Cloning and primary characterizations of rLcn9, a new member of epididymal lipocalins in rat

• Published in: Acta biochimica et biophysica Sinica Vol. 44; no. 10; pp. 876 - 885
• Main Authors: Li, Xiangqi, Zhan, Xiaoni, Liu, Shigui, Hu, Shuanggang, Zhu, Chunfang, Hall, Susan H, French, Frank S, Liu, Qiang, Zhang, Yonglian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Oxford University Press 01-10-2012
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Blotting, Northern; Blotting, Western; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary - chemistry; DNA, Complementary - genetics; Epididymis - metabolism; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Glycosylation; Immunohistochemistry; Lipocalins - genetics; Lipocalins - metabolism; Macaca mulatta; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Northern杂交; Orchiectomy; Original; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Testosterone Propionate - pharmacology; Time Factors; 免疫组织化学染色; 多克隆; 大鼠; 小学; 时间特异性; 蛋白质; 附睾
• ISSN: 1672-9145; 1745-7270
• DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gms072

Lipocalins are a structurally conserved and diversely functional family of proteins that are of potential import- ance in epididymis functions. The rat Lcn9 gene was cloned by in silico methods and genome walking based on homology to the rhesus monkey epididymal ESC513 and its polyclonal antisera were prepared. The rat Lcn9 gene is located on chromosome 3p13 spanning 7 exons, contains 2.3 kb and encodes 179 amino acids with a 17-amino acid signal peptide. Northern blot, western blot, and immuno- histochemical staining analysis revealed that rat Lcn9 was a novel epididymis-specific gene, expressed selectively in the proximal caput region, influenced by luminal fluid testicular factors. Moreover, Lcn9 protein was modified by N-glycosy- lation and bound on the postacrosomal domain of caput sperm. In conclusion, the rat Lcn9 exhibited tissue-, region-, and temporal-specific expression patterns and its expression was regulated by luminal testicular factors. Its potential roles in sperm maturation are discussed.