS/MS)分析筛选(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质。利用Bio GPS数据库聚类在睾丸组织中高表达和特异性表达的互作蛋白质,运用DAVID6.8在线分析工具从细胞组分、分子功能、生物学过程和KEGG通路等方面对筛选出的互作蛋白质进行GO(gene ontology)富集分析。本实验共筛选出108个(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的潜在互作蛋白质,其中98个为尚未报道的(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1相互作用蛋白质,7个为睾丸高表达蛋白质,5个为睾丸特异性表达的蛋白质。这些候选蛋白质主要分布在细胞质、细胞核、细胞膜、细胞外泌体等细胞组分中,通过与蛋白质、核酸等分子结合参与蛋白质翻译和转运、囊泡运输及凋亡等生物学过程以及氨基酸生物合成、溶酶体及蛋白酶体等生物学通路。我们推测,在睾丸组织中(肌)营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1可能通过与多种蛋白质相互作用参与精子的发生和受精等过程。     

金针菇成熟期和伸长期菌盖的转录组与蛋白组比较分析

菌盖是大型真菌的重要组成部分,也是其产生有性孢子的部位,但是其发育机制仍不明确。本研究以金针菇Flammulina filiformis为材料,采用转录组和蛋白组联合分析的方法,比较分析了金针菇成熟期和伸长期菌盖的差异基因与蛋白,并对其进行GO (gene ontology)功能聚类分析、KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes)富集分析和蛋白互作网络分析。本研究筛选到差异表达基因有1 391个,差异表达蛋白147个,均以上调表达为主。GO功能聚类分析结果表明,催化活性(catalytic activity)条目富集基因最多,其次是细胞组分(cell part)、细胞过程(cellular process)和细胞器(organelle)。KEGG富集分析结果表明,差异表达基因和蛋白主要富集在碳水化合物代谢通路(carbohydrate metabolism)和氨基酸代谢通路(amino acid metabolism)等。本研究选取了9个关键的差异表达基因,使用实时荧光定量PCR (real-time quantitative PCR,RT-qPCR)对其表达量进行了验证。RT-qPCR验证结果与转录组测序结果相一致。蛋白互作网络分析表明,水解酶类、结构域类和转录调节类蛋白为互作网络的主要结点。本研究联合转录组、蛋白组测序数据,通过分析差异基因与蛋白,为深入了解金针菇菌盖发育机制提供数据参考。     

GST pull-down联合质谱筛选（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在小鼠睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质

（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1（dystrobrevin binding protein 1,dysbindin-1）是溶酶体相关细胞器生物发生复合体-1(biogenesis of lysosome related organelles complex 1, BLOC-1)的1个亚基,在多种组织细胞中广泛表达;然而,其在睾丸组织中的作用至今尚不明确。为寻找（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质,以进一步研究（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸中的作用,本研究首先在Rosetta(DE3)菌种中表达可溶性GST-dysbindin-1融合蛋白,经谷胱甘肽 琼脂糖珠亲和纯化后,与小鼠的睾丸组织蛋白质孵育进行GST pull-down实验,并通过液相色谱串联质谱（LC MS/MS）分析筛选（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的相互作用蛋白质。利用BioGPS数据库聚类在睾丸组织中高表达和特异性表达的互作蛋白质,运用DAVID6.8在线分析工具从细胞组分、分子功能、生物学过程和KEGG通路等方面对筛选出的互作蛋白质进行GO（gene ontology）富集分析。本实验共筛选出108个（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1在睾丸组织中的潜在互作蛋白质,其中98个为尚未报道的（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1相互作用蛋白质,7个为睾丸高表达蛋白质,5个为睾丸特异性表达的蛋白质。这些候选蛋白质主要分布在细胞质、细胞核、细胞膜、细胞外泌体等细胞组分中,通过与蛋白质、核酸等分子结合参与蛋白质翻译和转运、囊泡运输及凋亡等生物学过程以及氨基酸生物合成、溶酶体及蛋白酶体等生物学通路。我们推测,在睾丸组织中（肌）营养不良短小蛋白结合蛋白1可能通过与多种蛋白质相互作用参与精子的发生和受精等过程。     

