cDNA cloning and expression analysis of gustavus gene in the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense

The gustavus gene is required for localizing pole plasm and specifying germ cells. Research on gustavus gene expression will advance our understanding of the biological function of gustavus in animals. A cDNA encoding gustavus protein was identified and termed MnGus in the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. Bioinformatic analyses showed that this gene encoded a protein of 262 amino acids and the protein belongs to the Spsb1 family. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses revealed that the expression level of MnGus in prawn embryos was slightly higher at the cleavage stage than at the blastula stage, and reached the maximum level during the zoea stage of embryos. The minimum level of MnGus expression occurred during the perinucleolus stage in the ovary, while the maximum was at the oil globule stage, and then the level of MnGus expression gradually decreased with the advancement of ovarian development. The expression level of MnGus in muscle was much higher than that in other tissues in mature prawn. The gustavus cDNA sequence was firstly cloned from the oriental river prawn and the pattern of gene expression was described during oocyte maturation, embryonic development, and in other tissues. The differential expression patterns of MnGus in the embryo, ovary and other somatic tissues suggest that the gustavus gene performs multiple physiological functions in the oriental river prawn.     

cDNA cloning and expression of Ubc9 in the developing embryo and ovary of oriental river prawn,Macrobrachium nipponense

The small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) pathway in eukaryotes is an essential biological process involving cellular processes, development and organelle biogenesis. In a sequential enzymatic action, Ubc9 is an important conjunction enzyme in the SUMO pathway. Although the Ubc9 has been found in vertebrates, its expression in crustaceans is little known. In this study, the Ubc9 was identified in the embryo and ovary of a freshwater prawn Macrobrachium nipponense for the first time and it was denoted as MnUbc9. Bioinformatics analyses showed that this gene encodes a protein of 161 amino acids with predicted molecular mass of 18.32 kDa. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses demonstrated that the expression levels varied significantly in the developing embryo and ovary. In the embryo, the expression level of MnUbc9 was higher at the cleavage stage (CS) than at the blastula stage (BS), and reached even higher levels at the protozoea stage (PS) and the zoea stage (ZS). In the ovary, the MuUbc9 expression was low at the early stage, but reached the highest at the yolk granule stage (YG), and then abruptly declined at the maturation stage (MA). The differential expressions of MnUbc9 in the embryo and ovary suggest that MnUbc9 may play an important role in embryogenesis and oogenesis of M. nipponense.     

虹鳟spindlin基因克隆及不同倍性的表达分析

spindlin基因是减数分裂纺锤体相关因子,为了研究spindlin基因在二倍体和三倍体雌性虹鳟减数分裂过程中出现的差异,通过cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)技术获得spindlin基因cDNA 4529 bp(GenBank登录号:MN378564),其中3′非编码区(UTR)和5′非编码区(UTR)分别长3662 bp和141 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)长726 bp,编码241个氨基酸,该蛋白质序列的相对分子量为28.3 kD,理论等电点值为5.94,无跨膜结构。同源性分析表明,虹鳟(Oncorhynchus mykiss)与银大马哈鱼(Oncorhynchus kisutch)同源最高,高达99.59%。系统发育进化树显示,虹鳟与大鳞大马哈鱼(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)和红点鲑(Salvelinus alpinus),聚为一支。实时荧光定量(RT-PCR)结果显示, spindlin基因在二倍体雌性虹鳟卵巢、肾、肝、脾、肌、鳃、心、眼、肠和鳍组织中均有表达,其中,在卵巢中的表达量极显著高于其他组织(P<0.01)。对于二倍体雌性虹鳟,在受精后24...     

