MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPRESSION ANALYSIS OF GTSF1 IN THE ORIENTAL RIVER PRAWN MACROBRACHIUM NIPPONENSE

Gametocyte-specific factor 1(Gtsf1) is involved in gonadal development and plays an important role in maintaining normal proliferation of germ cells in Mus musculus and Drosophila melanogaste. In order to study sexual precocity in Macrobrachium nipponense, the homologous cDNA sequence of Gtsf1 was screened from the ovary and testis differentially gene expression profile, and the full-length cDNA sequence was cloned by RACE technique (KR349325). The length of its cDNA sequence was 349 bp, containing a 240 bp open reading frame (ORF), encoded a 79-amino acid protein. MnGtsf1 protein contained a zf-U11-48K domain that shared highly with its homologues in other vertebrates. The sequence did not contain signal peptide, indicating it is a non-secreted protein. According to the phylogenetic tree analysis, MnGtsf1 has the closest evolutionary relationship with its homologous in Lygus hesperus. MnGtsf1 was exclusively expressed in the gonads, especially in ovary, which is 6 times higher than that in testis. The MnGtsf1 expression showed an increased trend with the ovarian development. MnGtsf1 expression in the early embryonic development was higher than that in the late embryonic development. The MnGtsf1 expression showed the highest in blastula stage, and its expression stayed at a low level from gastrula stage to the 10th day after metamorphosis. These results indicate that MnGtsf1 might be involved in gonadal development and early embryonic development.