title: Germ cell specific expression of Vasa in rare minnow, Gobiocypris rarus.
abstract: Germ cells are set aside early with somatic cells and take roles for reproduction of species from one generation to the next generation. Vasa, a member of DEAD family is well documented as germ cell marker in the animal kingdom. Rare minnow, Gobiocypris rarus, is an emerging model fish in China to study development and toxicology, etc. A suitable germ cell marker will benefit the studies of the factors that may influence germ cell development. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of G. rarus vasa named Grvas whose protein product has the typical characteristics of Vasa proteins. RT-PCR results showed that Grvas is expressed specifically in the gonads of male and female, it is maternally deposited into the eggs for embryos and is continuously expressed in the embryos from the zygote to larvae and adult. Grvas mRNA and/or protein is restricted to the germ cells of ovary and testis. Temporal expression of Grvas mRNA is similar to that of zebrafish vasa during embryogenesis. Grvas signals are coincident with primordial germ cells. These results mean that a germ cell marker, Grvas is isolated from rare minnow and its expression is exclusively in germ cells.
authors.affiliation: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrated Biology, School of Life Sciences, Huazhong Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei 430079, China.
authors.forename: Mengxi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jundan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jialin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Haobin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases