The identification, cloning and characterization of earthworm metallothionein

FEBS Letters

Stürzenbaum, S.R¹  Morgan, A.J²  Kille, P¹ 

[1]School of Molecular and Medical Biosciences, University of Wales, P.O. Box 911, Cardiff CF1 3US, UK

[2]School of Pure and Applied Biology, University of Wales, P.O. Box 911, Cardiff CF1 3US, UK

关键词: Metallothionein;    Earthworm;    Lumbricus rubellus;    Heavy metal pollution;    Quantitative PCR;    MT;    metallothionein;    PCR;    polymerase chain reaction;    RACE;    rapid amplification of cDNA ends;    UTR;    untranslated region;    CDS;    coding sequence;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(98)00809-6

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Combining standard gel chromatographic techniques and novel molecular methodologies (Directed Differential Display and quantitative PCR), it has been possible to isolate and sequence two isoforms of the first true earthworm metallothionein. Both proteins are characteristically high in cysteine residues and possess no significant aromatic residues. Metal responsiveness was confirmed by determining metallothionein specific expression profiles in earthworms exposed to soils of differing heavy metal concentrations. Analysis of the derived amino acid sequence of isoform 2 identified two putative N-glycosylation signal sequences, suggesting that the two isoforms may have different subcellular distributions and functions. Possible implications for intracellular metal trafficking are discussed.

【 授权许可】

Unknown