Ferritins of Schistosoma mansoni: sequence comparison and expression in female and male worms.
Recombinant clones of Schistosoma mansoni cDNA libraries containing the complete coding regions of 2 different ferritin subunits have been isolated and sequenced. This allows for the first time a comparison of ferritin sequences from an invertebrate with those of vertebrates. The deduced amino acid sequences of both Schistosoma ferritin subunit clones show significant homology to vertebrate ferritin H chains. Similarity exceeds 50% identity and includes the recently identified ferroxidase center which is present only in H chains. However, non-conservative substitutions of amino acid residues lining the 3-fold symmetry channel were found, and a gap of 3 successive amino acids unique to the 2 Schistosoma ferritin sequences was identified. Remarkably, for each of the 2 genes, we found a conspicuous difference in the amount of ferritin transcripts between females and males: one of the genes is preferentially expressed in females, the other in males.
Dietzel
J
J
Institut für Genetik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, F.R.G.
Hirzmann
J
J
Preis
D
D
Symmons
P
P
Kunz
W
W
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D015723:Gene Library; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA; D005293:Ferritins