Insect Science (2011) 18, 635-644

Lin Tang, Chun Zhang, Lin Liu, Qili Feng and Sichun Zheng (2011)
Cloning and expression of the nuclear transcription factor SlβFTZ-F1 cDNA from Spodoptera litura
Insect Science 18 (6), 635-644
Abstract: Insect molting and metamorphosis are regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone, which activates the ecdysone receptors, followed by expression of a series of transcription factors. Beta Fushi Tarazu-Factor 1 (βFTZ-F1) is one of these ecdysis-related early-expressed transcription factors. A βFTZ-F1 complementary DNA (cDNA) was cloned from Spodoptera litura. The full-length cDNA was 2 194 bp in length and the open reading frame of SlβFTZ-F1 cDNA consisted of 1 659 bp and encoded a 552-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 61.4 kDa. Homology analysis revealed that SlβFTZ-F1 protein shared high identities to its homologues from other species. The A/B domains and the D domains were diverse among the insect βFTZ-F1 proteins, but DNA binding domains (C domain) and the ligand binding domains (E domain) were highly conserved. Northern blot analysis detected a transcript of 2.2 kb in the epidermis of fifth to sixth molting larvae. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that SlβFTZ-F1 gene started to increasingly and periodically express before each molt, followed by a decrease during the intermolt stages.
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Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
molecular biology - genes
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spodoptera litura