title: Genomic structure and expression of a gene coding for a new fatty acid binding protein from Echinococcus granulosus.
abstract: This work describes a new gene coding for a fatty acid binding protein (FABP) in the parasite Echinococcus granulosus, named EgFABP2. The complete gene structure, including the promoter sequence, is reported. The genomic coding domain organisation of the previously reported E. granulosus FABP gene (EgFABP1) has been also determined. The corresponding polypeptide chains share 76% of identical residues and an overall 96% of similarity. The two EgFABPs present the highest amino acid homologies with the mammalian FABP subfamily containing heart-FABPs (H-FABPs). The coding sequences of both genes are interrupted by a single intron located in the position of the third intron reported for vertebrate FABP genes. Both genes are expressed in the protoscolex stage of the parasite. The promoter region of EgFABP2 presents several consensus putative cis-acting elements found in other members of the family, suggesting interesting possible mechanisms involved in the host-parasite adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Sección Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay. aesteves@fcien.edu.uy
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esteves
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Portillo
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D029941:Fish Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C425124:FABP-1 protein, Lateolabrax japonicus; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D029941:Fish Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins