布氏鲳鲹VEGFA基因克隆与组织表达分析

血管内皮生长因子A (vascular endothelial growth factor A, VEGFA)主要生理功能是增加小静脉血管与微血管的通透性,是血管生成过程最重要的正向调控因子。本研究采用RACE技术克隆布氏鲳鲹VEGFA基因和实时荧光定量PCR方法对该基因进行组织分布表达分析。结果显示,该VEGFA基因cDNA序列全长1 470 bp,5’UTR、3’UTR长度分别为617 bp和208 bp,ORF为645 bp,共编码214个氨基酸,其中包括一个信号肽和两个N-糖基化位点。理论分子量为25.23 kD,等电点为8.91。同源性分析结果表明,布氏鲳鲹VEGFA基因与同属鲈形目鱼类高体鰤的同源性最高(96.1%)。荧光定量PCR分析显示,VEGFA在布氏鲳鲹组织中均有表达,其中肝脏表达水平最高,其次是心脏,在小脑、胃、肠表达较低,在肾脏组织中的表达量最低,说明布氏鲳鲹VEGFA基因在生理代谢以及血管生成过程中可能发挥重要调节作用。本研究结果为深入研究布氏鲳鲹VEGFA基因的生理代谢调控功能提供理论依据。     

布氏鲳鲹CCK基因的克隆及表达分析

缩胆囊素(cholecystokinin, CCK)已被证实是生物体中一类能抑制食欲的重要的细胞因子,为进一步补充鱼类CCK基因相关的生物信息,本研究利用RACE技术和PCR方法对布氏鲳鲹(Trachinotus blochii)CCK基因进行了克隆和组织表达模式研究。结果表明:布氏鲳鲹CCK基因cDNA序列全长822 bp,5'端、3'端非翻译区(untranslated regions, UTR)长度分别为70 bp和340 bp,开放阅读框(open reading frame, ORF)412 bp,共编码137个氨基酸,其中包括一个信号肽和一个CCK-8肽。预测的蛋白分子量为14.79 kD,理论等电点是5.89。氨基酸序列同源性比对及系统进化树表明,布氏鲳鲹CCK基因与其与同属鲈形目的鰤鱼的同源性最高(91.9%),并且与其聚为一支。实时荧光定量PCR (real time-PCR, RT-PCR)分析显示CCK在布氏鲳鲹的端脑高表达,垂体、肌肉和下丘脑相对表达丰富,肾脏、脾脏、肠和脂肪中低表达,证实了CCK在布氏鲳鲹的神经和消化系统中可能具有重要的调节功能。本研究结果可为今后进一步探讨布氏鲳鲹CCK基因的摄食调控功能提供理论参考。     

布氏鲳鲹GalR1基因的克隆及表达模式

甘丙肽具有多种生理功能,其中包括神经递质的调节释放,影响摄食和参与痛觉感受的调控等,其通过不同类型的受体发挥多种的功能。甘丙肽已知有3种受体:Gal R1、GalR2、GalR3,其中GalR1在促进摄食方面上起着主要作用。布氏鲳鲹是生长速率较高的鱼类,为了研究其摄食和代谢规律,本研究采用RACE技术克隆获得了布氏鲳鯵的Gal R1基因,并采用Real-time PCR技术研究其组织表达模式。实验结果显示,布氏鲳鲹GalR1基因cDNA全长1 772 bp,包括5'非翻译区(UTR)315 bp,3'非翻译区(UTR)407 bp,开放阅读框(ORF)1 050 bp,编码350个氨基酸。同源性分析结果表明,布氏鲳鲹GalR1基因与其它鲈形目鱼类的同源性在92%以上。荧光定量PCR分析显示,布氏鲳鯵GalR1基因的表达区域大多都在中枢系统,其中垂体表达量最高,说明GalR1基因在鲳鲹中仍然是重要的上游摄食调控因子。     

