Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of cathepsin A gene in Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis
2011
Li, Wei-Wei | He, Lin | Jin, Xing-Kun | Jiang, Hui | Chen, Li-Li | Wang, Ying | Wang, Qun
Cathepsins, a superfamily of hydrolytic enzymes produced and enclosed within lysosomes, function in immune response in vertebrates; however, their function within the innate immune system of invertebrates remains largely unknown. Therefore, we investigated the immune functionality of cathepsin A (catA) in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), a commercially important and disease vulnerable aquaculture species. The full length catA cDNA (2200bp) was cloned via PCR based upon an initial expressed sequence tag (EST) isolated from a hepatopancreatic cDNA library. The catA cDNA contained a 1398bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded a putative 465 amino acid (aa) protein. Comparisons with other reported vertebrate cathepsins sequences revealed percent identity range from 48 to 51%. CatA mRNA expression in E. sinensis was (a) tissue-specific, with the highest expression observed in gill and (b) responsive in hemocytes to a Vibrio anguillarum challenge, with peak exposure observed 12h post-injection. Collectively, data demonstrate the successful isolation of catA from the Chinese mitten crab, and its involvement in the innate immune system of an invertebrate.
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