The oyster vasa-like gene: a specific marker of the germline in Crassostrea gigas

Type Article
Date 2004-03
Language English
Author(s) Fabioux Caroline, Pouvreau StephaneORCID, Leroux Frederique, Huvet ArnaudORCID
Affiliation(s) IFREMER, Ctr Brest, UMR Physiol & Ecophysiol Mollusques Marins, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
Univ Bretagne Occidentale, CNRS, Lab Sci Environm Marin, IUEM,UMR 6539, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
IFREMER, Lab Genet & Pathol, F-17390 La Tremblade, France.
Source Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (0006-291X) (Elsevier), 2004-03 , Vol. 315 , N. 4 , P. 897-904
DOI 10.1016/j.bbrc.2004.01.145
WOS© Times Cited 77
Keyword(s) RNA helicase, DEAD box, Vasa, Germline, Gametogenesis, Oyster
Abstract The vasa gene is,a key determinant for germline formation in eukaryotes. This gene, highly conserved through evolution, encodes a RNA helicase protein member of the DEAD-box family. To understand the germline formation in oyster, we report here the isolation and the characterization of a vasa orthologue in Crassostrea gigas (Oyvlg). OyVLG contained the eight consensus domains of the DEAD-box including those providing RNA unwinding activity. The expression pattern of Oyvlg was examined in adult oyster tissues at different reproductive stages. Its expression was restricted to germline cells both in males and females, including germinal stem cells and auxiliary cells. The expression of Oyvlg, strongest in early germ cells, decreased as the maturation proceeded. These data and the evolutionary conservation observed suggested the role of Oyvlg in germline development. Oyvlg is the first germ cell specific marker in oyster and will be very useful in studies of oyster germline formation.
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