구조적으로 estrogen 수용체(estrogen receptor, ER)와 유사한 estrogen receptor-related receptor(ERR)는 포유동물에서 배발생 후기에 외배엽 형성과 관련되어 있다고 알려진 고아핵수용체(orphan nuclear receptor)이다. ERR은 ER과 DNA binding domain의 보존성은 유사하지만, ligand 결합 및 전사 활성은 다르다. 포유동물의 ERR에 관한 연구에 비하여 해양 무척추동물의

The estrogen receptor-related receptors (ERRs) are a group of nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors. ERRs and estrogen receptors (ERs) have overlapping affinities for coactivators and DNA binding sites, but differ markedly in ligand binding and activation. The three mammalian ERR genes have been implicated in diverse physiological processes ranging from placental development to maintenance of bone density, whereas the molecular diversity, function, and regulation of ERRs in non-mammalian species are not well understood. In the present study, to investigate the involvement of ERR in transcription and embryogenesis in marine invertebrates, a cDNA encoding ERR (SnERR) was cloned from the gonad in Strongylocentrotus nudus, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amino acid sequence of SnERR showed high homology with that of S. purpuratus (91%). A phylogenetic tree clearly showed that SnERR is a member of the ERR family and clustered in echinodermata group as supported by a high bootstrap value. We examined gene expression of SnERR during embryonic development of S. nudus using real-time PCR. During the embryonic development, the mRNA of ERR was significantly high levels in early development stages (4~64 cell) and larval stages. The SnERR slightly activated transcription through the classical estrogen response elements (EREs) in the presence of genistein. In addition, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator (PGC)- knwon as a coactivator of ERR enhanced the snERR-mediated transactivation, suggesting that the PGC- is a coactivator of SnERR.

• 맹세정
• 김미순
• 손영창