Identification of calmodulin-binding proteins in brain of worker honeybees.
Calmodulin is a Ca(+2)-binding protein important in a variety of cell functions. The Ca(+2)/calmodulin complex interacts with and regulates various enzymes and target proteins, known as calmodulin-binding proteins (CaMBPs). In this study, we revealed a comparative identification of the CaMBPs composition in the worker honeybee (Apis mellifera) brain, considering two different honeybee behaviors in the colony. To this end, the CaMBPs of forager and nurse workers were purified by affinity chromatography, separated in 1D gel, digested and submitted to peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF). In the PMF analysis, 15 different proteins, considered behavior-specific proteins, were identified, one of them exclusively in forager workers and 10 in nurses. All the proteins were classified in terms of their function and cell localization, revealing a greater expression of metabolism-related CaMBPs in both worker subcastes. Protein sequences were then analyzed for the presence of the calmodulin-binding sites. Therefore, the honeybee brain CaMBPs profiles presented differences between worker subcastes. This is the first identification of calmodulin-binding proteins in the brain of A. mellifera upon nursing and foraging behaviors in the colony and this diversity of target proteins for Ca(+2)/CaM may be involved in terms of the function of these proteins in the nervous system.
Instituto de Genética e Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará, Bloco 2E, sala 39A, CEP 38400-902, Uberlândia-MG, Brazil.
Luciana Karen
LK
Calábria
Liudy
L
Garcia Hernandez
Renata Roland
RR
Teixeira
Marcelo
M
Valle de Sousa
Foued Salmen
FS
Espindola
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism
D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins