为研究刀鲚的嗅觉受体(Olfactory receptor, OR)是否参与其生殖洄游过程,利用基因组步移技术,从洄游型刀鲚(Coilia nasus)中克隆出嗅觉受体基因MOR-51I2的基因序列全长。该基因为单外显子结构,编码区长为999 bp。在3′UTR区域具有一段微卫星序列,以(AC)n为重复单位,并夹有若干T或G碱基,且在不同生态型间具有明显长度差异。MOR-51I2基因所编码的蛋白具有7次疏水性α-螺旋的跨膜结构,为G-蛋白偶联受体。MOR-51I2基因与已报道的其他鱼类的OR基因所编码的氨基酸序列的同源性在51%以上,其中与大西洋鲱(Clupea harengus)的OR51I2-like基因的同源性高达83%。经qRT-PCR分析显示,在定居型刀鲚中, MOR-51I2基因主要在嗅囊和性腺中表达,在肝脏、鳃、肌肉微弱表达,在心脏和眼睛中几乎不表达。其中,雌性嗅囊中的表达量约是雄性嗅囊中的2倍,是精巢和卵巢中的80—100倍。在洄游型刀鲚中,该基因在雄性嗅囊的表达量约是雌性嗅囊中的6倍。MOR-51I2基因在洄游型刀鲚的雌性嗅囊中的表达量约是定居型刀鲚的雌性嗅囊中的1/5,而在洄游型刀鲚的雄性嗅囊中的表达量却是定居型刀鲚的雄性嗅囊中的3倍。这些结果表明, MOR-51I2基因不但参与刀鲚的嗅觉功能,而且可能参与了刀鲚的性腺发育及生殖洄游过程,同时也可能与其生态型的分化相关。
Olfaction is an important tool for fish to perceive the external environment. To study the role of olfactory re-ceptors in the spawning migration of Coilia nasus, the full-length sequence of olfactory receptor gene MOR-51I2 was cloned from the migratory C. nasus using genome walking technology. The MOR-51I2 gene was composed of a single exon with the open reading frame of 999 bp. The 3′untranslated region of this gene had a microsatellite sequence formed by (AC)n inserted by several T and G. In addition, the microsatellite sequences in different ecotype of C. nasus had significant length difference. The MOR-51I2 was a G-protein-coupled receptor with seven hydrophobic alphahe-lical transmembrane structures. The MOR-51I2 protein shared homology (〉51%) with known related olfactory recep-tors from other fishes and it reached 83%homology with the olfactory receptor 51I2-like protein in Clupea harengus. The MOR-51I2 gene was highly expressed in the female olfactory rosettes of the settlement population of C. nasus, which is two times compared with that in male olfactory rosettes and 80 to 100 times compared with that in testis and ovary. The MOR-51I2 gene was expressed weakly in liver and gills and was almost not detected in the muscle, heart and eye. The expression level of female olfactory rosettes was 5 times higher than that in male olfactory rosettes in the migratory population. The expression level in female olfactory rosettes of the settlement population was 5 times higher than that in female olfactory rosettes in the migratory population, while the expression level in the male olfactory rosettes of the migratory population was 2 times higher than that in male olfactory rosettes in the settlement population. These results suggest that MOR-51I2 gene may not only regulate the olfactory function of C. nasus, but also mediate gonad development, spawning migration, and ecological differentiation of C. nasus.