Yellow fever mosquito sterol carrier protein-2 gene structure and transcriptional regulation

Insect Mol Biol. 2010 Apr;19(2):205-15. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2009.00959.x. Epub 2009 Dec 1.

Abstract

AeSCP-2, a sterol carrier protein, is involved in sterol trafficking in mosquitoes. The activity of the AeSCP-2 gene is important for mosquito development. An earlier study demonstrated that the transcription of this gene was upregulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in cultured gut tissues. To investigate 20E-regulated transcription of the AeSCP-2 gene we truncated the upstream flanking region of AeSCP-2 gene and linked it to a reporter gene. The mosquito Aag-2 cell line was transfected with these promoter/reporter constructs and treated with 20E at various concentrations. Expression vectors of different transcription factors such as HR3 and beta FTZ-F1 were also co-transfected with the AeSCP-2 promoter/reporter constructs. The observed results demonstrated that varied combinations of transcription factors produce different promoter activities of the AeSCP-2 gene. This observation leads us to the conclusion that the partnership of transcription factors is crucial in regulating the transcriptional activity of the AeSCP-2 gene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / drug effects
  • Aedes / genetics*
  • Aedes / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Base Sequence
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Line
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Ecdysterone / pharmacology
  • Genes, Insect* / drug effects
  • Insect Proteins / genetics*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Steroidogenic Factor 1 / genetics
  • Steroidogenic Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Tissue Culture Techniques
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic / drug effects
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • HR3 protein, Aedes aegypti
  • Insect Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Steroidogenic Factor 1
  • Transcription Factors
  • sterol carrier proteins
  • Ecdysterone
  • DNA