青虾咽侧体抑制激素基因全长cDNA序列的克隆及表达分析

咽侧体抑制激素(Allatostatin, AST)是一类由几至几十个氨基酸构成的神经肽类激素, 在甲壳动物中刺激下颌器官合成甲基法尼酯, 影响甲壳动物的蜕皮和生殖。然而AST基因在甲壳动物中的克隆和表达却罕见报道。研究克隆了青虾的AST基因全长cDNA序列, 在甲壳动物中使用荧光定量PCR技术检测了AST基因在不同组织中的表达。青虾AST基因cDNA全长2995 bp, 包括242 bp的5′非编码区(UTR), 647 bp的3′UTR, 2106 bp的开放阅读框(ORF)。开放阅读框编码701个氨基酸, 可转录翻译出35个AST多肽, 在C末端都具有相同的Y/FXFGL-amide结构, 属于A型-AST。氨基酸序列比对显示保守氨基酸为Tyr、Ala、Phe、Gly、Leu。蛋白相似度比对显示, AST多肽在无脊椎动物的进化中是相对保守的。系统进化树分析表明, 青虾AST多肽与罗氏沼虾聚在一起, 具有最近的亲缘关系。荧光定量PCR检测显示, AST基因在所有被检测组织中均有表达, 由高到低依次为: 肝胰脏>肠道>精巢>脑>心脏>卵巢。对青虾AST基因全长cDNA序列克隆和表达的研究为更进一步的了解AST多肽在青虾中的重要功能奠定了基础。     

青虾精(卵)母细胞特有因子Gtsf1基因的克隆及其时空表达分析

为了研究青虾性早熟现象,在实验室构建的青虾精卵巢表达谱中发现一个Gtsf1同源EST序列,采用RACE技术克隆获得青虾Gtsf1基因cDNA序列长349 bp (GenBank登录号: KR349325),开放阅读框(Open reading frame,ORF)为240 bp,编码79个氨基酸。生物信息学分析预测青虾Gtsf1蛋白包含1个zf-U11-48K结构域,并发现该蛋白无信号肽,属于非分泌蛋白。系统进化树分析表明青虾Gtsf1蛋白与昆虫纲的蝽类(Lygus hesperus)亲缘关系最近。组织表达分析结果显示,Gtsf1基因在性腺中表达很高,特别是在卵巢中表达最高(为精巢的6倍),其他组织中表达极低。卵巢不同发育时期表达结果发现,发育初期Gtsf1基因表达水平较低,随着卵巢的发育,该基因的表达水平呈现显著上升趋势(P0.05),在成熟期达到最高峰,在消退期显著下降并恢复到较低水平(P0.05)。胚胎和胚后不同发育时期结果显示,Gtsf1基因在胚胎发育早期表达水平较高,囊胚期时显著升高并达到峰值(P0.05),从原肠期显著下降直至变态后第10天该基因表达水平维持较低水平(P0.05)。以上研究结果表明Gtsf1基因与生殖密切相关,特别是在卵巢发育过程中有关,且呈正相关趋势。同时,Gstf1基因可能主要参与青虾胚胎早期发育的调控。研究首次在甲壳动物中克隆获得Gtsf1基因,并分析Gtsf1基因在青虾中的时空表达模式,研究结果将为进一步研究青虾Gtsf1基因功能和青虾性腺发育调控规律奠定基础,也为其他甲壳动物的生殖相关研究提供参考。     

Prawn lipocalin: characteristics and expressional pattern in subepidermal adipose tissue during reproductive molting cycle

In crustaceans, the fascinating processes of maturation, reproductive molting and carapace coloration are regulated by hydrophobic molecules. Interestingly, most of the molecules are ligands of lipocalin. To understand the role of lipocalin in the aforementioned processes at molecular level, we isolated a cDNA that belongs to the lipocalin family, from a central nervous system cDNA library of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. We monitored the spatial and temporal distributions of the mRNA by using Northern Blotting analysis. Our results demonstrated that this gene expresses abundantly in the subepidermal adipose tissue, while faintly in the hepatopancreas and central nervous system. However, no signal was detected in other tissues including muscle, gill and ovary. Its expression levels in subepidermal adipose tissue during various stages of maturation as well as through the whole molting cycle showed that prawn lipocalin is involved in sexual maturation, as the maximal level was observed just after molt.     

MnHSP90 cDNA characterization and its expression during the ovary development in oriental river prawn, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrobrachium nipponense</Emphasis>

Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is not only involved in environmental stress but also plays roles in the ovary development in some vertebrates. To understand its role in crustacean, we examined the HSP90 cDNA for the first time in the ovary and hepatopancreas of the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense and designated this protein as MnHSP90 in this study. The MnHSP90 was cloned by the methods of degenerated oligonucleotide primers and rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE). Bioinformatics analysis showed that the MnHSP90 cDNA was 2,684 bp in length, containing a 126 bp 5′ untranslated region (UTR), a 359 bp 3′ UTR, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 2,199 bp encoding a 732-amino acid polypeptide with predicted molecular mass of 84.3 KDa. Sequence alignment showed that the MnHSP90 shared 72–79% identity with other animals. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated that the MnHSP90 mRNA was ubiquitously detected in all tested tissues, with the highest expression in the thoracic ganglia, the mediate in heart, muscle and intestine, and the lowest in haemocytes and gills. The MnHSP90 mRNA levels in the hepatopancreas and ovary of M. nipponense reached a maximum at the stage III (early vitellogenic stage) and stage IV (later vitellogenic stage) ovaries, respectively, and then decreased significantly in both tissues as the ovarian development proceeded. The level of MnHSP90 expression in the hepatopancreas was higher than that in the ovary when compared with in the same ovarian developmental stage. Our results indicate that MnHSP90 is involved in ovarian development in oriental river prawn and may play a regulatory role in ovary maturation.     

Development-dependent expression of cathepsins d and e in various rat tissues, with special reference to the high expression of cathepsin e in fetal liver

The levels of cathepsins D and E in various rat tissues during development were determined with the sensitive assay method we have developed. The level of cathepsin D increased gradually in each tissue during fetal development suggesting the gradual maturation of the lysosomal system in a cell. The level of cathepsin E differed significantly between tissues at various developmental stages. The level in liver increased rapidly from 13-day-gestation fetal stage and decreased gradually at later fetal stages. The level in other tissues such as stomach and spleen began to increase at later fetal stages or the infant stage. Cathepsin E was found in fetal hepatocytes and its gene was hypomethylated when the expression of the gene was elevated. The enzyme was found to be present mainly as a proform suggesting that, after working, an active form is rapidly inactivated.     

Developmental profiles of activin betaA, betaB, and follistatin expression in the zebrafish ovary: evidence for their differential roles during sexual maturation and ovulatory cycle

Our recent experiments showed that gonadotropin(s) stimulated activin betaA and follistatin expression through the cAMP-PKA pathway but suppressed betaB via a cAMP-dependent but PKA-independent pathway in cultured zebrafish follicle cells. Given that pituitary gonadotropins are the major hormones controlling the development and function of the ovary, the differential expression of activin betaA and betaB as well as follistatin in response to gonadotropin(s) raises an interesting question about the temporal expression patterns of these molecules in vivo during sexual maturation and ovulatory cycle. Three experiments were performed in the present study. In the first experiment using sexually immature zebrafish, we followed the expression of activin betaA, betaB, and follistatin at the whole ovary level during a 10-day period in which the ovary developed from the primary growth stage to the one with nearly full-grown follicles. Activin betaA expression was very low at the primary growth stage but significantly increased with the growth of the ovary, and its rise was accompanied by an increase in follistatin expression. In contrast, the expression of activin betaB could be easily detected in the ovary of all stages; however, it did not exhibit an obvious trend of variation during the development. The second experiment examined the stage-dependent expression of activin betaA, betaB, and follistatin at the follicle level in the adult mature zebrafish. The expression of activin betaA was again low in the follicles during the primary growth stage, but exhibited a phenomenal increase after the follicles entered vitellogenesis with the peak level reached at midvitellogenic stage; in contrast, activin betaB mRNA could be easily detected at all stages with a slight increase during follicle growth. The expression of follistatin, on the other hand, also increased significantly during vitellogenesis; however, its level dropped sharply after reaching the peak at the midvitellogenic stage. In the third experiment, we investigated the dynamic changes of the ovarian activin betaA, betaB, and follistatin expression during the daily ovulatory cycle. The expression of activin betaA and follistatin gradually increased from 1800 h onward and reached the peak level around 0400 h when the germinal vesicles had migrated to the periphery in the full-grown oocytes. In contrast, activin betaB expression steadily declined, although not statistically significant, during the same period, but increased sharply at 0700 h when mature oocytes started to appear in most of the ovaries collected. In conclusion, activin betaA and betaB exhibit distinct expression patterns during the development of the ovary and the daily ovarian cycle of the zebrafish. It seems that activin betaA is involved in promoting ovary and follicle growth, whereas activin betaB may have a tonic role throughout follicle development but becomes critical at the late stage of oocyte maturation and/or ovulation.     

Characterization of reproduction-specific genes in a marine bivalve mollusc: influence of maturation stage and sex on mRNA expression

Numerous studies have investigated the reproduction mechanisms in mollusc species at a biochemical and physiological level; few have described these mechanisms at a molecular level, despite great commercial interest in several mollusc species. We investigated genes involved in gonad maturation of the marine scallop Argopecten purpuratus. A cDNA library was made from gonad tissue. After sequence analysis, 418 unique genes were characterized, of these, about 80% were of unknown function. Among the identified sequences, we analyzed the mRNA expression by real-time PCR of 7 genes involved in reproduction mechanisms, either directly: testis-specific serine/threonine-protein kinase (TSSK), vitellogenin (Vg), and spermatogenesis and centriole associated 1 (SCA) or indirectly: calcineurin A (CNA), centrin, RNA-specific adenosine deaminase (ADAR), and cytidine deaminase (CDA). The real-time PCR analyses were conducted on different tissues of mature and immature scallops (testis, ovary, immature gonad, gill, digestive gland and mantle). The genes studied, presented (1) a strong tissue-dependent expression pattern (higher expression in gonad tissues than in all other tissues) and (2) a sex- and maturation-specific expression pattern (except centrin). This is the first time that the expression of specific genes involved in reproduction mechanisms in a marine mollusc has been described at the molecular level.     

三疣梭子蟹UHRF1基因在胚胎、幼体和性腺发育过程中的表达分析

为探讨泛素样含PHD和环指域蛋白1(UHRF1)基因在三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)发育过程中的作用, 实验采用SMART RACE方法, 克隆了三疣梭子蟹UHRF1(PtUHRF1)基因。该基因cDNA全长为2849 bp, 开放阅读框(ORF)为2298 bp, 预测其编码1个含有765个氨基酸的蛋白质。结构域分析显示, 该蛋白质包含UBL、PHD、TTD、SRA、RING finger 5个功能结构域。同源分析表明, 三疣梭子蟹PtUHRF1的氨基酸序列与其他物种有较高的同源性。qRT-PCR结果显示, PtUHRF1基因在三疣梭子蟹所有组织中均有表达, 但在精巢中表达量显著高于其他组织。该基因在胚胎和幼体发育不同时期表达差异显著, 在受精卵中的表达量最高, 并显著高于胚胎发育其他时期, 是多细胞时期表达量的2.5倍。PtUHRF1基因在性腺发育不同时期表达存在显著差异, 在卵巢II期表达量达到峰值, 之后逐渐下降; 在精巢Ⅰ期的表达量最高, 随着精巢发育逐渐下降。实验结果表明, PtUHRF1参与了三疣梭子蟹胚胎、幼体和性腺发育调控, 为进一步深入研究该基因在三疣梭子蟹及甲壳动物生长发育中的作用提供参考。     

Differential expression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2r in the developing ovary and testis of penaeid shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Marsupenaeus japonicus</Emphasis>

In order to identify genes involved in oogenesis and spermatogenesis in penaeid shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus, a modified annealing control primer (ACP) system was adapted to identify genes differentially expressed in ovary and testis at different developmental stages. By using 20 pairs of ACP primers, 8 differentially expressed genes were obtained. One of these genes is ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2r (UBE2r). Bioinformatics analyses show that this gene encodes a protein of 241 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 27.4 kDa. Real time PCR analyses demonstrated that the expression level changed significantly in the developing testis and ovary. In the stage 2 of testis, it reached its highest expression level, the lowest expression level present in the stage 1 of ovary. The significantly different expression levels in developing testis and ovary suggest that UBE2r has an important role in oogenesis and spermatogenesis. This article is the first report of UBE2r in crustaceans and also is the first report showing that UBE2r is differentially expressed at different stages of the developing ovary and testis in an animal.