银鲫pou2基因在胚胎发育过程中的时空表达图式

用RACE-PCR方法从原肠期SMART文库中扩增到银鲫pou2基因的全长cDNA,其全长为2421bp,开放阅读框为1416bp,编码471个氨基酸,与斑马鱼pou2基因的氨基酸序列一致性高达91.0%。我们用RT-PCR和整体原位杂交的方法研究了银鲫pou2基因在胚胎发育过程中的时空表达图式。RT-PCR结果显示,银鲫pou2基因有母源转录本,其合子基因在高囊胚期强烈表达,在50%下包期和90%下包期也有高量的转录本,但在100%下包期表达量急剧降低,至体节期时已经完全检测不到其转录本。胚胎整体原位杂交结果显示其母源转录本在所有的胚盘细胞中。在高囊胚期和50%下包期,高度表达的合子转录本仍在所有的胚盘细胞中,但至90%下包期时,pou2的表达向胚胎背部的正中线汇聚,集中在神经板的两侧区域和脑部的两条横向条带。在100%下包期时,pou2的表达集中在神经板的中间区域以及预期形成的中后脑区域。至体节期时,转录本消失,这与RT-PCR结果高度一致。银鲫pou2基因的表达图式提示该基因在胚胎发育的早期具有重要作用,它可能参与调控神经板的形成和中后脑细胞的发育命运。     

Changes of gamma-tubulin expression and distribution in the zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovary, oocyte and embryo

The tubulin gene family is important for individual zebrafish development from the oocyte through to hatching. This involves often rapid, complex changes in the gametes and embryonic cells that are reflected in underlying gene expression changes. Tubulin dynamics, i.e., the interchange of polymeric and soluble forms in zebrafish oogenesis and embryogenesis, is important for microtubule (MT) cellular functions. Nevertheless, our understanding of how tubulin gene expression changes during zebrafish development is not clear. Previous data showed that soluble alpha-tubulin and gamma-tubulin are associated with large molecular weight complexes (>2MDa) which are reduced by the blastula stage, with a concomitant decrease in soluble tubulin amount. Complexes (<2MDa) then increased in the gastrula with an increase in soluble tubulin. Microarray revealed similar patterns of tubulin gene product expression for zebrafish ovary and eggs while both differed from day 4 larva. In situ hybridization with gamma-tubulin oligonucleotide probes revealed diffuse label in oocytes, with a marked localization to the primordial blastodisc upon maturation. These findings, together with recent work on gamma-tubulin ring complexes in other species, suggest that gamma-tubulin (protein complexes) may be involved in regulating tubulin dynamics, thus is important for zebrafish oogenesis and embryogenesis.     

在斑马鱼Ⅰ和Ⅱ期卵母细胞中优势表达基因zRAP55的鉴定(英文)

通过性腺特异性表达基因的筛选,作者发现了一个在斑马鱼卵巢中富集的基因zRAP55。zRAP55蛋白由382个氨基酸组成并含有一个高度保守的Lsm区。zRAP55蛋白与其他脊椎动物一致性在56%以上。RT-PCR结果表明,zRAP55优势表达于卵巢中。原位杂交和免疫组织化学结果表明:在Ⅰ期和Ⅱ期卵母细胞中,zRAP55的阳性信号强烈,均匀地分布于整个细胞质中,但是在Ⅲ期和Ⅳ期卵母细胞中均检测不到信号。作为一个RNA相关蛋白,zRAP55可能在早期卵母细胞中具有调节蛋白质翻译的重要作用。     

鲫Kaiso基因cDNA的克隆和表达分析

在爪蟾和斑马鱼中, Kaiso是一种在整个基因组范围内与甲基化CpG序列特异性结合的转录抑制因子, 在调控被甲基化基因表达的时间模式中起重要的作用。为深入研究DNA甲基化对我国重要养殖鱼类生殖和发育的影响, 我们克隆了鲫Kaiso基因的cDNA序列, 并对其时空表达模式进行了分析。该cDNA全长3145 bp, 5′-非翻译区132 bp, 3′-非翻译区1117 bp, 开放阅读框1896 bp, 编码631个氨基酸。鲫Kaiso蛋白与其他物种Kaiso蛋白的同源性分析表明, 与其他物种一样, 其 N端和C端分别有高保守性的BTB/POZ结构域和锌指结构域。整胚原位杂交结果显示, Kaiso mRNA在早期胚胎发育的各个时期均广泛表达, 信号均一, 但从尾芽期开始出现组织特异性表达差异。对不同发育阶段胚胎的实时定量PCR检测结果表明: 卵子中有高丰度的母源Kaiso mRNA存在; 在卵裂期至囊胚中期胚胎中Kaiso mRNA的丰度逐渐降低; 从囊胚中期至原肠早期都维持在最低水平状态; 原肠后期其表达水平又逐渐升高, 至尾芽期达到与未受精卵中相当的高水平后在器官发生期的整体水平又稍有下降。Kaiso mRNA丰度在胚胎发育早期的这种变化过程提示在卵裂期检测到的mRNA可能都是母源mRNA, 合子核Kaiso基因可能是在囊胚晚期后才开始转录。对成体不同组织的实时定量PCR检测结果表明Kaiso的表达存在明显的组织特异性差异, 在鲫肌肉、视网膜、心脏和脑中表达水平较高, 而在肾、胰、肝等器官中表达水平很低。Kaiso表达的时间和组织特异性提示其作为甲基化基因的转录抑制因子参与了胚胎和成体基因表达时空模式的调控。这些结果为进一步研究Kaiso和DNA甲基化修饰在鲫发育调控和遗传育种中的作用提供了基础资料。     

Identification of zRAP55,a gene preponderantly expressed in Stages I and II oocytes of zebrafish

In an in silico search for gonand specific expressed genes, we have identified zRAP55 which is enriched in the ovary of zebrafish . zRAP55 encodes a protein of 382 amino acids with a highly conserved Lsm domain. zRAP55 protein shares more than 56% identities with that of other vertebrate species. RT-PCR results show that it is predominantly expressed in the ovary. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry studies reveal that zRAP55 is ubiquitously dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of stages I and II oocytes, whereas no expression is observed in stages III and IV oocytes. As an RNA associated protein, zRAP55 might function in the control of protein translation at the early stages of oogenesis in zebrafish.     

Identification of Gasz,an evolutionarily conserved gene expressed exclusively in germ cells and encoding a protein with four ankyrin repeats,a sterile-alpha motif,and a basic leucine zipper

To discover causes of infertility and potential contraceptive targets, we used in silico subtraction and genomic database mining to identify conserved genes with germ cell-specific expression. In silico subtraction identified an expressed sequence tag (EST) present exclusively in a newborn mouse ovary library. The full-length cDNA sequence corresponding to this EST encodes a novel protein containing four ankyrin (ANK) repeats, a sterile-alpha motif (SAM), and a putative basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain. Northern blot and semiquantitative RT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the mRNA is exclusively expressed in the mouse testis and ovary. The expression sites were localized by in situ hybridization to pachytene spermatocytes in the testis and oocytes in the ovary. Immunohistochemistry showed that the novel protein is localized to the cytoplasm in pachytene spermatocytes and early spermatids, oocytes at all stages of oogenesis, and in early preimplantation embryos. Based on its germ cell-specific expression and the presence of ANK, SAM, and basic leucine zipper domains, we have termed this novel protein GASZ. The mouse Gasz gene, which consists of 13 exons and spans 60 kb, is located on chromosome 6 between the Wnt2 and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (Cftr) genes. Using genomic database mining, orthologous genes encoding GASZ were identified in the rat, cow, baboon, chimpanzee, and human. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that the GASZ proteins are highly conserved among these species. Human and mouse GASZ proteins share 85.3% amino acid identity, and human and chimpanzee GASZ proteins differ by only 3 out of 475 amino acids. In humans, the GASZ gene resides on chromosome 7 and is similarly composed of 13 exons. Because both ANK repeats and the SAM domain function as protein-protein interaction modules that mediate signal transduction cascades in some systems, GASZ may represent an important cytoplasmic signal transducer that mediates protein-protein interactions during germ cell maturation in both males and females and during preimplantation embryogenesis.     

银鲫种系细胞标记分子Vasa: cDNA克隆及其抗体制备

种系细胞始自胚胎发育早期,是动物生殖及生殖工程的基础。为研究鱼类的种系细胞提供标记分子,我们克隆并鉴定了银鲫的vasacDNA即Cagvasa。CagvasacDNA全长2771碱基(nt),编码的蛋白为银鲫Vasa即CagVasa,全长701个氨基酸(aa)。CagVasa蛋白与已知Vasa蛋白的结构特征一致:在N端有14个RGG重复序列,在C端Vasa所特有的8个功能域俱全。银鲫Vasa与鲤鱼、斑马鱼、陆生脊椎动物和果蝇的Vasa蛋白分别有95%,89%,61%-66%和50%的同源性。卵巢切片的RNA原位杂交揭示,Cagvasa限于种系细胞,且表达水平呈现出低-高-低的动态变化:即两头低(卵原细胞跟Ⅳ期成熟卵子),中间高(Ⅱ-Ⅲ期卵子)。为分析鱼类种系细胞提供手段,我们用310aa的N端序列产生细菌的重组蛋白来免疫大白兔,获得了抗Vasa的多克隆抗体αVasa。Western免疫印迹表明,αVasa特异性地识别一个鱼类性腺的蛋白,该蛋白的分子量为75kD,仅见于银鲫的性腺和卵子。卵巢切片的组织免疫荧光共聚焦显微分析表明,抗体αVasa只对种系细胞染色:卵原细胞着色最深,卵母细胞和早期的卵子都浓染,成熟卵则浅染。类似情况亦见之于精子发生早期阶段的雄性种系细胞。卵巢和精巢的体细胞则不着色。因此,Cagvasa编码的当是Vasa同源蛋白,为银鲫种系细胞的第一个标记分子。我们的研究表明,抗体αVasa染色灵敏度高,特异性好,当是鉴别银鲫及其它鲤科鱼类的种系细胞的有效手段