cDNA cloning of a defender against apoptotic cell death 1 (DAD1) homologue, responsive to external temperature stimulus from the spider, Araneus ventricosus

Abstract

A cDNA encoding a defender against apoptotic cell death (DAD1) homologue was cloned from a cDNA library of the spider, A. ventricosus. Sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding the DAD1 homologue of A. ventricosus revealed that the 339-bp cDNA has an open reading frame of 113 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of the A. ventricosus DAD1 homologue showed 75.4% of identity to Drosophila melanogaster, 74.6% of identity to Xenopus laevis, and 73.1% of identity to Homo sapiens, Sus scrofa, Mesocricetus auratus, Rattus norvegicus and Mus musculus. All animal DAD1 including A. ventricosus DAD1 homologue formed a subgroup, excluding all plant DAD1 proteins in the phylogenetic analysis. Northern blot analysis shows that the transcripts of A. ventricosus DAD1 homologue gene are present in all tissues examined, suggesting that A. ventricosus DAD1 is expressed in most, if not all, body tissues. Interestingly, the transcript levels of A. ventricosus DAD1 homologue gene were particularly high when exposed at low (4 °C) and high (37 °C) temperatures, suggesting that the gene is responsive to temperature stimuli.