Molecular cloning of hemoglobin alpha-chain gene from Pantholops hodgsonii, a hypoxic tolerance species.
To investigate the possible mechanisms of high-altitude native animals in adapting to high altitude, we cloned hemoglobin alpha-chain (alpha-chain Hb) gene from Pantholops hodgsonii, an animal species that indigenously lives at elevations of 3700-5500 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, the alpha-chain Hb gene was amplified from total RNA in the liver of the Pantholops hodgsonii. TA cloning technique was used and the PCR product was cloned into pGEM-T vector. The DNA sequence of the gene was highly homologous with sheep (99.1%), goat (98.6%), cattle (95.6%) and human (86.5%). The alpha-chain Hb gene encoded a 142-amino acid protein that could be identified with the homology of alpha-chain Hb protein in sheep (98%), goat (96%), cattle (91%) and human (87%). However, 18 alternations were detected when compared with the alpha-chain Hb gene in human, and 2 in sheep. Moreover, the alterations of á117 GluAsp and alpha 132 AsnSer in important regions were noted in human and sheep, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the structure of alpha-chain Hb was highly similar to that in sheep. This study provided essential information for elucidating the possible roles of hemoglobin in adapting to extremely high altitude in Pantholops hodgsonii.
Yingzhong
Yang
Y
Research Center for High Altitude Medical Sciences, Qinghai University Medical School, Xining 810001, P. R. China.
Droma
Yunden
Y
Guoen
Jin
J
Zhenzhong
Bai
B
Lan
Ma
M
Haixia
Yun
Y
Yue
Cao
C
Kubo
Keishi
K
Rili
Ge
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012418:Ruminants / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D006454:Hemoglobins