基于简化基因组的花生InDel标记开发和功能解析

InDel在基因组中的分布密度仅次于SNP,可作为动植物群体遗传分析、分子辅助育种等研究领域的有效分子标记。花生是世界范围内重要的油料作物之一。目前,花生栽培种全基因组已经公布,为准确挖掘花生基因组信息提供了重要参考。本研究通过169份花生核心种质的GBS(Genotyping-by-sequencing)测序和比对,共获得大小分布在1～14 bp范围内的10401个InDels。染色体Arahy.16上分布的InDels最多,达741个;而在染色体Arahy.08上分布的最少,有263个。参考基因组注释信息,仅有1167个InDels分布在功能基因相关区域。经GO注释,InDel分子功能主要包括催化活性(catalytic activity)和结合(binding);生物过程主要涉及代谢过程(metabolic process)、单组织过程(single-organism process)和细胞过程(cellular process)。经KEGG通路分析发现,InDels所在的基因区域的功能主要与代谢相关。本研究开发出全基因组水平的InDel标记,并做了相应功能分类和注释,为进一步分子验证和利用提供丰富的基因资源。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂影响的代谢相关基因的组学筛查及验证

组蛋白去乙酰化酶(Histone deacetylases, HDACs)催化组蛋白去乙酰化,与细胞增殖、分化及凋亡等诸多过程密切相关。HDAC抑制剂(HADC inhibitors, HADCIs)具有潜在的抗肿瘤作用,是近年药物筛查的热点之一。近期研究提示HDAC2可通过影响细胞代谢过程发挥抗肿瘤作用,但各类HDACIs调控代谢过程的机制尚待研究。本研究以肝细胞系(HepG2)为研究对象,整合比较了两种HDACIs(TSA和SAHA)的表达谱数据。在TSA处理组中,筛查到380个差异表达基因(DEGs)及35个DEGs富集的KEGG通路;SAHA处理组的表达分析印证了大多数DEGs(177/380)和富集通路(23/35)。比较分析发现,在这两类HDACIs共同影响的通路中,近一半通路(9/23)与代谢有关;近1/3共享DEGs(66/177)参与代谢过程。通过HDAC2 siRNA细胞实验证实了TSA和SAHA对代谢基因的影响。本研究结果显示HDACIs在治疗肿瘤等代谢性疾病方面具有潜在的应用 价值。     

蛋白质组学技术对不同性别中国美利奴细毛羊(军垦型) 皮肤差异蛋白的筛选

旨在了解性别因素对绵羊毛性状的影响。以周岁雄性和雌性中国美利奴羊（军垦型）为研究对象,利用液相色谱-串联质谱联用技术和数据非依赖性采集策略的定量蛋白质组学技术筛选皮肤组织差异表达蛋白,并对筛选获得的差异蛋白进行基因本体（gene ontology,GO）功能注释、京都基因与基因组百科全书（Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes,KEGG）代谢通路和蛋白互作分析。结果显示,共计筛选获得差异表达蛋白674种,其中,280种蛋白表达上调,394种蛋白表达下调;通过进一步分析发现,与皮肤毛囊发育及羊毛表型相关的差异蛋白有43种,上调差异蛋白30种,下调差异蛋白13种。GO注释结果显示,在分子功能方面,差异蛋白在氧结合、硫酸软骨素结合、亚铁血红素结合、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活性和转运活性等37个过程显著富集;在生物过程方面,差异蛋白在细胞氧化解毒作用、肌肉收缩调节、Notch信号通路、钙离子跨膜转运和谷胱甘肽新陈代谢等120个过程显著富集;在细胞组分方面,主要富集在肥大细胞颗粒、细胞核、肌质网状组织和内质网等31个过程。KEGG通路结果表明,这些差异蛋白涉及16条信号通路,其中,MAPK、P53信号通路和羊毛生长发育密切相关。蛋白质网络互作结果显示,COL1A1蛋白与MMP2、SPARC、THBS1等差异表达蛋白联系较为紧密,其可能在羊毛生长发育过程中发挥着关键作用。本研究为揭示不同性别绵羊毛性状的分子机制积累了基础数据。     

A quantitative study of spermatogonial multiplication and stem cell renewal in the C3H/101 F1 hybrid mouse

In whole mounts of seminiferous tubules of C3H/101 F₁ hybrid mice, spermatogonia were counted in various stages of the epithelial cycle. Furthermore, the total number of Sertoli cells per testis was estimated using the disector method. Subsequently, estimates were made of the total numbers of the different spermatogonial cell populations per testis.

