Analysis of Htra Gene from Zebrafish (Danio Rerio)

Abstract

HtrA which is characterized by the combination of a trypsin-like catalytic domain with at least one C-terminalPDZ domain is a highly conserved family of serine proteases found in a wide range of organisms. However theidentified HtrA family numbers varies among spesies, for example the number of mammalian, Eschericia coli,fruit fly-HtrA family are 4, 3 and 1 gene respectively. One gene is predicted exist in zebrafish. Since no completeinformation available on zebrafish HtrA, in this paper zebrafish HtrA (zHtrA) gene was analyzed. The zHtrA isbelonged to HtrA1 member and predicted encodes 478 amino acids with a signal peptide, a IGF binding domain,a Kazal-type inhibitor domain in the up stream of HtrA-bacterial homolog. At the amino acid sequence the zHtrA1showed the 69%, 69%, 68%, 54% and 54% with the rat HtrA1, mouse HtrA1, human HtrA1, human HtrA3 andmouse HtrA4 respectively. The zHtrA1 is firstly expressed at 60 hpf and mainly in the vertebral rudiments in thetail region.