spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Choi, C. Y.
Right arrow Articles by Takashima, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Choi, C. Y.
Right arrow Articles by Takashima, F.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 203, Issue 21 3299-3306, Copyright © 2000 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Molecular cloning and hormonal control in the ovary of connexin 31.5 mRNA and correlation with the appearance of oocyte maturational competence in red seabream

CY Choi and F Takashima
Department of Aquatic Biosciences, Tokyo University of Fisheries, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan. choi_cy@hotmail.com

Gap junctions are aggregates of intercellular channels, composed of the protein connexin (Cx), between adjacent cells. This study examined whether, in the ovary of the red seabream Pagrus major, the connexin gene essential for the production of RNA and protein during the acquisition of oocyte maturational competence is active. Mixed primers for this reaction were designed on the basis of the high sequence homology of selected regions of known connexin genes. Polymerase-chain-reaction-amplified cDNA fragments generated by 3' and 5' rapid amplication of cDNA ends were combined to generate full-length cDNA sequences. The resulting 2400 base pair cDNA had an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide containing 275 amino acid residues (31493 Da; Cx31.5). Hydropathicity analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence indicated that red seabream Cx31.5 has four major hydrophobic regions and four major hydrophilic regions indicative of a topology similar to that of known connexins. Typical connexin consensus sequences were also observed in the first and second extracellular loops. During the acquisition of oocyte maturational competence, red seabream Cx31.5 mRNA transcription levels increased after treatment with gonadotropin-II. It is therefore proposed that expression of Cx31.5 contributes to the acquisition of oocyte maturational competence in this species.




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2000