1. cDNA cloning and transcriptional regulation of the vitellogenin receptor from the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
- Author
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Patricia V. Pietrantonio, L. L. Keeley, M.-E. Chen, and D. K. Lewis
- Subjects
DNA, Complementary ,Fire ant ,Molecular Sequence Data ,Receptors, Cell Surface ,Vitellogenin ,Rapid amplification of cDNA ends ,Complementary DNA ,Genetics ,Animals ,Amino Acid Sequence ,Northern blot ,Molecular Biology ,DNA Primers ,Cloning ,biology ,Ants ,Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Egg Proteins ,Ovary ,Age Factors ,Sequence Analysis, DNA ,Blotting, Northern ,Methoprene ,biology.organism_classification ,Molecular biology ,Up-Regulation ,Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction ,Blotting, Southern ,Gene Components ,Insect Science ,Juvenile hormone ,biology.protein ,Female - Abstract
We describe the cloning of the first hymenopteran vitellogenin receptor (VgR) cDNA from the imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, an invasive pest. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends, fragments encompassing the entire coding region of a putative VgR were cloned and sequenced. The complete 5764 bp cDNA encodes a 1782 residue protein with a predicted molecular mass of 201.3 kDa (=SiVgR). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the 7.4 kb SiVgR transcript was present only in ovaries of reproductive females (virgin alates and queens). The temporal profile of transcriptional expression showed that SiVgR mRNA increased with age in virgin alate females and that this was up-regulated by methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analogue. This suggests that the SiVgR gene is JH regulated.
- Published
- 2004
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