title: Aedes aegypti dopa decarboxylase: gene structure and regulation.
abstract: Dopa decarboxylase converts L-dopa to dopamine, a precursor molecule for diverse biological activities in insects including neurotransmission and a variety of tanning reactions required for development, reproduction and defence against parasites. Herein, we report the cloning and sequencing of the Aedes aegypti Ddc gene, including 2.1 kb of the upstream promoter region. The transcribed region of the gene spans more than 16 kb and contains five exons. In situ hybridization localizes the blood-meal-induced ovarian transcription of this gene to the follicular epithelial cells surrounding individual oocytes. Ovary tissue transcription of Ddc is increased in response to injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone to levels equal to those observed for blood-fed controls, however coinjection with the translational inhibitor cycloheximide negates the effect, indicating an indirect regulatory role for this hormone. Clusters of putative ecdysone-responsive elements and zinc-finger binding domains for the products of Broad-Complex gene family are identified in the 5'-promoter region. These elements are discussed in the context of common insect Ddc regulatory mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Genetics Section, NIH, NIAID, LPD, Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ferdig
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Taft
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Smartt
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lowenberger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017344:Genes, Insect; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004441:Ecdysterone; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase