Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A gene in Antheraea pernyi (Lepdoptera: Saturniidae)

J Insect Sci. 2014 Jan 1:14:168. doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieu030. Print 2014.

Abstract

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF-4A) is an essential component for protein translation in eukaryotes. The eIF-4A gene (ApeIF-4A) was isolated and characterized from Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). The obtained cDNA sequence was 1,435-bp long with an open reading frame of 1,266 bp encoding 421 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence shared several conserved features as found in known eIF-4As and revealed 74 and 78% identities with eIF-4As of Homo sapiens L. and Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen), respectively. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that ApeIF-4A was transcribed at four developmental stages and in all tissues tested, suggesting that it plays an important role in development of A. pernyi. Homologous alignment suggested that eIF-4As are highly conserved throughout evolution of eukaryote organisms. Phylogenetic trees based on the amino acid and nucleotide sequences of eIF-4A demonstrated a similar topology with the classical systematics, suggesting that it has the potential value in phylogenetic inference of eukaryotes.

Keywords: Antheraea pernyi; eukaryotic initiation factor 4A; expression pattern; phylogenetic inference.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A / genetics*
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A / metabolism
  • Expressed Sequence Tags
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Insect Proteins / genetics*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Moths / physiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Substances

  • Insect Proteins
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A