Molecular characterization and expression regulation of the factor-inhibiting HIF-1 (FIH-1) gene under hypoxic stress in bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis)

Factor-inhibiting HIF-1 (FIH-1) is an asparagine hydroxylase that interacts with hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) to regulate transcriptional activity of HIF-1. Few studies of fish FIH-1 have been reported to date. In this study, the cDNA of FIH-1 gene was cloned and characterized for bighead carp, Aristichthys nobilis (AnFIH-1). The AnFIH-1 cDNA is 2065 bp in length, encoding a protein of 357 amino acid (aa) residues, which contains a JmjC homology region of the jumonji transcription factors. AnFIH-1 shares high identities with other vertebrate FIH-1 (79.1–96.4%), especially in the JmjC homology region, suggesting its conserved function. During the embryonic stages of A. nobilis, AnFIH-1 had significantly high expression levels in unfertilized egg and blastula. In healthy tissues, its predominant mRNA expression was detected in muscle. The mRNA levels of AnFIH-1 were significantly upregulated in the liver, gill, hypothalamus, and spleen after hypoxic treatment, and then decreased to pretreatment levels after 6-h re-oxygenation. However, in the muscle, continual increasing of mRNA expression was observed after hypoxic shock and re-oxygenation. These results indicate that FIH-1 may play an important role in physiological regulation for adapting to hypoxia stress in A. nobilis.