title: Molecular characterization and functional analysis of serine/threonine protein phosphatase of Toxocara canis.
abstract: Toxocara canis (T. canis) is a widely prevalent zoonotic parasite that infects a wide range of mammalian hosts, including humans. We generated the full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of the serine/threonine phosphatase gene of T. canis (Tc stp) using 5' rapid amplification of the cDNA ends. The 1192-bp sequence contained a continuous 942-nucleotide open reading frame, encoding a 313-amino-acid polypeptide. The Tc STP polypeptide shares a high level of amino-acid sequence identity with the predicted STPs of Loa loa (89%), Brugia malayi (86%), Oesophagostomum columbianum (76%), and Oesophagostomumdentatum (76%). The Tc STP contains GDXHG, GDXVDRG, GNHE motifs, which are characteristic of members of the phosphoprotein phosphatase family. Our quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the Tc STP was expressed in six different tissues in the adult male, with high-level expression in the spermary, vas deferens, and musculature, but was not expressed in the adult female, suggesting that Tc STP might be involved in spermatogenesis and mating behavior. Thus, STP might represent a potential molecular target for controlling T. canis reproduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Rongchang Campus, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guang Xu
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Rongchang Campus, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: rongqiongzhou@126.com.
authors.forename: Rong Qiong
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Rongchang Campus, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shi Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Rongchang Campus, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Han Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Rongchang Campus, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: xiaqy@swu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qing You
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D018510:RNA, Helminth / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017166:Toxocara canis / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018510:RNA, Helminth; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases
keywords: 5′-RACE; Quantitative real-time PCR; Serine/threonine protein phosphatase; Specific expression; Toxocara canis