title: Two molluscan BCL-2 family members from Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum: molecular characterization and immune responses.
abstract: Apoptosis based immune responses are important component of host defense in mollusks. In this study, we have identified two novel molluscan BCL-2 cDNAs from Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum and named as RpBCL-2A and RpBCL-2B. There were four and three highly conserved BCL-2 homology (BH) regions in RpBCL-2A and RpBCL-2B, respectively suggesting these two genes could be different isoforms of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family. Phylogenetic results revealed that Manila clam BCL-2 genes were clustered closely with invertebrate BCL-2 members. It gives evidence of their common origin and conserved features of invertebrate BCL-2 family. RpBCL-2A and 2B were expressed in tissue-specific manner showing the highest and lowest level of expression in gills and hemocytes, respectively. However there was no clear expression profile difference between two genes. After Vibrio tapetis challenge, transcriptional responses of RpBCL-2A and RpBCL-2B were induced in gills and hemocytes with high variation that could be due to effects of immune reactions of other host defense molecules.
authors.affiliation: Korea Institute of Ocean Science Technology, Ansan 426-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Youngdeuk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ilson
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: Sukkyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Udeni
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Menike
authors.forename: Chulhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Do-Hyung
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Gang-Joon
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Jehee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mahanama
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Zoysa
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010802:Phylogeny; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014733:Vibrio / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2