title: Molecular characterization of aspartylglucosaminidase, a lysosomal hydrolase upregulated during strobilation in the moon jellyfish, Aurelia aurita.
abstract: The life cycle of the moon jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, alternates between a benthic asexual polyp stage and a planktonic sexual medusa (jellyfish) stage. Transition from polyp to medusa is called strobilation. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of strobilation, we screened for genes that are upregulated during strobilation using the differential display method and we identified aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA), which encodes a lysosomal hydrolase. Similar to AGAs from other species, Aurelia AGA possessed an N-terminal signal peptide and potential N-glycosylation sites. The genomic region of Aurelia AGA was approximately 9.8 kb in length and contained 12 exons and 11 introns. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that AGA expression increased during strobilation, and was then decreased in medusae. To inhibit AGA function, we administered the lysosomal acidification inhibitors, chloroquine or bafilomycin A1, to animals during strobilation. Both inhibitors disturbed medusa morphogenesis at the oral end, suggesting involvement of lysosomal hydrolases in strobilation.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Natsumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsujita
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yanaka
authors.affiliation: b Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Biosphere Science , Hiroshima University , Higashi-Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuniyoshi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001227:Aspartylglucosylaminase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000201:enzymology*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D001227:Aspartylglucosylaminase
keywords: Aurelia aurita; aspartylglucosaminidase; cloning; lysosomal hydrolase; strobilation