The results of the cell counts indicate that the undifferentiated spermatogonia are actively proliferating from stage XI until stage IV. Three divisions of the undifferentiated spermatogonia are needed to obtain the number of A₁ plus undifferentiated spermatogonia produced each epithelial cycle. Around stage VIII almost two-thirds of the A_pr and all of the A_al spermatogonia differentiate into A₁ spermatogonia. It was estimated that there are 2.5 × 10⁶ differentiating spermatogonia and 3.3 × 10⁵ undifferentiated spermatogonia per testis. There are about 35,000 stem cells per testis, constituting about 0.03% of all germ cells in the testis. It is concluded that the undifferentiated spermatogonia, including the stem cells, actively proliferate during about 50% of the epithelial cycle.     

c-Flip(L) is expressed in undifferentiated mouse male germ cells

Apoptosis represents a fundamental process during fetal/post-natal testis development. Therefore pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins are essential to regulate testis physiology. c-Flip(L) is a known inhibitor of caspase 8/10 activity; in this study its perinatal expression in mouse male germ cells was investigated. In testis sections and seminiferous tubule whole mount c-Flip(L) was found to be expressed in undifferentiated spermatogonia and to co-localize with germ stem cells markers. In vivo investigations in the vitamin-A deficient mouse, lacking differentiated germ cells, confirmed c-Flip(L) expression in undifferentiated spermatogonia. Further analyses showed Fas expression but no significant caspase 8/10 activity when c-Flip(L) was highly expressed. Altogether these data suggest that c-Flip may control the survival rate of undifferentiated spermatogonia.     

Involvement of the D-type cyclins in germ cell proliferation and differentiation in the mouse

Using immunohistochemistry, the expression of the D-type cyclin proteins was studied in the developing and adult mouse testis. Both during testicular development and in adult testis, cyclin D(1) is expressed only in proliferating gonocytes and spermatogonia, indicating a role for cyclin D(1) in spermatogonial proliferation, in particular during the G(1)/S phase transition. Cyclin D(2) is first expressed at the start of spermatogenesis when gonocytes produce A(1) spermatogonia. In the adult testis, cyclin D(2) is expressed in spermatogonia around stage VIII of the seminiferous epithelium when A(al) spermatogonia differentiate into A(1) spermatogonia and also in spermatocytes and spermatids. To further elucidate the role of cyclin D(2) during spermatogenesis, cyclin D(2) expression was studied in vitamin A-deficient testis. Cyclin D(2) was not expressed in the undifferentiated A spermatogonia in vitamin A-deficient testis but was strongly induced in these cells after the induction of differentiation of most of these cells into A(1) spermatogonia by administration of retinoic acid. Overall, cyclin D(2) seems to play a role at the crucial differentiation step of undifferentiated spermatogonia into A(1) spermatogonia. Cyclin D(3) is expressed in both proliferating and quiescent gonocytes during testis development. Cyclin D(3) expression was found in terminally differentiated Sertoli cells, in Leydig cells, and in spermatogonia in adult testis. Hence, although cyclin D(3) may control G(1)/S transition in spermatogonia, it probably has a different role in Sertoli and Leydig cells. In conclusion, the three D-type cyclins are differentially expressed during spermatogenesis. In spermatogonia, cyclins D(1) and D(3) seem to be involved in cell cycle regulation, whereas cyclin D(2) likely has a role in spermatogonial differentiation.     

Quantitative proteomic analysis of membrane proteins involved in astroglial differentiation of neural stem cells by SILAC labeling coupled with LC-MS/MS

Membrane proteins play a critical role in the process of neural stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Here, we apply the SILAC (stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture) approach to quantitatively compare the membrane proteome of the self-renewing and the astroglial differentiating cells. High-resolution analysis on a linear ion trap-Orbitrap instrument (LTQ-Orbitrap) at sub-ppm mass accuracy resulted in confident identification and quantitation of more than 700 distinct membrane proteins during the astroglial differentiation. Of the 735 quantified proteins, seven cell surface proteins display significantly higher expression levels in the undifferentiated state membrane compared to astroglial differentiating membrane. One cell surface protein transferrin receptor protein 1 may serve as a new candidate for NSCs surface markers. Functional clustering of differentially expressed proteins by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that most of overexpressed membrane proteins in the astroglial differentiation neural stem cells are involved in cellular growth, nervous system development, and energy metabolic pathway. Taken together, this study increases our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that modulate complex biological processes of neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation.     

CDH1 is a specific marker for undifferentiated spermatogonia in mouse testes

In the mammalian testis, spermatogenesis is initiated from a subset of stem cells belonging to undifferentiated type A spermatogonia. In spite of the biologic significance of undifferentiated type A spermatogonia, little is known about their behavior and properties because of a lack of specific cell surface markers. Here we show that CDH1 (previously known as E-cadherin) is expressed specifically in undifferentiated type A spermatogonia in the mouse testis. Histologic analysis showed that CDH1-positive cells had all the characteristics of undifferentiated type A spermatogonia. Whole-mount immunohistochemistry showed that CDH1-positive cells made clusters mainly comprising one, two, four, or eight cells. They survived after administration of the cytotoxic agent busulfan to mice, and then regenerated seminiferous epithelia. Transplantation experiments showed that only CDH1-positive cells had colonizing activity in the recipient testis. Our data clearly demonstrated that spermatogenic stem cells reside among undifferentiated type A spermatogonia, which express CDH1.     

Feedback regulation of the proliferation of the undifferentiated spermatogonia in the Chinese hamster by the differentiating spermatogonia

In the seminiferous epithelium the differentiating spermatogonia proliferate following a very strict synchronous pattern, and undergo the S phase during parts of particular epithelial stages. The undifferentiated spermatogonia do not divide synchronously and display maximum proliferative activity in stages XI-III. Hence the S-phase-specific cytotoxic agent Ara-C kills different proportions of these two cell types dependent on the epithelial stage. We have studied the effect of several combinations of degrees of cell loss to both compartments on proliferation of the undifferentiated spermatogonia. It was found that when the differentiating spermatogonia are removed, the proliferation of the undifferentiated spermatogonia is not inhibited at epithelial stage III, as seen in controls. However, when the undifferentiated spermatogonia were already arrested in G1, removal of the differentiating spermatogonia did not evoke proliferation again. When the population of undifferentiated spermatogonia was reduced in an area where the differentiating spermatogonia were left intact, the inhibition of the proliferation of undifferentiated spermatogonia took place around stage III as usual. It is concluded that in the normal adult seminiferous epithelium, the length of the period of active proliferation of the undifferentiated spermatogonia is regulated by negative feedback from the differentiating spermatogonia.     

Study of the potential spermatogonial stem cell compartment in dogfish testis, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scyliorhinus canicula</Emphasis> L.

In the lesser-spotted dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula), spermatogenesis takes place within spermatocysts made up of Sertoli cells associated with stage-synchronized germ cells. As shown in testicular cross sections, cysts radiate in maturational order from the germinative area, where they are formed, to the opposite margin of the testis, where spermiation occurs. In the germinative zone, which is located in a specific area between the tunica albuginea of the testis and the dorsal testicular vessel, individual large spermatogonia are surrounded by elongated somatic cells. The aim of this study has been to define whether these spermatogonia share characteristics with spermatogonial stem cells described in vertebrate and non-vertebrate species. We have studied their ultrastructure and their mitotic activity by 5′-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunodetection. Additionally, immunodetection of c-Kit receptor, a marker of differentiating spermatogonia in rodents, and of α- and β-spectrins, as constituents of the spectrosome and the fusome, has been performed. Ultrastructurally, nuclei of stage I spermatogonia present the same mottled aspect in dogfish as undifferentiated spermatogonia nuclei in rodents. Moreover, intercellular bridges are not observed in dogfish spermatogonia, although they are present in stage II spermatogonia. BrdU and PCNA immunodetection underlines their low mitotic activity. The presence of a spectrosome-like structure, a cytological marker of the germline stem cells in Drosophila, has been observed. Our results constitute the first step in the study of spermatogonial stem cells and their niche in the dogfish. G.L. is supported by a CIFRE grant (ANRT and C.RIS Pharma).     

Potential role of Nanos3 in maintaining the undifferentiated spermatogonia population

Nanos gene encodes for zinc-finger protein with putative RNA-binding activity which shows an evolutionary conserved function in germ cell development. In the mouse, three Nanos homologs have been identified: Nanos1, Nanos2 and Nanos3. The Nanos3 ortholog is expressed in both male and female gonads of early embryo and, after birth, it is found only in the testis. Nanos3 targeted disruption results in the complete loss of germ cells in both sexes; however the role of Nanos3 in the testis during the postnatal period has not been explored yet.In this study, we show that, in prepuberal testis, Nanos3 is expressed in undifferentiated spermatogonia and that its up-regulation causes accumulation of cells in the G1 phase, indicating that this protein is able to delay the cell cycle progression of spermatogonial cells. This is in line with the observation that the cell cycle length of the undifferentiated germ cells is longer than in differentiating spermatogonia. We also demonstrate a conserved mechanism of action of Nanos3, involving the interaction with the murine RNA-binding protein Pumilio2 and consisting of a potential translational repressor activity. According to the possible role of Nanos3 in inhibiting spermatogonia cell differentiation, we show that treatment with the differentiating factor all-trans retinoic acid induces a dramatic down-regulation of its expression. These results allow to conclude that, in the prepuberal testis, Nanos3 is important to maintain undifferentiated spermatogonia via the regulation of their cell cycle.