Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
Microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 Protein into Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Embryos for Gene Editing
Published on: January 20, 2018
Alternative complement pathway of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus): molecular characterization, mapping and
Zunchun Zhou1, Hong Liu, Shikai Liu
1The Fish Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures and Program of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Aquatic Genomics Unit, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
Abstract:
The complement system is important in both innate and adaptive host defense against microbial infection in vertebrates. It contains three pathways: the classical, alternative, and lectin pathways. Complement component factors B and D are two crucial proteases in the alternative pathway. In this study, the genes of complement factors Bf/C2 and Df from channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus were identified and characterized. Two complement factor B-related genes, Bf/C2A and Bf/C2B, and factor D gene Df were identified. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Bf/C2A and Bf/C2B is likely orthologous to factor B and factor C2, respectively. Southern blot results suggested that these three genes are all single-copy genes in the catfish genome. The catfish Bf/C2A, Bf/C2B and Df genes were genetically mapped on linkage group 3, 20 and 29, respectively. Bf/C2A and Bf/C2B are highly expressed in liver and kidney, while Df is highly expressed in gill and spleen. After infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri, the expression of Bf/C2A, Bf/C2B and Df genes were found to be remarkably induced in the gill, liver, spleen and kidney at some sampling times, indicating that these three complement factors play a pivotal role in immune responses after the bacterial infection in catfish.
