Characteristics and expression patterns of the lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF) gene family in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha factor (LITAF) is a novel transcription factor responsible for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transcription of tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Here, we identified and characterized five new LITAF genes in a mollusk, Crassostrea gigas. The complete cDNA sequences of these newly-cloned CgLITAFs each contain one small ORF encoding putative proteins ranging from 67 to 132 amino acids in length. Each CgLITAF, except LITAF2, includes a conserved domain with two motifs, (H)XCXXC and CXXC; LITAF2 lacks the N-terminal CXXC motif. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the six CgLITAFs members (including a previously reported one) cluster into two different mollusk LITAF branches, implying an ancient origin of two LITAF genes that later diversified. CgLITAF members show distinct gene expression patterns with higher expression in digestive gland, gill, and mantle. Except for LITAF4 and LITAF6, CgLITAF expressions can be induced selectively and to various degrees by different Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs). Our results strongly demonstrated that the CgLITAF gene family has diversified in function such that each gene plays a distinct and non-redundant role in host defense of C. gigas.
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization, Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
Feng
F
Yu
Yang
Y
Zhang
Ziniu
Z
Yu
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000662:veterinary; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D044149:Vibrio alginolyticus / Q000502:physiology
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha