Molecular cloning and expression analysis of mannose receptor in blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala)

Mannose receptor (MR) plays a significant role in innate immune responses to pathogens in vertebrates. Here we characterized the first teleost MR from Megalobrama amblycephala, named maMR and its expression patterns were investigated. The full-length maMR consists of 5,295 bp encoding a putative protein of 1,433 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequences showed that maMR contained a signal peptide, a cysteine-rich domain, a single fibronectin type II domain, eight tandemly arranged C-type lectin-like domains, a transmembrane domain and a C-terminal cytoplasmic domain. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the highest similarity of maMR with Danio rerio MR predicted by computational analysis. The maMR-mRNAs were ubiquitously transcribed in different tissues, However the highest transcripts were observed in head kidney. Transcripts of maMR significantly increased at the late stages of embryo and continued to be at the high levels after hatching. The maMR transcripts were significantly increased in M. amblycephala after stimulation with killed Aeromonas hydrophila.