Molecular cloning and functional analysis of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor gene promoter from the Jintang black goat

Abstract

A 762 bp fragment of the 5’-flanking region of the FSHR gene from the Jintang black goat was cloned. The putative initial transcript site was the A at 681 bp and there were 7 putative cis-acting elements and 3 AT-rich regions. The sequence of the FSHR promoter from the Jintang black goat is 99.34% homology to Capra hircus, 32.38% to Gallus gallus and 38.55% to mouse. It could promote the EGFP, FSHR transcription in HEK293 cells, the fluorescence intensity was weaker than the CMV promoter, but the expressed FSHR could respond to the FSH signaling with signal intensity much higher than that at 24 h. This indicated that the FSHR promoter of the Jintang black goat is a strong promoter and may be a gene-special promoter.

Key words: Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, gene promoter, Jintang black goat, molecular cloning, functional analysis.