HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 69/1/355    most recent biolreprod.102.011627v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Avarre, J.-C. Articles by Lubzens, E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Avarre, J.-C. Articles by Lubzens, E. Agricola Articles by Avarre, J.-C. Articles by Lubzens, E.

Relationship Between Vitellogenin and Vitellin in a Marine Shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus) and Molecular Characterization of Vitellogenin Complementary DNAs¹

Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research,⁴ Haifa 31080, Israel Department of Neurobiochemistry,⁵ Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 66978, Israel

The source of yolk proteins in crustacean ovaries has been the subject of controversy for several decades, and both extraovarian and intraovarian synthesized proteins have been implicated. To offer a new insight into the relationship of vitellogenin (VTG) and vitellin (VT), a comparison of extraovarian VTG and ovarian VT of the marine shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus was performed at the protein and cDNA levels. Two cDNAs (7920 and 2068 nucleotides [nt]) were sequenced for VTG from the ovary and one cDNA (7920 nt) was sequenced from the hepatopancreas. VTG cDNA from hepatopancreas was similar to VTG cDNA from ovary. Although a VTG gene was also found in the males, 7.8-kilobase transcripts were only detected in the ovary and hepatopancreas of females. The mRNA expression pattern was related to the stage of ovarian development and to the molt cycle, as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. VTG and VT apoproteins were composed of two and three major subunits, respectively, as shown by SDS-PAGE. N-terminal sequences of these subunits revealed the presence of a cleavage site at a consensus motif for a subtilisin-like endoprotease in VTG and VT and an additional cleavage site in VT revealed by an unidentified endoprotease. These results indicate that penaeid shrimps constitute a unique model for vitellogenesis, showing intraovarian gene expression and synthesis of yolk protein.

¹ This study was supported by a European Union project (FAIR CT-97-3660).

² Correspondence: Esther Lubzens, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Tel-Shikmona, P.O. Box 8030, Haifa 31090, Israel. FAX: 972 4 511 911; esther{at}ocean.org.il

³ Current address: Eliachar Research Laboratory, Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya 22100, Israel

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Zmora, J. Trant, S.-M. Chan, and J. S. Chung Vitellogenin and Its Messenger RNA During Ovarian Development in the Female Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus: Gene Expression, Synthesis, Transport, and Cleavage Biol Reprod, July 1, 2007; 77(1): 138 - 146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. M. W. Smolenaars, O. Madsen, K. W. Rodenburg, and D. J. Van der Horst Molecular diversity and evolution of the large lipid transfer protein superfamily J. Lipid Res., March 1, 2007; 48(3): 489 - 502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Shechter, E. D. Aflalo, C. Davis, and A. Sagi Expression of the Reproductive Female-Specific Vitellogenin Gene in Endocrinologically Induced Male and Intersex Cherax quadricarinatus Crayfish Biol Reprod, July 1, 2005; 73(1): 72 - 79. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Y. Kung, S.-M. Chan, J. H. L. Hui, W. S. Tsang, A. Mak, and J. G. He Vitellogenesis in the Sand Shrimp, Metapenaeus ensis: The Contribution from the Hepatopancreas-Specific Vitellogenin Gene (MeVg2) Biol Reprod, September 1, 2004; 71(3): 863 - 870. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]