Molecular characterization and expression of an oocyte-specific histone stem-loop binding protein in Carassius gibelio

Stem-loop-binding proteins (SLBPs) have been revealed to interact with stem-loop of histones, and oocyte-specific and oocyte-preferential SLBP2 have been identified in vertebrates including Xenopus (S. tropicalis) and B. taurus to play a key role in histone translation regulation, but no oocyte-specific SLBPs have been characterized in fish. Here, we have identified and characterized the first fish oocyte-specific SLBP2 in Carassius gibelio. Its full-length cDNA contains 975 bp ORF encoding 324 amino acids. Firstly, the polyclonal antibody specific to C. gibelio SLBP2 was prepared. Then, RT-PCR analysis and Western blot detection revealed its oocyte-specific and dynamic expression pattern during oogenesis and embryogenesis of C. gibelio. Moreover, in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence localization observed its abundant expression in cortical alveolar stage oocytes and dynamic distribution in different stage oocytes. Altogether, our current data suggest that C. gibelio SLBP2 might play significant role in the early oogenesis and oocyte growth.