Molecular cloning and expression analysis of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2007

Authors

Nascimento, DS (Author) Other; Pereira, PJB (Author) Other; Reis, MIR (Author) Other; do Vale, A (Author) Other; Zou, J (Author) Other; Silva, MT (Author) Other; Secombes, CJ (Author) Other; dos Santos, NMS (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Fish and Shellfish Immunology

Vol. 23

Pages: 701-710

ISSN: 1050-4648

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 35 Citations

Scopus - 46 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-7RM

DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2007.02.003

Abstract (EN): In the search for pro-inflammatory genes in sea bass a TNF-alpha gene was cloned and sequenced. The sea bass TNF-alpha (sbTNF-alpha) putative protein conserves the TNF-alpha family signature, as well as the two cysteines usually involved in the formation of a disulfide bond. The mouse TNF-alpha Thr-Leu cleavage sequence and a potential transmembrane domain were also found, suggesting that sbTNF-alpha exists as two forms: a similar to 28 kDa membrane-bound form and a similar to 18.4 kDa soluble protein. The single copy sbTNF-alpha gene contains a four exon-three intron structure similar to other known TNF-alpha genes. Homology modeling of sbTNF-alpha is compatible with the trimeric quaternary architecture of its mammalian counterparts. SbTNF-alpha is constitutively expressed in several unstimulated tissues, and was not up-regulated in the spleen and head-kidney, in response to UV-killed Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida. However, an increase of sbTNF-a expression was detected in the head-kidney during an experimental infection using the same pathogen.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10