Sex steroid level and sexual dimorphism expression of genes in gonads of the great sturgeon Huso huso Linneaus, 1758 during maturity developmental stages

Little is known about molecular mechanisms involved in gonad differentiation in sturgeon species. In non‐mammalian vertebrates, sox9, dmrt1, cyp17a1 and ar are male specific genes in testicular differentiation and are highly conserved. In order to understand the mechanism underlying testicular development in sturgeon, we investigated sex steroids level of 11‐ketotestosterone (KT) and testosterone (T) and relative expression of sox9, dmrt1, cyp17a1 and ar in great sturgeon gonads during different stages of sexual maturity. The results showed all studied genes had dimorphic patterns in males. In immature gonads (stage I), only cyp17a1 expressed in male gonads, while other genes did not express, and KT and T levels were low. Dmrt1 showed dimorphic expression pattern in male gonads at maturity stage II, III and IV. Furthermore, sox9 and ar mRNA presented significant dimorphic expression pattern in male gonads only at maturity stage 4. Plasma androgens levels were significantly higher in males compared to females during maturity stages II, III and IV. The results showed that among these four genes, only cyp17a1 expressed in male gonads at maturity stage I (immature), suggesting that this gene may be applicable as a sex marker in recently differentiated male great sturgeon. Sexually dimorphic patterns in other studied genes (sox9, dmrt1 and ar) suggesting that these genes may be important for testicular development and differentiation in premature great sturgeon. The obtained results provide a foundation for further research on sex differentiation and developing strategies for the sexing of sturgeon for aquaculture.     

Expression of dmrt1 and sox9 during gonadal development in the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii)

The sex differentiation period of the Siberian sturgeon was investigated through expression profiling of two testicular markers (dmrt1 and sox9). At the molecular level, a clear sexual dimorphism of dmrt1 and sox9 was observed in 3-year-old fish with immature gonads, in which males showed higher expression of these genes. Among 16-month-old sturgeons cultured in Uruguay, gonad morphology analyses showed one group of fish with undifferentiated gonads and a second group which had started their histological differentiation into ovaries or testes. dmrt1 showed a significantly higher expression in testes of recently differentiated fish, but this was not the case for sox9. In undifferentiated fish, we observed two clearly different groups in terms of expression: one group of fish over-expressing male markers (dmrt1, sox9) and another group of fish showing very low expression of these genes. This suggests that fish undergoing male differentiation can be identified by their profiles of gene expression before they undergo morphological differentiation.     

一种免疫诱导型鲤启动子的克隆与功能分析

为发掘适用于基因工程抗病育种的鱼类启动子,通过实时荧光定量PCR实验对鲤Rab GTP酶(Ras-associated binding-GTPases 1a3,Rab1a3)基因的表达模式进行了分析,证实该基因在鳃、头肾等与机体免疫防御功能密切相关的组织内转录水平较高,且免疫激活后转录显著增强,符合基因工程抗病育种所需的外源免疫基因转录模式。从鲤细菌人工染色体文库中,使用Rab1a3基因特异引物筛选获得包含该基因区域的文库克隆,测序获得该基因完整序列,以及上下游调控序列。通过生物信息学手段,预测到长度为1014 bp的鲤Rab1a3基因启动子序列,该启动子不具有典型的TATA盒或CpG岛特征,存在多个免疫相关转录因子结合位点。在草鱼肾组织细胞系内验证该启动子活性,结果显示,绿色荧光蛋白基因和萤火虫荧光素酶基因都能够在该启动子驱动下表达,证实该片段具有启动子活性,且启动子活性在受到免疫诱导后增强,双荧光素酶报告基因检测结果显示,该启动子活性在免疫刺激后增强至免疫刺激前的8.67倍。研究表明,鲤Rab1a3基因启动子有望被开发成为免疫诱导型的基因工程元件,驱动外源免疫基因在鱼体内适时表达,抵御外界病原感染,同时避免非必要条件下的过度表达形成生长负担。     

栉孔扇贝Dmrt1的分子鉴定及表达模式分析

DMRT1是DMRT家族重要成员之一,主要参与动物性别决定和分化调控,但在不同动物中其表达和功能调控作用存在差异。本研究采用生物信息学方法分析了栉孔扇贝（Chlamys farreri）Dmrt1的序列特征,采用半定量RT-PCR技术确定了其mRNA在成体性腺、闭壳肌、外套膜、鳃和肾等组织中的分布,定量RT-PCR和原位杂交技术揭示了Dmrt1 mRNA在性腺中的时空表达特征。结果显示：栉孔扇贝Dmrt1序列中含有DMRT家族保守的DM结构域;其mRNA仅在栉孔扇贝性腺中表达,在精巢中的表达明显高于卵巢,并且以生长期精巢的表达水平最高;原位杂交检测Dmrt1阳性信号主要定位于生殖细胞的细胞质中。研究结果表明,Dmrt1在栉孔扇贝性腺中的表达特征与大部分动物性腺中的表达特征基本一致,推测其可能参与性别分化和精巢发育的功能调节。     

尼罗罗非鱼Smoothened的鉴定、表达模式及在精巢中的作用

为探究Smoothened (Smo)信号在精巢不同细胞增殖与存活中的作用,实验分离鉴定了尼罗罗非鱼smo (命名为Onsmo),检测了其在不同组织中的表达分布及在精巢中的细胞表达模式,在尼罗罗非鱼精巢组织的体外培养体系中,用Smo特异性激动剂SAG或抑制剂环巴胺分别进行处理,EdU掺入法及TUNEL法检测了处理后生殖细胞(Vasa⁺)、Sertoli细胞(Amh⁺)与Leydig细胞(Cyp17a1⁺)增殖或凋亡情况。结果显示,Onsmo开放阅读框全长2 478 bp,编码825个氨基酸,含有7次跨膜结构域,与人SMO氨基酸一致性达77%;Onsmo表达于包括精巢在内的多个组织;在精巢中,Onsmo在多种不同类型细胞表达,包括精原细胞、精母细胞、Sertoli细胞以及Leydig细胞;在精巢组织的体外培养体系中,SAG处理对精原细胞增殖具有显著促进作用,而环巴胺处理对Sertoli细胞、Leydig细胞凋亡具有显著促进作用。研究表明,On Smo信号在尼罗罗非鱼精巢精原细胞增殖与体细胞存活中具有重要作用。该研究首次证实...     

锦鲤墨蝶呤还原酶基因的克隆、表达和定位分析

为探究SPR在锦鲤体色形成中的作用,实验利用RACE技术获得spr cDNA全长序列,并分析其时空表达模式,同时利用Western blot和免疫组织化学方法检测SPR蛋白在皮肤、鳍条和鳞片中的分布和表达情况。结果显示,spr cDNA全长879 bp,包含132 bp和134 bp的5′和3′非编码区,开放阅读框510 bp,编码170个氨基酸残基。氨基酸序列比对和系统进化树分析显示,锦鲤SPR具有保守的adh_short_C2结构域,与金鱼相似性高达97.7%。spr在各组织中均有表达,其中皮肤的表达量最高。spr在锦鲤个体发育的4个阶段表现为先降后升。纯红、纯白及红白3种体色锦鲤皮肤、鳞片和鳍条中spr mRNA和蛋白表达水平基本一致,在纯红锦鲤皮肤中表达量最高,红白锦鲤白色皮肤、鳞片和鳍条的表达量最低。SPR组织定位分析显示,红色锦鲤和白色锦鲤皮肤中均检测到阳性信号,其中红色皮肤阳性信号强度高于白色皮肤。研究表明,spr可能与锦鲤红/黄色素细胞的分化和形成具有一定相关性,参与了锦鲤体色的形成。     

不同倍性鲫鲤MeCP2基因分子克隆及时空表达分析

为了探寻不同倍性鱼生殖育性的表观遗传调控规律,实验基于不同倍性鲫鲤精巢的转录本信息库设计引物克隆了不同倍性鲫鲤的MeCP2基因。序列比对结果发现,在远缘杂交的过程中基因组发生了遗传重组和变异。基于序列公共部分设计引物,通过半定量PCR和实时定量PCR的方法分析了MeCP2基因在不同倍性鱼发育过程中的时空表达特征。结果还发现,MeCP2基因在所有组织中都有表达,但在脑组织中的表达量最高;纵向对比性腺的发育过程,MeCP2基因的表达量会随着性腺发育成熟而下降;横向对比不同倍性鱼的性腺发育,MeCP2基因在三倍体鱼卵巢中的表达量明显高于二倍体和四倍体鱼,但在精巢中的表达量随鱼的倍性增加而增加。研究表明,MeCP2基因的表达与不同倍性鱼的卵巢发育密切相关,这为研究鱼类生殖不育的分子机理及其在水产育种上的应用奠定了坚实的基础。     

Promoter analysis of two aromatase genes in the serial-sex changing gobiid fish, Trimma okinawae

Despite numerous endocrine studies on sex change in teleost, no general mechanism that mediates sex change has emerged. The gobiid fish, Trimma okinawae, can change sex in both directions repeatedly. This phenomenon of sex change in goby assigns it as an excellent animal model to elucidate the understanding mechanisms of sex change. In hermaphrodite fishes, estrogen plays a particularly important role in natural and experimentally induced sex change. To investigate the role of estrogen in the serial-sex changing fish T. okinawae, we cloned and analyzed the 5′-flanking regions of P450arom genes from goby genome DNA. Both regions have consensus sequences of TATA, CRE and ERE. Ad4 binding site was restricted in the region of P450aromA. These findings indicate that different regulators control the expression of the two P450arom genes.     

溶藻弧菌鞭毛蛋白flaC基因DNA疫苗对红笛鲷的免疫保护研究

为研究溶藻弧菌鞭毛蛋白flaC基因DNA疫苗对红笛鲷的免疫保护作用,实验构建了重组真核表达质粒pcDNA-flaC并将该质粒肌肉注射红笛鲷,采用PCR、RT-PCR、ELISA和攻毒试验等方法检测了该真核表达质粒在红笛鲷组织内的分布、表达和对红笛鲷的免疫保护.PCR结果显示,免疫接种7和28 d,注射点周围肌肉、鳃、肾脏、肝脏和脾脏都存在质粒分布;RT-PCR结果显示,免疫接种后第7天、14天和28天,红笛鲷不同组织内均有目的基因表达.ELISA结果表明,鱼血清内产生了抗FlaC蛋白的抗体,表明DNA疫苗免疫后鱼体表达了目的蛋白,并诱导产生了相应抗体.攻毒实验表明,免疫后的红笛鲷能较好地抵抗致病性溶藻弧菌的感染.结果表明,质粒pcDNA-flaC可能是抵抗溶藻弧菌感染的有效的疫苗候选物.     

Effects of dietary sunflower oil on growth parameters,fatty acid profiles and expression of genes regulating growth and metabolism in the pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) fry

Aquaculture fish diets usually contain an addition of fish oil to improve their nutritional value. The effect of the replacement of dietary fish oil (FO) by sunflower oil (SfO) on growth, fatty acid composition and expression of genes implicated in somatic growth, feed intake and fatty acid metabolism was studied in pejerrey fry. Fry were fed per 45 days with diets containing FO/SfO ratios of 100% FO; 50% FO:50% SfO; 20% FO:80% SfO; and 100% SfO. No differences were detected in growth and in the total per cent of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Gh, ghr‐I and ghr‐II showed a higher mRNA expression in head and trunk of fry fed with 100% SfO diet. Expression of igf‐II was higher in trunk of fry fed with 100% SfO diet compared with 100% FO diet. The Δ6‐desaturase gene expression was upregulated in head and trunk of fry fed with 100% SfO diet. The nucb2/nesfatin‐1 gene expression decreased in the trunk of fry with increasing dietary SfO. We conclude that the replacement of fish oil by sunflower oil in pejerrey fry feed does not affect growth and is a viable strategy to reduce production costs of this fish.     

Partial characterization of the gene encoding myoadenylate deaminase from the teleost fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Platichthys flesus</Emphasis>

AMP-deaminase (AMPD, EC 3.5.4.6), which catalyzes the irreversible hydrolytic deamination of AMP to IMP and ammonia, is an important energy-related enzyme. The partial genomic sequence of the gene encoding myoadenylate deaminase (AMPD1) from the teleost fish Platichthys flesus was determined. The amino acid sequence of P. flesus AMPD1 shows 82% homology with that of the teleost fish Danio rerio. Comparison of genomic sequences of P. flesus and Rattus norvegicus reveals a high degree of conservation of both sequence and structural organization. A phylogenetic analysis of AMPD sequences shows that bony fish and mammalian AMPD1s arise by duplication of a common primordial gene.     

Muscular hypertrophy and growth‐promoting effects in juvenile pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) after oral administration of recombinant homologous growth hormone obtained by a highly efficient refolding process

Growth hormone (GH) can be orally administrated to fish in order to increase growth rates. Fish growth is characterized by the hyperplasia and hypertrophy of muscle fibre throughout adult life. In this respect, GH could affect directly and indirectly (by growth and metabolic factors) the development and growth of muscle fibres. Recombinant pejerrey GH (r‐pjGH) was expressed in Escherichia coli and refolded in a highly efficient batch dilution system, obtaining 0.1 g L^?1 of hormone without protein precipitation during the refolding procedure. Orally administered hormone to pejerrey produced a 30% increase in mean weight and stimulated liver insulin‐like growth factor type I (IGF‐I) mRNA expression after 1 month of treatment. Histological analyses showed that muscle growth was generated mainly by hypertrophy of the fibres. A higher r‐pjGH dose increased muscle fibre hypertrophy but somatic growth was negatively affected probably due to a reduced capacity of generating new fibres.     

淇河鲫cyp19a1b基因的克隆表达及芳香化酶抑制剂对其表达的影响

为探索脑型芳香化酶基因(cyp19a1b)在雌核发育三倍体鱼淇河鲫性别决定与分化过程中的作用,利用RACE方法克隆淇河鲫cyp19a1b基因cDNA全长序列,采用Real-time PCR分析其在不同组织、胚胎及胚后不同发育时期的表达情况,同时检测芳香化酶抑制剂Letrozole诱导性逆转及腹腔注射人绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)后cyp19a1b在脑中的表达情况。结果显示,淇河鲫cyp19a1b cDNA全长2 984 bp(GenBank ID:MF926270),包含132 bp5′非编码区,1 319 bp 3′非编码区,1 533 bp开放读码框,编码510个氨基酸残基;氨基酸序列比对及系统进化分析结果显示,淇河鲫Cyp19a1b与其他鲤科鱼类同源性较高,与哺乳类、爬行类等脊椎动物同源性较低,这与其分类地位一致;组织分布检测结果显示,cyp19a1b基因在淇河鲫脑中表达量最高,在卵巢等其他组织中表达量较低;Realtime PCR结果表明,在胚胎发育过程中cyp19a1b在外源精子刺激后从囊胚期开始上调,神经胚期达到最高,随后降低;出膜后随着发育的进行,该基因在脑中表达量逐步上调,在躯体中一直维持在较低水平;除此之外,伴随着Letrozole诱导的性逆转,cyp19a1b在脑中表达量降低;腹腔注射hCG可以促进cyp19a1b在脑中表达。研究表明,淇河鲫cyp19a1b基因可能通过参与神经系统的形成及神经内分泌活动,在性别决定与分化过程中起到一定的作用。     

草鱼NK-lysin基因的克隆、原核表达与活性分析

为研究草鱼抗菌肽NK-lysin基因的组成结构、在组织中的表达差异及其抑菌活性,实验根据已知鱼类NK-lysin基因保守区序列设计上下游引物,采用RT-PCR和RACEPCR技术克隆草鱼NK-lysin基因(Cinkl),RT-PCR进行各组织间的表达分析,并构建Cinkl成熟肽的原核表达载体,采用琼脂糖孔穴扩散法检测重组蛋白的抑菌活性。结果显示,Cinkl c DNA全长768 bp,编码121个氨基酸;基因组DNA全长3 361 bp,包含4个外显子和3个内含子。经多序列比对分析和结构域预测表明,Ci Nkl氨基酸序列具有SAPLIP家族的特征:含有6个保守的半胱氨酸和saposin B蛋白结构域,与斑马鱼Nklc、Nkld的相似性分别为57.98%和63.03%。构建NK-lysin氨基酸序列系统进化树,发现Ci Nkl与斑马鱼Nklc、Nkld聚为一支。RT-PCR检测结果显示,Cinkl m RNA在所有检测的草鱼组织中均有表达,在脾脏中表达量最高,心脏、鳃、中肾和头肾的表达量次之,皮肤、脑、肝脏和肠有微量表达。p ET-28b-MBP与Ci Nkl成熟肽序列构建的原核表达质粒在宿主菌Rosetta(DE3)表达出约57 ku的可溶性融合蛋白,利用Ni-NTA His·Bind树脂进行纯化,Ci Nkl重组蛋白对G–细菌如大肠杆菌M15株、嗜水气单胞菌,以及G+细菌如金黄色葡萄球菌均具有抑菌活性。基于草鱼NK-lysin的组织表达特征和重组蛋白的抑菌活性,推测NK-lysin在草鱼的先天性免疫防御中发挥调节作用。