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Cloning, molecular characterization, and tissue differential expression of connective tissue growth factor (ctgf) of grass carp

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Abstract

Connective tissue growth factor (ctgf) is involved in the proliferation, migration, adhesion of cell, and the constituent of extracellular matrix, which plays an important role in embryogenesis, angiogenesis, wound repair, and fibrosis diseases. In this study, the cDNA sequence of grass carp ctgf gene was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method; then, the characteristics of this gene and the predicted protein sequence were analyzed by bioinformatics methods, and the tissue differential expression pattern was detected by the quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that the grass carp ctgf gene has a full-length of 2223 bp, encoding 343 amino acids. The deduced CTGF protein is a hydrophilic and secretary protein with a molecular mass of 37,978.2 Da and an isoelectric point of 8.22. The signal peptide locates between residue positions 1 and 22 of the polypeptide chain. The protein contains α-helix, β-strand, and loops. The CTGF protein of grass carp shows a homology of 98%, 96%, 91%, and 91% with Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala), zebrafish (Danio rerio), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus). The grass carp ctgf gene expressed significantly higher in blood and spleen than that in other tissues (P < 0.05). The low expression tissues included the heart, gill, skin, muscle, kidney, brain, and intestinal, and the lowest expression tissue was the liver. The results are consistent with the function of this gene.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Commission of the Shanghai Municipality (No. 13ZR1419600), the Hydrobiological Project of Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline (No. S30701), and the Shanghai Educational Development Foundation (No. 06KZ002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, No. 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Wen-Qian Pan, Jun-Peng Wang, Zhi-Han Tu, Tian Gan, Jing Hu, Jing Wei, Xiang-Jun Leng & Xiao-Qin Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fishery Germplasm Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, No. 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Xiang-Jun Leng & Xiao-Qin Li

  3. Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, No.999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Xiang-Jun Leng & Xiao-Qin Li

  4. Shanghai University Knowledge Service Platform, Shanghai Ocean University Aquatic Animal Breeding Center, No. 999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Xiang-Jun Leng & Xiao-Qin Li

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  1. Wen-Qian Pan
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  7. Xiang-Jun Leng
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Contributions

WenQian Pan, XiangJun Leng and XiaoQin Li conceived, designed the experiments, analyzed data and wrote the manuscript together. WenQian Pan, JunPeng Wang, Zhihan Tu, Tian Gan, Jing Hu and Jing Wei collected the samples and performed the experiments.

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Correspondence to Xiang-Jun Leng or Xiao-Qin Li.

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Pan, WQ., Wang, JP., Tu, ZH. et al. Cloning, molecular characterization, and tissue differential expression of connective tissue growth factor (ctgf) of grass carp. Fish Physiol Biochem 45, 1431–1443 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-019-00653-2

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