Cloning, Expression, and Functional Characterization of FUT1, a Key Gene for Histo-Blood Group Antigens Synthesis in .

Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) comprise a family of cell-surface carbohydrates that are considered norovirus-specific binding receptors or ligands. HBGA-like molecules have also been detected in oysters as common norovirus carriers, although the pathway involved in the synthesis of these molecules in oysters has yet to be elucidated. We isolated and identified a key gene involved in the synthesis of HBGA-like molecules, , from , named . Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that mRNA was expressed in the mantle, gill, muscle, labellum, and hepatopancreatic tissues of , with the hepatopancreas exhibiting the highest expression level. A recombinant CgFUT1 protein with a molecular mass of 38.0 kDa was expressed in using a prokaryotic expression vector. A eukaryotic expression plasmid was constructed and transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The expression of CgFUT1 and membrane localization of type H-2 HBGA-like molecules in CHO cells were detected using Western blotting and cellular immunofluorescence, respectively. This study indicated that , expressed in tissues, can synthesize type H-2 HBGA-like molecules. This finding provides a new perspective for analyzing the source and synthetic pathway of HBGA-like molecules in oysters.