Identification, characterization, and expression of the genes TektinA1 and Axonemal protein 66.0 in the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina.

The genes Tektin A1 and axonemal protein 66.0 were successfully Isolated and characterized in the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina. The full-length cDNAs of Ha-TekA1 and Ha-Axp66.0 were 2166 and 2038 bp long, with ORFs of 1350 and 1683 bp, respectively. Both Ha-TekA1 and Ha-Axp66.0 were expressed in the testes but not in the ovaries or hemocytes of H. asinina adults. In addition, HaAxp66.0 was not expressed in H. asinina juveniles (2, 3, and 5 months old). A tissue expression analysis showed Ha-Axp66.0 to be expressed specifically in the testes, whereas Ha-TekA1 was expressed abundantly in the testes but weakly in the foot, gill, digestive gland, left hypobranchial gland, and mantle. The relative expression levels of Ha-TekA1 and Ha-Axp66.0 were significantly lower in undeveloped testes (stage I) than in developed testes (stages II, III, and IV) of H. asinina (P < 0.05).