cDNA Cloning,mRNA Transcription of Sox9 Gene at Early Developmental Stages in Amur Sturgeons (Acipenser schrenckii)

The Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) Sox9 partial cDNA (1 140 bp) was cloned from cDNA of this species gonad by RACE-PCR,and the temporal and spatial expression patterns were analyzed by RT-PCR.RT-PCR showed that Sox9 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed at all the stages (1+-3+) checked of 8 tissues (heart,kidney,liver,eye,spleen,brain,testis and ovary).Sox9 expression levels were extremely low in the fry at 1 day after hatching,while mRNA expression level rose after 15 days.Expression pattern of gonad has not any difference between testis and ovary,which suggests that the function of Sox9 in the cartilage is conserved among vertebrates,while that in the gonad is quite different.