title: Analyses of expression and localization of two mammalian-type transglutaminases in Physarum polycephalum, an acellular slime mold.
abstract: Transglutaminase (TGase) is an enzyme that modifies proteins by crosslinking or polyamination. Physarum polycephalum, an acellular slime mold, is the evolutionally lowest organism that has a mammalian-type transglutaminase. We have cloned a cDNA for Physarum polycephalum TGase (PpTGB), homologous to a previously identified TGase (PpTGA), whose sequence is similar to that of mammalian TGases. PpTGB encodes a primary sequence identical to that of PpTGA except for 11 amino acid residues at the N-terminus. Reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting analyses showed that both PpTGA and PpTGB are expressed in microplasmodia and macroplasmodia during their life cycle, except for in sporangia. For biochemical characterization, we carried out the ectopical expressions of PpTGA and PpTGB in Dictyostelium discoideum. Subcellular fractionation of these Dictyostelium cells showed that the expressed PpTGA, but not PpTGB, localizes to the membrane fraction. Furthermore, in Physarum, subcellular fractionation and immunostaining indicated specific localization at the plasma membrane in macroplasmodia, while the localization was entirely cytoplasmic in microplasmodia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Molecular Biosciences, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hitomi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016839:Physarum polycephalum / Q000201:enzymology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011503:Transglutaminases