Dataset Information

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of CS?? defensin genes from the scorpion Mesobuthus martensii.

ABSTRACT: Defensins are important components of innate host defence system against bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Here, we predicted six potential defensin genes from the genome of the scorpion Mesobuthus martensii and then validated four genes from them via the combination of PCR and genomic sequence analysis. These four scorpion defensin genes share the same gene organization and structure of two exons and one phase-I intron with the GT-AG rule. Conserved motif and phylogenetic analysis showed that they belonged to the members of the invertebrate cysteine-stabilized ?-helix/?-sheet motif defensin (CS??) defensin family. All these four CS?? defensin genes have the expression feature of constitutive transcription (CON) by the whole scorpion infection model, promoter sequence analysis and dual luciferase assays. Further evolution and comparison analysis found that the invertebrate CS?? defensin genes from most of arachnids and mollusks appear to share the expression pattern of CON, but those from insects and lower invertebrates (nematodes, annelids, cnidarians and sponges) seem to have identical inducible transcription (IND) after being challenged by microorganisms. Together, we identified four scorpion CS?? defensin genes with the expression feature of CON, and characterized the diversified expression patterns of the invertebrate CS?? defensin genes, which will shed insights into the evolution of the invertebrate CS?? defensin genes and their expression patterns.

SUBMITTER: Lang Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6435467 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of CSαβ defensin genes from the scorpion <i>Mesobuthus martensii</i>.

Lang Yange Y Pi Xiaohuan X Di Zhiyong Z Zhang Qian Q Wang Huijuan H Shen Bingzheng B Li Fangfang F Liu Gaomin G Yu Yao Y Li Xuan X Wu Yingliang Y Li Wenxin W Cao Zhijian Z

Bioscience reports 20171215 6

Defensins are important components of innate host defence system against bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Here, we predicted six potential defensin genes from the genome of the scorpion <i>Mesobuthus martensii</i> and then validated four genes from them via the combination of PCR and genomic sequence analysis. These four scorpion defensin genes share the same gene organization and structure of two exons and one phase-I intron with the GT-AG rule. Conserved motif and phylogenetic analysis ...[more]

PMID: 29162666

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Project description:Mesobuthus martensii, a famous and important Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long medical history and unique functions. It is the first scorpion species whose whole genome was sequenced worldwide. In addition, it is the most widespread and infamous poisonous animal in northern China with complex habitats. It possesses several kinds of toxins that can regulate different ion channels and serve as crucial natural drug resources. Extensive and in-depth studies have been performed on the structures and functions of toxins of M. martensii. In this research, we compared the morphology of M. martensii populations from different localities and calculated the COI genetic distance to determine intraspecific variations. Transcriptome sequencing by RNA-sequencing of the venom glands of M. martensii from ten localities and M. eupeus from one locality was analyzed. The results revealed intraspecific variation in the expression of sodium channel toxin genes, potassium channel toxin genes, calcium channel toxin genes, chloride channel toxin genes, and defensin genes that could be related to the habitats in which these populations are distributed, except the genetic relationships. However, it is not the same in different toxin families. M. martensii and M. eupeus exhibit sexual dimorphism under the expression of toxin genes, which also vary in different toxin families. The following order was recorded in the difference of expression of sodium channel toxin genes: interspecific difference; differences among different populations of the same species; differences between sexes in the same population, whereas the order in the difference of expression of potassium channel toxin genes was interspecific difference; differences between both sexes of same populations; differences among the same sex in different populations of the same species. In addition, there existed fewer expressed genes of calcium channel toxins, chloride channel toxins, and defensins (no more than four members in each family), and their expression differences were not distinct. Interestingly, the expression of two calcium channel toxin genes showed a preference for males and certain populations. We found a difference in the expression of sodium channel toxin genes, potassium channel toxin genes, and chloride channel toxin genes between M. martensii and M. eupeus. In most cases, the expression of one member of the toxin gene clusters distributed in series on the genome were close in different populations and genders, and the members of most clusters expressed in same population and gender tended to be the different. Twenty-one toxin genes were found with the MS/MS identification evidence of M. martensii venom. Since scorpions were not subjected to electrical stimulation or other special treatments before conducting the transcriptome extraction experiment, the results suggested the presence of intraspecific variation and sexual dimorphism of toxin components which revealed the expression characteristics of toxin and defensin genes in M. martensii. We believe this study will promote further in-depth research and use of scorpions and their toxin resources, which in turn will be helpful in standardizing the identification and medical applications of Quanxie in traditional Chinese medicine.

Dataset Information

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of CS?? defensin genes from the scorpion Mesobuthus martensii.

Publications

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of CSαβ defensin genes from the scorpion <i>Mesobuthus martensii</i>.

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