Identification of a developmentally regulated gene, esr16, in the tracheal epithelium of Manduca sexta, with homology to a protein from human epididymis.
Events related to both ecdysis and metamorphosis require the expression of a new set of genes, the majority of which are regulated by the changes in ecdysteroid levels. We have initiated studies to identify genes whose expression is up-regulated between 24 and 4 h before pupal ecdysis in Manduca sexta. In this paper we report the partial characterization of one such gene, esr16. The transcript of esr16 is detected by Northern blot analysis in nervous tissue, muscle and trachea isolated from animals 4 h before, but not 24 h before pupal ecdysis. In situ hybridization showed that the transcript was expressed in epithelial cells of the large tracheae surrounding the nervous system and muscle. Sequence analysis suggested that the gene encoded a secreted protein with 35% identity to HE1, a human epididymal-specific gene.
Mészáros
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Arizona Research Laboratories Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
Morton
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DB
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000737:chemistry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008297:Male; D018402:Manduca / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C100022:ESR16 protein, Manduca sexta; D006023:Glycoproteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; C104585:NPC2 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins; D004441:Ecdysterone