Molecular cloning of two kcnk3 genes from the Northern snakehead (Channa argus) for quantification of their transcriptions in response to fasting and refeeding

Potassium channel subfamily K member 3 (KCNK3) has been reported to play important roles in membrane potential conduction, pulmonary hypertension and thermogenesis regulation in mammals. However, its roles remain largely unknown and scarce reports were seen in fish. In the present study, we for the first time identified two kcnk3 genes (kcnk3a and kcnk3b) from the carnivorous Northern snakehead (Channa argus) by molecular cloning and a genomic survey. Subsequently, their transcription changes in response to different feeding status were investigated. Full-length coding sequences of the kcnk3a and kcnk3b genes are 1203 and 1176 bp, encoding 400 and 391 amino acids, respectively. Multiple alignments, 3D-structure prediction and phylogenetic analysis further suggested that these kcnk3 genes may be highly conserved in vertebrates. Tissue distribution analysis by real-time PCR demonstrated that both the snakehead kcnk3s were widely transcribed in majority of the examined tissues but with different distribution patterns. In a short-term (24-h) fasting experiment, we observed that brain kcnk3a and kcnk3b genes showed totally opposite transcription patterns. In a long-term (2-week) fasting and refeeding experiment, we also observed differential change patterns for the brain kcnk3 genes. In summary, our findings suggest that the two kcnk3 genes are close while present different transcription responses to fasting and refeeding. They therefore can be potentially selected as novel target genes for improvement of production and quality of this economically important fish.

Role of Myeloperoxidase of northern snakehead (Channa argus) in Aeromonas veronii infection

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a ferrous lysosomal protein with many immune functions that belongs to the heme peroxidase enzyme. In this study, the functions of MPO in the northern snakehead (Channa argus) were investigated by cloning an MPO cDNA sequence with a full length of 3181 bp. Homology analysis showed that northern snakehead MPO gene had the highest (81%) homology with mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). In healthy northern snakehead, the MPO gene was expressed in the head-kidney, kidney, heart, gill, spleen, liver, and muscles but not midgut. After the northern snakehead was infected with Aeromonas veronii, the MPO gene expression varied in different tissues with low level in spleen, liver, gill and muscle, fluctuated in kidney and head-kidney and showed high level in heart. The result indicated that MPO might play an important role in the antimicrobial immune response of the northern snakehead.