The Apostichopus japonicus is an important species in some Asia countries including Korea, China and Japan. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differential gene expression of heat shock protein90 (Hsp90) and ferritin as a biomarker for the thermal stress during water temperature rising in the sea cucumber, A. japonicus. The A. japonicus (1.4 g) was cultured in incubator of separate temperature (15°C, 20°C, 25°C and 30°C) for each 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48 hours. The mRNA expression levels of Hsp90 and ferritin were examined using RT-PCR assay. Results showed that, the expression of Hsp90 mRNA was not significantly changed at 15°C. The expression of Hsp90 mRNA was significantly increased at high temperature such as 20°C and 25°C. Furthermore, Hsp90 mRNA was early increased at 25°C than 20°C. The ferritin mRNA was similar expression pattern with Hsp90. But, Hsp90 mRNA was more sensitive than ferritin mRNA at high thermal stress. These results indicate that Hsp90 and ferritin mRNAs were involved in the temperature changes response and may be play an important role in mediating the thermal stress in A. japonicas.

Iron is required for cell viability but is toxic in excess. While the iron-mediated malfunction of testicular cells is well appreciated, the underlying mechanism(s) of this effect and its relationship with fertility are poorly understood. Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular protein that controls iron storage, ferroxidase activity, immune response, and stress response in cells. Ferritin light chain protein (FTL) is the light subunit of the Ferritin. Previously, we had identified the FTL in bovine spermatozoa following capacitation. In present study, to investigate the role of Ferritin in sperm function, mice spermatozoa were incubated with multiple doses (1, 10 and 100 μM) of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an iron donor. SNP was increased Ferritin levels in a dose-dependent manner. The Ferritin was detected on the acrosome in spermatozoa by immunocytochemistry. Short-term exposure of spermatozoa to SNP increased tyrosine phosphorylation and the acrosome reaction (AR). Finally, SNP affected a significant decrease in the rate of fertilization as well as blastocyst formation during early embryonic development. On the basis of these results, we propose that the effects of Ferritin on the AR may reduce overall sperm function leads to poor fertility in males and compromised embryonic development.

We describe here the cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding the ferritin heavy chain homologue (TeFerHCH) from the cricket Teleogryllus emma. The TeFerHCH gene spans 1,009 bp and consisted of four introns and five exons coding for 217 amino acids residues. The TeFerHCH subunit contained the conserved motifs for the ferroxidase center typical of vertebrate ferritin heavy chains and the iron-responsive element (IRE) sequence with a predicted stem-loop structure was present in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of TeFerHCH mRNA. TeFerHCH was grouped with the S type (HCH) in a phylogenetic tree. The TeFerHCH cDNA was expressed as approximately 27 kDa polypeptide in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells. Northern blot analysis revealed that TeFerHCH exhibited ubiquitous expression and was upregulated by wounding and iron overload in the fatbody, suggesting a functional role for TeFerHCH in iron metabolism.

Transferrin and ferritin are iron-binding proteins involved in transport and storage of iron as part of iron metabolism. Here, we describe the cDNA cloning and characterization of transferrin (Bi-Tf) and the ferritin heavy chain subunit (Bi-FerHCH), from the bumblebee Bombus ignitus. Bi-Tf cDNA spans 2,340 bp and encodes a protein of 706 amino acids and Bi-FerHCH cDNA spans 1,393 bp and encodes a protein of 217 amino acids. Comparative analysis revealed that Bi-Tf appears to have residues comprising iron-binding sites in the N-terminal lobe, and Bi-FerHCH contains a 5’UTR iron-responsive element and seven conserved amino acid residues associated with a ferroxidase center. The Bi-Tf and Bi-FerHCH cDNAs were expressed as 79 kDa and 27 kDa polypeptides, respectively, in baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells. Northern blot analysis revealed that Bi-Tf exhibits fat body-specific expression and Bi-FerHCH shows ubiquitous expression. The expression profiles of the Bi-Tf and Bi-FerHCH in the fat body of B. ignitus worker bees revealed that Bi-Tf and Bi-FerHCH are differentially induced in a time-dependent manner in a single insect by wounding, bacterial challenge, and iron overload.

Ferritin light heavy chain (FLHC) gene는 일부 중금속과 결합, 저장 및 운반하여 무독화 시킬 수 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. Fe 관련 유전자인 FLHC유전자를 식물 발현용 promoter인 35S promoter와 Tnos를 사용하여 식물 형질전환용 vector를 재조합하였다. 식물세포형질전환용 binary vector는 상기 cassette vector가 조립이 매우 양호하며 border sequence를 가지고 있는 pRD400 binary vector를 사용하여 최종적으로 가나마이신 내성 유전자 (NPT II gene)와 tadpole ferritin heavy chain gene 및 human ferritin light chain gene를 함유하고 있는 binary vector를 재조합하였다. Binary vector의 아그로박테리움에 도입은 triparental mating 방법에 의하여 수행하여 AB배지 및 가나마이신 함유 배지에서 disarmed Ti-vector를 가지고 있는 Agrobacterium tumefaciens MP90/FLHC을 선발하였다. FLHC 유전자 도입된 식물형질전환용 binary vector를 이용하여 형질전환방법을 변형하여 많은 embryo를 유도하였으며 유도된 embryo들은 GA 10mg/L가 첨가된 배지에 지상부를 유도하였다. 형질전환체식물체의 정상적인 생장을 유도하기 위해 최적의 배양조건을 조사하였던 바, 비교적 1/3 MS배지에서 뿌리의 생장과 지상부의 생장이 균일하게 생장하는 경향을 보였으며, 뿌리와 줄기가 잘 발달된 약 7cm의 유식물체를 대량으로 증식하여, 모래와 흙이 1:1로 혼합된 토양에 옮겼다.

Total iron content and ferritin distribution have been determined in red pepper(Capsicum annuum L.) during development stage under conditions of iron nutritional status from hydroponic culture. Color of the leaves become chlorotic on iron deficient and high concentration. The plant height on each iron concentration had retarding effect at concentration lower than 25μM and greater than 12525μM. In normal green leaves. Total iron content was almost constant with a mean value of 2.5μmole of iron/mg of dry matter, except at 63day, for which it increases slightly to 4μmole. Howere, iron content of chlorotic plants grew on iron free medium was not almost detectable. Also in post chlorotic leaves(++Fe), iron content was evidently increase unitl 7days after transfer on liquid medium, but decreased from after 14days. Also, ferritin protein analysed total protein extracts prepared from leaves of different ages using antibodies raised against ferritin protein. Ferritin protein deereased progressively during the first week of germination and was not detectable in vegetative tissues. Ferritin protein in post chlorotic leaves wasevidently strongly cnhanced until 11days after transfer on liquid medium but decreased until the leves became chlorotic.