Characterization of TsMRP-L28, a mitochondrial ribosomal protein L28 from the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis.

A cDNA encoding mitochondrial ribosomal protein (MRP)-L28 was isolated and cloned from Trichinella spiralis, an economically important parasitic nematode. The predicted TsMRP-L28 protein consists of 276 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that TsMRP-L28 was closely related to Caenorhabditis elegans mitochondrial ribosomal protein L28. The TsMRP-L28 transcript was expressed in newborn larvae, muscle larvae and male and female adult worms. Western blot showed that TsMRP-L28 was expressed in muscle larvae and adult worms. Immuno-localization revealed that TsMRP-L28 was ubiquitously distributed in newborn larvae, muscle larvae and adult worms, and that TsMRP-L28 was enriched in cells with higher protein synthesis activity, such as in newborn larvae and the cytoplasm of different developmental stages of embryos. These data suggest that TsMRP-L28 is required for the early development of T. spiralis.