Molecular cloning and expression analysis of fushi tarazu factor 1 in the brain of air-breathing catfish, Clarias gariepinus.
BACKGROUND
Fushi tarazu factor 1 (FTZ-F1) encodes an orphan nuclear receptor belonging to the nuclear receptor family 5A (NR5A) which includes adrenal 4-binding protein or steroidogenic factor-1 (Ad4BP/SF-1) and liver receptor homologue 1 (LRH-1) and plays a pivotal role in the regulation of aromatases.


RESULTS
Present study was aimed to understand the importance of FTZ-F1 in relation to brain aromatase (cyp19a1b) during development, recrudescence and after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) induction. Initially, we cloned FTZ-F1 from the brain of air-breathing catfish, Clarias gariepinus through degenerate primer RT-PCR and RACE. Its sequence analysis revealed high homology with other NR5A1 group members Ad4BP/SF-1 and LRH-1, and also analogous to the spatial expression pattern of the latter. In order to draw functional correlation of cyp19a1b and FTZ-F1, we analyzed the expression pattern of the latter in brain during gonadal ontogeny, which revealed early expression during gonadal differentiation. The tissue distribution both at transcript and protein levels revealed its prominent expression in brain along with liver, kidney and testis. The expression pattern of brain FTZ-F1 during reproductive cycle and after hCG induction, in vivo was analogous to that of cyp19a1b shown in our earlier study indicating its involvement in recrudescence.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on our previous results on cyp19a1b and the present data, it is plausible to implicate potential roles for brain FTZ-F1 in ovarian differentiation and recrudescence process probably through regulation of cyp19a1b in teleosts. Nevertheless, these interactions would require primary coordinated response from ovarian aromatase and its related transcription factors.
Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences-Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India.
Parikipandla
P
Sridevi
Aparna
A
Dutta-Gupta
Balasubramanian
B
Senthilkumaran
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002397:Catfishes; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D017931:DNA Primers; D051717:Fushi Tarazu Transcription Factors