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Identification of some heat-induced genes of Trichinella spiralis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2001

C. H. MAK
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
K. W. SUN
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
R. C. KO
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
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Abstract

Three heat-induced genes of the infective-stage larvae of Trichinella spiralis were successfully identified by the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique. As indicated by reverse Northern blotting, 19 of 25 clones were scored as differentially transcribed in the heat-shocked infective-stage larvae. The sequencing data showed the presence of 12 different genes. Three were homologous to histone H3, histone H2B and translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP). A 0.6 kb cDNA of histone H3 was generated by the RACE method and sequenced. It contained an open reading frame of 136 amino acids that demonstrated 94% identity with genes from Drosophila hydei. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicated that after heat-shock treatment, the expression levels of histone H3, histone H2B and TCTP increased 4.8, 27 and 5.7-fold, respectively. Northern analysis confirmed the upregulation of histone H3, histone H2B and TCTP transcripts. The upregulation of these genes during stress conditions has not been reported in parasitic organisms. The stress proteins may play an active role to sustain the parasite after exposure to hostile host factors.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Table 1. Primers used for RT-PCR

Figure 1

Fig. 1. Efficiency of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Double-stranded cDNA from heat-shocked Trichinella spiralis infective-stage larvae was subtracted with 37 °C treated sample or water (control) by SSH. Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR products amplified by thymidylate synthase primers using (A) Double-stranded cDNA from: lane 1: 43 °C heat-shocked larvae; lane 2: 37 °C treated larvae; and (B) primary PCR products from: lane 1: SSH subtracted products; lane 2: SSH control. (C) Gel electrophoresis of secondary PCR products generated from SSH. Lane 1: subtracted PCR products; lane 2: SSH control. (D) Southern blot of SSH PCR products probed with 37 °C treated larval cDNA. Lane 1: subtracted PCR products; Lane 2: SSH control. Molecular sizes are shown on the right.

Figure 2

Fig. 2. Differential screening of the SSH subtracted cDNAs by reverse Northern blotting. Clones corresponding to the putative heat-induced cDNA fragments were numbered as Ts1 to Ts25 (Ts- Trichinella spiralis infective-stage larvae). The same quantity of PCR amplified cDNAs from the indicated clones were dot-blotted onto 2 identical Hybond-N membranes. The blots were then hybridized with cDNA probes derived from (A) 37 °C treated larvae and (B) 43 °C heat-shocked larvae. After washing in 1×SSC/0.5% SDS buffer, blots were exposed overnight on films.

Figure 3

Table 2. Identification, database comparison and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of differential expression of SSH clones of Trichinella spiralis infective-stage larvae upregulated by heat shock

Figure 4

Fig. 3. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the Trichinella spiralis histone H3 cDNA. The 594 bp nucleotide sequence of histone H3 contained an open reading frame which encoded a protein of 136 amino acids as indicated.

Figure 5

Fig. 4. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR of 10 selected overexpressed genes. Primer sets used in RT-PCR were named after the selected putative heat-induced clones. The figure shows gel electrophoresis of the semi-quantitative RT-PCR products from matched total RNA of (A) 37 °C treated and (B) heat-shocked Trichinella spiralis infective-stage larvae. The intensity of the PCR products was normalized using the amplified products of thymidylate synthase, which did not show a significant differential signal between the samples. The ratio of RT-PCR products from 37 °C and heat-shocked larvae was determined by densitometric analysis using the Gel Doc 1000 system.

Figure 6

Fig. 5. Northern blot analysis of 5 selected overexpressed genes. Northern blots were performed using 10 μg of matched total RNA samples isolated from heat-shocked (H) and 37 °C treated larvae (N). (A) Agarose gel electrophoresis showing the integrity and quantity of the total RNA samples loaded on the gel. (B) Membranes were hybridized with probes derived from cDNA fragments of histone H3 (H3), histone H2B (H2B), translationally controlled tumour protein (TCTP), clone Ts13 and Ts17. (C) The same blots were hybridized with thymidylate synthase probe (Thy) to normalize the loading and transfer of the total RNA. Northern blots were placed on film with a screen at −80 °C for 1–2 weeks.