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Table 2 List of genes with functional annotations proposed as markers of avian oviduct epithelial cells

From: Molecular signatures of epithelial oviduct cells of a laying hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) and quail (Coturnix japonica)

Gene symbol/

Gene name

Species/

NCBI reference

Gene function

(Gene atlas)

Biological process

Reference (Function)

% of identity with human protein sequence

% of identity with quail genomic sequencea

ESR1

estrogen receptor 1

G. gallus

396,099

Encodes the protein estrogen receptor alpha, plays role in the sex differentiation of reproductive tract, regulates the expression of oviduct genes

4A- nuclear receptor; transcription regulator; binding estradiol, epithelial cell development, cell differentiation

[34, 39]

79

99

C. japonica

107,311,566

Transcription regulator; binding estradiol, epithelial cell development, cell differentiation

[40]

n/a

OVAL

Ovalbumin-SERPINB14

G. gallus

396,058

Encodes ovalbumin in Ov-serpin family, located in extracellular space

Oviduct secretome, binds calcium, responds to steroid hormones, constitutes egg white

[41]

41

93

C. japonica

107,309,565

Oviduct secretome, constitutes egg white, responds to steroid hormones

[42]

n/a

OVM

SPINK7- serine peptidase inhibitor, Kazal type 7

G. gallus

416,236

Encodes ovomucoid protein to the extracellular space, responds to steroid hormones, binds IgE, IgG

Secreted as egg white protein, allergenic as a food component, responsive to steroid hormones (progesterone), allergenic component of an egg white

[43, 44]

44

96

C. japonica

107,320,484

n/a

KRT5

keratin 5

407,779

Encodes protein keratin 5, type II cytoskeletal 5

Interacts with KRT14 to form cytoskeleton of basal epithelium, expressed in stem cells of fallopian tube, epithelial differentiation

[15]

80b

98

KRT14

keratin, type I cytoskeletal 14

408,039

Marker of the stratified epithelium as keratin filament

Interacts with KRT5 to form the cytoskeleton of basal epithelium, expressed in tumor cells of fallopian tube, marker of chicken keratinocytes, epithelial differentiation

[26]

69

100

OCLN

occludin

G. gallus

396,026

Encodes protein occludin, marker of tight junctions in epithelial cells

Component of plasma membrane, role in cellular binding, forms tight junctions

[26]

47

96

C. japonica

107,325,447

n/a

CD44

cell surface glycoprotein CD44

G. gallus

395,666

Encodes CD44 antigen, marker of epithelial stem cells in fallopian tube

Role in cell adhesion (cell to cell) and postponement of the apoptotic process

[15]

48

100

C. japonica

107,314,385

n/a

LGR5

Leucine-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5

G. gallus

427,867

Encodes protein LGR5, induced by Wnt/β-Catenin signaling

Marker of stem cells in the ovary and tubal epithelia

[14]

30c

99

C. japonica

107,310,333

n/a

MSI-1

Musashi-1; Musashi RNA binding protein- 1

G. gallus

416,979

Marker of epithelial early lineage, marker of stem cells in human endometrium

Maintains proliferation and multipotent potential of epithelial cells (emerging from Müllerian duct)

[45]

80

100

C. japonica

107,321,418

[31]

n/a

NANOG

Nanog homebox

G. gallus

100,272,166

Encodes transcriptional factor of pluripotency: homebox protein NANOG, Marker of stem cells in ovarian epithelium

Maintains stem cell population, chicken stem cell marker

[32]

89

100

C. japonica

107,318,297

[46]

n/a

OCT4/

cPOUV

POU domain class 5 transcription factor 3, Octamer-binding protein 4

427,781

Encodes transcription factor POU5F3

Maintains cell pluripotency, maintains population of somatic stem cells, shows responses to wounding

[33]

43

97

SOX9

SRY sex determining region Y-box 9

G. gallus

374,148

Encodes HMG box transcription factor, marker of epithelial early lineage, transcription epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker

Negatively regulates the differentiation of epithelial cells, maintains the population of somatic stem cells, plays role in transdifferentiation; regulation of cell adhesion, activated during chondrogenesis in chicken

[28]

99

100

C. japonica

107,322,214

[29]

n/a

  1. aBlasted with http://viewer.shigen.info/uzura/blast_result.php. bsimilarity for gene is given; no protein sequence of protein KRT5 is available for G. gallus. cUNIPROT blasting tool shows for only 30% identity of a G. gallus sequence with human LGR5, but the same protein sequence shows 95% identity with human VAV3 GDP/GTP exchange factor. For a quail, only 900 proteins are annotated in existing UniProt databases. Thus, when a gap in quail database [22] limits the interpretation of a sequence, a relevant genomic alignment onto chicken was performed [23]. Depending on the database used (ENSEMBL, NCBI, and/or UniProt), sequences of the genes selected for this study had 89%–100% similarity. Thereby, gene expression assays developed were comparable between both species