Acidic mammalian chitinase gene is highly expressed in the special oxyntic glands of Manis javanica
Jing‐E Ma,
Lin‐Miao Li,
Hai‐Ying Jiang,
Xiu‐Juan Zhang,
Juan Li,
Guan‐Yu Li,
Jin‐Ping Chen
Affiliations
Jing‐E Ma
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Lin‐Miao Li
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Hai‐Ying Jiang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Xiu‐Juan Zhang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Juan Li
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Guan‐Yu Li
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
Jin‐Ping Chen
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources Guangzhou China
The Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) is a mammal that feeds primarily on ants and termites, which contain the energy‐rich carbohydrate chitin. Chitin is digestible by endogenous enzymes of the typical mammalian gastrointestinal tract, especially the acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase). The objective of this research was to determine whether AMCase activity is expressed in the stomach of M. javanica. The stomach tissues were divided into three parts: the gastric sack, the oxyntic glands, and the pyloric musculature, which were assayed by conventional RT‐PCR, quantitative reverse transcriptase‐coupled PCR (qPCR) and western blot. Information regarding 3D structural models of AMCase was also obtained. In conclusion, acidic mammalian chitinase is highly expressed in the oxyntic glands of the M. javanica species.
