title: Cloning and analysis of 16 Rab genes from macronuclear DNA of Euplotes octocarinatus.
abstract: Rab proteins belong to the largest family of the Ras superfamily of small GTPase that play an important role in intracellular vesicular traffic. So far, almost 60 members of Rab family have been identified in mammalian cells. To further study the diversity and function of Rab protein in evolution, unicellular protozoa ciliates, Euplotes octocarinatus, were used in this study, Rab genes were screened by PCR method from macronuclear DNA of E. octocarinatus. Sixteen Rab genes were obtained. They share 87.6-99.5% identities. Highly conserved GTP-binding domains were found. There are some hot regions that diverse sharply in these genes as well.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Biotechnology, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lingyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Baofeng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Yonghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016812:Euplotes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D048648:Macronucleus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins