Differential gene expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP with high or low number of embryos in pigs during implantation

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether mRNA and protein expressions of implantation‐related genes (erythropoietin‐producing hepatocellular receptor–ligand A1, Eph‐ephrin A1 and leptin receptor–leptin, LEPR‐LEP) differed between pigs with high and low number of embryos, and whether these differences in gene expression might affect embryo implantation. Experimental pig groups (n = 24) for high and low number of embryos were prepared by altering the number of eggs ovulated in pre‐pubertal gilts treated with 1.5 × (High) or 1.0 × (Low) PG600 ([400 IU PMSG + 200 IU hCG]/dose, AKZO‐NOBEL). Gilts expressing oestrus were artificially inseminated twice and maintained in breeding and gestation until the reproductive tract was collected on day 22 of pregnancy. At slaughter, the reproductive tracts from each pregnant gilt from each treatment were immediately processed to collect samples for RNA and protein analysis. Within each gilt, three conceptus points were sampled, one from each horn and then a random conceptus within the tract. At each conceptus point, endometrial attachment site, chorion–allantois and embryo were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Number of corpus luteum (CL) (35.4 vs. 12.6) and total embryo number (18.8 vs. 10.2) were greater in the high‐embryo compared to the low‐embryo group, respectively (p < .05). Real‐time qPCR results showed that Eph‐ephrin A1 mRNA expression was less in the high‐embryo (p < .05) compared to the low‐embryo group. In addition, Western blotting analysis indicated that Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEP protein expression at endometrial attachment site in high‐embryo was less (p < .05) compared to low‐embryo group. It was also noted that mRNA expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP was greater in pregnant than non‐pregnant gilts (p < .05). Moreover, mRNA expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 (p < .05) and LEPR‐LEP was greatest at endometrial attachment site among all three tissues. There was a positive correlation between expressions of Eph‐ephrin A1, LEPR‐LEP and embryo length with the correlation coefficient 0.31–0.59. For Eph‐ephrin A1, the highest correlation coefficient appeared between Eph A1 expression and normal embryo number, between ephrin A1 expression and embryo length. For LEPR‐LEP, the highest correlation coefficient appeared between LEPR‐LEP expression and ovary weight (0.79 for both, p < .05), followed by embryo length and weight. The results of this study suggest that low expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP is somehow related to increased embryo number during implantation and that endometrial attachment site might be the main target tissue of these gene products. Yet, the increased expression of Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP appeared associated with increased embryo growth (length and weight) and ovary weight, Eph‐ephrin A1 and LEPR‐LEP might play roles in the regulation of embryo implantation in pigs.     

Molecular cloning and tissue distribution of a short form chicken leptin receptor mRNA

In mammals, alternative splicing of the leptin receptor (LEPR) produces several C-terminal truncated isoforms that are believed to play a role in the transport, cellular internalisation and degradation of the hormone leptin. The chicken leptin receptor (chLEPR) is similar to its mammalian counterparts in terms of its intron/exon structure and conserved motifs. However, it is unknown whether the chLEPR also undergoes alternative splicing. To test this, structural analysis of intron 19 of the chLEPR, equivalent to the intron in which alternative splicing occurs in mammals, was combined with 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (3'-RACE) to search for chLEPR splice variants. A 44-amino acid alternative exon 20 was identified that is spliced to generate a short isoform of the chLEPR (chLEPR-SF). Comparative sequence analysis of intron 19 identified two regions that are highly conserved between the chicken and mammals, indicating their possible importance as intronic elements in the regulation of alternative splicing of the LEPR in vertebrates. Tissue expression of the chLEPR-SF was lower and more restricted than that of the chLEPR long isoform. Collectively these data demonstrate that the chLEPR is alternatively spliced to produce at least one short isoform, as is the case in mammals.     

绵羊瘦素受体基因部分序列测定及其变异位点分析

试验旨在检测绵羊瘦素受体(leptin receptor,LEPR)基因序列突变位点,为进一步分析LEPR基因多态性与绵羊生长性状的关系奠定基础。选用美利奴羊与阿华西羊杂交群体作为试验材料,利用RT-PCR、测序等方法测定了4只绵羊的LEPR基因cDNA部分序列及内含子7序列,同时利用PCR-RFLP分析两个位点在群体(229只)中的多态性。测定出LEPR基因cDNA序列长2608 bp(包含外显子2-16完整序列及外显子1和17的部分序列)和LEPR第7内含子序列全长160 bp,共发现5个核苷酸变异位点,第2外显子中2个(T240C和A279G),第10、14外显子中各1个(A1683G,T2373C),内含子7中1个(1285+A73G),外显子中的4个变异位点均未引起编码氨基酸的改变。在研究群体中,A279G与A1683G中A的频率分别为0.415、0.467,后者处于非平衡状态,GG和AA是主要的单倍型。不同物种间序列一致性分值均比较高,但LEPR mRNA区序列一致性比内含子高,基于LEPR mRNA序列构建的系统发育树更符合实际情况,且可靠性值更高。结果表明,绵羊LEPR基因的保守性较强,突变形式主要是转换,A279G和A1683G可能是突变热点。     

瘦素受体表达量在苏钟猪脂肪沉积调控中的作用

瘦素受体（leptin receptor,LEPR）在机体的体质量平衡、造血、生殖、血管生成和免疫过程中发挥着重要作用。为进一步了解LEPR基因在苏钟猪脂肪沉积调控中的作用机制,本研究利用Real-time PCR方法和Western-blot方法分析该基因在12头苏钟猪中5个脂肪易沉积组织（心脏、肝脏、肾脏、背膘和眼肌）RNA和蛋白水平的表达谱信息。结果表明：LEPR的mRNA在这5种组织中均有表达,其在各组织中的mRNA表达丰度表现为：背膘〉眼肌〉心脏〉肝脏〉肾脏,其中在背膘的表达量极显著高于其他几种组织（P〈0.01）;LEPR蛋白在这5种组织中也均有表达,其中在心脏中的表达量最高,显著高于其他组织（P〈0.01）,且在公猪组织的表达量显著高于母猪组织（P〈0.05）;另外,LEPR第18外显子在苏钟猪群中检测到3个高突变率的SNPs。LEPR对苏钟猪的背膘、肌肉、心脏、肾脏、肝脏等组织的脂肪沉积有重要影响,是苏钟猪肉质改良育种中潜在的重要候选基因。     

Effect of chicken leptin recptor short hairpin RNA on expression of JAK2, STAT3, SOCS3 and CPT1 genes in chicken preadipocytes

In this study, we detect depressive effect on leptin receptor (LEPR) by LEPR‐specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression plasmids in chicken preadipocytes, and effect on messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of genes related to signal transduction, including JAK2, STAT3, SOCS3 as well as CPT1, which is associated with fatty acid metabolism. shRNA expression vectors targeting LEPR were constructed and transfected into chicken preadipocytes. The transfection efficiency was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Real‐time PCR was used to detect its effect on mRNA expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, SOCS3 and CPT1. Results showed that LEPR mRNA was knocked down by 99% (P < 0.01) after transfection for 72 h. In the knockdown preadipocytes, the mRNA levels of JAK2 and CPT1 were down‐regulated by 47.56% (P < 0.01) and 42.26% (P < 0.05), respectively; while expression of STAT3 and SOCS3 increased 7.72‐fold (P < 0.01), 1.71‐fold (P < 0.01), respectively. It is concluded that knockdown of LEPR influences mRNA expression of its down‐stream genes, suggesting that chicken LEPR play a certain role in regulating genes in the complicated gene network of preadipocytes.     

水牛瘦素受体基因密码子使用偏好性分析

试验选取27头河流型水牛和41头沼泽型水牛,以从NCBI数据库中下载的家牛、野牦牛、野牛、绵羊、山羊、小鼠和人的序列作对照,对编码瘦素受体（leptin receptor,LEPR）基因的密码子偏好性及水牛与其他物种间密码子使用的差异和进化关系进行了深入分析。结果发现,所有的密码子在河流型水牛和沼泽型水牛LEPR基因中均有使用,两种类型水牛偏好使用的密码子有28个,其中使用偏好性较强的密码子为AGA（RSCU≥2）,表明河流型水牛和沼泽型水牛LEPR基因密码子使用特征相似。水牛及参考物种LEPR基因均偏好使用以A/U结尾的密码子,但水牛与其他参考物种间偏好使用密码子的种类和数目有差异。密码子使用偏好聚类分析表明,河流型水牛与沼泽型水牛亲缘关系最近,先聚为一类,然后与家牛、野牦牛和野牛聚为一类,再与绵羊、山羊、小鼠和人等物种聚为一类。在密码子使用频率上,河流型水牛LEPR基因与酵母密码子偏好性差异小于与大肠杆菌和小鼠密码子偏好性差异,从而揭示酵母更适合作为水牛LEPR基因的外源表达系统。     

Analysis of Codon Usage Bias of Leptin Receptor Gene in Buffalo

The experiment was aimed to study the synonymous codon usage features of leptin receptor (LEPR) gene in buffalos, the codon usage differences and evolutionary relationships between buffalo and other reference species. The coding region of LEPR gene from 27 river buffalo and 41 swamp buffalo were sequencing,and Bos taurus,Bos mutus,Bos bison,Ovis aries,Capra hircus,Mus musculus and Homo sapiens were chosen as reference species from NCBI database. The results showed that all synonymous codons were used in the LEPR gene of river buffalo and swamp buffalo. Two kinds of buffalo had 28 biased usage codons. Among them,strongly biased codon was AGA (RSCU≥2),which indicated that codon usage features were similar in LEPR gene of two types of buffalo. Furthermore,buffalo and the species compared in this study were bias toward the synonymous codons with A/U at the third codon position in LEPR gene.However,the types and numbers of bias usage codons were different between buffalo and the species compared. Clustering analysis showed that the relationship between river buffalo and swamp buffalo was the closest,and they gathered into one group firstly,then they gathered with Bos taurus,Bos mutus and Bos bison,and further gathered in turn with Ovis aries,Capra hircus,Mus musculus and Homo sapiens.The frequency differences of synonymous codon usage between buffalo LEPR gene and yeast genome were less than that between buffalo and E.coli,Mus musculus genome,suggesting that yeast might be more suitable as an external expression system for buffalo LEPR gene.     

Copy number variations at LEPR gene locus associated with gene expression and phenotypic traits in Chinese cattle

Current evidences show that copy number variations (CNVs) are linked to complex phenotypic traits. Leptin receptor (LEPR) gene plays a critical role in energy homeostasis and fat development and re‐sequencing of the cattle genome revealed the CNV region (herein referred to as “I3 DNA”) within the LEPR intron 3. In the present study, we qualified copy numbers of I3 DNA within LEPR gene in four cattle breeds (Qinchuan, Nanyang, Jinnan and Xianan) by quantitative PCR, and explored their impacts on LEPR gene expression and phenotypic traits in Qinchuan and Nanyang cattle. The results showed that more individuals in Nanyang are with loss of the I3 DNA copy number than that in the others. Additionally, I3 DNA CNVs exhibited a significant negative correlation with LEPR gene expression (P < 0.05). Association analysis showed that gain/normal copy number types performed better traits of body weight, body height and body length than the loss type in Nanyang. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence of the association between LEPR CNVs and cattle traits, and this may help deep understanding of the function of CNVs which may be promising markers for beef cattle breeding and genetics. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

LEPR基因在贵州白山羊组织中的表达

为探究瘦素受体基因(LEPR)在贵州白山羊组织中的表达规律,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测LEPR基因在贵州白山羊心、肝、脾、肺、肾、肠、背肌、腿肌和皮下脂肪9个组织的表达量。结果表明:目的基因LEPR和内参基因GAPDH的熔解曲线均呈单一峰形,说明所选条件可准确定量LEPR基因在贵州白山羊各组织中的相对表达量。具体表达量为脂肪脾肺背肌肠肝肾心腿肌。