CGC Bibliography Paper 5385

Biochemical and molecular characterization of two cytidine deaminases in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Thompson FJ, Britton C, Wheatley I, Maitland K, Walker G, Anant S, Davidson NO, Devaney E

Medline:

Citation:

Biochemical Journal 365: 99-107 2002

Type:

ARTICLE

Genes:

cdd-1 cdd-2

Abstract:

Two cytidine deaminases (CDDs) from the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have been cloned and characterized. Both Ce-CDD-1 and Ce-CDD-2 are authentic deaminases and both exhibit RNA-binding activity towards AU-rich templates. In order to study their temporal and spatial expression patterns in the worm, reporter gene constructs were made using approx. 2 kb of upstream sequence. Transfection of C. elegans revealed that both genes localized to the cells of the intestine, although their temporal expression patterns were different. Expression of Ce-cdd-1 peaked in the early larval stages, whereas Ce-cdd-2 was expressed in all life cycle stages examined. RNA-interference RNAi) assays were performed for both genes, either alone or in combination, but only cdd-2 RNAi produced a consistent visible phenotype. A proportion of eggs laid from these worms were swollen and distorted in