School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315000, China.
Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Aquatic Germplasm Resources, College of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Zhejiang, 315100, China.
BMC Genomics. 2023 Nov 21;24(1):700. doi: 10.1186/s12864-023-09731-5.
ETS transcription factors, known as the E26 transformation-specific factors, assume a critical role in the regulation of various vital biological processes in animals, including cell differentiation, the cell cycle, and cell apoptosis. However, their characterization in mollusks is currently lacking.
The current study focused on a comprehensive analysis of the ETS genes in blood clam Tegillarca granosa and other mollusk genomes. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed the absence of the SPI and ETV subfamilies in mollusks compared to humans. Additionally, several ETS genes in mollusks were found to lack the PNT domain, potentially resulting in a diminished ability of ETS proteins to bind target genes. Interestingly, the bivalve ETS1 genes exhibited significantly high expression levels during the multicellular proliferation stage and in gill tissues. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed that Tg-ETS-14 (ETS1) is upregulated in the high total hemocyte counts (THC) population of T. granosa, suggesting it plays a significant role in stimulating hemocyte proliferation.
Our study significantly contributes to the comprehension of the evolutionary aspects concerning the ETS gene family, while also providing valuable insights into its role in fostering hemocyte proliferation across mollusks.
ETS 转录因子，又称为 E26 转化特异性因子，在动物的各种重要生物过程的调控中起着关键作用，包括细胞分化、细胞周期和细胞凋亡。然而，它们在软体动物中的特征目前还不清楚。
本研究集中于对血蛤（Tegillarca granosa）和其他软体动物基因组中的 ETS 基因进行全面分析。我们的系统发育分析表明，与人类相比，软体动物中缺乏 SPI 和 ETV 亚家族。此外，在软体动物中，一些 ETS 基因缺乏 PNT 结构域，这可能导致 ETS 蛋白结合靶基因的能力下降。有趣的是，双壳类 ETS1 基因在多细胞增殖阶段和鳃组织中表现出显著高的表达水平。此外，qRT-PCR 结果表明，Tg-ETS-14（ETS1）在血蛤高总血细胞计数（THC）群体中上调，表明其在刺激血细胞增殖方面发挥着重要作用。
我们的研究对理解 ETS 基因家族的进化方面做出了重要贡献，同时也为其在促进软体动物血细胞增殖中的作用提供了有价值的见解。
