Fetzer Christian P, Hogan Daniel J, Lipps Hans J
Institute of Cell Biology, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Strasse 10, 58453 Witten, Germany.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2002 Oct 15;30(20):4380-6. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkf579.
In the course of macronuclear differentiation in spirotrichous ciliates massive DNA reorganization processes take place, which include splicing, cutting, rearranging and eliminating specific DNA sequences. In order to identify genes involved in these processes we took advantage of suppression subtractive hybridization. We have identified three transcripts that are exclusively expressed during macronuclear development in the ciliate Stylonychia lemnae. Two of the three differentially expressed mRNAs we have analyzed encode for novel proteins. One gene, mdp1 [macronuclear development protein 1 (MDP1)], encodes a homolog of the PIWI protein family. PIWI proteins are involved in germline differentiation processes and RNA silencing in worms, flies, mice, humans and in plants. Possible functions of the S.lemnae PIWI related protein MDP1 in the regulation of macronuclear development will be discussed.
在螺旋毛纲纤毛虫的大核分化过程中，会发生大规模的DNA重组过程，其中包括剪接、切割、重排和消除特定的DNA序列。为了鉴定参与这些过程的基因，我们利用了抑制性消减杂交技术。我们已经鉴定出三种仅在纤毛虫莱姆奈斯角毛虫大核发育过程中表达的转录本。我们分析的三种差异表达的mRNA中有两种编码新蛋白。一个基因，mdp1 [大核发育蛋白1 (MDP1)]，编码PIWI蛋白家族的一个同源物。PIWI蛋白参与蠕虫、果蝇、小鼠、人类和植物的生殖细胞分化过程和RNA沉默。将讨论莱姆奈斯角毛虫PIWI相关蛋白MDP1在大核发育调控中的可能功能。
