Genome-level Identification, Gene Expression, and Comparative Analysis of Porcine ß-defensin Genes

Overview

Journal BMC Genet

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Biotechnology
Molecular Biology

Date 2012 Nov 16

PMID 23150902

Citations 21

Authors

Min-Kyeung Choi

Minh Thong Le

Dinh Truong Nguyen

Hojun Choi

Won Kim

Jin-Hoi Kim

Jungwan Chun

Jiyeon Hyeon

Kunho Seo

Chankyu Park

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Beta-defensins (β-defensins) are innate immune peptides with evolutionary conservation across a wide range of species and has been suggested to play important roles in innate immune reactions against pathogens. However, the complete β-defensin repertoire in the pig has not been fully addressed.

Result: A BLAST analysis was performed against the available pig genomic sequence in the NCBI database to identify β-defensin-related sequences using previously reported β-defensin sequences of pigs, humans, and cattle. The porcine β-defensin gene clusters were mapped to chromosomes 7, 14, 15 and 17. The gene expression analysis of 17 newly annotated porcine β-defensin genes across 15 tissues using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed differences in their tissue distribution, with the kidney and testis having the largest pBD expression repertoire. We also analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mature peptide region of pBD genes from 35 pigs of 7 breeds. We found 8 cSNPs in 7 pBDs.

Conclusion: We identified 29 porcine β-defensin (pBD) gene-like sequences, including 17 unreported pBDs in the porcine genome. Comparative analysis of β-defensin genes in the pig genome with those in human and cattle genomes showed structural conservation of β-defensin syntenic regions among these species.

Citing Articles

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