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RESEARCH REPORT |
1 UMR 7138-Systématique, Adaptation, Evolution, Université Paris 6, 7, quai St-Bernard, 75005 Paris, France; and
2 EA 1892-Laboratoire du Développement des Tissus Dentaires, Faculté dOdontologie, Lyon, France
* corresponding author, sire{at}ccr.jussieu.fr
| ABSTRACT |
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KEY WORDS: lizard amelogenesis amelogenin in situ hybridization cDNA sequence analysis
| INTRODUCTION |
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In lizards, amelogenesis was recently shown to be roughly similar to that in mammals, with respect to the typical features of secretory ameloblasts and the maturation process (Delgado et al., 2005b). However, in contrast to mammals, mature enamel in lizards lacks prisms (Sander, 2001), and immature enamel matrix is deposited on the dentin matrix with a slight delay, and is completed prior to maturation (Delgado et al., 2005b). Are these differences in enamel architecture and maturation related to differences in the timing of deposition and/or to the structure of the amelogenin?
To try to answer these questions, we have cloned amelogenin in 2 scincid lizards, Chalcides viridanus and a related species, C. sexlineatus, and compared the lizard sequences with the other available sequences. Taking advantage of the fact that lizard teeth are replaced continuously throughout life, we next studied amelogenin gene expression during amelogenesis in replacement teeth developing in juveniles and adults (Delgado et al., 2003).
| MATERIALS & METHODS |
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All animals used in this study were maintained at room temperature (agreement No. A-75-05-11) and were killed according to the guidelines of the French Ethics Committee.
Methods
For a more detailed description of the methods, see the APPENDIX.
Histological Analysis
The anterior region of the lower jaw was fixed in a mixture of glutaraldehyde and paraformaldehyde, decalcified in EDTA, post-fixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated, and embedded in epon. One-µm-thick serial sections were stained with toluidine blue.
Amelogenin cDNA Cloning
The lower jaw was immersed in liquid nitrogen and reduced to a powder. RNAs were purified, and mRNAs were isolated and converted into cDNA by RT-PCR.
The following primers were designed:
5' exon 2 - sense, 5'-CTGGACTTTGGTTATGTGCC-3'; 3' exon 6 - antisense, 5'-CACTTCTTCTTGCTTGGTCTT-3'.
cDNA (1 µL) was amplified by PCR, in the presence of primers and Red Hot polymerase. Amplification was performed, and a 600-bp cDNA fragment was amplified.
3' RACE: Two runs of PCR were necessary, with an oligo(dT)18 (antisense) primer coupled successively with two (sense) primers:
5'-GGACACCAGTACCCACGTTAT-3'; 5'-TATGAACCTATGGGAGGATGG-3'.
One microgram of PCR product was ligated to pCR 2.1-TOPO plasmid vector by the TA-cloning method, then used to transform competent E. coli TOP10F bacteria. The plasmids were purified and sequenced.
Amelogenin cDNA sequences were aligned by Clustal X (UBC Bioinformatics Centre, Vancouver, Canada), and the putative amino acid sequences were deduced with DNA strider 1.2 (Bio-web/Software).
In situ Hybridization
The lower jaws were fixed in Formoys solution, then placed in a mixture of paraformaldehyde and acetic acid to complete decalcification. The jaws were dehydrated, embedded in paraffin, and cut into 10-µm-thick sections, which were transferred to coated slides. The slides were air-dried, deparaffinized, rehydrated, fixed in paraformaldehyde, washed twice, then dehydrated and air-dried.
Probe Preparation and Labeling
An asymmetric, linear amplification was utilized. The 600-bp amelogenin fragment was added to the amplification solution containing Taq polymerase and antisense primer. Sense primer was used for the synthesis of the control probe. A single-stranded DNA probe with a specific activity of about 2.8 x 106 dmp/pmol was obtained.
In situ Hybridization
The sections were pre-hybridized, rapidly rinsed, dehydrated, and air-dried, then covered with the hybridization solution, rinsed, dehydrated, and air-dried. For autoradiography, the slides were immersed in LM-1 emulsion (Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England). The sections were stained with Massons hemalun, air-dried, and mounted.
| RESULTS |
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| DISCUSSION |
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In mammals, the C-terminal region possesses a remarkably conserved intra-exonic alternative splicing, responsible for the formation of LRAP fragments (Moradian-Oldak et al., 1994). Such a splicing site is lacking in lizard amelogenin, but four QP (Glu-Pro) positions in this region could be alternative splicing sites. Alignment of several squamate sequences could provide more precise information.
During the last 250 million years of evolution, the variable region of amelogenin has been subjected to more substitutions in squamates than in mammals. Alignment of this region is not easy, not even within the reptile lineage, as shown when comparing the lizard sequence with that of either the snake or the crocodile. This high substitution rate is probably related to the more rapid evolution of the squamate genome, compared with the other lineages (Hughes and Mouchiroud, 2001), but it also implies that this region of the amelogenin is not subjected to functional/structural constraints. This is an advantage in the analysis of amelogenin evolution. Indeed, the regions that are permissive for substitutions, which do not interfere with amelogenin structure and function, will show more frequent changes than in other lineages. The only "important" sites are thus conserved. However, a comparative analysis of more sequences, in various representative species of this lineage, is necessary before we can understand the way in which lizard amelogenin is evolving in this region. The only 2 squamate sequences constrain our ability to find the triplet repeats P-X-X, revealed in the mammalian amelogenin and considered to be at the origin of exon 6 formation (Delgado et al.Finally, the variable region does not show the large insertions and deletions (the so-called hot spot of mutation) described in some mammals (Delgado et al., 2005a). The absence of such a region in the lizard could support our hypothesis of the novelty for this region of the amelogenin in mammals.
In conclusion, the high substitution rate observed in amelogenin exon 6 proves that the snake sequence was not representative of squamate amelogenin. Our comparison of amelogenin sequences of 2 squamates, 1 crocodile, 2 frogs, and the putative mammalian ancestor does not provide sufficient information to understand amelogenin evolution in tetrapods. More data from squamate, crocodile, and amphibian species are necessary.
Amelogenin Expression during Amelogenesis
For the first time in a non-mammalian species, we have used in situ hybridization with a specific probe to demonstrate that reptilian ameloblasts express amelogenin during amelogenesis. Until now, the possible existence of amelogenin in reptile teeth was supported by indirect observations: development and structure of enamel roughly similar to that in mammals (Delgado et al., 2005b); positive cross-reaction with mammalian antibodies (Herold et al., 1989; Ishiyama et al., 1998); and cloning of the amelogenin gene in a snake (Ishiyama et al., 1998) and in a crocodile (Toyosawa et al., 1998). Here, we clearly demonstrate that amelogenin is specifically expressed in the ameloblasts from the moment at which the first immature enamel matrix is deposited and during the secretory phase. The expression decreases at the onset of the maturation process, and completely disappears in post-secretory ameloblasts facing the mature enamel. This is similar to previous descriptions of amelogenin gene expression during mammalian amelogenesis (Snead et al., 1988; Inage et al., 1996; Bleicher et al., 1999).
We never detected amelogenin transcripts in the odontoblasts at any stage of their development. This confirms previous studies showing that full-length amelogenin is specific to enamel matrix (Snead et al., 1988; Inage et al., 1996; Bleicher et al., 1999). Recently, amelogenin expression was described in odontoblasts during mantle dentin deposition in pigs (Oida et al., 2002) and rats (Papagerakis et al., 2003). However, the amelogenin was expressed at a low level and during a specific stage of odontoblast differentiation, suggesting a possible role in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions (Papagerakis et al., 2003). Indeed, some amelogenin splicing products have been shown to act in vitro as signaling molecules during mineralized tissue formation (Veis et al., 2000), and particularly during cementogenesis (Boabaid et al., 2004).
In conclusion, the amelogenin expression pattern during amelogenesis in the scincid lizard is similar to that described in mammals, and the architectural (prism) and structural (slight delay in maturation) differences do not seem to be related to variations in the timing of amelogenin deposition. However, given the large differences observed in the primary structure of the variable region of the protein, one can ask whether they would not result in variations in enamel microstructure and, as a consequence, in differences in resistance of the enamel to wear and injury.
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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| FOOTNOTES |
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Received July 3, 2004; Last revision August 23, 2005; Accepted September 9, 2005
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