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Profiles of teleost DNA fragmentation factor alpha and beta from rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus): molecular characterization and genomic structure and gene expression in immune stress

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Abstract

Apoptosis serves to protect normal cells during the processes of development, aging, tissue homeostasis, immunity, and inflammation. Molecules such as caspases, the Bcl-2 family proteins, cytochrome c, APAF-1, and apoptotic endonucleases are concerned with and regulate different stages of apoptosis. DNA fragmentation factor (DFF) is a key final molecule in chromosomal DNA fragmentation during the last step of apoptosis, and is a heterodimeric complex consisting of alpha/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase (DFFA/ICAD) and beta/caspase-activated DNase (DFFB/CAD) subunits. DFFB/CAD is normally combined with the inhibitor, DFFA/ICAD, in healthy cells. However, after cleavage of the DFF complex by effector caspases, DFFB/CAD acts as an apoptotic nuclease and induces DNA fragmentation in apoptotic cells. The study of DFF proteins is focused on the roles of the apoptotic pathway in mammals. However, gene expression and functions under immune stimulation are not well known in other species. In the present study, we first characterized teleost DFFA/ICAD and DFFB/CAD from rock bream at the molecular level and analyzed the transcriptional expression pattern under immune challenges, to understand their role in immunity. These putative proteins have shown conserved domains and interaction sites orthologous to those of other species. High mRNA expression of both genes was found in the gills and blood of tissues involved in the immune response. The increased expression of DFF genes upon bacterial and viral stimulation was confirmed by qPCR analysis. DFFA/ICAD and DFFB/CAD of rock bream may play a pivotal role in apoptosis and may be involved in host immunity against bacterial and viral infection.

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Acknowledgments

This research was a part of the project titled ‘Fish Vaccine Research Center’, funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Life Sciences, School of Marine Biomedical Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju-si, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea

    Sukkyoung Lee, Qiang Wan, Yucheol Kim, Hyowon Kim & Jehee Lee

  2. Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju-si, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea

    Sukkyoung Lee, Ilson Whang, Qiang Wan, Yucheol Kim, Hyowon Kim & Jehee Lee

  3. Jeju International Marine Science Research & Education Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Jeju-si, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63349, Republic of Korea

    Chulhong Oh & Youngdeuk Lee

  4. Marine Molecular Genetics Lab, Department of Marine Life Sciences, College of Ocean Science, Jeju National University, 102 Jejudaehak-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea

    Jehee Lee

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  1. Sukkyoung Lee
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  2. Ilson Whang
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Correspondence to Jehee Lee.

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Fish care and challenge experiments were reviewed and approved by Animal Care and Use Committee Jeju National University.

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Lee, S., Whang, I., Wan, Q. et al. Profiles of teleost DNA fragmentation factor alpha and beta from rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus): molecular characterization and genomic structure and gene expression in immune stress. Genes Genom 38, 193–204 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13258-015-0359-1

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