Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of the Gene Encoding MEF2 in the Ant Polyrhachis vicina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

摘要

Myocyte enhancer factor 2 (Mef2), which is a member of the MADS-box family of transcription factors, plays an important role in regulating muscle differentiation. Here, the Mef2 homolog (referred as PvMef2) was isolated from the ant Polyrhachis vicinaRoger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Two isoforms (isoform A and B) of PvMefZ cDNA sequence were obtained. The sequences possessed the same open reading frame of 1419 bp encoding a 472-amino acid protein and were different only in the 5'-UTR. The deduced protein possessing highly conserved MADS and MEF2 domains shows high homology with other MEF2 members of MADS family. Results of realtime quantitative RT-PCR show expression levels of different stages change constantly with distinctly high levels in firstinstars relative to the following stages, while in the adult ants the PvMefZ gene was highly expressed in males compared with workers and females. The difference in expression levels of two PvMefZ mRNA isoforms can also be detected according to the results. Those results suggest that PvMefZ is developmentally and caste-specifically regulated at the level of transcription.