Expression patterns of cysteine peptidase genes across the Tribolium castaneum life cycle provide clues to biological function

Abstract The Tribolium castaneum homeotic gene maxillopedia (mxp) is the ortholog of Drosophila proboscipedia (pb). Here we describe and classify available mxp alleles. Larvae lacking all mxp function die soon after hatching, exhibiting strong transformations of maxillary and labial palps to legs. Hypomorphic mxp alleles produce less severe transformations to leg. RNA interference with maxillopedia double-stranded RNA results in phenocopies of mxp mutant phenotypes ranging from partial to complete transformations. A number of gain-of-function (GOF) mxp alleles have been isolated based on transformations of adult antennae and/or legs toward palps. Finally, we have characterized the mxp expression pattern in wild-type and mutant embryos. In normal embryos, mxp is expressed in the maxillary and labial segments, whereas ectopic expression is observed in some GOF variants. Although mxp and Pb display very similar expression patterns, pb null embryos develop normally. The mxp mutant larval phenotype in Tribolium is consistent with the hypothesis that an ancestral pb-like gene had an embryonic function that was lost in the lineage leading to Drosophila.

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Genome-Wide Expression Patterns of Rhoptry Kinases during the Eimeria tenella Life-Cycle

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9081621 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1621

Author(s):

Adeline Ribeiro E Silva ◽

Alix Sausset ◽

Françoise I. Bussière ◽

Fabrice Laurent ◽

Sonia Lacroix-Lamandé ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Housekeeping Genes ◽

Catalytic Triad ◽

Eimeria Tenella ◽

Apicomplexan Parasites ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Infected Cells ◽

First And Second Generation

Kinome from apicomplexan parasites is composed of eukaryotic protein kinases and Apicomplexa specific kinases, such as rhoptry kinases (ROPK). Ropk is a gene family that is known to play important roles in host–pathogen interaction in Toxoplasma gondii but is still poorly described in Eimeria tenella, the parasite responsible for avian coccidiosis worldwide. In the E. tenella genome, 28 ropk genes are predicted and could be classified as active (n = 7), inactive (incomplete catalytic triad, n = 12), and non-canonical kinases (active kinase with a modified catalytic triad, n = 9). We characterized the ropk gene expression patterns by real-time quantitative RT-PCR, normalized by parasite housekeeping genes, during the E. tenella life-cycle. Analyzed stages were: non-sporulated oocysts, sporulated oocysts, extracellular and intracellular sporozoites, immature and mature schizonts I, first- and second-generation merozoites, and gametes. Transcription of all those predicted ropk was confirmed. The mean intensity of transcription was higher in extracellular stages and 7–9 ropk were specifically transcribed in merozoites in comparison with sporozoites. Transcriptional profiles of intracellular stages were closely related to each other, suggesting a probable common role of ROPKs in hijacking signaling pathways and immune responses in infected cells. These results provide a solid basis for future functional analysis of ROPK from E. tenella.

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Comparative RNA-sequencing profiling reveals novel Delta-class glutathione S-transferases relative genes expression patterns in Tribolium castaneum

Gene ◽

10.1016/j.gene.2016.08.013 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 593 (1) ◽

pp. 13-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Xuhong Chen ◽

Wenfeng Xiong ◽

Chengjun Li ◽

Shanshan Gao ◽

Xiaowen Song ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rna Sequencing ◽

Tribolium Castaneum ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Genes Expression ◽

Glutathione S Transferases

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Gene Transcription Patterns of pH- and Salt-Stressed Listeria monocytogenes Cells in Simulated Gastric and Pancreatic Conditions

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-13-182 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. 254-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

MARIOS MATARAGAS ◽

ANNA GREPPI ◽

KALLIOPI RANTSIOU ◽

LUCA COCOLIN

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Reference Strain ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Wild Strain ◽

Hostile Environment ◽

Fermented Sausage ◽

Laboratory Reference ◽

Serotype 1 ◽

Serotype 4B

A Listeria monocytogenes subgenomic array, targeting 54 genes involved in the adhesion, adaptation, intracellular life cycle, invasion, and regulation of the infection cycle was used to investigate the gene expression patterns of acid- and salt-stressed Listeria cells after exposure to conditions similar to those in gastric and pancreatic fluids. Three L. monocytogenes strains, one laboratory reference strain (EGDe) and two food isolates (wild strain 12 isolated from milk and wild strain 3 isolated from fermented sausage), were used during the studies. Differences in the expressed genes were observed between the gastric and pancreatic treatments and also between the serotypes. Increased transcripts were observed of the genes belonging to the adaptation and regulation group for serotype 4b (strain 12) and to the invasion and regulation group for serotype 1/2a (strain EGDe). Interestingly, no significantly differentially expressed genes were found for serotype 3c (strain 3) in most cases. The genes related to adaptation (serotype 1/2a) and to intracellular life cycle and invasion (serotype 4b) were down-regulated in order to cope with the hostile environment of the gastric and pancreatic fluids. These findings may provide experimental evidence for the dominance of serotypes 1/2a and 4b in clinical cases of listeriosis and for the sporadic occurrence of serotype 3c.

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daf-7-related TGF-β homologues from Trichostrongyloid nematodes show contrasting life-cycle expression patterns

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182009990321 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 137 (1) ◽

pp. 159-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

H. J. McSORLEY ◽

J. R. GRAINGER ◽

Y. HARCUS ◽

J. MURRAY ◽

A. J. NISBET ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Gene Family ◽

Transforming Growth Factor ◽

Signal Sequence ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽

Laboratory Model ◽

Parasitic Nematodes ◽

Nippostrongylus Brasiliensis

SUMMARYThe transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) gene family regulates critical processes in animal development, and plays a crucial role in regulating the mammalian immune response. We aimed to identify TGF-β homologues from 2 laboratory model nematodes (Heligmosomoides polygyrus and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis) and 2 major parasites of ruminant livestock (Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta). Parasite cDNA was used as a template for gene-specific PCR and RACE. Homologues of the TGH-2 subfamily were isolated, and found to differ in length (301, 152, 349 and 305 amino acids respectively), with variably truncated N-terminal pre-proteins. All contained conserved C-terminal active domains (>85% identical over 115 amino acids) containing 9 cysteine residues, as in C. elegans DAF-7, Brugia malayi TGH-2 and mammalian TGF-β. Surprisingly, only the H. contortus homologue retained a conventional signal sequence, absent from shorter proteins of other species. RT-PCR assays of transcription showed that in H. contortus and N. brasiliensis expression was maximal in the infective larval stage, and very low in adult worms. In contrast, in H. polygyrus and T. circumcincta, tgh-2 transcription is higher in adults than infective larvae. The molecular evolution of this gene family in parasitic nematodes has diversified the pre-protein and life-cycle expression patterns of TGF-β homologues while conserving the structure of the active domain.

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