Molecular characterization, expression, polymorphism of NR5A2 and its relationship with litter size in Hu sheep

Abstract

ABSTRACT. NR5A2 has been implicated in processes as diverse as steroidogenesis, cellular proliferation, ovarian follicular development, ovulation, and fertility in mammals. However, data about the relationship between NR5A2 and prolificacy in mammals are lacking. In the present study, we identified and characterized NR5A2 of Hu sheep, and investigated the correlation between NR5A2 and reproductive performance. The full-length coding region was 1488 bp, and the gene was conserved in mammals. We found a positive correlation between NR5A2 mRNA levels in the ovary and the ovulation rate and litter size of Hu sheep. We detected two single nucleotide polymorphisms (T40C and T1419C) in the coding sequence of NR5A2. At the third and average parity, litter size of Hu ewes with CC genotype at T40C locus was larger than those of ewes with TT 12766 Y.X. Li et al.©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (4): 12765-12775 (2015) or TC genotypes; at the T1419C locus, Hu ewes with TT genotype was greater than those of ewes with CC genotype at the third parity. Our findings demonstrated that NR5A2 was associated with reproductive performance in Hu sheep, a high prolificacy breed.

Liver receptor homologue 1, a novel prognostic marker in colon cancer patients

“…The development of tumors and a variety of malignant behaviors are the outcome of the combined action of multiple genes, and in general, it is a complex multi-step and multi-factor process ( 14 ). The overexpression and activation of proto-oncogenes, the inhibition or downregulation of tumor suppressor genes and the downregulation of mutations serve an important role in the development of tumorigenesis.…”

A review on prolificacy genes in sheep

“…The NR5A2 gene plays important roles in embryonic development, cell differentiation and steroidogenesis (Labelle‐Dumais, Paré, Bélanger, Farookhi, & Dufort, ; Winkler, Bukulmez, Hardy, & Carr, ). Two point mutations of NR5A2 gene with positive effects on reproductive performance have been discovered in Hu sheep (Li et al., ). The NR5A2 gene is located on ovine chromosome 12: 76886799‐77015007 with 10 exons (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).…”

A T > G Mutation in the NR5A2 Gene Is Associated With Litter Size in Hu Sheep Through Upregulation of Promoter Activity by Transcription Factor MTF-1

“…Nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 2 (NR5A2), also referred to as liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) or fetoprotein transcription factor (FTF) in Drosophila (Galarneau et al, 1996), is an orphan nuclear hormone receptor. It is widely expressed in all tissues, especially in the ovaries (Falender et al, 2003; Li et al, 2015), and is involved in embryonic development (Wei et al, 2018), ovarian granulosa cell differentiation (Meinsohn et al, 2017), gonadal sex differentiation (Yan et al, 2018), and steroidogenesis (Camats et al, 2015; Xiao et al, 2018).…”

“…Kisspeptin neuron-specific NR5A2 knockout mice were shown to have significantly reduced litter sizes (Atkin et al, 2013). Polymorphisms in the NR5A2 gene were associated with preterm birth in humans (Kaluarachchi et al, 2016) and litter size in Hu sheep (Li et al, 2015). The mRNA level of the NR5A2 gene is significantly associated with the ovulation rate and litter size of Hu sheep (Li et al, 2015).…”

“…Polymorphisms in the NR5A2 gene were associated with preterm birth in humans (Kaluarachchi et al, 2016) and litter size in Hu sheep (Li et al, 2015). The mRNA level of the NR5A2 gene is significantly associated with the ovulation rate and litter size of Hu sheep (Li et al, 2015). This suggests that the NR5A2 gene plays an important role in regulating the reproductive performance of female animals.…”