title: Biochemical and molecular characterization of two cytidine deaminases in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Two cytidine deaminases (CDDs) from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been cloned and characterized. Both Ce-CDD-1 and Ce-CDD-2 are authentic deaminases and both exhibit RNA-binding activity towards AU-rich templates. In order to study their temporal and spatial expression patterns in the worm, reporter gene constructs were made using approx. 2 kb of upstream sequence. Transfection of C. elegans revealed that both genes localized to the cells of the intestine, although their temporal expression patterns were different. Expression of Ce-cdd-1 peaked in the early larval stages, whereas Ce-cdd-2 was expressed in all life cycle stages examined. RNA-interference (RNAi) assays were performed for both genes, either alone or in combination, but only cdd-2 RNAi produced a consistent visible phenotype. A proportion of eggs laid from these worms were swollen and distorted in shape.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland, UK. e.devaney@vet.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Fiona J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Collette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: Isla
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.forename: Kirsty
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maitland
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Shrikant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anant
authors.forename: Nicholas O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Devaney
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D017238:Genes, Helminth; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D007422:Intestines / Q000201:enzymology; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D018509:DNA, Helminth; D007527:Isoenzymes; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase