PUBLICATION

Cold acclimation-induced up-regulation of the ribosomal protein L7 gene in the freeze tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica

Authors
Wu, S., De Croos, J.N., and Storey, K.B.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080826-24
Date
2008
Source
Gene   424(1-2): 48-55 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
cryoprotection, anoxia, dehydration, stress-responsive gene expression, differential display PCR
MeSH Terms
  • Acclimatization/genetics
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Blotting, Northern
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cold Temperature
  • DNA, Complementary/genetics
  • Freezing
  • Humans
  • Liver/physiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Messenger/genetics
  • Ranidae/genetics*
  • Ribosomal Proteins/chemistry
  • Ribosomal Proteins/genetics*
  • Seasons
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Skin Physiological Phenomena
PubMed
18706984 Full text @ Gene
Abstract
Natural freezing survival by the wood frog, Rana sylvatica, involves multiple organ-specific changes in gene expression. The present study used differential display PCR to find cold-responsive genes in wood frog skin. A cDNA was retrieved from skin that was in higher amounts in cold- versus warm-acclimated frogs. The cDNA was used to probe a wood frog liver cDNA library and retrieve a long sequence that, after the further application of 5'RACE, was shown to encode the full sequence of the ribosomal large subunit protein 7 (RPL7) (GenBank accession number AF175983). Wood frog RPL7 contained 246 amino acids and shared 90% identity with Xenopus laevis RPL7, 82-83% with chicken and zebrafish homologues, and 79% with mammalian RPL7. Multiple binding domains found in human RPL7 showed differing degrees of conservation in the frog protein. Transcript levels of rpl7 were elevated up to 4-fold in skin of cold-acclimated frogs as compared with warm-acclimated animals. Organ-specific responses by rpl7 transcripts also occurred when frogs were given survivable freezing exposures. Transcripts rose by 1.8-3.3 fold in brain and skeletal muscle during freezing but were unaffected in central organs such as liver and heart. Up-regulation of rpl7 also occurred in brain of anoxia-exposed frogs and RPL7 protein levels increased strongly in heart under both freezing and dehydration stresses. Cold- and freezing-responsive up-regulation of the rpl7 gene and RPL7 protein in selected organs suggests that targeted changes in selected ribosomal proteins may be an integral part of natural freeze tolerance.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping