title: Molecular characterization of SOCS gene and its expression analysis on Plasmodium berghei infection in Anopheles culicifacies.
abstract: Anopheles culicifacies mosquitoes are able to transmit both falciparum and vivax malaria in India. More than 65% of malaria cases reported annually spread through this vector. Despite the fact that it poses major vectorial burden in India, the molecular basis of its immune role against Plasmodium development has not been explored intensively. Here, we characterized An. culicifacies SOCS (suppressor of cytokine signaling) gene, a regulator of STAT pathway and its expression analysis upon Plasmodium infection. Our analysis has demonstrated that An. culicifacies SOCS gene shares strikingly high level of sequence similarity in SH2 domain and SOCS box region with other mosquito species. However, its N-terminal identity is limited to Anophelines mosquito only, suggesting its genus specific role. SOCS mRNA is expressed in all developmental stages of mosquito and its expression is higher in male than female adults. SOCS mRNA is significantly induced after Plasmodium infection in midgut tissue indicating its involvement in the immune defense responses. This is the first evidence of involvement of SOCS as an immune gene in Indian malaria vector An. culicifacies.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Rini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dhawan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Kuldeep
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Mithilesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajla
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Centres for Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak 124001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Surendra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gakhar
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Parik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kakani
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Tania Pal
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology and Vector Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS)-Pilani, Pilani 333031, Rajasthan, India. Electronic address: lalita@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in.
authors.forename: Lalita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010962:Plasmodium berghei; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
keywords: Anopheles culicifacies; Immunity; Mosquito; Plasmodium; SOCS