Search for phase specific genes in the brain of desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) by differential display polymerase chain reaction.
Differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) in combination with semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to compare differences in gene expression between the solitary and gregarious phase of Schistocerca gregaria. Twenty-six primer combinations were used, which produced 8 differential bands. Two out of the 8 differentials, one typical for the solitary and one for the gregarious phase, were further analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression level of the solitary phase specific gene (SSG) was 2 times higher in solitary animals as compared to gregarious ones, while the gregarious specific gene (GSG) gave a 4-fold higher expression level in gregarious animals than in solitaries. Sequence analysis demonstrated that SSG does not belong to a known gene family, while the GSG belongs to the SPARC protein family.
Rahman
M M
MM
Laboratory for Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, Leuven B-3000, Belgium. mazibur.rahman@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
Vandingenen
A
A
Begum
M
M
Breuer
M
M
De Loof
A
A
Huybrechts
R
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D018076:DNA, Complementary