title: Characterization of heterotrimeric G-proteins in adult Acanthocheilonema viteae.
abstract: Heterotrimeric G-proteins have been found in eukaryotic cells, from yeast to humans, but have received little attention, to date, with respect to parasitic organisms. We now present the first report of the characterization of heterotrimeric G-proteins expressed in a filarial nematode, Acanthocheilonema viteae. Using a combination of (i) affinity labelling with [alpha-32P]GTP; (ii) ADP-ribosylation with cholera toxin and pertussis toxin; (iii) Western blotting with a panel of anti-G-protein antibodies; and (iv) reverse transcriptase-PCR with degenerate G-protein oligonucleotide primers followed by hybridization analysis using oligonucleotides specific for individual G-protein subunits, we demonstrate that adult A. viteae expresses homologues of the beta 1- and/or beta 2-like subunits and alpha-subunits of the Gs, G1, Gq and G12 subfamilies found in mammals. The role which these G-proteins may play in the biology of the organism is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Harnett
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milligan
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harnett
mesh_terms: D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers; D004153:Dipetalonema / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D017931:DNA Primers; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D009243:NAD; D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D006160:Guanosine Triphosphate; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins