title: Molecular cloning of vasa gene and the effects of LHRH-A on its expression in blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus.
abstract: The full length of vasa cDNA in blue tilapia Oreochromis aureus was cloned and sequenced using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the cDNA contained 2,143 bp and was consisted of a 48-bp 5' untranslated terminal region (5'-UTR), a 157-bp 3' untranslated terminal region (3'-UTR) and a 1,938-bp open reading frame (ORF) which encoded 645 amino acids. Homological protein analysis showed that vasa in O. aureus was highly conserved with Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Tissue distribution expression analysis indicated that vasa was specifically expressed in the gonads. Using in situ hybridization, we found that vasa was expressed in spermatogonia and spermatocytes rather than spermatids and sperm. In order to examine the influence of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog (LHRH-A) on vasa, the in vivo injections were performed different concentrations of LHRH-A. Our results showed that LHRH-A induced meiosis and down-regulated vasa mRNA expression. In summary, our results showed that vasa was specifically expressed in gonads and LHRH-A inhibited vasa expression in the testis. Our results also suggested that LHRH-A could regulate vasa gene expression in O. aureus testis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Yongju
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Libing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yulin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhongbao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Enyan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhanyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism; D017210:Tilapia / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases