Developmental expression patterns of cuticular protein genes with the R&R Consensus from Anopheles gambiae
- 作者：Toru Togawa ; W. Augustine Dunn ; Aaron C. Emmons ; John Nagao ; Judith H. Willis
- 关键词：Cuticle ; Cuticular protein ; CPR ; R& ; R Consensus ; Real-time qRT-PCR ; Gene cluster ; Gene dosage compensation
- 刊名：Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- 出版年：2008
- 期刊代码：80_09651748
- 类别：bio
- 出版时间：May 2008
- 卷：38
- 期：5
- 页码：508-519
- 文件大小：872 K
摘要
CPR proteins are the largest cuticular protein family in arthropods. The whole genome sequence of Anopheles gambiae revealed 156 genes that code for proteins with the R&R Consensus and named CPRs. This protein family can be divided into RR-1 and RR-2 subgroups, postulated to contribute to different regions of the cuticle. We determined the temporal expression patterns of these genes throughout post-embryonic development by means of real-time qRT-PCR. Based on expression profiles, these genes were grouped into 21 clusters. Most of the genes were expressed with sharp peaks at single or multiple periods associated with molting. Genes coding for RR-1 and RR-2 proteins were found together in several co-expression clusters. Twenty-five genes were expressed exclusively at one metamorphic stage. Five out of six X-linked genes showed equal expression in males and females, supporting the presence of a gene dosage compensation system in A. gambiae. Many RR-2 genes are organized into sequence clusters whose members are extremely similar to each other and generally closely associated on a chromosome. Most genes in each sequence cluster are expressed with the same temporal expression pattern and at the same level, suggesting a shared mechanism to regulate their expression.