Iron metabolism in insect disease vectors: mining the Anopheles gambiae translated protein database.
All animals require iron for survival. This requirement reflects the role of this mineral as a cofactor of numerous proteins. However, under physiological conditions, Fe(2+) oxidizes to Fe(3+) encouraging the formation of toxic free radicals. In mammals, the potential for oxidative damage from iron is minimized by binding iron to proteins. Mammalian iron metabolism is complex and numerous proteins are involved in iron absorption, transport, uptake and utilization. We have analyzed the Anopheles gambiae translated protein database for candidates that show identity to proteins involved in mammalian iron metabolism (Holt et al., 2002. The genome sequence of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Science 298, 129-149). Our results indicate that proteins involved in iron absorption and intracellular iron utilization are, for the most part, conserved in A. gambiae. In contrast, proteins involved in the pathways of iron export from the gut, transport in hemolymph and uptake at peripheral tissues in mosquitos differ from those for mammals.
Winzerling
Joy J
JJ
Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona-Tucson, P.O. Box 210038, Tucson, AZ 85721-0038, USA. jwinzerl@ag.arizona.edu
Pham
Daphne Q-D
DQ
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D030562:Databases, Protein; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000502:physiology; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D064451:Hepcidins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D035925:Iron-Regulatory Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D007501:Iron; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C024748:copper oxidase