大口黑鲈GHRH-LP和GHRH基因序列同源性、基因结构和时序表达研究

促生长激素释放激素(Growth hormone releasing hormone,GHRH)是生长激素释放调控的重要因子。过去人们一直将鱼类的促生长激素释放激素样多肽(Growth hormone releasing hormone like peptide,GHRH-LP)误认为是GHRH,直到最近才分离出GHRH基因。为了了解GHRH和GHRH-LP基因的结构特征及表达差异,研究克隆了大口黑鲈(Micropterus salmoides)GHRH和GHRH-LP基因,同时应用实时定量PCR技术研究了这两个基因的组织表达及发育时序表达情况。结果显示,大口黑鲈GHRH的成熟肽由27个氨基酸残基组成,GHRH-LP的成熟肽由44个氨基酸残基组成。两个基因均由5个外显子和4个内含子组成,但两者成熟肽编码区在外显子上的分布有明显不同。与其他脊椎动物比较,GHRH同源性为74%100%,而GHRH-LP同源性为41%96%,两者间具有一定的相似性(37%63%)。GHRH基因仅在前脑和延脑中表达,而GHRH-LP基因在中枢神经系统及外周组织中均有表达;在胚胎发育过程中GHRH在神经胚后期检测到表达,其表达水平在仔鱼出膜1d后显著提高,而GHRH-LP在囊胚期及后续发育过程中均检测到表达。基因结构、序列同源性及表达谱研究均表明,GHRH和GHRH-LP存在显著差异,应为具有不同功能的两个基因。       

达氏鲟生长激素基因cDNA克隆、表达及免疫荧光定位研究

为研究达氏鲟(Acipenser dabryanus)生长激素(Growth Hormone, GH)基因的功能, 合成了达氏鲟垂体SMART cDNA, 克隆得到GH全长cDNA序列。达氏鲟GH全长cDNA序列为1008 bp, 由52 bp的5'端非编码区(Untranslated region, UTR)、编码214个氨基酸的645 bp开放阅读框(Open reading frame, ORF)和311 bp的3'UTR构成。运用GH氨基酸序列构建进化树分析发现, 达氏鲟与两栖类、爬行类和哺乳类的一致性要高于真骨鱼类。实时荧光定量PCR结果表明, 达氏鲟GH mRNA主要在垂体和下丘脑中表达, 且垂体中GH的表达量约为下丘脑的110倍; Western-blot研究结果与qRT-PCR一致, 仅在垂体和下丘脑中检测到生长激素蛋白, 且垂体中GH的表达量远高于下丘脑。免疫荧光定位结果显示, GH主要定位于垂体中部, 下丘脑中也有少量荧光信号; 苏木精-伊红组织切片染色研究表明, GH主要是由嗜酸性的生长激素分泌细胞分泌。研究为深入研究脊椎动物生长激素基因的进化和人工养殖达氏鲟的生长调控提供了基础。       

布氏田鼠GnRH基因克隆及不同组织和发育阶段的基因表达特征

促性腺激素释放激素(GnRH)由GnRH编码,是调节动物繁殖活动的核心神经内分泌物质。布氏田鼠Lasiopodomys brandtii是我国内蒙古东部草原区的害鼠之一,具有明显季节性繁殖特征,但其繁殖调控机制仍未完全明确。本研究克隆了来自布氏田鼠下丘脑的GnRH cDNA序列,使用实时荧光定量技术检测了不同组织、不同年龄阶段GnRH mRNA水平。结果表明,克隆获得GnRH cDNA序列497 bp,包含开放阅读框273 bp,编码90个氨基酸和1个终止密码子的GnRH前体。DNA序列比对和氨基酸序列同源性分析表明,布氏田鼠下丘脑GnRH基因属于Ⅰ型,与橙腹田鼠Microtus ochrogaste GnRH1相似性最高。GnRH mRNA在下丘脑、垂体、睾丸、肾上腺、肠、膀胱均有表达。雄鼠血清睾酮水平和雌鼠血清雌二醇水平在出生后8周、36周、80周处于高水平,显著高于4周龄鼠,但除80周龄鼠下丘脑GnRH表达量处于高水平,8周龄、36周龄鼠GnRH表达量与4周龄鼠差异均无统计学意义。推测4周龄鼠下丘脑GnRH受GnRH调节剂的中心抑制,而8周龄、36周龄鼠下丘脑GnRH受性类固醇介导的反馈抑制调控,当年龄增加至80周龄,性类固醇介导的反馈抑制消失或者应答时间延长。本研究结果为探究布氏田鼠繁殖调控规律提供了更多基础资料。     

