摘要
Mest基因是一种印记基因,在人、小鼠以及其他的哺乳动物和有花植物中都有研究报道。为了更好地研究该基因的功能和进化特点,利用RACE法获得了中华大蟾蜍Mest基因(BgMest)的cDNA全长序列(1 325 bp),它包含一个完整的ORF,可编码326个氨基酸的多肽(GenBank登陆号:ABQ10905)。多肽链中包含一个典型的α/β水解酶折叠结构域,其在氨基酸水平上与热带爪蟾和一些哺乳动物分别存在86%和70%～80%的相似性。进化树分析显示Mest基因为单系起源。RT-PCR显示,BgMest基因在精巢、卵巢、肝、肾、脑、胃和肺中都有表达,并且该基因在序列、表达模式以及蛋白产物的高级结构的高度保守性都说明它在两栖类生物中是保守的。但是在对哺乳动物以及一些脊椎动物的印记基因进行进化分析时,发现它们具有不同的起源。
The Mest （mesoderm-specific transcript） gene has been considered an imprinting gene in human and mouse, and was also confirmed in other mammals and flowering plants. To investigate the function and evolution of this gene, the cDNA of full length Mest gene was obtained using 5＇- and 3＇-RACE from the Chinese Large Toad （Bufo gargarizans）. The transcript is 1 325bp in length which contains a complete open reading frame （ORF） encoding a polypeptide of 326 amino acids （GenBank accession number： ABQ10905）. There is a typical 0./13 hydrolase fold domain in the putative gene product, and it shows high similarity to sequence of homologous protein of Xenopus tropicali （86%）, mammlian （70% - 80%）. RT-PCR （reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction） analysis demonstrated that the Bufo gargarizans Mest （BgMest） gene is expressed widely in testis, ovary, liver, kidney, spleen, brain, stomach and lung. The conservation of the BgMest gene sequences, protein secondary structure of the BgMest protein, in addition to the expression pattern of the BgMest gene, suggested that the function of BgMest was conserved in amphibians. However, the phylogenetic tree of the imprinting gene of the mammals and other vertebrates examined in this study indicated their divergent origins.
基金
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30770296)
the Natural and Science Key Project of Anhui Educational Department (KJ2007A022)
the Key Lab Project of Biotic Environment and Ecology Safety in Anhui Province (2006)
