Satake H, Aoyama M, Kawada T, Sekiguchi T, Sakai T, Fujie M, Satoh Nori
Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research, Osaka, Japan.
Acta Biol Hung. 2008;59 Suppl:237-9. doi: 10.1556/ABiol.59.2008.Suppl.33.
Ci-TK and Ci-TK-R are authentic tachykinin (TK) and TK receptor isolated from a protochordate, Ciona intestinalis. In this study, we investigated a novel function of TK as an enhancer of oocyte growth. Ci-TK-R is expressed specifically in the Ciona vitellogenic oocytes. Moreover, administration of Ci-TK to the Ciona ovary resulted in upregulation of gene expression and enzymatic activity of several proteases. Moreover, maturation of the Ciona oocytes from the vitellogenic stage to the post-vitellogenic stage was induced in the presence of Ci-TK, which was completely blocked by addition of protease inhibitors.
Ci-TK和Ci-TK-R是从原索动物海鞘中分离得到的真正的速激肽（TK）和TK受体。在本研究中，我们研究了TK作为卵母细胞生长增强剂的新功能。Ci-TK-R特异性表达于海鞘的卵黄生成期卵母细胞中。此外，将Ci-TK施用于海鞘卵巢会导致几种蛋白酶的基因表达和酶活性上调。此外，在Ci-TK存在的情况下，海鞘卵母细胞从卵黄生成期到卵黄生成后期的成熟被诱导，而添加蛋白酶抑制剂可完全阻断这种诱导。
