title: Cloning and expression profiling of a cuticular protein gene in Daphnia carinata.
abstract: The cladoceran Daphnia carinata undergoes an unusual transition from asexual to sexual reproduction in response to environmental stimuli. Previously, a D. carinata cuticular protein (CP) was identified in an EST library. In this study, the full-length CP cDNA was cloned and sequenced (GenBank accession number: KF551931), and the expression levels in different reproductive states were assessed. Parthenogenetic and sexual female D. carinata were isolated, and CP expression was investigated using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CP was expressed during both reproductive stages, but expression was higher in sexual females. Cellular localization was also investigated using digoxin-labeled RNA probes in RNA whole-mount in situ hybridization assays, and CP was mainly expressed in the first pair of thoracic appendages, the surface of the head, shell spines, and other parts of the epidermis in parthenogenetic organisms. In contrast, CP expression was restricted to the thoracic appendages in sexual females.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, East China Normal University, Dong-chuang Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Ajing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mingqing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Donglei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xianlong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Danli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yunlong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003621:Daphnia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010312:Parthenogenesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins