Dirofilaria immitis: identification of a novel ligand-gated ion channel-related polypeptide

D M Yates, A J Wolstenholme

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Abstract

We have isolated a cDNA from Dirofilaria immitis that encodes a predicted ion channel subunit, Di-LGR-1. Secondary structure predictions and database searches reveal that Di-LGR-1 is distantly related to ligand-gated anion channels, such as the GABA(A) receptors, though there are marked differences in the sequences of the putative channel forming regions. Di-LGR-1 has 52%. sequence identity to the Caenorhabditis elegans predicted polypeptide, T27A1.4: neighbour-joining trees show that these two polypeptides are the most divergent members of the nematode ligand-gated anion channel family. No close homologues are present in vertebrates, suggesting that their function may be specific to nematodes. RNAi experiments using a fragment of T27A1.4 with C elegans failed to reveal any obvious phenotype, so the function of these channels remains unknown. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)182-185
Number of pages4
JournalExperimental Parasitology
Volume108 Nov-Dec
Issue number3-4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2004

Bibliographical note

ID number: ISI:000225933400013

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