title: Molecular cloning and expression patterns of the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) gene during the reproductive cycle in goose (Anas cygnoides).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CYP11A1, a gene belonging to the family 11 of cytochrome P450, encodes a crucial steroidogenic enzyme that catalyzes the initial step in the production of all classes of steroids. Many studies show that CYP11A1 plays a role in ovary function. However, the role of CYP11A1 in goose reproductive cycle remains largely unknown.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, full-length CYP11A1 cDNA of Zhedong goose was obtained using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The cDNA consisted of a 96-base pair (bp) 5'untranslated region (UTR), a 179-bp 3'UTR and a 1509-bp open reading frame. The open reading frame encodes a putative 503 amino acid protein that shares high homology with CYP11A1 of other birds. The amino acid sequence possesses conserved domains of the P450 superfamily, which include the steroid-binding domain and the heme-binding region. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis revealed CYP11A1 mRNA was expressed ubiquitously in every Zhedong goose tissue analyzed, including the heart, liver, glandular stomach, lung, spleen, kidney, intestinum tenue, intestinum crassum, cerebrum, cerebellum, muscle, oviduct, pituitary, hypothalamus and ovary.. The relatively low levels of CYP11A1 mRNA were detected in pituitary, ovary and oviduct tissues at ovulation when compared with levels at oviposition. Interestingly, higher expression was observed in ovary and oviduct tissues during brooding. Lastly, higher mRNA expression of Yangzhou geese was detected during the ovulation period than that of Zhedong geese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings reveal the sequence characterization and expression patterns of the CYP11A1 gene during the goose reproductive cycle, which may provides correlative evidence that CYP11A1 expression is important in reproduction activity.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Yadong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Zhengyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Wenming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Guobin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Molecular Design of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 PR China.
authors.forename: Guohong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: CYP11A1; Gene expression; Goose; Reproduction