title: Cloning and expression of a putative transferrin cDNA of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana.
abstract: A spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) transferrin cDNA (CfTf) was isolated and cloned from a cDNA library that was constructed using mRNA from fifth to sixth instar larvae. CfTf cDNA encoded a predicted protein of 681 amino acids with a molecular mass of approximately 76 kDa. CfTf shared 72% and 74% identities at the amino acid level with transferrins of Manduca sexta and Bombyx mori, respectively. Like other transferrins, CfTf retains most of the N-terminal, iron-binding amino acid residues. Northern blot analyses indicated that CfTf mRNA was present at high levels after ecdysis, but that the expression level was low prior to ecdysis at the fourth-sixth instar stages. The highest level of CfTf expression was detected in the fat body. Relatively low levels of expression were detected in the epidermis and no expression was found in the midgut. Expression of CfTf mRNA could be induced by bacteria but not fungi. Expression of CfTf mRNA was suppressed by iron load.
authors.affiliation: Great Lakes Forestry Center, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 1219 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada P6A 2E5.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ampasala
authors.forename: S-C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Retnakaran
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Krell
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Arif
authors.forename: Q-L
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001409:Bacillus cereus; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D020171:Botrytis; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018978:Molting / Q000502:physiology; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D009181:Mycoses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014168:Transferrin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014168:Transferrin