Abstract: The expression of CYP11a1 gene was studied and analyzed in four tissues and three development phases in gonad of zebrafish Danio rerio by quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). It was found that the CYP11a1 gene was expressed in ovary, testis, muscle and brain, the minimum in brain(P<0.05)， 204.7 times higher in ovary, 38.9 times higher in testis, and 17.0 times higher in muscle compared with that in brain, indicating that the CYP11a1 gene showed a certain extent tissue difference in expression. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of CYP11a1 gene was found to be decreased first in the early development phases of ovary and then enhanced in the later development phases of ovary, the minimum at maturity phase(P>0.05), 1.7 times higher before sexual maturity and 1.5 times higher after sexual maturity compared with that at maturity phase. In the testis, however, the expression of CYP11a1 gene was found to be enhanced first in the early development phases of testis and then decreased in the later development phases of testis, the maximum at the sexual maturity(P<0.05), 6.5 times higher before sexual maturity and 13.4 times higher than that after the sexual maturity. The findings indicated that the expression of CYP11a1 gene was involved in gonad development and spermatogenesis in zebrafish, though the expression pattern of CYP11a1 gene was different in the ovary and the testis.
2015, Vol. 30 
