Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor(MITF)is an essential transactivator in melanin synthesis.To characterize the role of MITF in the pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii,the MITF homolog of H.cumingii was isolat...Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor(MITF)is an essential transactivator in melanin synthesis.To characterize the role of MITF in the pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii,the MITF homolog of H.cumingii was isolated.The full-length HcMitf cDNA consisted of a 1332-bp with an open reading frame that encode for a 443 amino acid protein that contain a conserved basic helix-loop-helix zipper domain.The HcMitf was found to widespread tissue distribution but expression was higher in purple mussels than in white mussels,mostly in mantle,liver,kidney,gill,and foot with the exception of the adductor mussel.HcMitf and its downstream gene tyrosinase(HcTyr)were highly expressed at the nacre deposition stage after implantation of mantle tissue to produce pearls.Using RNA interference,the expression of HcMitf was reduced by 78%(P<0.01)and expression of HcTyr was also significantly suppressed and consequently total melanin content was decreased(P<0.05).The results suggest that HcMitf plays an important role in melanin synthesis,nacre formation and shell pigmentation in the H.cumingii.展开更多
基金Work was supported by the earmarked fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System(CARS-49)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31672654)the Project of Shanghai Engineering and Technology Center for Promoting Ability(16DZ2281200).
文摘Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor(MITF)is an essential transactivator in melanin synthesis.To characterize the role of MITF in the pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii,the MITF homolog of H.cumingii was isolated.The full-length HcMitf cDNA consisted of a 1332-bp with an open reading frame that encode for a 443 amino acid protein that contain a conserved basic helix-loop-helix zipper domain.The HcMitf was found to widespread tissue distribution but expression was higher in purple mussels than in white mussels,mostly in mantle,liver,kidney,gill,and foot with the exception of the adductor mussel.HcMitf and its downstream gene tyrosinase(HcTyr)were highly expressed at the nacre deposition stage after implantation of mantle tissue to produce pearls.Using RNA interference,the expression of HcMitf was reduced by 78%(P<0.01)and expression of HcTyr was also significantly suppressed and consequently total melanin content was decreased(P<0.05).The results suggest that HcMitf plays an important role in melanin synthesis,nacre formation and shell pigmentation in the H.cumingii.