Constitutive expressionand enzymatic activity of Tan protein in brain and epidermis of Ceratitis capitata etc

PÉREZ, M.; SABIO, G.; BADARACCO, A.; LUIS A. QUESADA ALLUÉ

INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2011

0965-1748

Abstract: The present report shows a partial biochemical characterization and life cycle expression ofN-β-alanyldopamine hydrolase (Tan protein) in C. capitata and D. melanogaster. This enzyme catalyzesthe hydrolysis of N-β-alanyldopamine (NBAD), the main tanning precursor of insect brown cuticles. Italso plays an important role in the metabolism of brain neurotransmitters, recycling dopamine andhistamine. In contrast to NBAD-synthase, Tan is expressed constitutively in epidermis and does notrespond directly to microbial challenge. Immunodetection experiments showed the novel localizationof NBAD-hydrolase in the embryo central neural system and in different regions of the adult brain, inaddition to optic lobes. We sequenced and characterized Drosophila mutants tan1 and tan3. The latterappears to be a mutant with normal expression in neural tissue but weak one in epidermis.