The present study has evaluated the association of growth differentiation factor9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein15 (BMP15) mRNA expression in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) of buffalo ovary during in vitro maturation (IVM). GDF9 and BMP15 are expressed specifically in mammalian oocytes and also participate in cumulus-oocyte crosstalk. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain ...

Although recent evidence indicates that several chemokines and defensins, well-known as inflammatory mediators, are expressed in the male and female reproductive tracts, the location and functional significance of chemokine networks in sperm physiology and sperm reproductive tract interactions are poorly understood. To address this deficiency in our knowledge, we examined ...

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are known to play an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, differentiation and apoptosis in many vertebrates and invertebrates through the TGF-β signaling pathway. Although the TGF-β signaling pathway exists in schistosomes, BMP homologue, a ligand of TGF-β in Schistosoma japonicum, has not ...

Caiman latirostris is a reptilian species that exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Male-to-female sex reversal can be achieved after in ovo estrogen/xenoestrogen exposure. This is known as hormone-dependent sex determination (HSD). The amh, sox9 and sf-1 genes are involved in sex determination, sex differentiation, and steroidogenesis. The aims of this ...

Kisspeptins have emerged as potent regulators of the reproductive brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG) axis. Our previous study demonstrated that the brain of the chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), a scombroid fish, expresses two kisspeptin-encoding genes, kiss1 and kiss2, and exhibits sexually dimorphic expression profiles. Recent studies strongly suggest that teleost Kiss1 and Kiss2 ...

Attempts have been made to investigate the reproductive toxicity of norfloxacin drug in Japanese quail. Male quail were administered with norfloxacin @ 20 mg/kg body weight for 14 days. Then reproductive functions and androgen receptor (AR) gene expression was examined in treated and control birds. The results of the present study ...

Pharmaceuticals have been frequently detected in the aquatic environment. Their potential effects on the endocrine system in wildlife are of special concern because these alterations could lead to impaired reproduction. We evaluated ecotoxicities associated with long-term exposure to mefenamic acid (MFA) and potential endocrine disruption. For this purpose, acute and ...

Sex differences in brain and behavior exist across vertebrates, but the molecular factors regulating their development are largely unknown. Songbirds exhibit substantial sexual dimorphisms. In zebra finches, only males sing, and the brain areas regulating song learning and production are much larger in males. Recent data suggest that sex chromosome ...

The process of water movement in the excurrent duct system of the male reproductive tract is pivotal for establishment of male fertility. The objective was to elucidate expression of aquaporin (AQP) water channels in the stallion reproductive tract. Real-time RT-PCR detected expression of AQP0-5 and AQP7-11 in testis, epididymis, and ...

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs have been suggested to play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in various biological processes. To investigate the function of miRNAs in chicken ovarian development and folliculogenesis, two small RNA libraries constructed from sexually mature (162-day old) and immature (42-day old) ovary tissues of Single Comb ...

An endoparasitoid wasp, Cotesia plutellae, possesses its specific symbiotic virus called C. plutellae bracovirus (CpBV) and parasitizes young larvae of Plutella xylostella. CpBV encodes CpBV15α, which was previously shown to interfere with host protein translation. In vivo transient expression of CpBV15α induced a significant decrease in a storage protein level ...

Insect development and metamorphosis are regulated by the coordination of ecdysone and juvenile hormones. Insect microRNAs (miRNAs) also act in insect development and metamorphosis by regulating genes in the ecdysone cascade. Although hundreds of insect miRNAs have been identified, the physiological functions of most remain poorly understood. Here, we report ...

Ghrelin, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and cholecystokinin (CCK) all have important roles in the regulation of feeding in fish and mammals. To better understand the role of the three peptides in appetite regulation in the early developmental stages of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala), partial cDNA sequences of ghrelin, NPY and ...

Subcellular localization of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to correct sites and translational activation at appropriate timings are crucial for normal progression of various biological events. However, a molecular link between the spatial regulation and temporal regulation remains unresolved. In immature zebrafish oocytes, translationally repressed cyclin B1 mRNA is localized to the ...

One of the most important decisions in a monogamous animal's life is the choice of a partner (partner preference), but the process by which this occurs remains poorly understood. The present study tests the hypothesis that hormones and genes play a role in sexual differentiation of partner preferences, as in ...

Although microglial activation is associated with all CNS disorders, many of which are sexually dimorphic or age-dependent, little is known about whether microglial basal gene expression is altered with age in the healthy CNS or whether it is sex dependent. Analysis of microglia from the brains of 3-day (P3)- to ...

The segmented body plan of vertebrates is prefigured by reiterated embryonic mesodermal structures called somites. In the mouse embryo, timely somite formation from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) is controlled by the "segmentation clock," a molecular oscillator that triggers progressive waves of Notch activity throughout the PSM. Notch clock activity is ...

The purpose of this study is to characterize the expression profile of a novel gene WDR72 in laying hens. Sixty-week old Hy-line Brown layers with similar laying sequence, egg weight, and shell strength, were selected and divided into 5 groups. The oviduct segments, such as magnum, white isthmus, and uterus, ...

The biological functions of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) on in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes were investigated. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were matured in defined porcine oocyte medium containing 0-0.1 IU/ml FSH in the presence or absence of 10 ng/ml TGF-α. The percentage of oocytes reaching metaphase ...

Trypanosomes are protozoan parasites that cycle between a mammalian host (bloodstream form) and an insect host, the Tsetse fly (procyclic stage). In trypanosomes, all mRNAs are trans-spliced as part of their maturation. Genome-wide analysis of trans-splicing indicates the existence of alternative trans-splicing, but little is known regarding RNA-binding proteins that ...

Cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) are key regulators of the cell cycle. In mammals, cdk2 plays an essential role in the meiosis of spermatocytes and oocytes. To investigate the role of cdk2 kinase during gametogenesis in crustaceans, we cloned a complete cDNA sequence of cdk2 from the freshwater giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, ...

The molecular mechanisms that mediate fish reproduction and detoxification in response to steroid hormones were studied by using adult male western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as sentinel species. The expression patterns of three vitellogenins (VtgA, VtgB and VtgC), two estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), two androgen receptors (ARα and ARβ), metallothionein ...

Abstract Recent reports support the possible role of PI3K in sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, although studies regarding PI3K identity in human sperm, under certain disease states such as varicocele, are still lacking. The authors, therefore, examined the expression profile and ultrastructural localization of PI3K in human semen samples, comparing ...

It is well recognized that there is sex-dimorphic expression of mRNA and protein in the heart; however the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is an important regulator of cardiac function, and the expression levels of eNOS differ between male and female hearts. The aim of ...

Formation of spermatozoa of normal shape, number, and motility is insufficient for the male siring of pups. The spermatozoa must be accompanied by sound fertilizing ability. We found that males with disrupted testis-expressed gene 101 (Tex101) produce normal-looking but fertilization-incompetent spermatozoa, which were accompanied by a deficiency of a disintegrin ...

Aggregation of α-synuclein can be promoted by the tubulin polymerization-promoting protein (TPPP)/p25α, which we have here used as a tool in order to study the role of autophagy in the clearance of α-synuclein. In NGF-differentiated PC12 catecholaminergic nerve cells, we show that de novo expressed p25α co-localizes with α-synuclein, and ...

Spermatogenesis is characterized by meiotic divisions and major morphological changes to produce spermatozoa that are capable of independent movement and fertilization of an egg. Male germ cell differentiation is governed by orchestrated, phase-specific gene expression patterns that are tightly controlled at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Post-transcriptional regulation of protein-coding mRNAs ...

Microtubule inhibitors have been demonstrated to inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α expression through inhibition translation or enhancing protein degradation. Little is known of the effect of microtubule inhibitors on the stability of HIF-1α mRNA. We recently discovered a novel indoline-sulfonamide compound, 7-aryl-indoline-1-benzene-sulfonamide (MPT0B098), as a potent microtubule inhibitor through binding to ...

Accumulating evidences suggest that Rab7 GTPase is important for the normal progression of autophagy. However, the role of Rab7 GTPase in regulation of autophagy in Clonorchis sinensis is not known. In this study, a gene encoding Rab7 was isolated from C. sinensis adult cDNA. Recombinant CsRab7 was expressed and purified ...

We aimed to investigate the role of thioredoxin reductase (TR) and inducible heat shock protein 70 (iHsp70) and their relationship with sperm quality in varicocele (VAR) patients. Semen samples were obtained from 16 subfertile men diagnosed as VAR and 10 fertile men who applied to the Andrology Laboratory of Istanbul ...

Estrogen receptors (ER) play a crucial role in mediation of estrogen activities. Here we report the isolation and expression analysis of of ERβ1 and ERβ2 from ovary Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli). were isolated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends procedures. The cDNA of In ...

Trichomonas vaginalis, a human urogenital tract parasite, is capable of surviving in the male microenvironment, despite of the presence of Zn2+. Concentrations > 1.6 mM of Zn2+ have a trichomonacidal effect; however, in the presence of ≤1.6 mM Zn2+, several trichomonad proteins are up- or down-regulated. Herein, we analyzed the ...

Kisspeptins play a critical role in the control of hypothalamic-gonadotropic function and puberty onset in mammals. Studies in fish have all supported the hypothesis that they might play similar roles in the reproduction of this animal group, however, their physiological relevance in the occurrence of key reproductive events still remains ...

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitrification of bovine metaphase-II (MII) oocytes on CD9 expression and fertilization capacity. Surviving vitrified/warmed oocytes were used to detect CD9 distribution (fluorescence microscopy), CD9 mRNA (qRT-PCR), and CD9 protein expression (Western blot), and to analyze in vitro fertilization rates (number of ...

Although cryopreservation of mammalian oocytes is an important technology, it is well known that unfertilized oocytes, especially in pigs, are highly sensitive to low temperature and that cryopreserved oocytes show low fertility and developmental ability. The aim of the present study was to clarify why porcine in vitro matured (IVM) ...

Recent progress in the ovarian stimulation protocol used for bovine in vitro maturation and fertilization, especially through optimization of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) withdrawal period ("coasting") after ovarian pre-treatment with FSH, has significantly improved blastocyst outcome. Despite this important success, the underlying factors leading to improved oocyte quality have not ...

Foxl2 is a member of the winged helix/forkhead family of transcription factors and is known to regulate ovarian aromatase, which plays a crucial role in ovarian differentiation. To address the role of Foxl2 in gonads and brain during gonadal development, we isolated the full-length cDNA of Foxl2 and analyzed its ...

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a major serine-threonine protein phosphatase which regulates metabolism, transcription, RNA splicing, translation, differentiation, cell cycle, oncogenic transformation and signal transduction. PP2A-Aα, an isoform of PP2A-A, is a structural subunit of the PP2A complex. We identified the photoperiod-sensitive stage for pupal diapause induction to be from ...

The von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor protein (pVHL) controls distinct cellular responses ranging from targeting hypoxia inducible factor α (HIFα) subunits for degradation and promotion of chromosomal stability to the regulation of microtubule dynamics. pVHL is produced in mammalian cells as a long and a short isoform, derived from alternate translational ...

Female obesity is associated with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenemia, and reproductive dysfunction. We hypothesized that elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) might directly modulate pituitary gonadotropin production. FFAs caused a time and dose-dependent increase in phosphorylation of the MAP kinases p38MAPK, JNK1/2 and ERK1/2 in LβT2 gonadotrope cells. Furthermore, FFAs upregulated Lhb ...

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is an eight-subunit complex found in all eukaryotes and shares structural features with both the 26S proteasome 'lid' and translation factor eIF3. Recent data have demonstrated that the CSN is a regulator of the ubiquitin (Ub) proteasome system (UPS). CSN controls substrate ubiquitination by cullin-RING Ub ...

Thyroid hormones (THs) exert a broad range of effects on development in vertebrate species, demonstrating connections in nearly every biological endocrine system. In particular, studies have shown that THs play a role in sexual differentiation and gonadal development in mammalian and non-mammalian species. There is considerable evidence that the effects ...

Helminth β-tubulins are the targets of benzimidazole (BZM) carbamate compounds. The specificity of the interactions between such compounds and their in vivo targets depends on the presence of specific amino acid residues in the target molecules. To discover new and effective anthelmintic drugs, we used a medicinal chemistry approach to ...

The factors of the Sox9-Amh-Cyp19a1 cascade play a crucial role in the complex process of sex differentiation in mammals. The involvement of Sox9 and Cyp19a1 paralogs and the single Amh ortholog in sex differentiation and development of the gonads and the brain in Atlantic cod was examined by analyzing bimodal ...

The aim of this work is to review the need for new diagnostic tools for sperm, the relevance of sperm mRNA in reproductive success, and the potential of a state-of-the-art microarray-based diagnostic tool for improving reproductive results.

Circadian clocks (oscillators) regulate multiple aspects of insect behavior and physiology. The circadian system located in the male reproductive tract of Lepidoptera orchestrates rhythmic sperm release from testis and sperm maturation in the upper vas deferens (UVD). Our previous research on the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis, suggested rhythmic changes in ...

In marine teleosts, the aqp1ab water channel plays a vital role in the development of the pelagic egg phenotype. However, the developmental control of aqp1ab activation during oogenesis remains to be established. Here, we report the isolation of the 5'-flanking region of the teleost gilthead seabream aqp1ab gene, in which ...

We hypothesise that developmental arrest in infectious larvae of parasitic nematodes is regulated by signalling pathways homologous to Caenorhabditis elegans DAF (dauer formation) pathways. Alignment of Strongyloides stercoralis (Ss) DAF-2 with DAF-2 of C. elegans and homologs of other species shows that most structural motifs in these insulin-like receptors are ...

We characterized the expression patterns of pepsinogen A (tPGA) and pepsinogen C (tPGC) in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Quantitative expression analysis showed that tPGC was preferentially expressed in early developmental stages, and that the tPGA mRNA expression level was higher in adult fish. Full-length cDNA constructs of tPGA and tPGC were ...

Cytokeratin (CK) is a type of the cytoskeleton that increases cell stabilization during oocyte maturation. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitrification on the distribution and expression of CK during mouse oocyte maturation. Germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes were randomly allocated into three groups: (1) untreated (fresh), (2) ...