Molecular cloning of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone subunits and expression pattern during spermatogenesis.
Pituitary gonadotropins (GTHs), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), are key regulators of vertebrate reproduction. However, in teleosts with testis of semi-cystic type and asynchronous spermatogenesis, as the flatfish Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis), the physiological roles of FSH and LH are still not well understood. To gain insight into this mechanism, full-length complementary DNAs (cDNAs) encoding Senegalese sole FSH beta and LH beta subunits, and the common glycoprotein alpha subunit (CG alpha), were cloned and sequenced. The three cDNAs consisted of 550, 582 and 744 nucleotides encoding peptides of 120, 148 and 132 amino acids, respectively. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of sole FSH beta, LH beta and CG alpha with those from other teleosts indicated that cysteine residues and potential N-linked glycosylation sites were fully conserved with respect to other percomorphs and salmonids. However, the primary structure of FSH beta and LH beta in pleuronectiforms appeared to be highly divergent. In situ hybridization of mature male pituitaries showed that fshb, lhb and cga mRNAs were localized in the proximal pars distalis and in the periphery of pars intermedia. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated that the levels of all three transcripts in the pituitary of males increased during winter and spring, at the time when plasma levels of androgens raised and testicular germ cell development and spermatozoa production were stimulated. These results suggest that FSH and LH may regulate spermatogenesis in Senegalese sole similarly to that described for other teleosts with testis of cystic type and synchronous germ cell development.
Cerdà
Joan
J
Laboratory IRTA-Institute of Marine Sciences, CSIC, Passeig Marítim, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. joan.cerda@irta.es <joan.cerda@irta.es>
Chauvigne
François
F
Agulleiro
Maria J
MJ
Marin
Elena
E
Halm
Silke
S
Martínez-Rodríguez
Gonzalo
G
Prat
Francisco
F
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007118:Immunoassay; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone