scholarly journals Differential Expression Pattern of Retroviral Envelope Gene in the Equine Placenta

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Stefanetti ◽  
Luisa Pascucci ◽  
Sandra Wilsher ◽  
Katia Cappelli ◽  
Stefano Capomaccio ◽  
...  

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are proviral phases of exogenous retroviruses, which have coevolved with vertebrate genomes for millions of years. The conservation of ERV genes throughout evolution suggests their beneficial effects on their hosts' survival. An example of such positive selection is demonstrated by the syncytin gene, which encodes a protein with affinity for various mammalian placentas that is involved in the formation of syncytiotrophoblasts. Although the horse has an epitheliochorial placenta, in which the fetal trophoblasts are simply apposed to the intact uterine epithelium, we have previously demonstrated that the equine ERV (EqERV) env RNA is unexpectedly expressed in placental tissue. In the present study, we investigated the mRNA expression pattern of the EqERV env gene in different parts of the equine placenta, to gain more insight into its putative role in the fetal–maternal relationship. To this end, we used reverse transcription–quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR) and in situ hybridization assays to analyze different target areas of the equine placenta. The retroviral env gene is expressed in the equine placenta, even though there is no syncytium or erosion of the uterine endometrium. The gene is also expressed in all the sampled areas, although with some quantitative differences. We suggest that these differences are attributable to variations in the density, height, and degree of morphological complexity of the chorionic villi forming the microcotyledons. The involvement of the EqERV env gene in different functional pathways affecting the fetus–mother relationship can be hypothesized.

1988 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariann Wide ◽  
Håkan Persson ◽  
Örjan Lundkvist ◽  
Leif Wide

Abstract. The cellular origin of placental hCG is not yet completely established. Depending on the method used, the syncytium, cytotrophoblast or both types of tissue have been claimed to synthesize hCG. In the present study in situ hybridization was used on sections of chorionic villi in order to detect expression of the gene for the β-subunit of hCG (β-hCG). Placental tissue was obtained from the 8th to the 11th weeks of pregnancy, when the concentration of hCG is high. A cDNA clone, encoding the entire amino acid sequence of β-hCG, was used as a probe. Hybrids of β-hCG cDNA/mRNA were found only over the syncytiotrophoblast. Background noise was extremely low and no signals above that were detected in the cytotrophoblast cells. It is concluded that at this stage of pregnancy the gene for β-hCG is activated in the syncytial parts of chorionic villi and not in the cytotrophoblast.


2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathis Funk ◽  
Guillaume Cornelis ◽  
Cécile Vernochet ◽  
Odile Heidmann ◽  
Anne Dupressoir ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Capture of retroviral envelope genes from endogenous retroviruses has played a role in the evolution of mammals, with evidence for the involvement of these genes in the formation of the maternofetal interface of the placenta. It has been shown that the diversity of captured genes is likely to be responsible for the diversity of placental structures, ranging from poorly invasive (epitheliochorial) to highly invasive (hemochorial), with an intermediate state (endotheliochorial) as found in carnivorans. The latter recapitulate part of this evolution, with the hyena being the sole carnivoran with a hemochorial placenta. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing on hyena placental transcripts and searched for endogenous retroviral envelope genes that have been captured specifically in the Hyaenidae clade and are not found in any other carnivoran. We identified an envelope gene that is expressed in the placenta at the level of the maternofetal interface, as evidenced by in situ hybridization/immunohistochemistry. The gene entry is coincidental with the emergence of the Hyaenidae clade 30 million years ago (Mya), being found at the same genomic locus in all 4 extant hyena species. Its coding sequence has further been maintained during all of Hyaenidae evolution. It is not found in any of the 30 other carnivorans—both Felidae and Canidae—that we screened. This envelope protein does not disclose any fusogenic activity in ex vivo assays, at variance with the syncytin-Car1 gene, which is found in all carnivorans, including the hyena, in which it is still present, transcriptionally active in the placenta, and fusogenic. Together, the present results illustrate the permanent renewal of placenta-specific genes by retroviral capture and de facto provide a candidate gene for the endotheliochorial to hemochorial transition of Hyaenidae among carnivorans. IMPORTANCE The placenta is the most diverse organ among mammals, due in part to stochastic capture of retroviral envelope genes. In carnivorans, capture of syncytin-Car1 took place 80 Mya. It is fusogenic, expressed at the syncytialized placental maternofetal interface, and conserved among all carnivorans, consistent with their shared endotheliochorial placenta. Hyenas are a remarkable exception, with a highly invasive hemochorial placenta, as found in humans, where disruption of maternal blood vessels results in maternal blood bathing the syncytial maternofetal interface. In this study, we identified a retroviral envelope gene capture and exaptation that took place about 30 Mya and is coincident with the emergence of the Hyaenidae, being conserved in all extant hyena species. It is expressed at the maternofetal interface in addition to the shared syncytin-Car1 gene. This new env gene, not present in any other carnivoran, is a likely candidate to be responsible for the specific structure of the hyena placenta.


2005 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mika Nomura ◽  
Tomonori Higuchi ◽  
Yuji Ishida ◽  
Shozo Ohta ◽  
Toshihiko Komari ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 540-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carine Barreau ◽  
Elizabeth Benson ◽  
Helen White-Cooper

Post-meiotic transcription is widespread in mammalian spermatogenesis, but is generally believed to be absent from Drosophila spermatogenesis. Genes required during meiosis, in early spermatids or later in spermiogenesis are typically transcribed in primary spermatocytes in Drosophila. Their mRNAs are then stored in the cytoplasm until the protein product is needed. Recently, using in situ hybridization, we identified 17 Drosophila genes, collectively named ‘comets’ and ‘cups’, whose mRNAs are most abundant in, and localize to the distal ends of, elongating spermatids. Using a single-cyst quantitative RT–PCR (reverse transcription–PCR) assay, we confirmed this unusual expression pattern and conclusively demonstrate the existence of post-meiotic transcription in Drosophila spermatids. We found that transcription of comets and cups occurs just before protamines can be detected in spermatid nuclei.


Synlett ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nana Kim ◽  
Van T. Tran ◽  
Omar Apolinar ◽  
Steven Wisniewski ◽  
Martin Eastgate ◽  
...  

Electron-deficient olefin (EDO) ligands are known to promote a variety of nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, presumably by accelerating the reductive elimination step and preventing undesired β-hydride elimination. While there is a growing body of experimental and computational evidence elucidating the beneficial effects of EDO ligands, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the underlying coordination chemistry of the Ni–EDO species involved. In particular, most procedures rely on in situ assembly of the active catalyst, and there is a paucity of pre-ligated Ni-EDO precatalysts. Herein, we investigate the 16-electron, heteroleptic nickel complex, Ni(COD)(DMFU), and examine the performance of this complex as a precatalyst in 1,2-diarylation of alkenes.


Author(s):  
Ch. Shiva Prasad ◽  
R. Vinoo ◽  
R.N. Chatterjee ◽  
M. Muralidhar ◽  
D. Narendranath ◽  
...  

Background: Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Beta (ACACB) plays a key role in fatty acid oxidation and was known to be involved in production of very-long-chain fatty acid and other compounds needed for proper development. This gene is mainly expressed in the tissues of heart, muscle, liver and colon. It chiefly involved in the production of malonyl-coA, a potent inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-I) enzyme needed in transport of long-chain fatty acyl-coAs to the mitochondria for β-oxidation.Methods: The present study was conducted to explore the expression pattern of the ACACB gene in breast muscle tissue during pre-hatch embryonic day (ED) 5th to 18th and post-hatch (18th, 22nd and 40th week of age) periods of White leghorn (IWI line) by using Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Then, fold change of ACACB gene expression was calculated.Result: Our study showed that the ACACB gene expression was down-regulated during embryonic stages from ED6 to ED18. The gene expression was also down-regulated during adult stages i.e. on 22nd and 40th week of age. This result indicated that the initial expression of the ACACB gene is required for embryo development and during adult periods, low gene expression leads to the less fat deposition in muscle of layer chicken. Finally, it can be concluded that there was a differential expression pattern of the ACACB gene during the pre-hatch embryonic and post-hatch adult periods to mitigate varied requirements of lipids during different physiological stages in layer chicken.


1999 ◽  
Vol 160 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
RS Robinson ◽  
GE Mann ◽  
GE Lamming ◽  
DC Wathes

The expression of oxytocin receptor (OTR) in the uterine endometrium plays an important role in the initiation of luteolysis. During early pregnancy, the conceptus secretes interferon tau (IFN|gt) which inhibits OTR up-regulation and luteolysis. In this study, uterine horn cross sections were collected on day 16 from 15 pregnant cows (PREG), 9 uninseminated controls and 5 inseminated cows with no embryo present. The latter two groups had similar results and were combined to form a single non-pregnant (NP) group. The animals were given an oxytocin challenge shortly before tissue collection to assess prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) release through the measurement of the metabolite 13,14-dihydro-15-keto PGF2alpha (PGFM). The mRNAs for OTR, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were localised by in situ hybridisation. The results were quantified by optical density (OD) measurements from autoradiographs using image analysis. OTR protein was measured by autoradiography with iodinated oxytocin antagonist and ER and PR protein was detected by immunocytochemistry. The release of PGFM after the oxytocin challenge was significantly higher in the 14 NP cows (187%+/-15%) compared with the PREG group (131%+/-11%) (P<0.01). Low concentrations of OTR mRNA were localised to the luminal epithelium (LE) in 6 out of the 14 NP cows, of which 2 also expressed OTR protein, while OTR mRNA and protein were undetectable in all the pregnant animals. These results indicated that the sampling time coincided with the onset of the luteolytic mechanism in the NP cows. On day 16 ER mRNA was detectable in both the LE and glands of both PREG and NP animals. There were no differences in either ER mRNA or protein between NP and PREG samples. PR mRNA was moderately expressed in the caruncular stroma, with lower levels in the dense caruncular-like stroma and glands. There were no differences between PREG and NP animals. The expression of PR mRNA and protein in the deep glands was variable between animals. These results suggested that, in cows, the presence of an embryo suppressed the expression of OTR, but had no effect on the expression of the transcriptionally regulated ER on day 16.


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