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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 18(3)

Molecular cloning and assessment of the immunocontraceptive potential of the zona pellucida subunit 3 from Brandt’s vole (Microtus brandti)

Hui Li A , Yun-shang Piao A , Zhi-bin Zhang B , Christopher M. Hardy C and Lyn A. Hinds C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.

B State Key Laboratory of Insect and Rodent Pest Management, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China.

C CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre, GPO Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: lyn.hinds@csiro.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(3) 331-338 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05049
Submitted: 1 May 2005  Accepted: 1 November 2005   Published: 17 January 2006

Abstract

A full-length cDNA encoding Brandt’s vole (Microtus brandti) zona pellucida glycoprotein subunit 3 (vZP3) was isolated using rapid amplification of cDNA ends–polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1254 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide of 418 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of vZP3 revealed high overall homology with hamster (82.1%), mouse (81.3%) and rat (80.6%). A synthetic vZP3 peptide corresponding to amino acid residues 328–343 was conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH-vZP3328–343) and used to immunise female Brandt’s voles in order to test the efficacy of this peptide as a contraceptive antigen. High IgG antibody levels to the vZP3328–343 peptide were present in the sera of female voles immunised with KLH-vZP3328–343 and these also cross-reacted to the zona pellucida in ovaries of Brandt’s vole. The fertility of the KLH-vZP3328–343-immunised voles was reduced by 50% compared with controls without evidence of significant ovarian pathology.


Acknowledgments

The authors thank their colleagues and the anonymous referees for their constructive comments on earlier drafts of this paper. Dr Tony Arthur provided advice and assistance with the statistical analyses. This project was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and is the result of collaboration between CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.


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