Cloning and expression of P450c17-I (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) in brain and ovary during gonad development in Cynoglossus semilaevis.

Cytochrome P450c17 (CYP17, 17a-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) is a critical enzyme in the production of androgens and estrogens in vertebrates. A 2,469 bp full length cDNA of P450c17-I (CYP17A1) has been isolated from the ovary of half-smooth tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis which encodes 509 amino acids. Additionally, a relatively shorter cDNA (1,742 bp), a likely result of polyadenylation, was also found. The putative P450c17-I enzyme shares high sequence identity with that of the fathead minnow (73%), zebrafish (71%), the Japanese eel (70%), catfish (70%), tilapia (79%), three-spined stickleback (81%), medaka (79%), dogfish (60%), chicken (65%), rat (47%), and human (49%). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of spatial expression showed the enzyme was predominantly expressed in the ovaries and the brain. P450c17-I was also detected in the stomach, intestine, gill, spleen, kidney, and head kidney, albeit weakly. Further examination of temporal expression pattern of P450c17-I in ovary and brain revealed developmental stage-dependency. In addition to this our data on T and E2 levels further endorse the critical role of P450c17-I during shift in steroidogenesis. Based on the present study we indicate an important role for P450c17-I during ovarian development. However, further studies are needed at transcriptional regulation level for deeper insights into the physiological functions of P450c17-I.