Molecular cloning and expression profiles of matrilin-1 in pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata)

Matrilin-1 gene was cloned from the Pinctada fucata based on its transcriptome sequences and named as Pfmatrilin-1. The whole length of Pfmatrilin-1 was 2 036 bp, including a 1 194 bp ORF encoding 397 amino acids, in which there were a signal peptide and two VWA (von Willebrand factor A) motifs. Phylogeny analysis proves that the matrilins in vertebrates and invertebrates were of distant relationship. The qRT-PCR tissue expression analysis indicates that Pfmatrilin-1 was expressed in all the tested tissues with significantly high expression level in blood cells (P < 0.05).The Pf-matrilin-1 was also continuously expressed from trochophore to metamorphosis stages, reaching the peak at pediveliger stage (P < 0.05).The prodissoconchⅡformed during pediveliger stage, so the Pfmatrilin-1 may be involved in regulating the formation of prodissoconchⅡ. Thus, it is proved that the Pfmatrilin-1 plays an important role of biomineralization in P.fucata.