Differences in MITF gene expression and histology between albino and normal sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka)  

作　　者：ZHAO Heling YANG Hongsheng ZHAO Huan LIU Shilin WANG Tianming 赵鹤凌;杨红生;赵欢;刘石林;王天明(Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China;Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences,Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Qingdao 266071,China)

机构地区：[1]Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China [2]Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences,Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Qingdao 266071,China

出　　处：《Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology》2012年第1期80-91,共12页中国海洋湖沼学报（英文版）

基　　金：Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No. 40976089);the National Marine Public Welfare Research Project(No. 200805069);the National Science and Technology Support Program of China (No. 2011BAD13B02);the Breeding Project of Shandong Province (China)

摘　　要：Albino Apostichopus japonicus occur both in the wild and in captivity. The offspring of albino A. japonicus also suffer from albinism. The formation of melanin in the melanocytes is dependant on microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). To investigate the role of MITF in controlling albinism, we cloned the full-length MITF cDNA from A. japonicus and compared MITF mRNA expression in albino and normal A. japonicus. In addition, we used light and electron microscopy to compare histological samples of normal and albino A. japonicus. The body wall of albino adults was characterized by significantly lower levels of MITF expression and lower numbers of epidermal melanocytes, which also contained less melanin. In albino juvenile offspring, MITF expression levels were significantly lower 32 d after fertilization and there were fewer, and less developed, epidermal melanocytes. Thus, we conclude that albino A. japonicus have fewer melanocytes and a reduced ability to synthesize melanin, likely because of lower expression of MITF.Albino Apostichopus japonicus occur both in the wild and in captivity. The offspring of albino A.japonicus also suffer from albinism. The formation of melanin in the melanocytes is dependant on microphthalmia-associated transcription factor （MITF）. To investigate the role of MITF in controlling albinism, we cloned the full-length MITF cDNA from A. japonicus and compared MITF mRNA expression in albino and normal A. japonicus. In addition, we used light and electron microscopy to compare histological samples of normal and albino A. japonicus. The body wall of albino adults was characterized by significantly lower levels of MITF expression and lower numbers of epidermal melanocytes, which also contained less melanin. In albino juvenile offspring, MITF expression levels were significantly lower 32 d after fertilization and there were fewer, and less developed, epidermal melanocytes. Thus, we conclude that albino A. japonicus have fewer melanocytes and a reduced ability to synthesize melanin, likely because of lower expression of MITF.

关 键 词：microphthalmia-associated transcription factor （MITF） MELANOCYTE MELANOSOME MELANIN Apostichopus japonicus 

分 类 号：S917.4[农业科学—水产科学]