Authors : Zhang Ming, Wang Kun, Chen Shiyi, Wang Jie and Lai Songjia
Abstract: Metallothioneins (MTs) play important roles in mental ion metabolism, detoxication of heavy mental, clearance of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). In the studies, Coding Sequences (CDS) of MT1, MT2 and MT3 genes from Chinese-Belgium rabbit were cloned and sequenced. The results showed: CDS length of MT1, MT2 and MT3 was 186, 186 and 201 bp, respectively encoded 61, 61 and 66 amino acids, respectively. Amino acid sequence of MTs includes 7 typical Cys-Xaa-Cys motifs and 20 cysteines which form 10 disulfide-bonds. Similarity analysis showed that the similarity of MT1 and MT2 reached to 87.6%; the similarity of MT2 and MT3 was 78.0%; the similarity of MT3 and MT1 was 76.3%. Alignment and cluster analysis of MTs genes from different species suggest MTs are high conserved but different subtype of MTs genes have separated and formed in the early stages of the evolution of species and then they individually evolve.
Zhang Ming, Wang Kun, Chen Shiyi, Wang Jie and Lai Songjia, 2012. Clone and Bioinformatics Analysis of Chinese-Belgium Rabbit Metallothionein-1 MT1, MT2 and MT3 Genes CDS Region. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11: 2367-2372.