Characterization of SNAP-25 gene from marine teleostean, Lateolabrax japonicus

The t-SNARE protein SNAP-25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa) plays an essential role in regulating fusion between the vesicle and plasma membranes during exocytosis. To clone and characterize SNAP-25 gene, the first step in the functional study of SNARE proteins in marine teleostean, was to obtain the cDNA of sea perch SNAP-25 (SPsn25) by RT-PCR and RACE-PCR amplification of a Japanese sea perch. The full-length cDNA of 831bp contains a CDS of 615 bp, coding 204 amino acid residues, and a 5′UTR of 219bp. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that SPsn25 corresponds with SNAP-25a isoform and shares 91.1% identity with SNAP-25a of a goldfish and a zebrafish. The SPsn25 expression in both mRNA and protein levels in the Japanese sea perch had been identified through semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western Blot assay. Together, these data again confirmed the nerve tissue specificity of the fish SNAP-25 gene expression.     

Construction of cDNA subtractive library from pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata Gould) with red color shell by SSH

The molecular basis of color polymorphism in the shells of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata is largely unknown. We developed a red-shelled family line and used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to screen for differentially expressed genes in red- and non-red-shelled pearl oysters. We constructed forward and reverse cDNA subtractive libraries consisting of 2 506 and 797 clones, respectively. Among 343 randomly selected clones in the forward library, 304 sequences were identified in GenBank using BLASTx and BLASTn. Of the 304 sequences, 13 showed no similarity to known sequences and 291 were matched with known genes of the pearl oyster, including shematrin-1, shematrin-2, shematrin-6, shematrin-7, nacrein, nacrein-like protein, aspein for shell matrix protein, glycine-rich protein, mantle gene 5, 28S, EST00031, EST00036, 16S, and COΙ. In the reverse library, 7 clones were sequenced and analyzed by BLAST. Two sequences shared similarity with EST00036 from the P. fucata subtraction cDNA library, four with the P. fucata mitochondrial gene for 16S rRNA and 1 with P. fucata shematrin-2. We evaluated the expression of 12 genes from the forward library using RT PCR. Two sequences matched with 16S and COΙ so were considered to be false positives. The remaining 10 sequences were differentially expression in the red-shelled pearl oysters. Our results suggest that differential expression of these genes may be related to color variation in the red-shelled family line of the pearl oyster.     

Molecular Cloning,Expression and Characterization of Peroxisome Proliferators-Activated Receptors Gamma in the Sea Urchin(Strongylocentrotus intermedius)

Peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma(PPARγ) plays important regulatory roles in adipocyte differentiation. In this study, we cloned the full-length sequence of the PPARγ gene and analyzed its expression profile in different developmental stages and tissues of Strongylocentrotus intermedius. The full-length cDNA of PPARγ contains 2286 base pairs(bp) with a putative open reading frame of 1755 bp, and the gene encodes encoding a polypeptide of 584 amino acid residues. The predicted molecular mass of the protein is 67.27 kDa, and its theoretical isoelectric point(pI) is 10.07. The protein contains conserved motifs, including an RRM(RNA recognition motif) domain. PPARγ expression with the highest level was observed in the gonad, and the lowest was observed in the tube feet of S. intermedius. Time-course expression measurements at different developmental stages showed that the highest expression level of PPARγ is in the eggs and its weakest expression level is in the 32-cells stage. Knock-down of PPARγ by specific siRNA revealed that UCP2 expression is significantly decreased in the gonads and intestines 48 h post-transfection, indicating that the UCP2 is a downstream target gene of PPARγ.This finding suggests that PPARγ and UCP2 have positive regulatory effects in regulating adipocyte differentiation. Changes in fatty acid levels in the gonads before and after PPARγ interference were assessed, and decreased C18:2(trans, n-6) and C20:3(n-6) levels were observed 48 h after siRNA transfection. The results showed the function of PPARγ in fatty acid anabolism, The data are helpful to improve the current understanding of the fatty acid synthesis pathways and regulatory mechanisms in S. intermedius. They also provide an experimental basis for improving fatty acid synthesis in sea urchins, which is important for cultivating sea urchins with high nutritional value.     

Development of a real-time PCR method (Taqman) for rapid identification and quantification of Prorocentrum donghaiense

Prorocentrum donghaiense is a dinoflagellate that is widely distributed in the East China Sea and has become increasingly involved in Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Therefore, it is necessary to study this dinoflagellate to monitor HABs. In this study, 13 pairs of primers specific to P. donghaiense (within its internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions) were designed for SYBR Green I real-time PCR. As the SYBR Green I real-time PCR could not identify P. donghaiense in a specific manner, a Taqman real-time PCR method was developed by designing a set of specific primers and a Taqman probe. A 10-fold serial dilution of recombinant plasmid containing ITS regions of P. donghaiense was prepared as standard samples and the standard curve was established. Additionally, we quantified the genomic DNA in P. donghaiense cells and utilized this DNA to prepare another 10-fold serial dilution of standard sample and accordingly set up the standard curve. The mathematic correlation between the cell number and its corresponding plasmid copy number was also established. In order to test the efficiency of the real-time PCR method, laboratory samples and P. donghaiense HAB field samples were employed for identification and quantitative analysis. As to laboratory samples, as few as 102 cells of P. donghaiense could be quantified precisely utilizing both centrifugation and filtration techniques. The quantification results from field samples by real-time PCR were highly similar to those by light microscopy. In conclusion, the real-time PCR could be applied to identify and quantify P. donghaiense in HABs.     

Acclimation-dependent expression of heat shock protein 70 in Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai Ino) and its acute response to thermal exposure

Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is one important member of heat shock protein (Hsp) family that is responsible for various stresses, especially thermal stress. Here we examined the response of Hsp70 gene to both chronic and acute thermal exposure in Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai Ino). For the chronic exposure, abalones were maintained at 8, 12, 20, and 30°C for four months and their mRNA levels were measured. The highest mRNA level of Hsp70 gene relative to actin gene was detected in the 30°C-acclimated group, followed by the 8°C-acclimated group and then the 12°C- and 20°C-acclimated groups. After the long-term acclimation, gills from each of the above acclimation groups were dissected and exposed to different temperatures between 8°C and 38°C for 30 min. Hsp70 expression in gills acclimated to different temperatures responded differentially to the same temperature exposure. The incubation temperature that induced maximum Hsp70 mRNA expression was higher in the higher temperature acclimation groups than lower temperature groups. Pacific abalones could alter the expression pattern of Hsp70 gene according to environmental thermal conditions, through which they deal with the stress of thermal variations.     

Effects of different phosphorus concentrations and N/P ratios on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Skeletonema costatum and Prorocentrum donghaiense

The effects of different phosphorus(P) concentrations(0.36, 3.6, and 36 μmol/L corresponding to low-, middle-, and high-P concentration groups, respectively) and nitrogen(N)/P ratios on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of S keletonema costatum and Prorocentrum donghaiense were studied. For both species, the high-P(HP) concentration group showed the greatest algal density and highest specifi c growth rate. Changes in the maximum effi ciency of photosystem Ⅱ(F _v/F_m) were monitored under the various P and N/P conditions. The largest decrease in F _v/F_m was in the low-P(LP) group in S. costatum and in the HP group in P. donghaiense. There were high rapid light curves and photochemical quantum yields(Φ _(PSⅡ)) for S. costatum in the HP group, while the actual photosynthetic capacity was higher in P. donghaiense than in S. costatum in the MP group. Under eutrophic but relatively P-restricted conditions, P. donghaiense had higher photosynthetic activity and potential, which could cause this dinofl agellate to increasingly dominate the phytoplankton community in these conditions. Under the same P concentration and N/P ratio, P. donghaiense had a larger relative maximum rate of electron transport and higher Φ _(PSⅡ) values than those of S. costatum. These differences between P. donghaiense and S. costatum may explain the interaction and succession patterns of these two species in the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary from a photosynthesis perspective.     

Molecular cloning and mRNA expression analysis of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) from fast skeletal muscle of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella

The myosin heavy chain(MyHC)is one of the major structural and contracting proteins of muscle.We have isolated the cDNA clone encoding MyHC of the grass carp,Ctenopharyngodon idella. The sequence comprises 5 934 bp,including a 5 814 bp open reading frame encoding an amino acid sequence of 1 937 residues.The deduced amino acid sequence showed 69%homology to rabbit fast skeletal MyHC and 73%–76%homology to the MyHCs from the mandarin fish,walleye pollack,white croaker,chum salmon,and carp.The putative sequences of subfragment-1 and the light meromyosin region showed 61.4%–80%homology to the corresponding regions of other fish MyHCs.The tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific expressions of the MyHC gene were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR.The MyHC gene showed the highest expression in the muscles compared with the kidney,spleen and intestine.Developmentally,there was a gradual increase in MyHC mRNA expression from the neural formation stage to the tail bud stage.The highest expression was detected in hatching larva.Our work on the MyHC gene from the grass carp has provided useful information for fish molecular biology and fish genomics.