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Title: Identification and characterization of matrix metalloproteinase-13 sequence structure and expression during embryogenesis and infection in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Author
item JIANG, YANLIANG - Auburn University
item ABERNATHY, JASON - Auburn University
item LIU, HONG - Auburn University
item WANG, SHAOLIN - Auburn University
item Xu, Dehai
item KUCUKTAS, HUSEYIN - Auburn University
item PEATMAN, ERIC - Auburn University
item Klesius, Phillip
item LIU, ZHANJIANG - Auburn University

Submitted to: Developmental and Comparative Immunology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/2010
Publication Date: 1/8/2010
Citation: Jiang, Y., Abernathy, J.W., Liu, H., Wang, S., Xu, D., Kucuktas, H., Peatman, E., Klesius, P.H., Liu, Z. 2010. Identification and characterization of matrix metalloproteinase-13 sequence structure and expression during embryogenesis and infection in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Developmental and Comparative Immunology. 34(5):590-597.

Interpretive Summary: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zinc-dependent endoproteinases, which are involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes, such as development, wound healing, inflammation, cell invasion, angiogenesis, and immune surveillance. No information is available on the MMP-13 gene and its function for channel catfish, the predominant aquaculture species in the United States. In this study, we identified and characterized a complete cDNA transcript and the MMP-13 gene in channel catfish, determined its pattern of expression in various tissues and during embryogenesis and evaluated its involvement in the defense responses of catfish against the Gram-negative bacteria Edwardsiella ictaluri, the causative agent in enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). The channel catfish MMP-13 was widely expressed in various health tissues. The expression of catfish MMP-13 is modulated by bacterial infection, and displays a conserved pattern of expression during embryogenesis, suggesting its importance in both immune and developmental processes. The results in this study are essential to researchers in university, academic, and aquacultural industy to understand roles of MMP-13 in fish development and immune response against pathogen.

Technical Abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), referred to as collagenase-3, is a proteolytic enzyme that plays a key role in degradation and remodelling of host extracellularmatrix proteins. The objective of this study was to characterize the MMP-13 gene in channel catfish, and to determine its pattern of expression in various healthy tissues and during embryogenesis. Since MMP-13 has been shown to have importance in tissue remodelling and some pathological processes, we further studied its involvement in the defense responses of catfish after bacterial infection. The channel catfish MMP-13 cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1416 bp encoding 471 amino acids. Using RT-PCR analysis, MMP-13 was widely expressed in various health tissues. Using quantitative real-time PCR analysis, expression of MMP-13 expression was slightly increased in the first day post-fertilization and sharply up-regulated from 1-day post-fertilization through hatching.