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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #403389
Research Project: Validate Causative Mutations in Agriculturally-Important Vertebrates

Location: Plant Genetics Research

Title: Porcine-specific expression of the three functional CYP19 paralogs in early conceptus, placenta, and gonads

Author
item LUCAS, CAROLINE - University Of Missouri
item SULLIVAN, RILEY - University Of Missouri
item PFEIFFER, CAROLINE - University Of Missouri
item Chen, Paula
item KIM, JAEWOO - University Of Missouri
item SPONCHIADO, MARIANA - University Of Missouri
item CONLEY, ALAN - University Of California, Davis
item PRATHER, RANDALL - University Of Missouri
item WELLS, KEVIN - University Of Missouri
item GEISERT, RODNEY - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Reproduction
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/2023
Publication Date: 9/4/2023
Citation: Lucas, C.G., Sullivan, R.M., Pfeiffer, C.A., Chen, P.R., Kim, J., Sponchiado, M.S., Conley, A.J., Prather, R.S., Wells, K.D., Geisert, R.D. 2023. Porcine-specific expression of the three functional CYP19 paralogs in early conceptus, placenta, and gonads. Reproduction. 166(4):263-269. https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-23-0189.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-23-0189

Interpretive Summary: In pigs, estrogen is a key hormone for orchestrating estrus cycles as well as embryo and placental development, which is important for the productivity of this agricultural species. Estrogen is the product of a gene that has very dynamic regulation, and understanding this control at different developmental stages in pigs is critical for improving reproductive potential of gilts and sows. Here, we demonstrated distinct regulation for three genes that play an important role in swine pregnancy and a potential role for a new gene in controlling secretion of estrogen. These findings improve our understanding of reproductive efficiency in pigs, and these genes could serve as markers for important traits, such as litter size.

Technical Abstract: Although three porcine aromatase isoforms have been identified, their gene expression profiles in reproduction are still poorly understood. Here, we identified by Sanger sequencing unique nucleotide signatures for the three paralogous copies of Cyp19 and analyzed by RT-PCR the occurrence of the Cyp19 and Cyp17a1 transcripts at different tissues and stages of conceptus and fetal–placental development. Cyp19a1 and Cyp19a3 expressions were detected in conceptuses and gonads, respectively. Cyp19a2 transcripts were identified on both the conceptuses and the placenta samples. Transcripts for Cyp17a1 were detected predominantly in conceptus and gonads. In the endometrium of day 21 pregnant females, as well as days 12 and 17 pseudopregnant females, we did not detect the expression of Cyp19a1, Cyp19a2, or Cyp19a3. In our study, we have demonstrated distinct transcriptional regulation for the three functional Cyp19 paralogs and a potential role for Cyp17a1 in controlling the secretion of estrogen from the conceptus and the placenta.