• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2005

TRPV2 is a non-specific cation channel expressed in sensory neurons, and activated by noxious heat. Particularly, TRPV2 has six transmembrane domains and three ankyrin repeats. TRPV2 has been cloned from various species such as human, rat, and mouse. Oocytes of Xenopus laevis - an African clawed frog ­have been widely used for decades in characterization of various receptors and ion channels. The functional property of rat TRPV2 was also identified by this oocyte expression system. However, no TRPV2 orthologue of Xenopus laevis has been reported so far. Hence, we have focused to clone a TRPV2 orthologue of Xenopus laevis with the aid of bioinformatic tools. Because the genome sequence of Xenopus laevis is not available until now, a genome sequence of Xenopus tropicalis - a close relative species of Xenopus laevis - was used. After a number of bioinformatic searches in silico, a predicted full-length sequence of TRPV2 orthologue of Xenopus tropicalis was found. Based on this predicted sequence, various approaches such as RT-PCR and 5' -RACE technique were applied to clone a full length of Xenopus laevis TRV2. Consequently, a full-length Xenopus laevis TRPV2 was cloned from heart cDNA.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.846-854
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• 2022

Neurons make long-distance connections via their axons, and the accuracy and stability of these connections are crucial for brain function. Research using various animal models showed that the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the assembly and maintenance of neuronal circuitry are highly conserved in vertebrates. Therefore, to gain a deeper understanding of brain development and maintenance, an efficient vertebrate model is required, where the axons of a defined neuronal cell type can be genetically manipulated and selectively visualized in vivo. Placental mammals pose an experimental challenge, as time-consuming breeding of genetically modified animals is required due to their in utero development. Xenopus laevis, the most commonly used amphibian model, offers comparative advantages, since their embryos ex utero during which embryological manipulations can be performed. However, the tetraploidy of the X. laevis genome makes them not ideal for genetic studies. Here, we use Xenopus tropicalis, a diploid amphibian species, to visualize axonal pathfinding and degeneration of a single central nervous system neuronal cell type, the retinal ganglion cell (RGC). First, we show that RGC axons follow the developmental trajectory previously described in X. laevis with a slightly different timeline. Second, we demonstrate that co-electroporation of DNA and/or oligonucleotides enables the visualization of gene function-altered RGC axons in an intact brain. Finally, using this method, we show that the axon-autonomous, Sarm1-dependent axon destruction program operates in X. tropicalis. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the visual system of X. tropicalis is a highly efficient model to identify new molecular mechanisms underlying axon guidance and survival.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.387-395
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• 2008

A novel Tc1-like transposable element has been identified as a new DNA transposon in the mud loach, Misgurnus mizolepis. The M. mizolepis Tc1-like transposon (MMTS) is comprised of inverted terminal repeats and a single gene that codes Tc1-like transposase. The deduced amino acid sequence of the transposase-encoding region of MMTS transposon contains motifs including DDE motif, which was previously recognized in other Tc1-like transposons. However, putative MMTS transposase has only 34-37% identity with well-known Tc1, PPTN, and S elements at the amino acid level. In dot-hybridization analysis used to measure the copy numbers of the MMTS transposon in genomes of the mud loach, it was shown that the MMTS transposon is present at about $3.36{\times}10^4$ copies per $2{\times}10^9$ bp, and accounts for approximately 0.027% of the mud loach genome. Here, we also describe novel MMTS-like transposons from the genomes of carp-like fishes, flatfish species, and cichlid fishes, which bear conserved inverted repeats flanking an apparently intact transposase gene. Additionally, BLAST searches and phylogenetic analysis indicated that MMTS-like transposons evolved uniquely in fishes, and comprise a new subfamily of Tc1-like transposons, with only modest similarity to Drosophila melanogaster (foldback element FB4, HB2, HB1), Xenopus laevis, Xenopus tropicalis, and Anopheles gambiae (Frisky).

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.343-352
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• 2009

Natural-killer-cell-enhancing factor (NKEF) belongs to the newly defined peroxiredoxin (Prx) family. It was originally isolated from human erythroid cells. The black rockfish NKEF cDNA was identified through the expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis of PBLs libraries. The full-length NKEF cDNA was 1433 bp long and contained an open reading frame (ORF) of 594 bp that encoded 198 amino-acid residues. The 5' UTR had a length of 39 bp, and the 3’UTR 800 bp. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the black rockfish had a density 93.4, 92.9, 87.8, 85.8, 84.8, 83.8, 80.3, 79.7, 77.2, and 75.2% that of the pufferfish, olive flounder, channel catfish, zebrafish, chicken, common carp, Myotis lucifugus, cattle, human PrxI, rat PrxI, human NKEF-A, and Xenopus tropicalis, respectively. The NKEF gene was expressed in all the tissues of the black rockfish. The RT-PCR indicated that the NKEF transcripts were predominantly in the spleen and gill, less dominantly in the PBLs, head kidney, trunk kidney, and liver, and least in the intestine and muscles. This is the first report on the existence of the NKEF-A gene in black rockfish.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2009

Embryonic lethal abnormal visual (elav) is a lethal gene in Drosophila inducing the abnormal development and function of nervous system. We cloned a Bm-elav gene by bioinformatics and biological experiment, based on sequence of ELAV protein and dbEST of Bombyx mori. The full-length of Bm-elav cDNA is 1498 bp, contains a 906 bp open read frame (ORF) encoding a precursor of 301 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 34 kDa and pI of 8.99. Bm-ELAV protein precursor contains three RNA recognition motifs (RRM) in $24{\sim}91$, $110{\sim}177$ and $222{\sim}295$ bit amino acid residues respectively, and belongs to RNA-binding protein family. Bm-ELAV shared varying positives, ranging from 56% to 60% (Identities from 41% to 45%), with RRM from other species of Xenopus tropicalis, Apis mellifera, Tribolium castaneum, Branchiostoma belcheri and Drosophila. Gene localization indicated that Bm-elav is a single-copy gene, gene mapping within 12-chromosome from 7916.68 knt to 7918.16 knt region of nscaf2993. Spatiotemporal expressions pattern analysis revealed that Bm-elav expressed higher in most tested tissues and developmental stages in whole generation, such as silk gland, fat body, midgut, hemopoietic organ and ovary, but almost no expression in terminated diapause eggs. This suggested that the expression of Bm-elav in early developmental embryonic stages might induce abnormal development like in Drosophila. Cloning of the Bm-elav gene enables us to test its potential role in controlling pests by transferring the gene into field lepidopteran insects in the future.