title: Molecular characterization of an actin depolymerizing factor from Cryptocaryon irritans.
abstract: Actin depolymerizing factors regulate actin dynamics involved in cellular processes such as morphogenesis, motility, development and infection. Here, a novel actin depolymerizing factor gene (CiADF 2 ) was cloned from the cDNA library of Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasitic ciliate causing cryptocaryonosis. The full-length cDNA of CiADF 2 was 531 bp. Its open reading frame (ORF) was 417 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 138 aa with typical features of the ADF/cofilin family. Reverse transcription-PCR suggested that CiADF 2 is expressed in all stages of the life cycle. After site-directed mutagenesis of a non-universal genetic code, the ORF was subcloned in Escherichia coli. The bacteria were induced with the addition of isopropylthio-β-D-galactoside to express a fusion protein of recombinant CiADF2 (rCiADF2) with glutathione S transferase. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot confirmed the predicted molecular mass of rCiADF2 of 16·2 kDa. A mouse antibody against rCiADF2 recognized native CiADF2, and rCiADF2 reacted with mouse antisera against C. irritans trophonts. CiADF2 was abundant in the plasma around cytostomes, suggesting that CiADF2 is involved in ciliate movement. Moreover, rCiADF2 showed F-actin binding and depolymerizing activity. This study will help to clarify the pathogenic biology of the parasite and develop effective control measures for cryptocaryonosis.
authors.affiliation: Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Neuroscience, College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China. biohxh@fjnu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guowei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhongfeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016770:Ciliophora Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D051345:Destrin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D010473:Perciformes / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D051345:Destrin; D012333:RNA, Messenger