Two hsp23 genes in the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata: structural characterization, heat shock regulation and developmental expression

Abstract

In the present study, we characterized a 3320-bp genomic DNA fragment encoding two medfly (Ceratitis capitata) homologues of the Drosophila melanogaster heat shock protein 23 (hsp23) gene, named Cchsp23-alphaand -beta. The two medfly hsp23 genes are transcribed in opposite directions and encode two almost identical proteins. Furthermore, the two genes exhibit a very high degree of similarity in their 5' untranslated and proximal promoter regions. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the CcHsp23 proteins are orthologous to Drosophila Hsp23 and Sarcophaga crassipalpis Hsp23. Structural analysis of the 5' flanking regions of the Cchsp23 genes revealed the presence of several putative heat shock elements. Both CcHsp23 genes are induced by heat in a similar manner. In addition to heat-induction, the Cchsp23 genes are expressed at several stages of normal development as well as in ovaries and testes. In general, the developmental expression patterns of the medfly genes are similar, suggesting that they are under similar regulatory mechanisms. However, the expression of the Cchsp23 genes differs significantly from the expression of the Drosophila hsp23 gene in certain embryonic and larval stages, suggesting differential regulation of the hsp23 genes in the two dipteran species. The expression of both Cchsp23 genes in adult flies is increased with age, especially in males.

Characterization of six small HSP genes from Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae): Differential expression under conditions of normal growth and heat-induced stress

“…However, our data suggest a variety of behaviors not only during the heat shock response but also during the normal state of the cell, which suggests a great variety of roles for the specific sHSPs. An increase of transcriptional expression during recovery from stress has also been reported in other insects, including P. vanderplanki (Gusev et al, 2011), A. cerana , Ceratitis capitata (Kokolakis et al, 2009(Kokolakis et al, , 2008, and B. mori Fig. 3.…”

Five small heat shock protein genes from Chilo suppressalis: characteristics of gene, genomic organization, structural analysis, and transcription profiles

“…In addition to stress response, sHSPs are produced during normal developmental and diapause stages in insects (Feder and Hofmann 1999;Gkouvitsas et al 2008;Hayward et al 2004;Kokolakis et al 2009;Shirk et al 1998). In this study, five new members of the shsps family have been identified from the rice stem borer, C. suppressalis: Cshsp19.8, Cshsp21.4, Cshsp21.5, Cshsp21.7a, and Cshsp21.7b.…”

Analysis of survival, gene expression and behavior following chill-coma in the medfly Ceratitis capitata: Effects of population heterogeneity and age

“…Thus, hsps expression is not straightly correlated with survival and chilling-injury, and, as it has been suggested by Sørensen (2010), the level of induction of hsps expression not necessarily reflect the level of resistance or adaptation to stress. Measurement of expression levels of other Hsp genes in C. capitata, such as hsp23 and hsp27 (Kokolakis et al, 2008(Kokolakis et al, , 2009, may contribute to the understanding of cold response after chill-coma.…”