Identification of differentially expressed genes in the developing antler of red deer Cervus elaphus

Abstract

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bone development is a fundamental and fascinating problem in developmental biology, with significant medical implications. Here, we have identified the expression patterns for 36 genes that were characteristic or dominant in the consecutive cell differentiation zones (mesenchyme, precartilage, cartilage) of the tip section of the developing velvet antler of red deer Cervus elaphus. Two major functional groups of these genes clearly outlined: six genes linked to high metabolic demand and other five to tumor biology. Our study demonstrates the advantages of the antler as a source of mesenchymal markers, for distinguishing precartilage and cartilage by different gene expression patterns and for identifying genes involved in the robust bone development, a striking feature of the growing antler. Putative roles for "antler" genes that encode alpha-tropomyosine (tpm1), transgelin (tagln), annexin 2 (anxa2), phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (pebp) and apolipoprotein D (apoD) in intense but still controlled tissue proliferation are discussed.

Identifying novel genes involved in both deer physiological and human pathological osteoporosis

“…Although no deer microarray is available to date, our previous Wndings Molnar et al 2007) on the high sequence homology between orthologous genes of deer and other Dots indicate genes involved in the given gene sortiment. Note that genes shared by the groups of "Deer genes" and "Human genes" (COL1A1, FN1, MGP) are indicated only once in each column according to the selection criteria for the given sortiment.…”

“…The interspeciWc hybridization procedure was not optimized for the human-deer homology level but was carried out under the strict, standard human-human hybridization conditions. In our data, the human-deer homology level is 91.9% on the average for 29 genes, ranging from 86 to 95% (see ESM Table S4; Molnar et al 2007). In this way, we might have lost potential genes involved in the deer cyclic physiological osteoporosis and regeneration; however, unspeciWc signals could be avoided.…”

“…Antler development in the Cervinae subfamily represents the most robust bone deposition in the animal kingdom Molnar et al 2007). Since the growth rate may reach over 100 g per day between May and July, enormous bone mass-generally 7-9 kg, occasionally 13-15 kg, as reported from the DanubeDrava-Gemenc-Bilje National Park in Hungary and Croatia-develops within 100-120 days.…”

Antler development and coupled osteoporosis in the skeleton of red deer Cervus elaphus: expression dynamics for regulatory and effector genes

“…Previously we identiWed a set of genes which are diVerentially expressed during the rapid but controlled tissue proliferation (Korpos et al 2005;Molnar et al 2007;Gyurján et al 2007;Villányi et al 2008) and another set, which is involved in the skeletal physiological osteoporosis (Borsy et al 2009). In this work, we developed an antlerspeciWc cDNA microarray in order to compare gene expression levels in the tissues of the mineralizing velvet antler and the skeleton (ribs and vertebra) of deer stags.…”

Drosophila Orthologs, expressed specifically in Courting Zebra Finch Males, are engaged in Courtshipe

“…the genes regulating red deer antler development [6]. The PBCH technique is an alternative method to procedures such as applied fragment *Address correspondence to this author at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biology, H-6720 Szeged, Somogyi Street 4, Hungary; Tel: +36 62 545108; Fax: +36 62 545131; E-mail: villanyi22@gmail.com length comparisons and DNA chip technology to identify differentially expressed genes [5][6][7][8]. In the present study we compared transcriptomes by analyzing about 600,000 cDNA clones from both the courting and caring zebra finch male brain libraries using the PBCH method.…”