卵形鲳鲹组织蛋白酶B基因的克隆及表达分析

为研究卵形鲳鲹(Trachinotus ovatus)组织蛋白酶B(Cathepsin B, CatB)基因的表达特征和功能,应用RTPCR和RACE技术获得卵形鲳鲹CatB(TroCatB)基因的全长cDNA。TroCatB cDNA全长为2181 bp。其中5′UTR和3′UTR分别为391和797 bp, ORF为993 bp,推定编码330个氨基酸残基,推定分子质量和理论等电点分别为36.37 kD和5.73。蛋白结构预测TroCatB蛋白具有信号肽(1Met-18Ala)、前体肽(25Leu-64Gly)和一个典型木瓜蛋白酶家族半胱氨酸结构域,含107Cys、277His、297Asn 3个蛋白酶催化活性位点。同源性分析显示TroCatB蛋白与其他脊椎动物的同源性为67.0%—90.9%,成熟肽区与其他脊椎动物的同源性为73.7%—92.4%。NJ系统发育树显示卵形鲳鲹和其他鱼类聚为一支,与髙体鰤距离最近。实时荧光定量PCR检测TroCatB基因mRNA在健康卵形鲳鲹各组织中均有表达,在脾脏中表达最高;在溶藻弧菌感染后, TroCatB基因在脾脏、头肾组织中的mRNA表达水平...     

睡眠中间断低氧对大鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴和生长激素的影响

目的:探讨睡眠中间断低氧对大鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴和生长激素水平的影响.方法:大鼠分别给予吸入空气,持续低氧和间断低氧气体,在1 d,3 d,7 d和30 d后测定下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRH)和生长激素释放激素(GHRH)mRNA水平,并测定30d后血浆CRH,GHRH,促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)和皮质酮水平,分析其间的变化关系.结果:与对照组比较,在低氧后1 d,3 d,7 d后大鼠下丘脑CRH mRNA升高,GHRH mRNA降低,在30 d后,间断低氧组下丘脑CRH mRNA升高,GHRH mRNA降低,而持续低氧组则接近正常.间断低氧30 d后,血浆CRH、ACTH,皮质酮均升高,GHRH降低,而生长激素没有明显变化.结论:大鼠睡眠中慢性间断低氧可以引起下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴激素水平升高,反馈调节紊乱,可引起GHRH分泌抑制.     

禁食及进餐前后对布氏鲳鲹缩胆囊素表达的影响

缩胆囊素(cholecystokinin, CCK)是生物体中抑制生物食欲的饱食信号因子,布氏鲳鲹属于摄食代谢十分旺盛的鱼类,揭示其CCK的表达规律能够进一步揭示鲳鲹的代谢机制。本研究开展了布氏鲳鲹禁食及餐前餐后养殖实验,并利用荧光定量PCR技术对布氏鲳鲹的缩胆囊素的表达模式进行了分析。在餐前餐后实验中,结果表明布氏鲳鲹下丘脑中的CCK的表达量在餐后0 h迅速上升达到峰值,随后在餐后1 h、3 h逐渐下降,并在+3 h下降至对照组水平。在禁食实验中,下丘脑中CCK的表达量在禁食阶段逐渐降低并在第5天下降至显著低于对照组,复投喂后在第7天又上升到对照组水平并保持至第11天。布氏鲳鲹CCK的表达对于饱食的信号反馈非常迅速,CCK的高表达与鲳鲹食欲控制相关。本研究结果可以为进一步研究布氏鲳鲹CCK基因的功能及调控提供理论参考。     

尼罗罗非鱼生长激素及其受体的cDNA克隆与mRNA表达的雌雄差异

尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)雌雄鱼生长差异明显,为了探讨其原因,本文采用RT-PCR方法克隆了尼罗罗非鱼生长激素(Growthhormone,GH)及其受体(Growth hormone receptor,GHR)的cDNA序列,并应用半定量RT-PCR方法比较了雌、雄尼罗罗非鱼垂体GHmRNA、肝脏GHRmRNA、肌肉GHRmRNA的表达差异。序列分析表明:GH开放阅读框为615bp,共编码204个氨基酸;GHR开放阅读框为1908bp,共编码635个氨基酸。以RT-PCR方法研究了GH、GHR在各组织的分布情况,结果表明:GH仅在垂体中检测到有表达,而GHR在所检测的18种组织中均有表达,其中以肝脏、肌肉、性腺、下丘脑、胸腺表达量较高。以半定量RT-PCR方法进一步比较了雌、雄尼罗罗非鱼垂体GHmRNA、肝脏GHRmRNA、肌肉GHRmRNA的表达量,结果表明:雄鱼垂体GHmRNA和肝脏GHRmRNA的表达量均显著高于雌鱼,肌肉GHRmRNA的表达量则无显著差异,推测垂体GHmRNA和肝脏GHRmRNA表达的雌雄差异是尼罗罗非鱼雌雄生长差异的主要原因之一。     

Changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary somatotropic function of infant hypothyroid rats

The effects of the perturbation of the pituitary-thyroid axis induced during development on the functional activity of the growth hormone (GH) regulatory neuronal systems, GH-releasing hormone (GHRH), and somatostatin (SS) were studied in 14- and 21-day-old rats made hypothyroid by giving dams propylthiouracil in the drinking water since the day of parturition. Infant hypothyroid rats, both at 14 and 21 days of life, had elevated plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and decreased pituitary and plasma GH levels. Simultaneous determination of hypothalamic GHRH/SS-like immunoreactivity (LI) and GHRH/SS mRNA levels did not reveal any difference in 14-day-old hypothyroid rats when compared with age-matched controls. In contrast, 21-day-old hypothyroid rats had decreased GHRH-LI content and a striking rise in GHRH mRNA levels, whereas SS-LI content and SS gene expression remained unaltered. These data indicate that in infant hypothyroid rats, changes in the functional activity of the GHRH neuronal system occur later than changes in GH secretion and are probably dependent on the GH deficiency. The functional activity of SS neurons was apparently unaltered in these hypothyroid rats, pointing to a lesser sensitivity of this system to the perturbation of the pituitary-thyroid axis.     

Gsh-1, an orphan Hox gene, is required for normal pituitary development.

The anterior pituitary regulates the function of multiple organ systems as well as body growth, and in turn is controlled by peptides released by the hypothalamus. We find that mutation of the Gsh-1 homeobox gene results in pleiotropic effects on pituitary development and function. Homozygous mutants exhibit extreme dwarfism, sexual infantilism and significant perinatal mortality. The mutant pituitary is small in size and hypocellular, with severely reduced numbers of growth hormone- and prolactin-producing cells. Moreover, the pituitary content of a subset of pituitary hormones, including growth hormone, prolactin and luteinizing hormone, is significantly decreased. The hypothalamus, although morphologically normal, is also perturbed in mutants. The gsh-1 gene is shown to be essential for growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) gene expression in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Further, sequence and electrophoretic mobility shift data suggest the Gsh-1 and GHRH genes as potential targets regulated by the Gsh-1-encoded protein. The mutant phenotype indicates a critical role for Gsh-1 in the genetic hierarchy of the formation and function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.     

石斑鱼垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽和生长激素释放激素基因的cDNA克隆及表达分析

垂体腺苷酸环化酶激活多肽 (PACAP)和生长激素释放激素 (GHRH)均属于血管活性肠肽家族成员 ,且两者前体基因在脊椎动物的鸟类、两栖类、鱼类中由同一基因编码 ,而哺乳动物是由两个不同基因编码。已有几例关于鱼类编码PACAP和GHRH基因克隆的报道 ,而关于重要海水养殖鱼类石斑鱼的PACAP和GHRH基因未见报道。克隆了PACAP GHRH前体cDNA序列 ,该前体有两种剪接方式 ,包括一个长序列和一个短序列 ,其中长序列编码PACAP和GHRH ,短序列缺失 10 5个碱基 ,仅编码PACAP而缺失编码GHRH的外显子区 ,同样情况在虹鳟和沟鲶中也有报道。通过半定量RT PCR方法对石斑鱼PACAP GHRH前体mRNA在胚胎发育和发育早期以及各部位的表达情况进行了分析。胚胎发育分析结果表明 ,从神经胚期开始 ,PACAP GHRH前体mRNA大量表达 ,提示该蛋白质在神经发育或神经营养方面具有重要作用。PACAP GHRH前体基因在中枢系统的表达量远高于外周组织。在鱼类的眼和鳃发现PACAP GHRH前体分布。     

Identification,characterization, and expressions profile analysis of growth hormone receptors (GHR1 and GHR2) in Hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus polyphekadion ♂)

Growth hormone is an essential hormone that plays essential roles in growth, metabolism, cellular differentiation, immunity and reproduction in fish, by means of the growth hormone receptors. The encoding cDNA growth hormone receptors (GHR1 and GHR2) were cloned and characterized from Hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × Epinephelus polyphekadion♂). Sequence analysis of the cloned GHR1 was observed as containing 2176, which comprised an ORF of 1842 bp, 5 UTR of 6 bp and 3 UTR of 328 bp, with 612 amino acids encoding proteins, while GHR2 was observed as containing 1824 bp that encompassed an ORF of 708 bp, 5 UTR of 48 bp and 3 UTR of 1068 bp with 235 amino acids encoding proteins. Relative mRNA expression of GHR1 and GHR2 in the liver and muscle was found to be highest respectively. Our findings provide vital statistics of GHRs likely to play a significant role in the growth of the fish.     

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.