title: Bone morphogenetic protein-15 in the zebrafish ovary: complementary deoxyribonucleic acid cloning, genomic organization, tissue distribution, and role in oocyte maturation.
abstract: Bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15) is a member of the TGFbeta family known to regulate ovarian functions in mammals. The structure and function of BMP-15 in lower vertebrates are less known. In this study, we cloned the zebrafish BMP-15 (zfBMP-15) cDNA and depicted its genomic organization. The zfBMP-15 cDNA encodes a protein of 384 amino acids. The mature protein has 46-51% sequence identities to fugu, chicken, and mammalian BMP-15. It also shares 38-46% homology with growth and differentiation factor-9 in fishes, chicken, and mammals. Phylogenetic analysis further confirms that the zfBMP-15 is most closely related to BMP-15 from other species, whereas the growth and differentiation factor-9 peptides from fish to mammals form a distinct branch. Comparison of zfBMP-15 cDNA with zebrafish genome database revealed that zfBMP-15 is encoded by a gene with two exons and one intron, located on chromosome 6. BMP-15 mRNA is expressed in the ovary and testis and, to a lesser extent, brain, liver, gut, heart, and muscle. Real-time PCR revealed that BMP-15 is expressed in follicles at all stages of development with no significant changes over the course of folliculogenesis. Using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry, we detected BMP-15 in both oocytes and follicular cells. Incubation of follicles with antiserum against zfBMP15 increased oocyte maturation, whereas incubation with recombinant human BMP-15 suppressed human chorionic gonadotropin-induced oocyte maturation. These findings suggest that BMP-15 plays a role in regulating gonadal functions in fish, in particular oocyte maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clelland
authors.forename: Gurneet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kohli
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimasaki
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D002645:Chickens; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008322:Mammals; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C525901:BMP15 protein, human; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; C525897:GDF9 protein, human; D055429:Growth Differentiation Factor 9; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins