[Screening and identification of a novel ovarian specific protein in mouse].

Objective: To screen and identify the novel ovarian specific proteins to explore the possible mechanisms in the oogenesis and early embryo development.
Methods: The oocytes of BALB/C mice were collected for 2-D electrophoresis. After reaction with anti-citrulline antibody, three positive spots were selected for mass spectrometry. Based on the biologic informatic analysis, a novel peptide sequence was found and specific primers were designed for cloning. A full-length cDNA was identified by reverse transcription and rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). Its nucleotide and possible protein sequences were compared with those in the gene bank. And the tissue-specific characteristic of MOP53 was analyzed by Northern blot.
Results: A novel peptide sequence was found in murine oocytes, it came from a predicted protein with 330 amino acids. The predicted protein had ∼ 53 400 and pI 8.05 with conserved WD40, F-box motif. A full-length cDNA sequence with 1510 bp was cloned and named MOP53. Located at chromosome 9 F2, this new gene was specifically expressed in ovary.
Conclusions: An ovarian specific protein is found. It may be involved in the process of oogenesis and early embryo development based on its biologic informatic characteristics.