Molecular characterization of Chinese sturgeon gonadotropins and cellular distribution in pituitaries of mature and immature individuals.
Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) is a rare and endangered species, and also an important resource for the sturgeon aquaculture industry. To understand molecular characterization of Chinese sturgeon gonadotropins (GTHs), we cloned the full-length cDNAs of gonadotropin subunits common alpha (GTH-alpha), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from a pituitary cDNA library of mature female. Two subtypes of GTH-alpha were identified. The nucleotide sequences of A. sinensis common alpha I (AsGTH-alpha I), common alpha II (AsGTH-alpha II), FSHbeta (AsFSHbeta) and LHbeta (AsLHbeta) subunit cDNAs are 345, 363, 387 and 414bp in length, and encode mature peptides of 115, 121, 129 and 138aa, respectively. Then, three polyclonal antibodies were prepared from the in vitro expressed AsGTH-alpha I, AsFSHbeta and AsLHbeta mature proteins, respectively. Significant expression differences were revealed between immature and mature sturgeon pituitaries. Western blot detection and immunofluoresence localization revealed the existence of three-gonadotropin subunits (AsGTH-alpha, AsFSHbeta and AsLHbeta) in mature sturgeon pituitaries, but only AsFSHbeta was detected in immature individual pituitaries during early stages in the sturgeon life, and obvious difference was observed between males and females. In males, AsFSHbeta was expressed in 4-year-old individuals, whereas in females, AsFSHbeta was just expressed in 5-year-old individuals.
State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
Hong
H
Cao
Li
L
Zhou
Yan-Zhen
YZ
Zhang
Qi-Wei
QW
Wei
Xi-Hua
XH
Chen
Jian-Fang
JF
Gui
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit; D006062:Gonadotropins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone