RESUMO
Array-based genomic studies were conducted with the goal of identifying immature (i.e. nymph) and adult reproductive caste-biased gene expression in the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. Using cDNA macro-arrays, we identified thirty-four nymph-biased genes falling into eight ontogenic categories. Based on gene expression profiles among diverse castes and developmental stages (determined by quantitative PCR), several important trends emerged. These findings highlight the importance of several developmental and survival-based factors among immature and adult termite reproductives, including: vitellogenesis, nutrient storage, juvenile hormone sequestration, ribosomal translational and filtering mechanisms, fatty acid biosynthesis, apoptosis inhibition, and both endogenous and symbiont cellulase-assisted nutrition. These findings are highly significant as they are the first to elucidate the molecular biology underlying termite reproductive caste differentiation and reproductive caste-specific biology. Other gene expression results are in agreement with previous findings that suggest roles for vitellogenin-like haemolymph proteins in soldier caste differentiation.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Insetos/biossíntese , Isópteros/genética , AMP Desaminase/biossíntese , AMP Desaminase/genética , Adenosina Trifosfatases/biossíntese , Adenosina Trifosfatases/genética , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Etiquetas de Sequências Expressas , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento/fisiologia , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSP70/biossíntese , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSP70/genética , Proteínas de Insetos/genética , Isópteros/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Isópteros/metabolismo , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Menor , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Ninfa/genética , Ninfa/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Análise de Sequência com Séries de Oligonucleotídeos , Fosfotransferases (Aceptor do Grupo Álcool)/biossíntese , Fosfotransferases (Aceptor do Grupo Álcool)/genética , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/biossíntese , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genética , Proteínas Ribossômicas/biossíntese , Proteínas Ribossômicas/genética , Alinhamento de Sequência , Vitelogeninas/biossíntese , Vitelogeninas/genéticaRESUMO
The molecular mechanism(s) responsible for posttranscriptional gene silencing and RNA interference remain poorly understood. We have cloned a gene (Mut6) from the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that is required for the silencing of a transgene and two transposon families. Mut6 encodes a protein that is highly homologous to RNA helicases of the DEAH-box family. This protein is necessary for the degradation of certain aberrant RNAs, such as improperly processed transcripts, which are often produced by transposons and some transgenes.
