title: Molecular cloning and measurement of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) transcription patterns in tissues of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) during aging.
abstract: Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein that maintains the ends of linear chromosomes. This enzyme plays a major role in cell processes like proliferation, differentiation and tumorigenesis, being associated with aging and survival of species. In this study, the gene coding for TERT (Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase) of two commercial fish species, European hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), has been partially cloned. A fragment of 1581bp (hake) and 633bp (cod) showed high homology (identity 74%, query cover 99%, E-value=0) with known Perciformes TERT sequences. TERT transcription patterns were assessed by qRT-PCR in different tissues of hake (brain, ovary, testis, muscle, skin, gills, liver and kidney) and cod (brain, muscle and skin) of different sizes/ages in order to understand its role in the physiological aging of teleosts. TERT was found to be ubiquitously transcribed in all tissues and size/age groups studied in both species. Significantly higher relative transcription levels (p<0.05) were found with increasing size/age of M. merluccius in the kidney, muscle, skin and gonad, the latter exhibiting particularly high relative transcription levels. Male hakes showed higher TERT relative transcription levels in the brain, gonad and liver than females, although these differences were not statistically significant (p<0.05). In G. morhua, higher TERT relative transcription levels were recorded in the muscle and brain of fry and juvenile individuals. Therefore, TERT relative transcription pattern exhibited a higher telomerase demand in early developmental stages and also in mature stages, suggesting tissue renewal or regeneration processes as a conserved mechanism for maintaining long-term cell proliferation capacity and preventing senescence. Thus, it can be concluded that TERT relative transcription level was species and tissue specific and changed with the age of fishes.
authors.affiliation: AZTI-Tecnalia, Marine Research Division, Txatxarramendi Ugartea z/g, 48395 Sukarrieta, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López de Abechuco
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PIE-UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, Areatza z/g, Plentzia, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bilbao
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PIE-UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, Areatza z/g, Plentzia, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: AZTI-Tecnalia, Marine Research Division, Txatxarramendi Ugartea z/g, 48395 Sukarrieta, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Díez
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D048388:Gadiformes / Q000235:genetics*; D048389:Gadus morhua / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012737:Sex Factors; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: Aging; Cod; Hake; Telomerase; Telomeres