Abstract
Previous reports have suggested that estrogen is involved in bivalve reproduction and have also hypothesized that its effects are mediated through binding sites on specific receptors. In this study, we provide initial characterization of the estrogen binding sites in the gonads of both female and male sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Saturation analyses indicated two binding sites in fractions which have classically been used to represent the cytosol and the nucleus. One binding site is characterized by high affinity and limited binding capacity while the other site is characterized by low affinity and high capacity. Competitive binding analyses demonstrated that these sites can bind natural and synthetic estrogens with high affinity but only bind testosterone and progesterone at high concentrations. Comparison of binding capacity in scallops at different sexual maturation stages suggested that these sites may be involved in reproductive regulation in sea scallops.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 303-313 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
| Volume | 148 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2007 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors thank Drs. Catherine Lazier, Jeffrey Ram, Douglas Rasmusson, Ellen Kenchington, Paul Liu and the late William Moger for their advice and support at many stages during this project. This research was funded through research grants from the Natural Science and Research Council (NSERC) of Canada.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Aquatic Science
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Molecular Biology
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't