Molecular cloning and gene expression of the riboflavin-binding protein in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

Tilapia riboflavin-binding protein (RfBP) cDNA was isolated by library screening. Even though it shows only 31∼35% similarity to the reported RfBPs, tilapia RfBP is conserved in amino acid residues that are known to be essential for its protein function. The exclusive expression of RfBP in the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis, as revealed by both RT-PCR and Northern blot, suggested a possible role for RfBP in fish reproduction. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers.