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PRAMEY: A Bovid-Specific Y-Chromosome Multicopy Gene Is Highly Related to Postnatal Testicular Growth in Hu Sheep
Shengwei Pei1, Fang Qin2, Li Wang1
1Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China.
Abstract:
PRAMEY (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma, Y-linked) belongs to the cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) gene family and is predominantly expressed in testis, playing important roles in spermatogenesis and testicular development. This study cloned the full-length cDNA sequence of ovine PRAMEY using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method and analyzed the expression profile and copy number variation (CNV) of PRAMEY using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The results revealed that the PRAMEY cDNA was 2099 bp in length with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1536 bp encoding 511 amino acids. PRAMEY was predominantly expressed in the testis and significantly upregulated during postnatal testicular development. The median copy number (MCN) of PRAMEY was 4, varying from 2 to 25 in 710 rams across eight sheep breeds. There was no significant correlation between the CNV of PRAMEY and testicular size, while a significant positive correlation was observed between the mRNA expression and testicular size in Hu sheep. The current study suggests that the expression levels of PRAMEY were closely associated with testicular size, indicating that PRAMEY may play an important role in testicular growth.
Insights
Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma, Y-linked (PRAMEY) is crucial for sheep testicular development. Its expression correlates with testicular size, suggesting a role in growth.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Genetics
- Animal Science
Background:
- PRAMEY (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma, Y-linked) is a cancer-testis antigen (CTA) predominantly expressed in the testis.
- CTAs are implicated in spermatogenesis and testicular development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and characterize ovine PRAMEY.
- To analyze PRAMEY's expression profile and copy number variation (CNV) in sheep.
- To investigate the correlation between PRAMEY and testicular size.
Main Methods:
- Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) for full-length cDNA cloning.
- Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for expression analysis and CNV determination.
- Statistical analysis to assess correlations.
Main Results:
- Ovine PRAMEY cDNA is 2099 bp, encoding 511 amino acids.
- PRAMEY is highly expressed in testes and upregulated during postnatal development.
- Median PRAMEY copy number is 4 (range 2-25) across breeds; CNV did not correlate with testicular size.
- PRAMEY mRNA expression positively correlated with testicular size in Hu sheep.
Conclusions:
- Ovine PRAMEY expression is linked to testicular growth.
- PRAMEY may play a significant role in regulating testicular size and development.
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