Yingying Dai1, Shuaishuai Hu1, Shaocheng Bai1, Jiali Li1, Naisu Yang1, Pin Zhai2, Bohao Zhao1, Yang Chen1,3, Xinsheng Wu4,5. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, 225009, Yangzhou, China. 2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Research Institute, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 210000, Nanjing, China. 3. Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture & Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, 225009, Yangzhou, China. 4. College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, 225009, Yangzhou, China. xswu@yzu.edu.cn. 5. Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture & Agri-Product Safety, Yangzhou University, 225009, Yangzhou, China. xswu@yzu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The fur color constitutes one of the most important economic characteristics of fur animals and is determined by the content of melanin. A previous study has shown that the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is a member of the protein kinase family, involved in forming the color of the fur in Rex rabbits. However, its effect on the melanocytes remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide evidence for the role of CDK1 in melanogenesis. METHODS: This study measured the expression of CDK1 in Rex rabbit skins of six coat colors using qRT-PCR. The CDK1-mediated regulation of the pigmentation-related genes and cyclin-dependent kinases were analyzed. The melanin content, proliferation, and apoptosis of the melanocytes were analyzed using the NaOH, CCK8, and Annexin V-FITC methods. RESULTS: The CDK1 expression in the skin of the rex rabbits with different coat colors was found to be regular, and the expression level was found to be the highest in the skin of the black rex rabbits (P < 0.05). The overexpression/knockdown of CDK1 was found to significantly increase/decrease the melanin content in the melanocytes (P < 0.01). Besides, CDK1 was found to significantly promote the proliferation of the melanocyte and inhibit apoptosis (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the overexpression of CDK1 was found to significantly affect the expression of the other melanin-related genes like TYR, PMEL, DCT, as well as the mRNA expression of the cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4, CDK6, CDK8, CCNB1. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that CDK1 can serve as a key gene regulating melanogenesis, melanocyte proliferation, and apoptosis, providing a new theoretical basis for studying the mechanism by which the different colors of the fur evolve in mammals.
BACKGROUND: The fur color constitutes one of the most important economic characteristics of fur animals and is determined by the content of melanin. A previous study has shown that the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is a member of the protein kinase family, involved in forming the color of the fur in Rex rabbits. However, its effect on the melanocytes remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to provide evidence for the role of CDK1 in melanogenesis. METHODS: This study measured the expression of CDK1 in Rex rabbit skins of six coat colors using qRT-PCR. The CDK1-mediated regulation of the pigmentation-related genes and cyclin-dependent kinases were analyzed. The melanin content, proliferation, and apoptosis of the melanocytes were analyzed using the NaOH, CCK8, and Annexin V-FITC methods. RESULTS: The CDK1 expression in the skin of the rex rabbits with different coat colors was found to be regular, and the expression level was found to be the highest in the skin of the black rex rabbits (P < 0.05). The overexpression/knockdown of CDK1 was found to significantly increase/decrease the melanin content in the melanocytes (P < 0.01). Besides, CDK1 was found to significantly promote the proliferation of the melanocyte and inhibit apoptosis (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the overexpression of CDK1 was found to significantly affect the expression of the other melanin-related genes like TYR, PMEL, DCT, as well as the mRNA expression of the cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4, CDK6, CDK8, CCNB1. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that CDK1 can serve as a key gene regulating melanogenesis, melanocyte proliferation, and apoptosis, providing a new theoretical basis for studying the mechanism by which the different colors of the fur evolve in mammals.
Authors: Lars Anders; Nan Ke; Per Hydbring; Yoon J Choi; Hans R Widlund; Joel M Chick; Huili Zhai; Marc Vidal; Stephen P Gygi; Pascal Braun; Piotr Sicinski Journal: Cancer Cell Date: 2011-11-15 Impact factor: 31.743
Authors: Michael F Berger; Eran Hodis; Timothy P Heffernan; Yonathan Lissanu Deribe; Michael S Lawrence; Alexei Protopopov; Elena Ivanova; Ian R Watson; Elizabeth Nickerson; Papia Ghosh; Hailei Zhang; Rhamy Zeid; Xiaojia Ren; Kristian Cibulskis; Andrey Y Sivachenko; Nikhil Wagle; Antje Sucker; Carrie Sougnez; Robert Onofrio; Lauren Ambrogio; Daniel Auclair; Timothy Fennell; Scott L Carter; Yotam Drier; Petar Stojanov; Meredith A Singer; Douglas Voet; Rui Jing; Gordon Saksena; Jordi Barretina; Alex H Ramos; Trevor J Pugh; Nicolas Stransky; Melissa Parkin; Wendy Winckler; Scott Mahan; Kristin Ardlie; Jennifer Baldwin; Jennifer Wargo; Dirk Schadendorf; Matthew Meyerson; Stacey B Gabriel; Todd R Golub; Stephan N Wagner; Eric S Lander; Gad Getz; Lynda Chin; Levi A Garraway Journal: Nature Date: 2012-05-09 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: Dai Horiuchi; Leonard Kusdra; Noelle E Huskey; Sanjay Chandriani; Marc E Lenburg; Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo; Katelyn J Creasman; Alexey V Bazarov; James W Smyth; Sarah E Davis; Paul Yaswen; Gordon B Mills; Laura J Esserman; Andrei Goga Journal: J Exp Med Date: 2012-03-19 Impact factor: 14.307