title: Expression Profiles of Cellular Retinol-binding Protein, Type II (CRBP II) in Erlang Mountainous Chickens.
abstract: Cellular retinol-binding protein II (CRBP II) belongs to the family of cellular retinol-binding proteins and plays a major role in absorption, transport, and metabolism of vitamin A. In addition, because vitamin A is correlated with reproductive performance, we measured CRBP II mRNA abundance in erlang mountainous chickens by real-time PCR using the relative quantification method. The expression of CRBP II showed a tissue-specific pattern and egg production rate-dependent changes. The expression was very high (p<0.05) in jejunum and liver, intermediate in kidney, ovary, and oviduct, and lowest (p<0.05) in heart, hypothalamus, and pituitary. In the hypothalamus, oviduct, ovary, and pituitary, CRBP II mRNA abundance were correlated to egg production rate, which increased from 12 wk to 32 wk, peaked at 32 wk relative to the other time points, and then decreased from 32 wk to 45 wk. In contrast, the expression of CRBP II mRNA in heart, jejunum, kidney, and liver was not different at any of the ages evaluated in this study. These data may help to understand the genetic basis of vitamin A metabolism, and suggest that CRBP II may be a candidate gene to affect egg production traits in chickens.
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: H D
authors: HD
authors: Yin
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Tian
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: D Y
authors: DY
authors: Li
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: E R
authors: ER
authors: Gilbert
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: L H
authors: LH
authors: Xiao
authors: Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu Campus, Chengdu 611130, China .
authors: S Y
authors: SY
authors: Chen
authors: Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu Campus, Chengdu 611130, China .
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: Y P
authors: YP
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: X L
authors: XL
authors: Zhao
authors: Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA .
authors: Q
authors: Q
authors: Zhu
keywords: CRBP II; Chicken; Egg Laying Rate; mRNA Expression