title: Changes in hepatic vitellogenin mRNA levels during oocyte development in the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica.
abstract: The induction of vitellogenesis is a complex process requiring coordinated control and expression of many hepatic gene products, such as vitellogenin (VTG). To investigate the regulation of VTG synthesis, knowledge of the molecular genetics of VTG is required. Here, the authors have isolated a partial cDNA encoding Japanese eel VTG using an immunoscreening technique. This cDNA contained an open reading frame of 1629 bp, predicted to encode 543 amino acid residues, the sequence of which showed high homology with the VTG of other fishes. Northern blot analysis yielded a VTG transcript of approximately 5.8 kb from eel hepatic tissue. Experimentally, VTG synthesis could be induced by treatment with salmon pituitary homogenate. The levels of VTG mRNA in the liver during the artificial maturation of female Japanese eels correspond well to levels of E2 and VTG in the serum.
authors.affiliation: Division of Marine Biosciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, 041-8611, Japan. okumura.hiromi@nasda.go.jp
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Todo
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000811:Anguilla / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology; D011061:Poly A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014819:Vitellogenins; D011061:Poly A