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Poult Sci 2007. 86:786-789
© 2007 Poultry Science Association
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RAPID COMMUNICATION

Genomic Structure and Diversity of the Chicken Mx Gene1

X. Y. Li, L. J. Qu, Z. C. Hou, J. F. Yao, G. Y. Xu and N. Yang2

Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China

2 Corresponding author: nyang{at}cau.edu.cn


   ABSTRACT
TOP
 ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
The Mx protein, which confers resistance to orthomyxovirus, has been detected in several organisms, and one nonsynonymous substitution (S631N) of the chicken Mx protein has been shown to affect resistant activities to the avian influenza virus in vitro. In the current study, the genomic sequence and polymorphism of the chicken Mx gene are reported. The full length of the chicken Mx gene spans about 21 kb, with 13 exons on chromosome 1 of the chicken genome. A total of 237 single nucleotide polymorphisms were found in the chicken Mx gene by comparison among 4 directly sequenced Mx genomic DNA sequences, and the reference sequence was inferred from the chicken genome project. The genomic diversity of the chicken Mx gene showed large variation in different regions, with the highest diversity in the 5' untranslated region and the lowest in the 3' untranslated region. The genomic structure and variation of sequences gathered here will allow an extensive analysis of the gene function with the aim of improving the antiviral resistance activities of chickens.

Key Words: chicken • DNA sequence • genomic structure • Mx gene • variation


   INTRODUCTION
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
The Mx protein confers resistance activity to orthomyxovirus infection and has been found in many organisms, including yeast (Rothman et al., 1990) and vertebrates ranging from fish to humans (Staeheli et al., 1989; Staeheli, 1990; Pavlovic et al., 1991; Bazzigher et al., 1993; Plant and Thune, 2004). As an interferon (IFN)-associated protein, it contains conserved tripartite guanosine tri-phosphate binding sites and a Leu zipper (Horisberger et al., 1990; Melen et al., 1992; Pitossi et al., 1993). Various Mx proteins differ widely with respect to intracellular distribution and biological activities (Bernasconi et al., 1995). Isolation of cDNA and an IFN-inducible promoter of the Mx gene have been reported in the chicken (Schumacher et al., 1994; Bernasconi et al., 1995). The chicken Mx protein is a predominantly cytoplasmic form and consists of 705 amino acids (Bernasconi et al., 1995). Yang et al. (2006) reported expression of the Mx protein in high and low egg production chicken strains.

Recent outbreaks of avian influenza in many parts of the world have drawn worldwide attention to the prevention of the disease. Ko et al. (2002) reported polymorphisms and differential antiviral activities of the chicken Mx gene in 15 breeds in which a specific amino substitution at position 631 (Ser to Asn) was found to determine differential antiviral activities in vitro. The substitution also showed skewed allele frequencies in different chicken populations, with a much higher frequency of the favorable allele A in native breeds than in highly selected lines (Li et al., 2006). However, the genomic structure of the gene, including the intron and control regions, remains unknown. Knowledge of the genomic sequence of the chicken Mx gene will facilitate further functional genomic and transgenic studies. The objective of the present study was to determine the genomic structure and diversity of the chicken Mx gene.


   MATERIALS AND METHODS
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
A BLAT search (http://genome.ucsc.edu/) using chicken Mx cDNA (accession no. Z23168 [GenBank] ) resulted in the genomic DNA sequence of the Mx gene for the Red Jungle Fowl (International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium, 2004), which was designated as the reference sequence of the Mx gene. Sixteen pairs of PCR primers were designed to amplify the genomic DNA sequence of the Mx gene using Primer 3.0 software (Rozen and Skalesky, 2000; Table 1Go). Each amplifying segment was about 1,500 bp, except the 16th segment, which was about 500 bp. An overlapping sequence existed in the length of 150 to 200 bp between 2 adjacent amplified segments.


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  		Table 1. Primers for PCR amplification1
 
The chicken genomic DNA was extracted using the phenol-chloroform method from the fresh blood of a Silkie, a White Leghorn, and 2 Rhode Island Red individuals (Sambrook and Russell, 2001). The PCR amplification was performed in 15 µL using 50 ng of genomic DNA, 1.5 µL of 10x PCR buffer, 1.5 mM MgCl2, 10 pmol of primers, 0.2 mM deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate, and 0.5 U of proofreading Taq DNA polymerase (Dingguo, Beijing, China). The following cycling protocol was used: 94°C for 5 min, followed by 35 cycles of 45 s at 94°C, annealing temperature for 45 s, and 72°C for 1 min, and a final extension step at 72°C for 10 min. The PCR products were checked by electrophoresis in 0.8% agarose gel and purified with the Qiaquick DNA purification kit (Qiagene, Hilden, Germany). The purified PCR products were sequenced using a straightforward "walking" technique and Big Dye Terminator v3.1 reagents on an Applied Biosystems 3730 DNA analyzer (ABI, Tokyo, Japan) by the dideoxy-mediated chain-termination method (Sanger et al., 1997). All sequencing primers are listed in Table 2Go.


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  		Table 2. Primers for the sequencing of different amplified fragments1
 
The sequencing results were checked and aligned into the full genomic sequence of the chicken Mx gene with DNAMAN 4.0 software (Lynnon Biosoft, Quebec, Canada). Alignment of the Mx genomic DNA sequence with the cDNA sequence was performed to obtain the genomic organization of the chicken Mx gene. The variation among 5 sequences of the chicken Mx gene, including 4 directly sequenced sequences and 1 reference sequence, was estimated using the Dnasp 4.0 program (Rozas et al., 2003). The diversity of exon, intron, 5' untranslated region (UTR), 3'-UTR, promoter, synomynous, and nonsynomynous sites in the gene was analyzed and compared.


   RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
TOP
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
 
The sequences of the 16 PCR products of each of 4 individuals were shown in high quality, and the length of the full genomic DNA sequences of the Mx gene for 1 Silkie, 1 White Leghorn, and 2 Rhode Island Red individuals were 21,258, 21,289, 21,292, and 21,281 bp, respectively, whereas the deduced Mx gene for the Red Jungle Fowl spanned 21,207 bp on chromosome 1 of the chicken genome. These 4 directly sequenced data were deposited at GenBank under accession numbers DQ788614 [GenBank] , DQ788615 [GenBank] , DQ788613 [GenBank] , and DQ788616 [GenBank] , respectively.

The genomic organization of the Mx gene for the White Leghorn is illustrated in Figure 1Go. The coding sequence of the chicken Mx gene, consisting of 13 exons, was 2,118 bp encoding the Mx protein with 705 amino acids, which was identical to the results of previous studies (Bernasconi et al., 1995; Ko et al., 2002). The length of each exon from the 5' to the 3' end was 237, 193, 138, 155, 139, 199, 79, 123, 142, 159, 77, 243, and 234 bp, respectively. The 5'-UTR was 140 bp but was separated by an inserted fragment of 664 bp into 2 parts, which were 48 and 92 bp, respectively. The 3'-UTR was 288 bp with a poly (A) signal at the end. The length of the promoter was 215 bp and included an IFN-stimulated response element. The genomic organization of the Mx gene for the other 3 individuals and Red Jungle Fowl were the same as that of the White Leghorn.


Figure 1
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  		Figure 1. Genomic organization of the chicken Mx gene. CDS = coding sequence; the number in CDS = the length of each exon; ISRE = interferon-stimulated response element; UTR = untranslated region.

 
In total, 237 mutation sites, including 24 singleton variable sites and 213 parsimony informative sites, were identified among 4 directly sequenced Mx genomic DNA sequences and the reference sequence. Two hundred five polymorphic sites were found in introns of the chicken Mx gene. The nucleotide diversity ({pi} value) of the promoter, 5'-UTR, coding sequences, synonymous sites, non-synonymous sites, intron, and 3'-UTR were distinctly different from each other, in a descending order of 5'-UTR (0.01032) > promoter (0.01003) > synonymous sites (0.0080) > intron (0.00472) > overall (0.00465) > coding sequences (0.00378) > nonsynonymous sites (0.00256) > 3'-UTR (0.00216; Figure 2Go). The reason for high polymorphism in the promoter of the chicken Mx gene could be the balanced selection on the promoter, which maintains polymorphism in this region because of the interaction between pathogens and disease-related genes or corresponding regions. Six polymorphic sites were identified in the promoter and 1 mutation of G > A existed in the IFN-stimulated response element. A 31-bp insertion-deletion polymorphism was found in the 3'-UTR for the Red Jungle Fowl and confirmed in some individuals of other breeds (Figure 3Go). In the coding sequence, the diversity for the beginning part, from the first to the fourth exon, was the highest (0.0040), and that of the middle part, from the fifth to ninth exon, was the lowest (0.0030), whereas that of the last part, from the 10th to the 13th exon, was in the middle (0.0036). The Mx S631N mutation site, with potential resistance to the influenza virus as reported by Ko et al. (2002), was located in the last exon.


Figure 2
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  		Figure 2. Nucleotide diversity of different parts of the chicken Mx gene. {pi} = nucleotide diversity; UTR = untranslated region.

 

Figure 3
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  		Figure 3. The insert-deletion polymorphism (INDEL) mutation in the 3' untranslated region of the chicken Mx gene. RIR = Rhode Island Red; SK = Silkie; WL = White Leghorn; and RJF = Red Jungle Fowl.

 
Four chicken Mx gene sequences were gathered by direct sequencing, and the polymorphisms were analyzed in the current study. Measures of reducing sequencing errors, such as using proofreading Taq polymerase, an overlapping sequence between adjacent amplified fragments, and double-checking the sequencing maps, especially for the polymorphic sites, improved the quality of the sequencing results. The sequencing results also confirmed the reference sequence inferred from the chicken genomic sequences in the chicken genome project (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/guide/chicken). Most of the variation sites reported in other studies (Ko et al., 2002) were detected in the current study and some new ones were discovered. The length of the coding sequences of all chicken Mx genes revealed in the current and previous studies were identical (2,118 bp). The difference in the length of the full genomic sequence of the chicken Mx gene resulted mainly from variations in the introns and the control regions. The promoter and the 3'-UTR should play a crucial role in transcription and translation. Further experiments should be directed toward the function of these variable sites, especially the G > A substitution in the promoter and 31-bp insertion-deletion polymorphism in the 3'-UTR.


   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
The current research was supported by grants from the National Basic Research Program of China (no. 2006CB102102) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 30500357).


   FOOTNOTES
 
1 The genomic sequences for the Mx gene of a Silkie, a White Leghorn, and 2 Rhode Island Red chickens were deposited at GenBank under accession nos. DQ788614 [GenBank] , DQ788615 [GenBank] , DQ788613 [GenBank] , and DQ788616 [GenBank] , respectively. Back

Received for publication November 8, 2006. Accepted for publication December 20, 2006.


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Horisberger, M. A., G. K. McMaster, H. Zeller, M. G. Wathelet, J. Dellis, and J. Content. 1990. Cloning and sequence analyses of cDNAs for interferon- and virus-induced human Mx proteins reveal that they contain putative guanine nucleotide-binding sites: Functional study of the corresponding gene promoter. J. Virol. 64:1171–1181.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

International Chicken Genome Sequencing Consortium. 2004. Sequence and comparative analysis of the chicken genome provide unique perspectives on vertebrate evolution. Nature 432:695–716.[Medline]

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Li, X. Y., L. J. Qu, J. F. Yao, and N. Yang. 2006. Skewed allele frequencies of an Mx gene mutation with potential resistance to avian influenza virus in different chicken populations. Poult. Sci. 85:1327–1329.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Melen, K., T. Ronni, B. Broni, R. M. Krug, C. H. Von Bonsdorff, and I. Julkunen. 1992. Interferon-induced Mx proteins form oligomers and contain a putative leucine zipper. J. Biol. Chem. 267:25898–25907.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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