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A novel member of the RING‐finger gene family associated with reproductive tissues of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Author(s) -
Zhao X.,
Smartt C. T.,
Hillyer J. F.,
Christensen B. M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
insect molecular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.955
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2583
pISSN - 0962-1075
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2583.2000.00189.x
Subject(s) - biology , aedes aegypti , zinc finger , gene , aedes , genetics , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , transcription factor , larva , botany , dengue fever
The RING finger is a zinc‐binding domain that is found in proteins from viruses, plants and animals. Here we report the characterization and tissue‐specific expression of a mosquito gonadal protein gene, mgp , from the mosquito, Aedes aegypti . The putative gene product, MGP, contains two RING fingers, a B‐box, and a hydrophobic core. These mosquito MGP structural motifs are highly conserved in proteins found in mouse and nematode. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of multiple mgp RNA transcripts in male and female reproductive tissues. Expression of mgp in the ovary is constitutive, but an increase in message was observed in the ovaries of female mosquitoes previously exposed to a blood meal. These results suggest that MGP is a protein that might play a role(s) in mosquito gametogenesis.