Molecular characterization and gene expression modulation of the alternative oxidase in a scuticociliate parasite by hypoxia and mitochondrial respiration inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Philasterides dicentrarchi is a marine benthic microaerophilic scuticociliate and an opportunistic endoparasite that can infect and cause high mortalities in cultured turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). In addition to a cytochrome pathway (CP), the ciliate can use a cyanide-insensitive respiratory pathway, which indicates the existence of an alternative oxidase (AOX) in the mitochondrion. Although AOX activity has been described in P. dicentrarchi, based on functional assay results, genetic evidence of the presence of AOX in the ciliate has not previously been reported. In this study, we conducted genomic and transcriptomic analysis of the ciliate and identified the AOX gene and its corresponding mRNA. The AOX gene (size 1,106 bp) contains four exons and three introns that generate an open read

SUBMITTER: Folgueira I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7367826 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature