Complete nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding a myosin heavy chain from mantle tissue of scallop Patinopecten yessoensis

ABSTRACT: It has been reported that the amino acid sequences of striated and catch muscle myosin heavy chains from two scallop species ( Argopecten irradians and Placopecten magellanicus ) are almost identical, but that the ATPase activities between these myosins vary several-fold. These myosin sequences have been useful for identifying the region that modulates the ATPase activity of scallop myosin. In the present study, a cDNA encoding a myosin heavy chain was isolated from the mantle tissue of scallop Patinopecten yessoensis . The cDNA is composed of 6067 base pairs (bp) including an open-reading frame of 5841 p, which encodes an amino acid sequence of 1947 residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of P. yessoensis mantle myosin had a high identity of 90%, 92%, and 91% to P. magellanicus , A. irradians , and Pecten maximus striated muscle myosins, respectively. Interestingly, while the deduced amino acid sequences of around adenosine triphosphate-binding and actin-binding sites of the mantle myosin are homologous to those of A. irradians striated muscle myosin, the subfragment 2 hinge region and the non-helical tail region are similar to those of catch muscle myosin.     

cDNA clonings of shell matrix proteins from scallop shell

ABSTRACT:   A cDNA encoding the matrix shell protein from scallop (MSP-2) has been cloned. Comparison of the sequence of MSP-2 with the GenBank database revealed the sequence displays a high degree of homology with MSP-1, which was recently identified in the shell of the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis . Matrix shell protein-2 contains only 323 amino acids, while MSP-1 comprises 824 amino acids. The structural difference between MSP-1 and MSP-2 is mainly the presence or absence of the tandem repeat arrangement. In addition, multiple isoforms of MSP-2 were found. These isoforms share a high degree of sequence similarity to each other, suggesting that the MSP-2, MSP-2 isoforms and MSP-1 may constitute the same family. The MSP-2 isoforms in scallop shell may be responsible for the formation of molluscan shells.     

Culture of mantle epithelial cells expressing shell matrix proteins from scallop Patinopecten yessoensis

ABSTRACT:   In molluscs, mantle epithelial cells secrete organic matrix proteins to form shells. In this study, we established a culture of mantle epithelial cells by using the mantle pallial layer of scallops. We aimed to identify the mantle epithelial cells expressing scallop shell matrix proteins and establish a culture system of epithelial cells. After the mantle pallial layer was carefully isolated from the mantle tissue, explant culture was performed at 4°C. Most cells that migrated from the explant tissue were round cells. Most of the adhered cells retained round morphology, while some of the cells adhered to the dish and showed morphology similar to that of epithelial-like and fibroblast-like cells. When the cultured cells were immunostained with a polyclonal antibody against the shell matrix protein, the antibody recognized many of the adhered cells. An estimation of the number of epithelial cells revealed that approximately 70% of the adhered cells were epithelial cells. This is the first report to describe epithelial cells in cultured mantle cells, which express shell matrix proteins. This culture system may be a useful method for characterization of the mantle epithelial cells.     

cDNA cloning and expression analysis of the myosin heavy chain (MYH) gene of the mandarin fish Siniperca kneri

In this study, we applied RT-PCR and cDNA cloning techniques to clone myosin heavy chain (MYH) cDNA from muscle tissues of the mandarin fish Siniperca kneri . The cDNA was determined to be of 6987 base pairs in length, encoding a peptide of 1937 amino acids (Genbank accession no. EF446616). A search of encoded protein sequences in the NCBI conserved domain database indicated the presence of all known protein domains for MYH proteins, i.e. the myosin motor domain in the N-terminal region, the DIL domain at the C-terminus, and the ATPase domain. The MYH gene and its protein were expressed predominantly in muscle tissues and weakly in cardiac tissues. Developmentally, the MYH gene was first expressed in the muscle formation stage and continued later on. Our work provided a novel mypsin heavy chain gene sequence in fish biology and the results indicate that the MYH gene and the protein it encodes are important for the growth and development of the mandarin fish, as well as its muscle characterization.     

Discovery of host defence genes in the Japanese scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis Jay by expressed sequence tag analysis of kidney tissue

The Japanese scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis is one of the most important aquaculture mollusca in Japan and China. In the present study, a high‐quality cDNA library of the Japanese scallop was constructed from the kidney tissue. A total of 2919 expressed sequence tags longer than 100 bp were generated from this library. A cluster of 1440 unique sequences, which consisted of 258 contigs and 1182 singletons, was revealed. Based on blast searches, 882 (61.3%) genes had significant (E‐value <1e–5) matches to known sequences in public databases. Among them, >70 genes were involved in stress response, immunity and apoptosis. These results expanded our knowledge of the genetics and physiology of the Japanese scallop, and provided a useful resource for gene discovery for further research of this species.     

日本沼虾不同亚型维甲酸类X受体(RXR)cDNA克隆及序列分析

采用RT-PCR和RACE末端扩增技术,从日本沼虾(Macrobrachium nipponense)卵巢组织中获得了5种不同构型的RXR基因cDNA序列。结果显示:RXR基因中MnRXRL2含有最长的开放阅读框(open reading frame,ORF),其全长1698 bp,编码337个氨基酸。对比5个不同构型的核苷酸序列,有四个不同的剪接位点,一个发生在5′端A/B区域,产生了3种不同形式的5′端序列;一个在RXR受体结构的D区即铰链区域,使T-盒区长度也有3种形式(VQEERQR/VQVGGIEEERQR/VQVGGIE);两个发生在LBD区,其中一个是在H2-H3螺旋区域,产生了2种不同形式(MnRXRL/MnRXRS),另外一个是在D区产生了中断,缺失了E/F区域(MnRXRM)。将各个序列编码的氨基酸序列与其他物种相比,与甲壳类的同源性较高,表明RXR在进化中较为保守。     

Purification and characterization of a matrix shell protein from the shell of scallop <Emphasis Type="Italic">Patinopecten yessoensis</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   A new protein named MSP-SC (matrix shell protein from scallop) with a molecular weight of 14 kDa was isolated from the shell of a scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis , using gel filtration column chromatography, ion exchange column chromatography, and reverse phase C4 column chromatography. A comparison of the known protein sequences with the N-terminal sequence of MSP-SC showed that the protein sequence of MSP-SC was novel. Immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody against MSP-SC showed that MSP-SC is expressed in the mantle pallial cell layer but not in the muscle tissue, and showed a punctate distribution along the horizontal calcified layer in the shell. The isolated MSP-SC inhibited the formation of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) crystals in a dose-dependent manner. The CaCO₃ crystals grown in the presence of a lower concentration of MSP-SC were much larger and aggregated when compared with those formed in the absence of MSP-SC. In addition, the crystal had a radial and not cubical morphology. These results suggest that MSP-SC regulates the formation and the morphology of CaCO₃ crystals in the shell. Moreover, its ability to aggregate CaCO₃ crystals and its localization along the horizontal calcified layer in the shell suggest that MSP-SC may serve to connect the CaCO₃ layers in the scallop shell.     

cDNA cloning and characterization of the warm-temperature-acclimation-associated protein Wap65 from carp, Cyprinus carpio

We determined full-length cDNA of carp warm-temperature-acclimation-associated 65-kDa protein (Wap65). It encoded 439 amino acid residues with a signal peptide of 22 residues and showed an amino acid sequence identity of 88% to that of goldfish reported before (J. Biol. Chem. 1995. 270: 17087–17092). The number of potential N-linked glycosylation sites of carp Wap65 was two in contrast to three for goldfish. In addition, molecular mass determined by SDS-PAGE was apparently different from that of goldfish. These results suggest that the amount of oligosaccharide is different between the carp and goldfish protein. As in goldfish, carp Wap65 mRNA showed marked accumulation in hepatopancreas of the 30 °C- acclimated fish, which was 8-fold higher than that of the 10 °C-acclimated fish. Carp Wap65 showed 30% amino acid identity to mammalian hemopexins, which appeared to be considerably low in comparison with those among mammalian hemopexins (72 to 80%), or among carp Wap65 and rainbow trout hemopexin-like protein (70%). However, although mammalian hemopexins contain residues comprising the heme binding pocket, carp Wap65 lacked one of the two histidine residues to serve as heme axial ligands in hemopexins. Our data on carp protein substantiates the previous observation for goldfish and indicates that Wap65 might have some important functions in warm-temperature-acclimation of fish.     

编码美洲螯龙虾肽聚糖识别蛋白（PGRP）cDNA的电子克隆及其生物信息学分析

利用电子克隆方法,获得编码美洲螯龙虾（Homarus americanus）肽聚糖识别蛋白（peptidoglycan recognition protein , PGRP）的cDNA序列及相应的氨基酸序列;采用生物信息学方法对其进行基本理化性质、亲疏水性、信号肽、二级结构、细胞定位、三级结构等的分析。结果获得一段长920 bp的编码美洲螯龙虾PGRP的cDNA序列,包含一个长834 bp的开放阅读框,编码277个氨基酸;编码蛋白是含有信号肽的分泌蛋白,含有1个C端PGRP结构域,表明是一种PGRP;分析结果显示该蛋白与黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）短型PGRP-SC2和PGRP-SD比较相似。     

三疣梭子蟹血细胞全长cDNA文库构建及EST初步分析

三疣梭子蟹是我国沿海重要养殖品种之一,近年来养殖病害呈逐年上升趋势,制约了三疣梭子蟹养殖产业的健康可持续发展。为大规模克隆三疣梭子蟹免疫相关基因,研究其免疫基因的功能和免疫机制,奠定三疣梭子蟹病害防治理论基础,采用SMART技术构建了三疣梭子蟹血细胞全长cDNA文库。经测定,文库滴度为1.14×107pfu/mL,文库总容量为5.7×107pfu,重组率达到98%,插入片段平均长度为817.5 bp。文库随机测序获得的70个全长cDNA,从中发现18个已知基因和5个未知基因。已知基因主要为多肽/蛋白质合成相关基因,共9个;免疫相关基因4个,分别是抗菌肽hyastatin、C-reactive prote in-1、profilin和m asquerade-like prote in,且4个免疫相关基因共有48个克隆,占测序总克隆的68.6%,表明血细胞中免疫相关基因表达非常活跃。研究结果证实,构建血细胞全长cDNA文库是大规模克隆三疣梭子蟹免疫相关基因的可靠途径,并为深入研究免疫相关基因的功能和免疫机制奠定基础。     

Isolation and expression of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ovarian cDNA encoding 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ5−4-isomerase

A distinct shift in steroidogenesis from testosterone to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone occurs in the salmonid ovarian thecal cell layers immediately prior to oocyte maturation, and is a prerequisite for the production of 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (maturation-inducing hormone of salmonid fishes) by granulosa cells during oocyte maturation. 17α-Hydroxylase/17,20-lyase cytochrome P-450 (P-450_17α) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/Δ^5?4-isomerase (3β-HSD) are the two major steroidogenic enzymes involved in the production of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone. Using mammalian cDNA probes, we isolated and characterized full-length cDNAs encoding these two enzymes from a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ovarian thecal cell cDNA library. The cloning of 2.4-kilobase cDNA encoding P-450_17α and transient expression of this clone in nonsteroidogenic monkey kidney tumor COS-1 cells have recently been reported (Sakai et al. 1992). We have isolated a 1.4-kilobase cDNA which is hybridized to the mammalian 3β-HSD cDNAs. Expression of this cDNA in COS-1 cells led to the production of an enzyme which is capable of converting dehydroepiandrosterone to androstenedione. In this study, enzymatic activities and expression of rainbow trout ovarian P-450_17α and 3β-HSD are discussed in relation of the steroidogenic shift occurring in the ovarian follicle layers.     

Characterization of a cDNA encoding a homolog of actin-related protein 4 from a marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis

ABSTRACT:   A cDNA ( PyARP4 ) containing an open reading frame for a protein of 573 amino acids was identified in the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis . The conceptual PyARP4 protein exhibits significant similarity to actin-related protein (ARP) 4 in the terrestrial plant Arabidopsis . Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence showed moderate sequence identity (30%) to a conventional actin in P. yezoensis , as seen in comparisons between ARP and conventional actins of other organisms. A putative bipartite nuclear localization signal and an actin motif were found within the PyARP4 amino acid sequence. In a phylogenetic analysis, the PyARP4 was found to cluster with the ARP4 of other organisms. The expression level of PyARP4 did not change significantly among four developmental stages of life cycle and was lower than that of a conventional actin. This cDNA therefore may serve as a useful internal standard in gene expression analyses of differentially expressed genes in P. yezoensis .