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J Eukaryot Microbiol

Title:		"Isolation and structural characterization of two water-borne pheromones from Euplotes crassus, a ciliate commonly known to carry membrane-bound pheromones"
Author(s):		Alimenti C; Vallesi A; Federici S; Di Giuseppe G; Fernando D; Carratore V; Luporini P;
Address:		"Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali e Naturali, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy"
Journal Title:		J Eukaryot Microbiol
Year:		2011
Volume:		20110317
Issue:		3
Page Number:		234 - 241
DOI:		10.1111/j.1550-7408.2011.00535.x
ISSN/ISBN:		1550-7408 (Electronic) 1066-5234 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Ciliates comprise species synthesizing water-diffusible mating type factors or pheromones and species synthesizing insoluble, cell membrane-bound pheromones. Euplotes crassus has traditionally been placed in the latter group. In contrast with this notion, we found that E. crassus is a constitutive pheromone-secreting ciliate, like other Euplotes species. From cell-free filtrate preparations of the E. crassus strain L-2D, we isolated two distinct pheromones, designated as Ec-alpha and Ec-1, and determined their complete amino acid sequences by combined chemical and genetic approaches. The Ec-alpha pheromone sequence extends for 56 amino acid residues with six cysteines and shows a molecular mass of 6,183 Da, while the Ec-1 pheromone sequence extends for 45 amino acid residues with 10 cysteines and shows a molecular mass of 4,840 Da. Marked structural differences distinguish the full-length Ec-alpha and Ec-1 coding sequences, which have been cloned and characterized from the transcriptionally active macronuclear genome. They were taken as clear indication that the Ec-alpha and Ec-1 pheromones are specified by genes that are not allelic, but likely derived from a duplicated genetic locus of the transcriptionally silent micronuclear genome"
Keywords:		"Amino Acid Sequence Base Sequence Euplotes/growth & development/*metabolism Filtration Molecular Sequence Data Molecular Weight Pheromones/chemistry/genetics/*isolation & purification/*metabolism Sequence Analysis, DNA Sequence Analysis, Protein Water/*ch;"
Notes:		"MedlineAlimenti, Claudio Vallesi, Adriana Federici, Sergio di Giuseppe, Graziano Fernando, Dini Carratore, Vitale Luporini, Pierangelo eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2011/03/19 J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2011 May-Jun; 58(3):234-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2011.00535.x. Epub 2011 Mar 17"