• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.263-271
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• 2010

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) constitute the largest superfamily of cell membrane receptors, mediating diverse signal-transduction pathways. The melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) has been of interest for its physiological role and size, one of the smallest among the GPCRs, which makes it a good model system for the structural study of GPCRs. To study the molecular structure and tissue-specific expression of MC4R in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), the full-length MC4R gene was obtained using PCR amplification of genomic DNA as well as cDNA synthesis. Sequence analysis of the gene indicates that 978 bp of the MC4R gene encodes 325 amino acids without introns. Sequence alignment with the MC4Rs from other fish shows the highest degree of identity (96%) between Paralichthys olivaceous and Verasper moseri, followed by Takifugu rubripes and Tetraodon nigroviridis (89%). RNA was isolated from various tissues to examine the tissue distribution of MC4R by using RT-PCR. The results showed major expression of MC4R in the liver, brain, and eye, which is consistent with the expression pattern in other fish belonging to the order Pleuronectiformes.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.88-104
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• 2010

Human melanocortin-4 receptor (hMC4R) has a critical role in part of energy homeostasis, and their heterozygous mutations related in genetic cause of severe human obesity. In order to study the structure and function of these membrane proteins, it is important to prepare the samples. However, the preparation of transmembrane peptide is seriously difficult and time-consuming. Overexpression and purification of membrane proteins was reported to be difficult due to their innate insoluble and toxic properties. Among the many difficulties, the most important is the difficulty in obtaining sufficient quantities of purified protein. Recently, we succeed to produce large amounts of the second transmembrane domain from the wild-type hMC4R (wt-TM2) and D90N mutant hMC4R (m-TM2) and proposed the structural difference of them in membrane-like environments. In this paper, we demonstrate the optimization procedures to express and purify wt-TM2 or m-TM2 peptides, and solution NMR studies in different detergents to get high-resolution spectra were also described.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.437-442
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• 2007

본 연구는 축산과학원에서 보유중인 듀록 품종내에서 MC4R 유전자의 SNP 발현 특성과 육종가에 의한 선발 후 MC4R 유전자 빈도의 변화 및 경제형질에 대한 유전자형간 육종가의 차이를 구명하고자 수행하였다. 1999년부터 2005년까지 검정된 검정성적을 바탕으로 일당증체량, 등지방두께, 90kg 도달일령 및 사료요구율에 대하여 유전력과 유전상관 및 육종가를 추정하였으며, 2003년과 2004년에 출생한 660두에 대한 혈액을 채취하여 MC4R 유전자에 대한 유전자형 및 대립유전자 분석을 실시하였다. 또한 육종가에 의한 선발 후 유전자의 빈도변화를 세대별 그리고 선발군 및 도태군에 대하여 분석하였으며, 육종가의 분석결과를 이용하여 MC4R의 유전자형 효과를 보았다. 분석결과 육종가를 근거하여 선발한 MC4R 유전자형은 세대당 그리고 선발군과 도태군에서 차이를 보였으며, 각 형질별 육종가의 분산분석결과 사료요구율을 제외한 기타 경제형질에서 유의적으로 MC4R 유전자의 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. MC4R 유전자의 효과에 대한 보고는 상이한 부분도 있지만 자체 축군에 대한 다형성 분석 및 경제형질과의 연관성 분석에 의하여 축군 및 개량하고자 하는 경제형질에 따라 표지 유전인자로 활용하여 선발반응 및 정확도를 높일 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.968-971
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• 2005

본 연구는 Duroc, Landrace, Berkshire, Yorkshire를 기초 축으로 이용한 1003두에 대해 MC4R유전자의 PCR-RFLP를 이용하여 그 다형성을 조사하고 돼지의 일당증체량, 등지방 두께, 사료 요구율, 정육율과 그 유전자형 간의 연관성을 규명하고자 실시하였다. MC4R유전자에 대해 PCR-RFLP를 이용하여 226bp산물을 증폭한후 Taq I 체한효소로 사용하였다. 얻어진 MC4R gene의 유전자 빈도는 품종별로 다르게 나타났다. 통계적 분석을 통하여 각 유전자형에 대한 경제형질과 관련성을 분석한 결과 일당 증체량과 사료요구량은 NN 유전자형을 가진 개체들이 DN이나 DD유전자형을 가진 개체들에 비해 유의적으로 우수한 능력을 보였다(P < 0.05). 하지만 D 대립유전자는 높은 정육율과 낮은 등지방두께에 연관성이 있음을 관찰하였다. 따라서 돼지의 성장과 정육율과 관련된 선발력을 높이기 위해서 MC4R유전자의 다형성분석에서 검증된 PCR marker를 우량돼지육종 계획에 있어 분자생물학적 선발 marker로 사용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Genes and Genomics
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.1119-1125
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• 2018

Melanocortin 4 receptor: (MC4R) and Myostatin (MSTN) are two important growth trait-related genes in animals. In this study, we showed that two SNPs, MC4R-719A>G and MSTN-519C>T, found in the promoters of the MC4R and MSTN genes, respectively, are both associated with growth traits in Spinibarbus hollandi. Furthermore, we observed that there were significant associations between the expression levels of the MC4R and MSTN genes and these two growth trait-related SNPs. The expression level of MC4R gene in brain was lower in GG genotype fish with extremely high growth performance than that in AA genotype fish with extremely low growth performance. Expression level of the MSTN gene in muscle was lower in TT genotype fish with extremely high growth performance than that in CC and CT genotype fish with lower growth performance. The results indicated that these SNPs located in the promoters of MC4R and MSTN are associated with growth-related traits through modification of gene expression levels. The MSTN and MC4R SNPs may have useful application in effective marker-assisted selection aimed to increase output in S. hollandi.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.261-268
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• 2010

As in the O. mykiss electrophoretic profiles of RNA, the signals of each RNA sample from 9 individual tissues such as liver, muscle, brain, heart, pituitary gland, kidney, intestine, spleen and gill similar to positive control were obtained. The tissue distributions of the complimentary DNA (cDNA) of O. mykiss four genes were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR with primer sets for tissue expression analysis. In this rainbow trout species, author obtained bands of various sizes, ranged from 700 bp to 1,400 bp. A dissociation curve was made at the end of each run to make sure that there was no non-specific amplification. Supplementarily, the Ct of each DNA was compared. The Ct values of vinculin with rainbow trout tissues were determined in a manner similar to those for agouti-related protein (AgRP) and melanocortin receptors (MC4R I and MC4R II). Further, obtained Cts for standard curve of each DNA were affected by specific product (vinculin, AgRP and MC4R II genes). After several experiments with four individual genes of rainbow trout, author estimated a variation ratio of the mean Ct value of the DNA extracted using the comparative CTt method was 37.27, and the standard deviation was 5.33. The correlation coefficient between the Ct values and the concentration of cDNA was -0.98, -0.99, -0.91 and -0.86, respectively (vinculin, AgRP, MC4R I and MC4R II genes). Since this correlation showed high linearity, the straight line obtained was used as a standard for the O. mykiss tissues reared in aquarium. A PCR efficiency of 100% is ideally achieved when the slopes are close to the theoretical value of -3.31. According to quantification method, the results of quantification are strongly affected by the DNA fragmentation. The size of most DNA fragments obtained from various tissues of rainbow trout used in the experiment was approximately 100 bp. According to the four slopes, an efficiency of nearly 100% was estimated for four genes detection methods. Additionally, further analysis with more individuals and primers will be required to fully establish optimization in rainbow trout.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.763-768
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• 2006

Genetic and pharmacological studies in mice have demonstrated a complementary role for the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) in the control of food intake, energy balance and body weight. This study was designed to investigate the associations of a MC4R gene polymorphism on chicken growth and body composition traits in broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat. A SNP (G54C) was found in CDS region of chicken MC4R gene. The analysis of the least squares and variance revealed a significant association between the G54C SNP and BW, CW and SL at 7 wk of age, and there were significant differences in different genotypes (p<0.05). The results from protein secondary structure prediction and tertiary structure prediction showed that it appeared a helix in $13^{th}$ amino acid and two strands at $14^{th}$ and $15^{th}$ amino acid in mutant protein, respectively. It maybe induce the change of the activity or function of MC4R gene in poultry.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권7호
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• pp.939-948
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• 2019

Objective: Extension and Agouti loci play a key role for proportions of eumelanin and pheomelanin in determining coat color in several species, including goat. Mongolian goats exhibit diverse types of coat color phenotypes. In this study, investigation of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) coding region in different coat colors in Mongolian goats was performed to ascertain the presence of the extension allele. Methods: A total of 105 goat samples representing three goat breeds were collected for this study from middle Mongolia. A 938 base pair (bp) long coding region of the MC1R gene was sequenced for three different breeds with different coat colors (Gobi Gurwan Saikhan: complete black, Zalaa Jinstiin Tsagaan: complete white, Mongolian native goat: admixture of different of coat colors). The genotypes of these goats were obtained from analyzing and comparing the sequencing results. Results: A total of seven haplotypes defined by five substitution were identified. The five single nucleotide polymorphisms included two synonymous mutations (c.183C>T and c.489G>A) and three missense (non-synonymous) mutations (c.676A>G, c.748T>G, and c.770T>A). Comparison of genotypes frequencies of two common missense mutions using chi-sqaure ($x^2$) test revealed significant differences between coat color groups (p<0.001). A logistic regression analysis additionally suggested highly significant association between genotypes and variation of black versus white uniform combination. Alternatively, most investigated goats (60.4%) belonged to H2 (TGAGT) haplotype. Conclusion: According to the findings obtained in this study on the investigated coat colors, mutations in MC1R gene may have the crucial role for determining eumelanin and pheomelanin phenotypes. Due to the complication of coat color phenotype, more detailed investigation needed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.430-436
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• 2010

The objective of the present studies was to develop and validate a system for isolation, purification and extended culture of pigment-producing cells in alpaca skin (melanocytes) responsible for coat color and to determine the effect of alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone treatment on mRNA expression for the melanocortin 1 receptor, a key gene involved in coat color regulation in other species. Skin punch biopsies were harvested from the dorsal region of 1-3 yr old alpacas and three different enzyme digestion methods were evaluated for effects on yield of viable cells and attachment in vitro. Greatest cell yields and attachment were obtained following dispersion with dispase II relative to trypsin and trypsin-EDTA treatment. Culture of cells in medium supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor, bovine pituitary extract, hydrocortisone, insulin, 12-O-tetradecanolphorbol-13-acetate and cholera toxin yielded highly pure populations of melanocytes by passage 3 as confirmed by detection of tyrosinase activity and immunocytochemical localization of melanocyte markers including tyrosinase, S-100 and micropthalmia-associated transcription factor. Abundance of mRNA for tyrosinase, a key enzyme in melanocyte pigment production, was maintained through 10 passages showing preservation of melanocyte phenotypic characteristics with extended culture. To determine hormonal responsiveness of cultured melanocytes and investigate regulation of melanocortin 1 receptor expression, cultured melanocytes were treated with increasing concentrations of ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone. Treatment with ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone increased melanocortin receptor 1 mRNA in a dose dependent fashion. The results demonstrated culture of pure populations of alpaca melanocytes to 10 passages and illustrate the potential utility of such cells for studies of intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of genes controlling pigmentation and coat color in fiber-producing species.

• 한국자기공명학회논문지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.34-45
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• 2012

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) subtype is associated with obese humans. Especially, in a patient with severe early-onset obesity, novel heterozygous mutation in the MC4R gene was detected, resulting in an exchange of aspartic acid to asparagine in $90^{th}$ amino acid residue located in the predicted second trans-membrane domain (TM2). Mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene are the most frequent monogenic causes of severe obesity which have been described as heterozygous with loss of function. In order to compare structure difference between MC4R wild type (MC4R-TM2-wt) and mutant (MC4R-TM2-D90N), we designed both MC4R-TM2-wt and MC4R-TM2-D90N construct in pET 21b vector. In this study, we optimized high-yield purification procedure for recombinant TM2-D90N. Eluted recombinant protein was resolubilized under urea condition for thrombin cleavage reaction and we conducted the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with reverse phase column under 1% acetonitrile, 0.01% TFA buffer solution. The molecular size of purified target peptide was confirmed by Tricine-SDS page analysis. To characterize MC4R-TM2-D90N, we have performed $^{15}N$-isotope labeling of peptide using M9 media and purified labeled target peptide for hetero-nuclear NMR spectroscopy.