Sequence and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the large subunit rRNA gene of bivalve: Simple and widely applicable technique for multiple species identification of bivalve larva

ABSTRACT:   One of the biggest and long-standing difficulties in investigation of larval ecology in the field is species-level identification. In the present study, we developed polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis based on the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene (rDNA) D1/D2/D3 region for identification of multiple species of bivalve larvae using 14 species of bivalve collected from Maizuru Bay. The LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of all analyzed species could be amplified by PCR using bvD1f/bvD3r primers, and RFLP analysis by Hae III digestion on the PCR products showed species-specific fragment patterns. Furthermore, this analysis applied to single bivalve larvae in Maizuru Bay revealed efficient amplification of the target region and the species-specific pattern from 80% of the larvae, 75% of which showed a pattern that matched a certain pattern of the adult bivalves. In addition, the analysis of inter- and intraspecies variation of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region using the sequence data of the genus Crassostrea from the DDBJ database showed high applicability of this RFLP analysis on closely related species. Because of the wide applicability and technical simplicity, this method can become the standard for the identification of bivalve larvae species once the sequence data of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of many bivalve species have been accumulated.     

Effect of salinity change on free amino acid content in Pacific oyster

ABSTRACT:   In order to identify free amino acids (FAA) that are importantas intracellular osmolytes in Crassostrea gigas , we investigatedthe change in FAA content in the mantle exposed to an abrupt decreaseor increase in salinity. In hypo-osmotic adaptation, most FAA showedremarkable and synchronous decreases from 2 to 8 h, suggestingthat the non-selective efflux of FAA was mainly responsible forthe decrease in FAA. Taurine that accounted for approximately 80% oftotal FAA content contributed most significantly to the hypo-osmoticadaptation. In hyper-osmotic adaptation, significant increases inglycine, alanine, β-alanine, proline, arginine and taurinewere observed. Of these, alanine showed an immediate increase thatis important to short-term adaptation to hyper-osmolality, whiletaurine showed a slower and substantial increase that contributesto a long-term adaptation to hyper-osmolality.     

Immunological detection of translation products of type V/XI collagen α1 gene and their degradation products in red sea bream muscle

We previously cloned cDNA of type V/XI collagen α1 chain (ColVa1) gene from cultured cells derived from red sea bream embryo. We raised an antibody against the deduced C-telopeptide of ColVa1 in order to detect the translation products of this cDNA and their degradation products in red sea bream muscle. To improve its specificity, the antibody was purified from rabbit antiserum by use of an affinity column cross-linked with recombinant C-terminal peptide of ColVa1 produced by Epicurian coli. The purified antibody recognized a band corresponding to the α chain of type V/XI collagen in western blot analysis of the extract of cultured cells. The antibody also recognized two bands in acid-soluble and pepsin-solubilized collagens, indicating that the translation products of the ColVa1 gene are present in muscle and that bands correspond to α and β chains of type V/XI collagen. A band corresponding to a molecular weight of approximately 65 k was detected in the NaOH extracts of muscle, suggesting that type V/XI collagen α1 chain is restrictedly digested in red sea bream muscle.     

cDNA cloning of oyster matrix metalloproteinase and its possible involvement in hypoxic adaptation

ABSTRACT:   We have cloned a cDNA encoding the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) from oyster Crassostrea gigas . The clone contains a 1797 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 599 amino acids. Oyster MMP (Cg-MMP) has a transmembrane domain at its C-terminal and a furin/prohormone convertase cleavage site at the end of a propeptide domain, which are commonly observed in membrane-type MMPs (MT-MMPs). This suggests that Cg-MMP is an MT-MMP. The deduced amino acid sequence of oyster MMP shares approximately 30% identity with human MT4-MMP and MMPs from fruit fly and hydra. Cg-MMP mRNA was detected in the gill, mantle and adductor muscle, and more intense signals in the northern blot analysis were recognized in the gill and adductor muscle. Similar tissue distribution was observed for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (Cg-TIMP) in oyster. In response to hypoxic stress, the abundance of Cg-MMP mRNA was elevated in the gill, while that of Cg-TIMP mRNA remained almost constant. These findings suggest that promotion of collagen metabolism may be implicated in the hypoxic adaptation in oyster.     

Cloning and characterization of cDNA for carp matrix metalloproteinase 9

ABSTRACT: We have cloned a cDNA encoding the MMP-9 from a carp epidermal cell (EPC) cDNA library. The clone contains a 2025-base pair (bp) open reading frame encoding a protein of 674 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 68% and 69% identity with medaka and Japanese flounder MMP-9. The hinge domain of the carp MMP-9, like those of the other non-mammalian species, lacks a type V collagen-like region that is typical of mammalian MMP-9. Gelatin zymography and immunoblot analysis of conditioned media of EPC cells and cDNA-transfected COS-7 cells detected a 76-kDa gelatinase. The apparent molecular mass of the carp zymogen is much smaller than those of its mammalian counterparts while almost identical with that of chicken 75-kDa gelatinase B-like enzyme. Although hypo-osmotic stress induced the elevation of MMP-9 mRNA level in EPC cells, no significant change in the protein in conditioned medium was detected during hypo-osmotic stress. Northern blot analysis detected a large amount of MMP-9 mRNA in carp kidney and spleen, suggesting the high expression of MMP-9 in blood cells, neutrophils, and macrophages. The smaller amount of MMP-9 mRNA was detected in gill, heart, fin, and eye, whereas none of the mRNA was detected in the hepatopancreas, intestine, brain, muscle, and skin.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of two gelatinases from Japanese flounder

SUMMARY: Toughness is one of the most important elements that define the commercial value of the raw meat of fish. Degradation of the extracellular matrix is thought to be a cause of postmortem tenderization of fish meat. A previous study has suggested that this tenderization is caused mainly by metalloproteinases. The present study seeks to identify the proteinase(s) involved in tenderization; hence, cloned cDNA of two gelatinases from Japanese flounder, which showed high homology with mammalian matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, were designated as jfMMP-2 and jfMMP-9 , respectively. Northern blot analysis revealed that jfMMP-2 mRNA was expressed almost ubiquitously in adult tissues including the brain, muscle, gill, heart, gut, kidney, spleen, testis, and ovary. In contrast, the expression of jfMMP-9 mRNA was observed in those tissues which were abundant in blood cells, such as kidney, spleen, heart, and gill. Both recombinant proteins (jfMMP-2 and jfMMP-9) produced with the COS-7 cell system exhibited gelatin-degrading activity that was sensitive to 1,10-phenanthroline, a typical metalloproteinase inhibitor.