title: Vitellogenin of the cicada Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Homoptera): analysis of its primary structure.
abstract: We cloned and sequenced the cDNA of vitellogenin (Vg) from the cicada Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata (Homoptera). The deduced amino acid sequence of 1987 residues (including 16 residues for a putative signal peptide) was obtained. The pro-Vg was cleaved into two subunits between residues 379 and 380 following a consensus RXXR cleavage site sequence, secreted as S-Vg (apparent molecular weight 43 kDa) and L-Vg (200 kDa), sequestered, and stored in the egg as two vitellins (Vns), S-Vn and L-Vn, with similar respective molecular weights. There was a single long serine-rich stretch closely following the cleavage site. The entire amino acid sequences of the Vgs from the eight insects so far reported could be aligned confidently. The presence of subdomains I-V (areas of relatively high amino acid conservation) and of 10 cysteines at conserved locations at the C-terminus, noted previously among insect Vgs, were confirmed. Antisera raised against G. nigrofuscata S- and L-Vn cross-reacted with the S- and L-Vg/Vn, respectively, of all three other cicada species examined. Another major egg protein (170 kDa) unrelated to Vg/Vn, was also detected in all species examined.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University, Nada, Japan.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatakeyama
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oishi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D007313:Insecta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D014819:Vitellogenins