title: A serine protease gene from the firefly, Pyrocoelia rufa: gene structure, expression, and enzyme activity.
abstract: The gene structure, expression and enzyme activity of a serine protease from the firefly, Pyrocoelia rufa (PrSP) were examined. The PrSP gene spans 1474 bp and consists of two introns and three exons coding for 257 amino acid residues. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA suggested the presence of PrSP gene as a single copy. Western blot analysis and enzyme activity assay exhibited midgut-specific expression, suggesting that the midgut is the prime site where large quantities of PrSP are synthesized for degrading the absorbed protein from the diet. The cDNA encoding PrSP was expressed as a 31 kDa polypeptide in the baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells and the recombinant PrSP showed activity in the protease enzyme assay using gelatin as a substrate.
authors.affiliation: College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, 604-714, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jianhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Young Moo
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Kwang Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeon Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Je
authors.forename: Soo Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Iksoo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hung Dae
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Byung Rae
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005091:Exons; D048888:Fireflies / Q000201:enzymology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007313:Insecta; D007438:Introns; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004247:DNA; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases