title: Molecular cloning and analysis of gonadal expression of Foxl2 in the rice-field eel Monopterus albus.
abstract: We isolated the complete Foxl2 (Foxl2a) cDNA from the Monopterus albus ovary. An alignment of known Foxl2 amino-acid sequences confirmed the conservation of the Foxl2 open reading frame, especially the forkhead domain and C-terminal region. The expression of Foxl2 was detected in the brain, eyes, and gonads. A high level of Foxl2 expression in the ovary before sex reversal, but its transcripts decreased sharply when the gonad developed into the ovotestis and testis. The correlation between the Foxl2 expression and the process of sex development revealed the important function of Foxl2 during the sex reversal of M. albus. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that Foxl2 was expressed abundantly in granulosa cells and in the interstitial cells of the ovotestis and testis. These results suggest that Foxl2 plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of ovarian function. Foxl2 may be also involved in the early development of testis and the development of ocular structures of M. albus.
authors.affiliation: 1] College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China [3] Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: 1] College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China [3] Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: 1] College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China [3] Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: 1] College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China [3] Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: 1] College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China [2] Life Science College, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China [3] Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, China [4] Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors