Expression analysis in mouse reproductive tract of ovochymase 2, the mammalian orthologue of amphibian oviductin

BARRERA, DANIEL; GARCÍA, E. VANESA; VALDECANTOS, PABLO A.; MICELI, DORA C.

Tafí del Valle-Tucumán

Jornada; XXV Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2008

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

The acquisition of amphibian egg fertilizability during its transit through the oviduct is accompanied by proteolytic conversion of the vitelline envelope glycoprotein components, that is induced by a protease called Oviductin, specifically expressed in oviductal pars recta portion. In mammalian degradome, the orthologue of the amphibian Oviductin, Ovochymase 2 (Ovch2) was reported. Taken into account that neither Ovch2 expression nor its role on mammalian reproductive process were studied yet, the aim of this work was to analyze the Ovch2 gen expression in different mouse tissues. Total RNA was isolated from oviduct, ovary, uterus, intestine, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, epididymis and testis from BALC/c mice. Based on the Ovch2 mRNA nucleotide sequence identified from the mouse genome (acc. n° NM_172908), a pair of primers was designed. The amplification of a 498 pb cDNA fragment, by RT-PCR, indicated Ovch2 expression in uterus, epididymis and testis. However, the product was not detected in the oviduct. The specific expression of Ovch2 in reproductive organs indicated a possible role in the mammalian reproductive process that need to be analyzed thoroughly.