title: Wnt4 in protogynous hermaphroditic orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides): identification and expression.
abstract: Wnt4 (Wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 4) has been demonstrated to play critical roles in ovarian development in mammals, but its function in fish reproduction is still unclear. In the present study, two full-length wnt4 cDNA sequences (named wnt4a and wnt4b) were cloned from the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Amino acid alignment analysis showed that both orange-spotted grouper Wnt4s proteins had the typical characteristics of the Wnt family. RT-PCR revealed that both wnt4a and wnt4b were highly expressed in the ovaries of the orange-spotted grouper. Temporal expression profiles of both wnt4 genes during embryonic and ovarian development were examined. The expressions of wnt4a and wnt4b genes were first detected at the embryonic morula stage, but the gens showed different expression patterns. During ovarian development, high expression of wnt4a was observed in the ovarian lumen formation and gonium proliferation stage, while wnt4b exhibited strong expression in the early developmental stage of oocytes. Taken together, the present study indicates that the two wnt4 genes are involved in the regulation of ovarian development in the orange-spotted grouper.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China; Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
authors.forename: Huapu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Shuisheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
authors.forename: Guangli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: lsslxc@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China; College of Ocean, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, Hainan, China. Electronic address: lsslhr@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Haoran
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D060528:Wnt4 Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D060528:Wnt4 Protein
keywords: Embryonic development; Orange-spotted grouper; Ovarian development; Wnt4