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Actin Gene (actin + gene)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	33%
Medical Sciences	16%

Selected Abstracts

Identification and expression analysis of an actin gene from the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)

ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2007
Mari Horigane
Abstract Actin genes are found in all living organisms and highly conserved in various animals as shown by numerous studies on actin gene expression and function. Because of this ubiquitous nature of actin, it is often used as an internal control in gene expression studies. To clarify the suitability of actin gene as an internal control in soft ticks, isolation and expression analyses of an actin gene from Ornithodoros moubata was performed. An actin gene of Ornithodoros moubata (OmAct2, GenBank accession no. AB208021) with 1,131 bp and 376 amino acid residues was identified. The homology of OmAct2 with other arthropod actin genes was greater than 80% in nucleotides and 99% in amino acids. OmAct2 gene was classified as a cytoskeletal actin type by absence of muscle-specific amino acids commonly found in insects and ubiquitous expression in all stages and both sexes. Southern blot revealed that O. moubata has four to seven actin genes. In addition, actin expression analyzed by real-time PCR before and after blood feeding was not significantly different indicating OmAct2 is an appropriate internal control for the analysis of gene expression in these ticks. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 64:186,199, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Myosins of Babesia bovis: Molecular characterisation, erythrocyte invasion, and phylogeny

CYTOSKELETON, Issue 4 2002
A.E. Lew
Abstract Using degenerate primers, three putative myosin sequences were amplified from Australian isolates of Babesa bovis and confirmed as myosins (termed Bbmyo-A, Bbmyo-B, and Bbmyo-C) from in vitro cultures of the W strain of B. bovis. Comprehensive analysis of 15 apicomplexan myosins suggests that members of Class XIV be defined as those with greater than 35% myosin head sequence identity and that these be further subclassed into groups bearing above 50,60% identity. Bbmyo-A protein bears a strong similarity with other apicomplexan myosin-A type proteins (subclass XIVa), the Bbmyo-B myosin head protein sequence exhibits low identity (35,39%) with all members of Class XIV, and 5,-sequence of Bbmyo-C shows strong identity (60%) with P. falciparum myosin-C protein. Domain analysis revealed five divergent IQ domains within the neck of Pfmyo-C, and a myosin-N terminal domain as well as a classical IQ sequence unusually located within the head converter domain of Bbmyo-B. A cross-reacting antibody directed against P. falciparum myosin-A (Pfmyo-A) revealed a zone of approximately 85 kDa in immunoblots prepared with B. bovis total protein, and immunofluorescence inferred stage-specific myosin-A expression since only 25% of infected erythrocytes with mostly paired B. bovis were immuno-positive. Multiplication of B. bovis in in vitro culture was inhibited by myosin- and actin-binding drugs at concentrations lower than those that inhibit P. falciparum. This study identifies and classifies three myosin genes and an actin gene in B. bovis, and provides the first evidence for the participation of an actomyosin-based motor in erythrocyte invasion in this species of apicomplexan parasite. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 52:202,220, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

High expression of a sucrose non-fermenting (SNF1)-related protein kinase from Colletotrichum gloeosporoides f. sp. malvae is associated with penetration of Malva pusilla,

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2002
Paul H Goodwin
Abstract A sucrose non-fermenting (SNF1)-related protein kinase homologue, cgsnf, from Colletotrichum gloeosporoides f. sp. malvae, a hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen of round-leaved mallow (Malva pusilla) was examined. During infection, cgsnf showed a large peak in expression relative to a constitutively expressed fungal actin gene when appressoria had formed during the penetration phase and then showed much lower expression levels during subsequent necrotrophic growth in the host. In pure culture with glucose or glycerol as sole carbon sources, expression levels were similar to that during necrotrophic growth. Expression was consistently higher in glycerol than in glucose cultures, which may reflect a lower cellular energy status in the fungus. These results are consistent with cgsnf having a role in transmitting nutritional signals, which may be involved with host penetration. [source]

Actin mutations are one cause of congenital fibre type disproportion

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2004
Nigel G. Laing PhD
We report three heterozygous missense mutations of the skeletal muscle alpha actin gene (ACTA1) in three unrelated cases of congenital fiber type disproportion (CFTD) from Japan and Australia. This represents the first genetic cause of CFTD to be identified and confirms that CFTD is genetically heterogeneous. The three mutations we have identified Leucine221Proline, Aspartate292Valine, and Proline332Serine are novel. They have not been found previously in any cases of nemaline, actin, intranuclear rod, or rod-core myopathy caused by mutations in ACTA1. It remains unclear why these mutations cause type 1 fiber hypotrophy but no nemaline bodies. The three mutations all lie on one face of the actin monomer on the surface swept by tropomyosin during muscle activity, which may suggest a common pathological mechanism. All three CFTD cases with ACTA1 mutations had severe congenital weakness and respiratory failure without ophthalmoplegia. There were no clinical features specific to CFTD cases with ACTA1 mutations, but the presence of normal eye movements in a severe CFTD patient may be an important clue for the presence of a mutation in ACTA1. Ann Neurol 2004 [source]

Cloning and expression analysis of a cDNA encoding lipoprotein lipase from the liver of adult grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 16 2009
Han-Liang Cheng
Abstract A full-length cDNA coding lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was cloned from the liver of adult grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends approaches. The cDNA obtained was 2414 bp long with a 1524 bp open reading frame encoding 507 amino acids, including a putative signal peptide 21 amino acids long. The LPL protein has a calculated molecular weight of 57.77 kDa and an isolectric point of 8.132. The main domains of LPL, such as catalytic site, disulphide bridge, N-linked glycosylation site, heparin-binding domain, lipid-binding site and site of dimer formation, are basically conserved between the grass carp and other vertebrates. The tissue distribution of LPL mRNA in the liver, head kidney, mesenteric adipose tissue, heart and white muscle of adult grass carp was analysed using the semi-quantitative RT-PCR method using ,-actin gene as an internal control; the result showed that the expressions of LPL mRNA were detected in all examined tissues of adult grass carp. The expression levels of LPL in the mesenteric adipose tissue were the highest among these tissues, followed by the liver and head kidney and the lowest expression was found in the heart and white muscle. [source]

Identification and expression analysis of an actin gene from the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRESENCE OF A MOTHER CELL WALL AND SPECIATION IN THE UNICELLULAR MICROALGA NANNOCHLORIS (CHLOROPHYTA),

JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
Maki Yamamoto
The cell division mechanisms of seven strains from six species of Nannochloris Naumann were analyzed and compared with those of three species of Chlorella Beijerinck and Trebouxia erici Ahmadjian using differential interference microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. Nannochloris bacillaris Naumann divides by binary fission and N. coccoides Naumann divides by budding. Distinct triangular spaces or mother cell walls were found in the dividing autosporangia of the other five strains from four species of Nannochloris, three species of Chlorella, and T. erici. In an attempt to infer an evolutionary relationship between nonautosporic and autosporic species of Nannochloris, we constructed a phylogenetic tree of the actin genes using seven strains from six species of Nannochloris, three species of Chlorella, and T. erici. Nannochloris species were polyphyletic in the Trebouxiophyceae group. Two nonautosporic species of N. bacillaris and N. coccoides were monophyletic and positioned distally. Moreover, to determine their phylogenetic position within the Trebouxiophyceae, we constructed phylogenetic tree of 18S rRNA genes adding other species of Trebouxiophyceae. Nannochloris species were polyphyletic in the Trebouxiophyceae and appeared in two different lineages, a Chlorella,Nannochloris group and a Trebouxia,Choricystis group. The nonautosporic species, N. bacillaris and N. coccoides, and three autosporic species of Nannochloris belonged to the Chlorella,Nannochloris group. Nannochloris bacillaris and N. coccoides were also monophyletic and positioned distally in the phylogenetic tree of 18S rRNA genes. These results suggest that autosporulation is the ancestral mode of cell division in Nannochloris and that nonautosporulative mechanisms, such as binary fission and budding, evolved secondarily. [source]

In Vitro Propagation of Two Perkinsus spp.

THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2006
Description of Perkinsus honshuensis n. sp., Parasites from Japanese Manila Clams Venerupis philippinarum
ABSTRACT. Perkinsus species are destructive parasites of commercial Manila clams, Venerupis philippinarum, in Japan, Korea, and Spain. However, in vitro parasite cultures from this important host clam are not available. Tissues of Manila clams collected during April 2002 in Gokasho Bay, Japan harbored Perkinsus sp. parasites at a 97% prevalence (28/29) of moderate- and high-intensity infections. Perkinsus sp. cells in tissue samples were enlarged in alternative Ray's fluid thioglycollate medium, before propagation in DME:Ham's F-12 Perkinsus sp. culture medium. Enlarged parasite hypnospores zoosporulated at high frequencies to release motile zoospores, which gave rise to continuous schizogonic cell lines that also zoosporulated continuously at low frequencies. Four Perkinsus sp. in vitro isolates comprising two distinct morphotypes were cryopreserved, cloned, and archived for public distribution. For three isolates of one morphotype, nucleotide sequences of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region, of the large subunit rRNA gene, and of actin genes, were consistent with those reported for P. olseni. Similar sequences from one morphologically unique isolate differed from those of all described Perkinsus species. These results show that at least two Perkinsus spp. infect Japanese Manila clams, and that one represents a new species, Perkinsus honshuensis n. sp. [source]

Identification and expression analysis of an actin gene from the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)

Using gene chips to identify organ-specific, smooth muscle responses to experimental diabetes: potential applications to urological diseases

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2007
Jason D. Hipp
OBJECTIVE To identify early diabetes-related alterations in gene expression in bladder and erectile tissue that would provide novel diagnostic and therapeutic treatment targets to prevent, delay or ameliorate the ensuing bladder and erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS The RG-U34A rat GeneChip® (Affymetrix Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) oligonucleotide microarray (containing ,8799 genes) was used to evaluate gene expression in corporal and male bladder tissue excised from rats 1 week after confirmation of a diabetic state, but before demonstrable changes in organ function in vivo. A conservative analytical approach was used to detect alterations in gene expression, and gene ontology (GO) classifications were used to identify biological themes/pathways involved in the aetiology of the organ dysfunction. RESULTS In all, 320 and 313 genes were differentially expressed in bladder and corporal tissue, respectively. GO analysis in bladder tissue showed prominent increases in biological pathways involved in cell proliferation, metabolism, actin cytoskeleton and myosin, as well as decreases in cell motility, and regulation of muscle contraction. GO analysis in corpora showed increases in pathways related to ion channel transport and ion channel activity, while there were decreases in collagen I and actin genes. CONCLUSIONS The changes in gene expression in these initial experiments are consistent with the pathophysiological characteristics of the bladder and erectile dysfunction seen later in the diabetic disease process. Thus, the observed changes in gene expression might be harbingers or biomarkers of impending organ dysfunction, and could provide useful diagnostic and therapeutic targets for a variety of progressive urological diseases/conditions (i.e. lower urinary tract symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction, etc.). [source]