Characterization, Expression and Function Analysis of DAX1 Gene of Scallop(Chlamys farreri Jones and Preston 1904) During Its Gametogenesis

DAX1, a member of nuclear receptor superfamily, has a function in the sex determination and gonadal differentiation of several vertebrate species. However, little information about DAX1 of invertebrates is available. Here we cloned a homolog of scallop(Chlamys farreri Jones and Preston 1904) dax1, Cf-dax1, and determined its expression characteristics at m RNA and protein levels. The c DNA sequence of Cf-dax1 was 2093 bp in length, including 1404 bp open reading frame(ORF) encoding 467 amino acids. Unlike those of vertebrates, no conserved LXXLL-related motif was found in the putative DNA binding region of Cf-DAX1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that Cf-dax1 located on the short arm of a pair of subtelocentric chromosomes. Tissue distribution analysis using semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed that Cf-dax1 expressed widely in adult scallop tissues, with the highest expression level found in adductor muscle, moderate level in mantle, gill and testis, and low level in kidney, ovary and hepatopancreas. The result of quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the expression of Cf-dax1 was significantly higher(P<0.05) in testis than in ovary at the same stage, showing a sex-dimorphic expression pattern. Furthermore, immunohistochemical detection found that Cf-DAX1 mainly located in spermatogonia and spermatocytes of testis and in oogonia and oocytes of ovary, implying that DAX1 may involve in gametogenesis of bivalves.

Molecular cloning and characterization of SoxB2 gene from Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri

The Sox proteins play critical roles during the development of animals, including sex determination and central nervous system development. In this study, the SoxB2 gene was cloned from a mollusk, the Zhikong scallop （Chlamysfarreri）, and characterized with respect to phylogeny and tissue distribution. The full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of C. farreri SoxB2 （CflSoxB2） were obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends and genome walking, respectively, using a partial cDNA fragment from the highly conserved DNA-binding domain, i.e., the High Mobility Group （HMG） box. The full-length cDNA sequence of CJSoxB2 was 2 048 bp and encoded 268 amino acids protein. The genomic sequence was 5 551 bp in length with only one exon. Several conserved elements, such as the TATA-box, GC-box, CAAT-box, GATA-box, and Sox/sry-sex/testis-determining and related HMG box factors, were found in the promoter region. Furthermore, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR assays were carried out to assess the mRNA expression of CJSoxB2 in different tissues. SoxB2 was highly expressed in the mantle, moderately in the digestive gland and gill, and weakly expressed in the gonad, kidney and adductor muscle. In male and female gonads at different developmental stages of reproduction, the expression levels of CfS;oxB2 were similar. Considering the specific expression and roles of SoxB2 in other animals, in particular vertebrates, and the fact that there are many pallial nerves in the mantle, cerebral ganglia in the digestive gland and gill nerves in gill, we propose a possible essential role in nervous tissue function for SoxB2 in C.farreri.