Hira基因产物在银鲫和彩鲫卵子发生过程中的动态变化

为进一步研究Hira基因在卵子发生和雌核发育过程中的作用,通过原位杂交和免疫荧光定位的方法检测了Hira mRNA和蛋白质在雌核发育银鲫和两性生殖彩鲫卵子发生过程中的动态变化。结果表明,银鲫和彩鲫卵子发生过程中Hira基因转录产物的变化基本一致,在Ⅰ期卵母细胞的细胞核中大量表达,至Ⅱ期卵母细胞时转至细胞质中均匀分布,在Ⅲ期卵母细胞中,杂交信号逐渐移向细胞的周边,到Ⅳ期时随着卵黄物质大量积累,杂交信号几乎不见。HIRA蛋白在银鲫和彩鲫卵子发生过程中的变化略有差别。HIRA蛋白在银鲫Ⅰ期卵母细胞中没有表达,在Ⅱ期卵母细胞的细胞质中有弱表达,在Ⅲ期早期卵母细胞的周边有强烈表达;而在彩鲫Ⅰ期卵母细胞中就有HIRA蛋白的弱表达,至Ⅱ期时HIRA蛋白在细胞质中大量表达,Ⅲ期早期卵母细胞的细胞质中有弱表达。在银鲫和彩鲫Ⅲ期末和Ⅳ期卵母细胞中都很难观察到荧光信号。Hira mRNA和蛋白质在银鲫和彩鲫早期卵母细胞中有较强表达,且在银鲫和彩鲫卵子发生过程中没有显著差异,说明其可能对于脊椎动物卵子发生和减数分裂没有显著影响,而是在受精和/或胚胎发育过程中起作用。       

银鲫肌酸激酶M3-CK cDNA的克隆及其表达特征

用抑制性差减杂交结合SMART cDNA合成和RACE—PCR技术克隆到雌核发育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)肌酸激酶M3-CK基因的全长cDNA。银鲫M3-CK cDNA全长1551bp，编码380个氨基酸，与普通鲤鱼(cyprinus carpio)M3-CK的氨基酸序列同源性高达95％。种系分析表明，银鲫M3-CK与其它脊椎动物的肌肉型肌酸激酶聚为较近的一支，与鲤鱼的M3-CK聚在一起，与脑特异型肌酸激酶及线粒体型肌酸激酶分歧较大。虚拟Northern杂交显示银鲫M3-CK基因在胚胎发育中差异表达。RT—PCR表明，银鲫M3-CK基因在成熟卵母细胞和胚胎发育早期可检测到少量的转录产物，在胚胎发育期间从肌肉效应期开始转录，并一直持续表达。组织RT—PCR表明，银鲫M3-CK基因只在心脏和肌肉表达。     

银鲫Greb1的克隆、表达及功能研究

为研究银鲫(Carassius gibelio)雌激素应答基因(Growth regulation by estrogen in breast cancer cell 1, Greb1)的表达特征和功能, 采用RACE方法克隆了银鲫Greb1的全长cDNA (CgGreb1)。CgGreb1的cDNA全长为954 bp, 其中包含一个765 bp的开放阅读框, 编码255个氨基酸。大多数脊椎动物有多个Greb1的变体, 长度为386—1988个氨基酸, 其中CgGreb1是最短的一个。序列比对结果表明脊椎动物Greb1蛋白的N端区域极为保守, 且CgGreb1位于Greb1蛋白的N端区域, 该区域与其他脊椎动物Greb1的同源性超过60%。qRT-PCR结果显示, 在成体组织中, CgGreb1主要在垂体、脑、性腺和肝脏中表达, 其中在垂体中CgGreb1的表达最高; 在注射促黄体生成素释放激素类似物和人绒毛膜促性腺激素后的雌鱼垂体中, CgGreb1的表达逐渐上升随后降低, 并在产卵时维持较高的表达; 在胚胎发育过程中, CgGreb1从50%外包开始表达, 其表达量随胚胎发育而升高, 在受精后24h达到峰值, 随后表达量下降, 在受精后48h不表达。原位杂交结果表明, 在原肠期, CgGreb1信号位于胚层的边缘; 在体节期, CgGreb1信号逐渐增强并出现在神经系统; 在受精后24h, CgGreb1信号在脑和脊髓等中枢神经系统增强; 从受精后30h开始, CgGreb1信号减弱; 在受精后48h, 检测不到CgGreb1信号。在注射CgGreb1 MO的银鲫胚胎中, tshβ、prl和gthα分别标记的3种垂体细胞减少, 证明CgGreb1参与早期银鲫垂体细胞的发育。研究结果为进一步揭示银鲫垂体发育和生长调控机制奠定了基础。     

银鲫HIRA多克隆抗体的制备及组织特异性表达分析

Hir/Hira基因家族的成员广泛存在于多种生物体中,但有关其在生物体发育过程中的具体功能还不甚清楚.对果蝇的研究表明,dHira基因产物可能在受精时精核的解凝过程和雄性原核的正常形成过程中起重要作用.本研究组前期已经分别克隆出雌核发育银鲫和两性生殖彩鲫的Hira基因(cagHira 和caHira),本实验在银鲫cagHira基因的特异区域,设计一对引物,以银鲫成熟卵母细胞总RNA逆转录出的cDNA为模板,扩增出cagHira的特异片段.再将该片段克隆到原核表达载体pET-32a上,转化BL21(DE3)菌株,经诱导后表达出融合蛋白.分析表明,该融合蛋白主要以包涵体形式表达.以纯化的融合蛋白作为抗原去免疫小鼠,制备多克隆抗血清,经蛋白质印迹分析检测,该抗血清(稀释到1:2000)与包涵体蛋白识别反应良好,确定获得了具有高效价的特异性银鲫CAGHIRA多克隆抗体,为进一步研究HIRA在鱼类发育和雌核生殖过程中的作用奠定了基础.对银鲫HIRA蛋白的组织特异性表达分析发现,该蛋白仅在成熟卵巢组织中特异表达,故表明HIRA可能对鱼类卵子发生和/或早期胚胎发育具有重要作用.     

银鲫原肠胚差异表达基因的筛选

胚胎发育是基因组中各个基因在时间和空间上选择性表达的结果。为了鉴定参与鱼类早期胚胎发育和胚层分化的调控因了,分别构建了银鲫(Carassiusauratusgibelio)原肠胚和成熟卵子的SMARTcDNA文库,并采用差异筛选的方法,从银鲫原肠胚SMARTcDNA文库中筛选不同于成熟卵子的差异表达基因。通过菌斑和PCR产物的两轮斑点杂交,从大约1500个克隆中筛选出131个阳性克隆,从中选择58个克隆测序并将测得的序列进行了数据库比对分析,结果显示这些差异表达基因大部分为参与转录和翻译的调控因子和核糖体蛋白以及一些在胚胎早期大量表达的参与脂类代谢的脂蛋白和一些未知的新基因。接着采用RTPCR技术,对其中6个基因在胚胎发育不同阶段的表达特征进行了分析,进一步证实这些基因在胚胎发育过程中存在表达差异;研究还从分析的基因中揭示出4类不同的表达模式。通过本研究,已筛选出一批在银鲫胚胎发育早期开始表达的调控基因,为开展鱼类胚胎发育早期表达基因的功能研究奠定了前期工作基础。       

斑马鱼DrSpin-1基因的克隆和特征分析

Spin蛋白家族是具有Spin/Ssty保守结构域并在配子发生过程中发挥关键作用的一类分子。研究利用简并引物PCR,从斑马鱼成熟卵母细胞SMART cDNA文库中筛选到260 bp的DrSpin-1和DrSpin-2部分序列,经序列同源性比对,斑马鱼DrSpin-1的部分氨基酸序列与银鲫CagSpin一致性高达81%。利用RACEPCR从该cDNA文库中获得斑马鱼DrSpin-1的全长cDNA序列。序列分析表明,DrSpin-1全长cDNA为1082 bp,开放阅读框771 bp,编码257个氨基酸,具有三个Spin/Ssty保守域,8个可能的磷酸化位点,初步确定斑马鱼DrSpin-1是Spin基因家族成员。斑马鱼DrSpin-1蛋白与已报道的鱼类Spin蛋白多重序列比对表明,DrSpin-1蛋白与银鲫CagSpin蛋白同源性最高。可以推测克隆得到的斑马鱼DrSpin-1与已知功能的银鲫CagSpin具有相近的表达谱和生物学功能,可能在配子发生和受精过程中发挥重要作用。     

鲫Dmrt3基因的克隆和表达分析

DMRT家族是一个与性别决定相关的转录因子家族。为了研究家族成员之一的Dmrt3在我国重要养殖鱼类鲫胚胎发育、性别分化中的功能以及在育种中的作用,我们克隆了鲫Dmrt3基因的cDNA全长,并对Dmrt3基因在发育早期和不同组织中的表达进行了分析。结果显示:鲫Dmrt3基因cDNA全长为2182 bp,其中5￠端非编码区408 bp,3'端非编码区427 bp,开放阅读框1347 bp,编码448个氨基酸。蛋白结构预测显示DMRT3除了正常的DM结构域外,还有DMA结构域,在进化上与DMRT4和DMRT5的亲缘关系更近。巢式RT-PCR分析结果表明Dmrt3直到尾芽期才开始有微量表达,表达量在15体节期有明显增加但仍然处在一个较低的水平;在成体组织中只在精巢中检测到表达。这种表达时空模式提示Dmrt3可能在早期器官发生和雄性性腺发育调控中起作用。对Dmrt3启动子CpG岛的甲基化分析表明所检测的组织和配子中并不发生甲基化,说明这种雌雄特异性和组织特异性差异表达并不是通过对该基因启动子的差异甲基化修饰来调控的。此外,我们还发现了鲫Dmrt3的一个由逆转录产物形成的假基因pDmrt3。这些结果为进一步研究鲫Dmrt3在性别分化中的作用和评估其在鲫性别控制育种中的价值,以及分析DMRT家族的进化关系提供了基础资料。       

银鲫精巢特异的Ly-6/uPAR相关蛋白的分子克隆及其特征分析

Ly-6/uPAR基因超家族(Ly-6 SF)成员广泛地存在于后生动物中, 开展该家族相关功能基因研究具有重要的意义。研究从银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)中鉴定到一个该家族新成员, cDNA全长为570 bp, 其中开放阅读框长度为300 bp, 编码99个氨基酸, 生物软件预测该蛋白含有一个LU结构域, 不含GPI锚信号序列, N端含有信号肽, 表明其可能为Ly-6基因超家族中分泌型蛋白。组织表达分析显示, 该基因只在银鲫精巢中特异表达, 且又是Ly-6基因超家族中一员, 因此将其命名为银鲫精巢特异的Ly-6/uPAR相关蛋白(Carassius auratus gibelio testis-specific Ly-6/uPAR related protein, 简称CagTslurp)。原位杂交结果显示, 该基因在银鲫精巢的精原细胞, 初级精母细胞以及次级精母细胞中表达, 精子细胞中存在少量的表达, 而在体细胞中不表达。这种精巢特异的表达模式, 暗示CagTslurp在银鲫精子发生中可能发挥了作用。       

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。     

多倍体银鲫F系bmp15不同等位基因的分子特征、基因组结构和表达模式

为探究骨形态发生蛋白15(Bone morphogenetic protein 15, bmp15)在银鲫(Carassius gibelio Bloch) F系卵巢发育过程中的表达特征, 研究采用cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)方法首先从银鲫F系卵巢cDNA中克隆了2个bmp15部分同源基因(Homeologs), 将其命名为Cgbmp15a和Cgbmp15b, 它们各自具有3个不同等位基因。不同脊椎动物Bmp15蛋白序列多重比对和系统进化树均表明, 银鲫为异源六倍体, 在其进化历程中发生了两轮多倍化, 其中早期的异源多倍化整合了来自2个原始祖先的染色体组, 导致银鲫和鲫的四倍体共同原始祖先基因组中包含bmp15a和bmp15b; 随后第二轮同源多倍化最终导致银鲫存在6个bmp15等位基因。bmp15基因及其邻近基因同线性分析表明, 银鲫在形成异源多倍体后, 其基因组发生了复杂的变化, 包括bmp15邻近基因的丢失。Cgbmp15a和Cgbmp15b均主要在卵巢中表达, 在皮质泡期卵母细胞中表达量最高; 无论是在银鲫成体组织还是不同发育阶段的卵子中, Cgbmp15a的表达水平显著高于Cgbmp15b的表达水平。在孕酮激素DHP体外诱导银鲫F系GV1期卵母细胞6h后, Cgbmp15a开始上调表达, 诱导8h后达到最高表达水平, 随后下降; 而Cgbmp15b在诱导8h后表达水平有微弱上调, 随后下降。上述的结果表明, Cgbmp15a和Cgbmp15b在银鲫F系成体组织和不同发育和成熟阶段的卵子中, 均表现出偏性表达的特征, 暗示Cgbmp15a在银鲫的卵母细胞发育和成熟中起着主要作用。     

Characterization of bmp15 and its regulation by human chorionic gonadotropin in the follicle of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily with a key role in regulating follicle development in mammals and birds. However, potential ovarian roles of BMPs remain unexplored in teleosts. In this study, the full-length sequences of bmp15 were obtained using rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA sequence of bmp15 is 2217 bp which contained 214 bp 5'-UTR and 845 bp 3'-UTR. The open reading frame (ORF) sequence of bmp15 is 1158 bp, encoding a predicted protein of 385 amino acid residues. BMP15 has a specific RXXR protease cleavage site of TGF-β superfamily (is RIRR) and six conserved cysteine residues. Using real-time quantitative PCR revealed that bmp15 mRNA was largely expressed in the ovary and testis and mostly in oocytes within the follicle, slightly expressed in muscle, liver and pituitary. BMP15 is mainly present at stage I follicles by real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Phylogenetic analysis showed that gibel carp bmp15 was similar to bmp15 of zebrafish and other fish species. Treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in isolated follicles of gibel carp in vitro showed altered bmp15 mRNA expression: when treated with 10 ng/mL hCG for 10h, the expression level of bmp15 was significantly increased. However, with proceeding cultivation, the expression level of BMP15 mRNA decreased. The results of this study indicate that bmp15 may play a key role during development of follicles in gibel carp, especially in early stage follicles.     

Identification of a Spindlin homolog in gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)

Spindlin has been suggested to play an important role during the transition from oocyte maturation to embryo development in mouse, but its homolog similar to the mouse Spindlin in molecular and expression characterization has not been identified up to now in other vertebrates. In this study, a full length of cDNA sequence is cloned and sequenced from the gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio). It contains 1240 nucleotides with an open reading frame of 771 nt encoding 257 amino acids. Based on its amino acid sequence alignment and comparison analysis with the known Spin family proteins, the newly cloned Spin is named Carassius auratus gibelio Spindlin (CagSpin). Its product could be detected from mature eggs to blastula embryos, but its content decreased from the two-cell stage, and could not be detected after the gastrula stage. It suggests that the CagSpin should be a maternal protein that is expressed during oocyte maturation, and plays a crucial role in early cleavage of embryogenesis. CagSpin is the first homolog similar to mouse spindlin identified in fish, and also in other vertebrates. GST pull-down assay reveals the first biochemical evidence for the association of CagSpin and beta-tubulin, the microtubule component. Therefore, CagSpin may play important functions by interacting with beta-tubulin and other spindle proteins during oocyte maturation and egg fertilization.     

Molecular characterization of the GHRH/GHRH-R and its effect on GH synthesis and release in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that stimulates growth hormone (GH) synthesis and secretion in the pituitary gland. In this paper, the full-length cDNAs of orange-spotted grouper GHRH and its receptor (GHRH-R) were cloned. The grouper GHRH cDNA is 713 bp in length and encodes a 141-aa precursor that includes an 18-aa signal peptide, a 27-aa mature GHRH mature peptide and a 47-aa carboxyl terminus. The grouper GHRH-R cDNA sequence is 1495 bp in length, encoding a 422-aa receptor with seven transmembrane domains. Tissue distribution analyses showed that both GHRH and GHRH-R mRNAs were predominantly expressed in the brain, while the GHRH-R mRNA was also abundantly detected in the pituitary gland. Both GHRH and GHRH-R mRNAs were expressed throughout embryonic development from the multi-cell stage to the newly hatched larvae stage, and the highest GHRH and GHRH-R expressions appeared at the brain vesicle stage and the heart stage, respectively. In vitro studies performed on the grouper pituitary primary cells showed that a synthetic grouper GHRH-NH(2) increased both GH mRNA expression and GH protein release in a dose-dependent manner. Together, these results suggest that the newly obtained grouper GHRH was able to stimulate GH synthesis and release, similar to its mammalian counterparts.     

Developmental expression of CagMdkb during gibel carp embryogenesis

Midkine (Mdk) genes have been revealed to have different expression patterns in vertebrates and therefore, additional studies on Mdk expression patterns are required in more species. In this study, CagMdkb has been cloned and characterized from a SMART cDNA library of 10-somite stage embryos of Carassius auratus gibelio. Its full length cDNA is 1091 bp and encodes a sequence of 147 amino acids, which shows 97.3% identity to zebrafish Mdkb on the amino acid level. RT-PCR analysis reveals that CagMdkb is first transcribed in gastrula embryos and maintains a relatively stable expression level during subsequent embryogenesis. Western blot analysis reveals a 19 kDa maternal CagMdkb protein band and the zygotic CagMdkb protein is expressed from gastrula stage. At around 10 somite stage, the 19 kDa CagMdkb is processed to another protein band of about 17 kDa, which might be the secreted form with the 21-residue signal peptide removed. With immunofluorescence analysis, maternal CagMdkb protein was found to be localized in each blastamere cell of early embryos. The zygotic CagMdkb positive fluorescence signal was detected from a pair of large neurons at 18-somite stage. At the later stages, CagMdkb protein was also extended to numerous small neurons in the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, as well as to nerve fibers in the spinal cord. Co-localization with 3A10 antibody revealed CagMdkb immunoreactivity on developing Mauthner neurons, a member of reticulospinal neurons. In addition, ectopic expression of CagMdkb in early embryos of gibel carp and zebrafish suppressed head formation and CagMdkb function was found to depend on secretory activity. All these findings indicate that CagMdkb plays an important role in neural development during gibel carp embryogenesis and there is functional conservation of Mdkb in fish head formation.