title: Exon variability of gene encoding glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase of Ixodes ricinus ticks.
abstract: We have previously found apparent differences in Gpdh allele frequences between borrelia infected and uninfected Ixodes ricinus as revealed by native gel electrophoresis of allozyme polymorphisms. The present study deals with the genetic basis of the observed allozyme polymorphism. Multiple sequence alignment of 36 Gpdh open reading frames identified a total of 40 polymorphic nucleotide sites. Of the 40 polymorphic nucleotide sites, 34 were silent (did not result in amino acid residue change), while six were active causing a change in the amino acid chain. All polymorphic amino acid sites were situated within the N-terminal NAD-binding domain, whereas the C-terminal substrate-binding domain was highly conserved. Analysis of the obtained Gpdh sequences and GPDH allozyme polymorphisms for individual ticks pointed to amino acid changes at positions 61 (glycine-to-glutamic acid), 64 (serine-to-cysteine) and 102 (glycine-to-arginine) as a key for differential mobility of GPDH allozymes in an electric field. Our findings are discussed in the context of the molecular basis of I. ricinus host finding behavior.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Medical Arachnoentomology, Serbian Centre for Parasitic Zxrnoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Dr. Subotića 4, POB 102, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia. zeljko@imi.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Radulović
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milutinović
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomanović
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mulenga
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020029:Base Pairing; D001665:Binding Sites; D017931:DNA Primers; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018884:Ixodes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase