Isolation and sequence analysis of sox genes from lizard Eremias multiocellata

The Sox (SRY-related high-mobility-group box) family of genes shares a conserved HMG box and is involved in a diverse range of developmental processes and sex determination in vertebrates. Twenty Sox genes are present in the genomes of humans and mice, but far less is known about the Sox gene family in reptiles. Using two pairs of highly degenerate primers designed from a multiple alignment of Sox amino acid sequences in several species, different positive clones were obtained from male and female Eremias multiocellata, a viviparous lizard which is subject to TSD (temperature-dependent sex determination). These clones were sequenced and identified. They are members of the SoxB (Sox2, Sox14), SoxC (Sox11, Sox12) and SoxE (Sox9a, Sox9b, Sox10) groups. No sex-specific differences were observed. Based on the amino acid sequence similarities, the phylogenetic analysis was carried out and these genes clustered with their orthologues. In addition, we found the gene duplication in E. multiocellata, it may be a mechanism to produce new functional genes.