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Characterization and expression analysis of six chitinase genes from the desert beetle Microdera punctipennis in
1Key Laboratory of Chemistry of Plant Resources in Arid Regions, Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
Background:
Chitinase is responsible for chitin metabolism in a wide range of organisms. However, current knowledge on insect chitinase and their possible functions in relation to low temperature stress is very limited.
Objective:
Six chitinase genes from cold treated desert beetle Microdera punctipennis obtained by RNA-seq technology were characterized, and their expression patterns in different tissues and in response to cold were investigated.
Methods:
Multiple sequence alignment was carried out using ClustalW1.81 and Phylogenetic trees were generated by MEGA5. The expression patterns were studied by quantitative real-time PCR.
Results:
These genes were belong to three different chitinase groups. Almost all of them were highly expressed in midgut, and some are expressed in fat body or hindgut. Subzero-4 degree C had stronger effect than 4 degree C in inducing chitinase expression.
Conclusion:
The tissue specific and cold inducible expressions suggest that the chitinases may have diverse functions and play roles in insect cold adaptation.
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