Authors : Jiang Caode, Liu Yonggang and Xia Xueshan
Abstract: The complete coding sequences of three sheep genes SLC39A1, SLC39A2 and SLC39A7 were amplified using the Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Sequence analysis revealed that sheep SLC39A1 gene encodes a protein of 324 amino acids that shares high homology with the solute carrier family 39 (zinc transporter), member1 (SLC39A1) proteins of eleven species-goat (99%), cattle (99%), pig (95%), horse (94%), rhesus monkey (94%), chimpanzee (94%), human (94%), rabbit (94%), crab-eating macaque (93%), mouse (93%) and rat (92%). The sheep SLC39A2 gene encodes a protein of 309 amino acids that shares high homology with the solute carrier family 39 (zinc transporter), member 2 (SLC39A2) proteins of eleven species-goat (98%), cattle (95%), horse (81%), giant panda (80%), human (79%), rhesus monkey (78%), chimpanzee (78%), rabbit (77%), Northern white-cheeked gibbon (77%), mouse (75%) and rat (74%). The sheep SLC39A7 gene encodes a protein of 469 amino acids that shares high homology with the solute carrier family 39 (zinc transporter), member 7(SLC39A7) proteins of thirteen species-cattle (98%), dog (93%), pig (94%), chimpanzee (93%), human (93%), horse (93%), rat (93%), rhesus monkey (93%), white-tufted-ear marmoset (92%), Northern white-cheeked gibbon (92%), sumatran orangutan (92%), rabbit (89%) and mouse (86%). Finally, these three novel sheep genes were assigned to GeneIDs: 100302552, 100302553 and 100302555. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sheep SLC39A1 and SLC39A2 genes both have closer genetic relationships with the SLC39A1 and SLC39A2 genes of goat. The sheep SLC39A7 gene has a closer genetic relationship with the SLC39A7 gene of cattle. Tissue expression profile analysis was also carried out and results demonstrated that sheep SLC39A1, SLC39A2 and SLC39A7 genes were all generally but differentially expressed in detected tissues.
Jiang Caode, Liu Yonggang and Xia Xueshan, 2011. Molecular Cloning, Sequence Identification and Tissue Expression Profile of Three Novel Sheep (Ovis aries) Genes SLC39A1, SLC39A2 and SLC39A7. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 2699-2705.