title: Nuclear and membrane progestin receptors in the European eel: Characterization and expression in vivo through spermatogenesis.
abstract: Characterization of all the progestin receptor genes (PRs) found in the European eel has been performed. There were five membrane PRs (mPRs): mPRα (alpha), mPRAL1 (alpha-like1), mPRAL2 (alpha-like2), mPRγ (gamma), mPRδ (delta) and two nuclear PRs (nPRs or PGRs): pgr1 and pgr2. In silico studies showed that the C and E(F) domains of Pgr are well conserved among vertebrates whereas the A/B domain is not. Phylogeny and synteny analyses suggest that eel duplicated pgr (pgr1 and pgr2) originated from the teleost-specific third whole genome duplication (3R). mPR phylogeny placed three eel mPRs together with the mPRα clade, being termed mPRα, mPRAL1 and mPRAL2, while the other two eel mPRs clustered with mPRγ and mPRδ clades, respectively. The in vivo study showed differential expression patterns along the brain-pituitary-gonad axis. An increase in nPR transcripts was observed in brain (in pgr1) and pituitary (in pgr1 and pgr2) through the spermatogenesis, from the spermatogonia B/spermatocyte stage to the spermiation stage. In the testis, mPRγ, mPRδ and pgr2 transcripts showed the highest levels in testis with A spermatogonia as dominant germ cell, while the highest mPRα, mPRAL1 and mPRAL2 transcripts were observed in testis from spermiating males, where the dominant germ cell were spermatozoa. Further studies should elucidate the role of both nuclear and membrane progestin receptors on eel spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Acuicultura y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morini
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Acuicultura y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Peñaranda
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Acuicultura y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Vílchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nourizadeh-Lillabadi
authors.affiliation: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS 7208- IRD207- UPMC-UCBN, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Anne-Gaëlle
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Lafont
authors.affiliation: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Research Unit BOREA, Biology of Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems, CNRS 7208- IRD207- UPMC-UCBN, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Acuicultura y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Asturiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Finn-Arne
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Weltzien
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Acuicultura y Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Animal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: mlpereig@dca.upv.es.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D000811:Anguilla / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D004524:Eels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011372:Progestins / Q000235:genetics*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone
keywords: PGR; Teleost; mPR; nPR