Publications

inhibition of the ca(2+)-activated k(+)-channel by sapecin b, an insect antibacterial protein.	sapecin is an antibacterial protein of the flesh fly and sapecin b is its homologue structurally similar to charybdotoxin of scorpion venom, which is known to be a k+ channel inhibitor. we found that, like charybdotoxin, sapecin b inhibits part of the voltage pulse-induced k+ currents of rat cerebellar purkinje cells. we suggest that this effect is due to inhibition of the ca(+)-activated k+ channel. probably, sapecin b is a naturally occurring k+ channel inhibitor as well as an antibacterial pr ...	1994	7508868
synthesis and characterization of sapecin and sapecin b.	two insect defencins, sapecin and sapecin b, were chemically synthesized to confirm their structure and antibacterial activity and also to examine the possibility that these peptides bind to the same site on the large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel as charybdotoxin. both synthetic peptides showed the same antibacterial activity as native sapecins, indicating that the synthetic peptides folded correctly in the chemical synthesis. synthetic sapecins did not show an inhibitory effe ...	1994	7511542
a sapecin homologue of holotrichia diomphalia: purification, sequencing and determination of disulfide pairs.	we purified and characterized a sapecin homologue, named holotricin 1, from the hemolymph of immunized larvae of a coleopteran insect, holotrichia diomphalia. we determined its complete amino acid sequence and three disulfide pairs. holotricin 1 consisted of 43 amino acid residues and showed potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria, but antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria was not obvious.	1995	7550103
mitochondrial superoxide and hydrogen peroxide generation, protein oxidative damage, and longevity in different species of flies.	the objective of this study was to further elucidate the role of oxidative stress in the aging process by determining whether or not the rates of mitochondrial superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide (h2o2) production, the activity of cytochrome c oxidase, and the concentration of protein carbonyls are correlated with the life span potential of different species. a comparison was made among five different species of dipteran flies, namely, drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), musca domest ...	1995	7590400
[antimicrobial proteins of insect and their clinical application].	we isolated three antimicrobial proteins from the hemolymph of immunized sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) larvae. these are sarcotoxin i, sapecin and antifungal protein (afp). sarcotoxin i and sapecin are highly specific for gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, respectively. afp was found to have fungicidal activity. primary target for these antimicrobial proteins was assumed to be microbial membrane. we were able to identify a core undecapeptide of sapecin b. we modified this peptide and f ...	1995	7602794
molecular cloning and nuclear localization of atbp, a novel (a+t)-stretch-binding protein of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	previously, we purified a dna-binding protein, named atbp, from cultured sarcophaga cells. this protein was found to bind specifically to (a+t) stretches that locate in the 5'-upstream region and the intron of the sarcophaga lectin gene [matsui, m., kobayashi, a., kubo, t. & natori, s. (1994) eur. j. biochem. 219, 449-454]. here, we report molecular cloning of a cdna for atbp. the cdna encoded a protein with two zinc-finger motifs, an acidic domain, two glutamine-rich domains and a glutamine run ...	1995	7607207
folliculostatins, gonadotropins and a model for control of growth in the grey fleshfly, neobellieria (sarcophaga) bullata.	the sequences of two folliculostatic peptides of the fleshfly neobellieria bullata have been determined recently. the first peptide (neb-tmof: h-nptnlh-oh), originates from a 75 kda precursor protein found in vitellogenic oocytes. the hexapeptide directly inhibits the synthesis of trypsin-like enzymes in the gut, and thus lowers the concentration of yolk polypeptides in the hemolymph. it also inhibits the biosynthesis of ecdysone in the larval ring gland. therefore, it could also be named protho ...	1995	7627197
molecular cloning of cdna for sapecin b, an antibacterial protein of sarcophaga, and its detection in larval brain.	a cdna clone for sapecin b, an antibacterial protein of sarcophaga, was isolated. this cdna encoded a precursor protein of sapecin b consisting of a signal sequence (24 residues), prosegment (30 residues) and mature sapecin b (34 residues). sapecin b was synthesized almost exclusively in the fat body when the larval body wall was injured, but the brain of naive larvae was also demonstrated to contain a significant amount of sapecin b. these findings suggested that sapecin b is a bifunctional pro ...	1995	7635204
molecular characterization of an insect transferrin and its selective incorporation into eggs during oogenesis.	a protein with a molecular mass of 65 kda that was specifically taken up into eggs was purified from the hemolymph of adult female sarcophaga peregrina flies. from cdna analysis, this protein was shown to be a sarcophaga transferrin. unlike mammalian transferrin, the similarity between its n-terminal and c-terminal halves was only 19%, and it was suggested to conjugate one iron atom/molecule in its n-terminal half. sarcophaga transferrin was found to transport iron ions into eggs during oogenesi ...	1995	7705333
brugia pahangi: the effects of cecropins on microfilariae in vitro and in aedes aegypti.	synthetic cecropins, antibacterial peptides from insect haemolymph, have been tested for their ability to attenuate the motility of microfilariae of the filarial nematode brugia pahangi in an in vitro assay. fifty micromolar concentrations of these peptides, equivalent to physiological concentrations in immune-stimulated insects, cause significant attenuation of motility compared with untreated microfilariae. similar results were obtained with cecropins a and b. this is the lowest concentration ...	1995	7729475
identification of early genes in the drosophila immune response by pcr-based differential display: the attacin a gene and the evolution of attacin-like proteins.	we are using the pcr-based differential display technique to isolate genes which are induced during the immune response in drosophila. in this way, a cdna clone for a member of the attacin family of antibacterial proteins was isolated. the corresponding attacin a (att a) gene is localized at 51a-b on the second chromosome, and it is closely linked to at least one more cross-hybridizing gene. injection of bacteria induces a 0.8 kb transcript, with expression kinetics similar to that of cecropin. ...	1995	7742836
partial n-terminal sequences of larval cuticular proteins from the dipteran ceratitis capitata.	the partial amino acid sequences ranging in length over 17-30 residues from the n-terminus, have been obtained for nine cuticular proteins of ceratitis capitata. sequence similarities indicate that the proteins belong to a family which is related to cuticular proteins isolated from flexible cuticles of drosophila melanogaster, manduca sexta, sarcophaga bullata and hyalophora cecropia.	1995	7759285
function of antimicrobial proteins in insects.	we have isolated and characterized various antimicrobial proteins from the haemolymph of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) larvae. of these the sarcotoxin i family is a group of proteins mainly active against gram-negative bacteria whereas sapecin is active mainly against gram-positive bacteria. in addition to its function in defence, sapecin also plays a role in insect development. recently, we identified a hendecapeptide of the sapecin homologue sapecin b that has the same antibacterial activit ...	1994	7768148
characterization of a bombyx mori cdna encoding a novel member of the attacin family of insect antibacterial proteins.	a bombyx mori cdna was cloned that hybridized with hyalophora cecropia attacin probe and its nucleotide sequence was determined. this cdna consisted of 846 nucleotides and the deduced amino acid sequence showed that the cdna encodes an attacin precursor protein. the putative mature protein of b. mori attacin had 70.4, 68.3 and 18.8% identity in amino acid sequences with that of h. cecropia acidic and basic attacins and sarcophaga peregrina sarcotoxin iia, respectively. b. mori and h. cecropia at ...	1995	7773256
purification and molecular cloning of cdna for an inducible antibacterial protein from larvae of the coleopteran, tenebrio molitor.	antibacterial activity was induced in the hemolymph of larvae of the coleopteran tenebrio molitor by injection of escherichia coli. an antibacterial protein, named tenecin 1, was purified to homogeneity from the larval hemolymph and characterized. a cdna clone for tenecin 1 was isolated and its complete sequence was determined. this protein was found to inhibit the growth of gram-positive bacteria and to consist of 43-amino acid residues including six cysteine residues. the disulfide structure o ...	1994	7798186
molecular cloning and sequencing of arylphorin-binding protein in protein granules of the sarcophaga fat body. implications of a post-translational processing mechanism.	previously, we identified an arylphorin-binding protein of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) with a molecular mass of 120 kda and suggested its participation in the selective uptake of arylphorin from the hemolymph into the pupal fat body at metamorphosis (ueno, k., and natori, s. (1984) j. biol. chem. 259, 12107-12111). this paper reports the isolation and sequencing of cdna for the 120-kda protein. this protein consists of 1146 amino acid residues. immunoblotting and rna blotting experiments re ...	1995	7876233
induction of glutathione metabolism in the fat body of sarcophaga peregrina by integumental injury.	when the body wall of sarcophaga larvae was pricked to activate various defense protein genes, the glutathione level in the fat body was found to decrease significantly. previously, we showed that these defense protein genes were activated when the fat body was incubated in buffered insect saline [sugiyama and natori (1991) eur. j. biochem. 200, 495-500]. under these conditions, the glutathione level was also found to decrease significantly. probably, the decrease of glutathione level is crucial ...	1994	7896749
purification of an au-rich rna binding protein from sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) and its identification as a thiolase.	a protein that binds to the au-rich sequence in the 3'-untranslated region of sarcotoxin iia mrna was purified from a sarcophaga pupal extract to near homogeneity. the molecular mass of this protein was estimated to be 39 kda by sds-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. the partial amino acid sequences of two peptides obtained from the 39 kda protein showed striking similarities to partial amino acid sequences of rat and yeast 3-oxoacyl-coa thiolase, suggesting that this protein is a sarcophaga th ...	1993	7904267
insect acetyl-coa carboxylase: activity during the larval, pupal and adult stages of insect development.	1. the activity of the lipogenic enzyme, acetyl-coa carboxylase, was investigated in four insect species; bombyx mori (lepidoptera), tenebrio molitor (coleoptera), glossina morsitans and sarcophaga nodosa (diptera). 2. acetyl-coa carboxylase activity in larval, pupal and adult forms was compared with the saponifiable lipid mass at each stage of the life-cycle, and found to follow similar patterns except for tenebrio molitor. 3. the results are examined in relation to known metabolic requirements ...	1993	7905374
afrotropical sarcophagidae in a carrion fly community.	collections of afrotropical sarcophagidae were made at a single locality. seventeen species in two genera were found: heteronychia with two species, and sarcophaga with fifteen species. all male flies were identified, together with a few females, wherever possible. the number of male flies collected exceeded that of females. a small proportion of females captured were gravid.	1994	7949321
a prolyl endopeptidase of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly): its purification and suggestion for its participation in the differentiation of the imaginal discs.	a prolyl endopeptidase that hydrolyses suc-gly-pro-mca (suc, succinyl; mca, methyl-coumaryl-7-amide) was purified to near homogeneity from nih-sape-4 cells derived from the flesh fly (sarcophaga peregrina). the molecular mass of the purified enzyme was 84 kda, and its activity was inhibited almost completely by 1 mm diisopropyl fluorophosphate (dfp). immunoblotting and dfp-labeling experiments revealed that the leg imaginal discs of sarcophaga contained this enzyme as a major serine proteinase. ...	1994	8056756
aural myiasis caused by flesh fly larva, sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis.	during the years 1990 to 1993, four cases of aural myiasis in children, caused by the flesh fly larvae of sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, are reported. the patients were admitted to the emergency room complaining of discharging ear, otalgia, and itching. flesh fly larvae were removed after local treatment and identified as sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis. these cases are discussed with a review of the literature.	1994	8064961
cloning and functional expression of poly(adp-ribose) polymerase cdna from sarcophaga peregrina.	a cdna spanning the entire coding region for poly(adp-ribose) polymerase (parp) of sarcophaga peregrina was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. the longest open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 996 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 113,033 da. the similarities to the human parp in amino acid sequence were relatively low in the dna-binding and auto-modification domains, but very high in the c-terminal catalytic domain: identity of amino acids is 34% in the n-term ...	1994	8125121
characterization of the antimicrobial peptide derived from sapecin b, an antibacterial protein of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	sapecin b, an antibacterial protein of sarcophaga peregrina, was divided into four peptides. a hendecapeptide derived from its helix region was found to have comparable antibacterial activity with that of the complete protein. this peptide had a much wider spectrum of antimicrobial activity than that of sapecin b, exhibiting activity on not only staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) and escherichia coli (gram-negative), but also some yeasts, including candida albicans. the peptide was shown to b ...	1994	8141776
sequencing and characterization of trypsin modulating oostatic factor (tmof) from the ovaries of the grey fleshfly, neobellieria (sarcophaga) bullata.	injection of crude extracts of late vitellogenic ovaries into staged females of the grey fleshfly neobellieria (sarcophaga) bullata inhibited oocyte development and biosynthesis of trypsin-like enzymes in the gut. trypsin synthesis in n. bullata is cyclic and is correlated with egg development, which is discontinuous. a trypsin modulating oostatic factor (neb-tmof) was purified from 10,000 vitellogenic ovaries and sequenced by mass spectrometry. neb-tmof is a hexapeptide (nh2-nptnlh-cooh). injec ...	1994	8159807
purification, characterization, and cdna cloning of procathepsin l from the culture medium of nih-sape-4, an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly), and its involvement in the differentiation of imaginal discs.	a cysteine proteinase that preferentially hydrolyzes carbobenzyloxy-phe-arg-mca (mca, methylcoumaryl-7-amide) was purified from the culture medium of nih-sape-4 cells. the molecular mass of this enzyme was easily changed from 50 to 35 kda, without appreciable loss of enzyme activity. from the analysis of its cdna, this enzyme was concluded to be a procathepsin l of sarcophaga. only procathepsin l was found in the medium, while the mature 35-kda cathepsin l was found exclusively in the cells, ind ...	1994	8195162
myiasis in leprosy.	during the 1989-1991 year period, leprosy patients with various ulcers, attending the surgical o.p.d. at cjil, agra were seen. of these, 64 cases were found to be infested with maggots. live maggots were collected in all cases from different sites viz. nasal cavity, hand, great toe and second toe. it was possible to rear the maggots into flies in 53 out of 64 cases. in 11 cases the maggots did not survive and died in the early part of their life cycle. four different types of flies were identifi ...	1993	8213049
solution conformation of an antibacterial peptide, sarcotoxin ia, as determined by 1h-nmr.	the solution conformation of sarcotoxin ia, which is an antibacterial peptide isolated from sarcophaga peregrina with a molecular mass of 4 kda, was determined by nmr spectroscopy and hybrid distance geometry/dynamical simulated annealing calculations. on the basis of 227 experimental constraints, including 185 distance constraints obtained from noe and 42 constraints associated with 21 hydrogen bonds, a total of 18 converged structures of sarcotoxin ia were obtained. the final 18 converged stru ...	1993	8223606
molecular cloning of cdna for the 29 kda proteinase participating in decomposition of the larval fat body during metamorphosis of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	a cdna clone for the 29 kda proteinase participating in tissue disintegration during metamorphosis of sarcophaga was isolated. this proteinase, named sarcophaga cathepsin b, consisted of 256 amino acid residues, and contained three putative n-glycosylation sites. by comparison with other cathepsins b, its unique substrate specificity was partly explained by ala at position 248.	1993	8224239
purification and characterization of atbp, a novel protein that binds to a/t stretches in three segments of the sarcophaga lectin gene.	a dna-binding protein for the sarcophaga lectin gene, atbp (a/t-stretches-binding protein) was purified to homogeneity from the nuclear extract of nih-sape-4 cells. the molecular mass of atbp determined under denaturing conditions was 53 kda, but its native molecular mass estimated by gel-filtration chromatography was 430 kda, suggesting that it is an octamer of the 53-kda subunit. this protein bound to at least three dna fragments from the sarcophaga lectin gene, two of them are in the 5'-upstr ...	1994	8307011
purification and characterization of a 59-kilodalton protein that specifically binds to nf-kappa b-binding motifs of the defense protein genes of sarcophaga peregrina (the flesh fly).	various sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) defense protein genes were shown to be activated when nih-sape-4 cells were cultured with bacterial lipopolysaccharides or beta-1,3-glucan. the 5' upstream regions of the defense protein genes were found to have common motifs showing similarity to the mammalian nf-kappa b-binding consensus sequence. a protein with affinity to the nf-kappa b-binding motif of the sarcophaga lectin promoter was identified and purified to near homogeneity. this 59-kda protein ...	1993	8321212
toxicity of the venom from nasonia vitripennis (hymenoptera: pteromalidae) toward fly hosts, nontarget insects, different developmental stages, and cultured insect cells.	a venom preparation from nasonia vitripennis, a wasp ectoparasitoid of fly pupae, was assayed for lethality in different stages of insects representing ten different orders and in cultured insect cells. in most cases, the motor activity of the injected insects remained completely normal for 1-2 days after the injection and displayed none of the symptoms of paralysis commonly reported for venoms of the hymenoptera. a natural host, the flesh fly sarcophaga bullata, was highly sensitive in the pupa ...	1993	8342173
cold shock induces the synthesis of stress proteins in human keratinocytes.	heat shock proteins or stress proteins are synthesized when cells are exposed to a wide variety of physiologic stresses. the stress response is evolutionarily highly conserved, suggestive of an essential function(s) for the survival of organisms, protecting them from harmful trauma. exposure to cold induces a stress response in organisms such as drosophila melanogaster and sarcophaga crassipalpis and this led us to determine whether or not cold shock responses occur in human skin after exposure ...	1993	8345221
purification and characterization of the arylphorin gene specific binding protein from an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	previously, we purified a dna binding protein from a nuclear extract of the fat body of sarcophaga peregrina larvae that binds to the accacaaca motif in the 5'-upstream region of the arylphorin gene, and suggested that this protein is a transcriptional activator of the arylphorin gene. in this study, we detected and purified the same protein (abp-1) from an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga that does not express the arylphorin gene. unlike the fat body, which synthesizes arylphorin actively, the ...	1993	8407877
purification, sequence and antibacterial activity of two novel sapecin homologues from sarcophaga embryonic cells: similarity of sapecin b to charybdotoxin.	two sapecin homologues were purified from the culture medium of nih-sape-4, an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly). these homologues contained six cysteine residues with exactly the same disulphide pairings as those in sapecin. the amino acid sequence of one of them, sapecin c, was also very similar to that of sapecin. the other homologue, sapecin b, was less similar to sapecin but showed significant similarity to charybdotoxin, an inhibitor of k+ channels isolated from a sco ...	1993	8471044
population dynamics of some synanthropic fly species in different habitats in buraydah, saudi arabia.	the population dynamics of five synanthropic fly species, chrysomyia rufifacies, musca d. domestica muscina stabulans f. sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, and stomoxys calcitrans, were studied at three different habitats in buraydah, saudi arabia. the chosen habitats were the slaughter house, the cattle market and the rubbish dumps. the number of flies caught per twenty sticky bands was taken monthly, for a whole year, as an index to the fly population at that habitat during that month. m. d. domestic ...	1993	8482859
purification, characterization, and cdna cloning of an antifungal protein from the hemolymph of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) larvae.	an antifungal protein (afp) was purified from the hemolymph of third instar larvae of sarcophaga peregrina. this protein repressed the growth of candida albicans in sabouraud medium in the presence of nitrofurazone. however, in distilled water or saline, afp alone killed c. albicans. significant synergism was detected between afp and sarcotoxin ia, an antibacterial protein of sarcophaga. the lethal effect of afp on c. albicans was greatly enhanced by the presence of a small amount of sarcotoxin ...	1993	8505329
regulation of the expression of cathepsin b in sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) at the translational level during metamorphosis.	previously, we reported that cathepsin b of pupal hemocytes participates in dissociation of the fat body of sarcophaga larvae at metamorphosis. in this study, we demonstrated that the amount of cathepsin b in hemocytes was controlled at the translational level, i.e. larval hemocytes stored a significant amount of untranslated cathepsin b mrna. when the larvae pupated, translation of the mrna commenced, resulting in accumulation of cathepsin b. our results indicate that the 3'-untranslated region ...	1995	8529666
purification and cdna cloning of an antifungal protein from the hemolymph of holotrichia diomphalia larvae.	an antifungal protein (afp), holotricin 3, was purified from the hemolymph of the coleopteran insect holotrichia diomphalia larvae. analysis of its cdna showed that holotricin 3 is a novel gly- and his-rich protein consisting of 84 amino acid residues. this protein was similar to afp, an antifungal protein of sarcophaga peregrina that was reported previously, in terms of molecular size and high content of gly and his residues. however, no appreciable sequence similarity was detected between the ...	1995	8535393
a case of myiasis gingiva.	a case of myiasis gingiva was diagnosed in an investigation designed to evaluate the histopathological features of the adjacent tissues of 100 advanced periodontal lesions. the patient was a 36-year old female and her chief complaint was discomfort and swelling in the area between the upper left central and lateral incisors. the patient's medical history, review of the symptoms, and family history were non-contributory and her oral hygiene was acceptable. the surgeon was not aware of anything un ...	1995	8537873
purification and cdna cloning of the alcohol dehydrogenase of the flesh fly sarcophaga peregrina. a structural relationship between alcohol dehydrogenase and a 25-kda protein.	we purified to homogeneity two proteins with molecular masses of 25 kda from the fat body of the sarcophaga larva. one was alcohol dehydrogenase (adh) and the other was a 25-kda protein of which the genomic dna had been cloned. we isolated the cdna for adh and determined its amino acid sequence. amino acid sequence identity between adh and the 25-kda protein was 40%, indicating that they are structurally related proteins. the amount of adh in sarcophaga was almost constant through the larval sta ...	1996	8647115
purification, characterization, and cdna cloning of a novel growth factor from the conditioned medium of nih-sape-4, an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	a growth factor from the conditioned medium of nih-sape-4, an embryonic cell line of the flesh fly, was purified to homogeneity. this growth factor, termed idgf, stimulated the proliferation of nih-sape-4 cells in an autocrine manner; it was a homodimer of a protein with a molecular mass of 52 kda, and its specific activity was comparable with those of mammalian growth factors. immunoblotting experiments revealed that unfertilized mature eggs of the flesh fly contained this growth factor, a cert ...	1996	8662793
purification and characterization of n-beta-alanyl-5-s-glutathionyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, a novel antibacterial substance of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	we purified a novel antibacterial substance from immunized adult sarcophaga and determined its molecular structure to be n-beta-alanyl-5-s-glutathionyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (5-s-gad). we synthesized 5-s-gad enzymatically from n-beta-alanyl-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (beta-ala-dopa) and reduced glutathione (gsh). the antibacterial activity of 5-s-gad was found to be due to its production of h2o2. this is a novel antibacterial mechanism as it differs from the mechanisms of known antibacteri ...	1996	8662858
purification, characterization, and cdna cloning of a galactose-specific c-type lectin from drosophila melanogaster.	we purified a lectin from a pupal extract of drosophila melanogaster. this lectin agglutinated trypsinized and glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine red blood cells in the presence of calcium or magnesium. the hapten sugar of this lectin was galactose. the molecular mass of the intact lectin was determined to be 41 kda, and it comprised 14- and 17-kda subunits. the 17-kda subunit was shown to be a glycosylated form of the 14-kda subunit. analysis of the cdna for this lectin revealed that the 14-kda subuni ...	1996	8702748
production of ethanol by cultured insect cells.	proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1h-nmr) analysis of insect cell culture media used for cultivating insect cell lines derived from the fleshfly sarcophaga peregrina, swallowtail butterfly papilio xuthus, and cabbage armyworm mamestra brassicae revealed that ethanol appeared in the medium as the cultures aged. by incorporating [13c-1]-glucose into the media, we pursued 13c-nmr spectrograms to show that the ethanol was derived from glucose. thus, it became evident that the insect cells cultured ...	1995	8826093
identification of substrate proteins for cathepsin l that are selectively hydrolyzed during the differentiation of imaginal discs of sarcophaga peregrina.	previously, we showed that cathepsin l is essential for the differentiation of imaginal discs of the flesh fly [homma, k. & natori, s. (1994) j. biol. chem. 269, 15258-15264]. we have now identified imaginal disc proteins that are susceptible to digestion by cathepsin l and showed that they are selectively hydrolyzed during imaginal disc differentiation. two of these proteins, with molecular masses of 210 and 200 kda, were further characterized. immunofluorescence studies suggested that they wer ...	1996	8841410
transmethylation reaction is essential for sarcophaga lectin gene activation.	incubation of sarcophaga fat bodies in buffered insect saline resulted in simultaneous activation of multiple defense protein genes [sugiyama, h. and natori, s. (1991) eur. j. biochem. 200, 495-500]. in this study, we demonstrated that the addition of both adenosine and homocysteine thiolactone to this medium abolished activation of these defense protein genes. as s-adenosyl-homocysteine, a potent inhibitor of the transmethylation reaction, is produced in the fat body under these conditions, met ...	1996	8882730
selection and methionine accumulation in the fat body protein 2 gene (fbp2), a duplicate of the drosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (adh) gene.	the drosophila fat body protein 2 gene (fbp2) is an ancient duplication of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adh) which encodes a protein that differs substantially from adh in its methionine content. in d. melanogaster, there is one methionine in adh, while there are 51 (20% of all amino acids) in fbp2. methionine is involved in 46% of amino acid replacements when fbp2 dna sequences are compared between d. melanogaster and d. pseudoobscura. methionine accumulation does not affect conserved residu ...	1997	9010133
selective interaction of synthetic antimicrobial peptides derived from sapecin b with lipid bilayers.	by measuring carboxyfluorescein leakage from liposomes and the increase in membrane current through planar lipid bilayer membranes, we examined the capacities of a series of low-molecular-weight cationic amphiphilic peptides derived from the alpha-helix domain of sapecin b for membrane-perturbation and ion-channel formation. some of these peptides strongly interact with membranes containing acidic phospholipids and phosphatidylethanolamine, with a very negative potential, which are characteristi ...	1996	9010761
purification, characterization, and cdna cloning of abp-2 (arylphorin gene-specific binding protein-2) that specifically binds to the abp-1-binding sequence in the arylphorin gene of sarcophaga peregrina.	previously, we demonstrated that abp-1 (arylphorin gene-specific binding protein-1), which is suggested to be the transcriptional activator of the arylphorin gene of sarcophaga peregrina, is present in nih-sape-4 cells, which do not express arylphorin. as well as abp-1, these cells were found to contain another protein (abp-2) that probably binds to the same sequence as that to which abp-1 binds [adachi, n., kubo, t., and natori, s. (1993) j. biochem. 114, 55-60]. we purified abp-2 from a nuclea ...	1996	9010776
conservation of hexamerin endocytosis in diptera.	in cyclorrhaphan diptera at least two different types of haemolymph proteins exist which belong to the class of hexamerins. in the last larval instar of calliphora vicina, the highly aromatic hexamerin, arylphorin, and the second hexamerin, pii, make up about 90% of haemolymph proteins. both of these proteins are selectively taken up by the fat body cells at the end of larval life and share a common membrane-bound receptor. in addition, hexamerins and possible hexamerin receptors of calliphora v ...	1997	9108239
regeneration of sarcophaga imaginal discs in vitro: implication of 20-hydroxyecdysone.	when the 3/4 sectors of leg imaginal discs of sarcophaga were cultured in vitro in the presence of 2.5 x 10(-8) m 20-hydroxyecdysone, wound healing and restoration of their morphology occurred. this concentration of ecdysone was critical for wound healing and was 40 times lower than that necessary for inducing differentiation of imaginal discs in vitro. lost positional values revealed by expression of the wingless gene were found to show partial recovery under these conditions. these results sug ...	1997	9119117
molecular cloning of cdna for sarcophaga prolyl endopeptidase and characterization of the recombinant enzyme produced by an e. coli expression system.	a cdna for prolyl endopeptidase (pep) of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) was cloned and its sequence determined. the overall amino acid sequence identity between sarcophaga and mammalian peps was 53%, indicating that these enzymes are structurally very similar. northern blot hybridization revealed that the sarcophaga pep gene was activated significantly at the eversion stage of imaginal disc differentiation. we obtained recombinant pep by expressing the cdna in escherichia coli. the recombinant ...	1997	9134713
purification and characterisation of cathepsin b mrna 3'-untranslated-region-binding protein (cbbp), a protein that represses cathepsin b mrna translation.	we reported that the 3'-untranslated region (3'-utr) of cathepsin b mrna of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) is necessary for the repression of its translation, and detected the 3'-utr-binding protein in lysates of larval hemocytes in which cathepsin b mrna translation was repressed [yano, t., kurata, s. & natori, s. (1995) eur. j. biochem. 234, 39-43]. in this study, we purified the 3'-utr-binding protein from an embryonic cell line of sarcophaga. the purified protein (cbbp) was found to repres ...	1997	9151951
insect neuropeptides of the pyrokinin/pban family accelerate pupariation in the fleshfly (sarcophaga bullata) larvae.		1997	9160960
[proteases participating in metamorphosis of flesh fly (sarcophaga peregrina)].		1997	9168679
monoclonal antibodies against pupa-specific surface antigens of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) hemocytes.	monoclonal antibodies were raised against pupal hemocytes of sarcophaga peregrina. four of the antibodies tested bound specifically to the surface of live pupal hemocytes, and these hemocytes appeared to be granulocytes from their morphology. the antigen recognized by one of the antibodies, mab 9c8, was considered to be a membrane protein with a molecular mass of 120-kda. another antibody, mab 9f3, was found to recognize possibly the same 120-kda protein and two cytoplasmic proteins commonly pre ...	1997	9240468
sapecin b, a novel fly toxin, blocks macroscopic k+ currents in the gh3 rat pituitary cell line.	sapecin b is structurally homologous to charybdotoxin (ctx), which is found in scorpion venom. this study investigated the effects of sapecin b on the ca(2+)-activated k+ currents [ik(ca)] and the rapidly inactivating k+ currents in clonal rat gh3 pituitary cells with whole cell voltage-clamp methods. sapecin b (20 nm) reversibly blocked the ctx-sensitive ix(ca) (the bk current) in a dose-dependent manner, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of approximately 0.9 nm, comparable to that o ...	1997	9252467
insecticidal activity of calotropis procera extracts of the flesh fly, sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis fallen.	the insecticidal activity, expressed by ld50 values, of acetone, ethanol, petroleum ether and water extracts of calotropis procera leaves against the flesh fly, sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis fallen was evaluated in the laboratory. based on ld50 values, ethanol extract was nearly 1.7, 1.3 and 1.3 times more toxic to larvae than water, petroleum ether and acetone extracts, respectively. it was 1.9, 1.4 and 1.2 times more toxic to pupae than water, acetone and petroleum ether extracts, respectively. i ...	1997	9257990
inhibition of protein tyrosine kinase by 5-s-gad, a novel antibacterial substance from an insect.	the effect of n-beta-alanyl-5-s-glutathionyl-dopa (5-s-gad), a compound originally isolated from sarcophaga peregrina (a flesh fly) as an antibacterial substance, on protein phosphorylation was examined using v-src-transformed nih3t3 cell lysates. 5-s-gad was found to inhibit tyrosine phosphorylation of protein tyrosine kinase v-src, but not serine/threonine phosphorylation of protein kinase c. the potency of this compound was comparable to that of herbimycin a. our results suggested that a subs ...	1997	9268727
a novel protease in the pupal yellow body of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly). its purification and cdna cloning.	we purified a novel serine protease with a molecular mass of 26 kda from sarcophaga pupae. this protease appeared almost exclusively in the yellow body, an organ that develops temporarily in the pupae of dipteran insects and expands to form the adult midgut by engulfing the larval midgut. cdna analysis revealed that this protease consists of 239 amino acid residues and has significant structural similarity with bovine trypsin (about 40% sequence identity). the 26-kda protease gene was transientl ...	1997	9295327
synthesis, radiolabeling and biological activity of peptide oostatic hormone and its analogues.	a series of pro peptides containing the sequence of the oostatic hormone 3d and its shorter analogues 3a-3c differing in a number of the c-terminal pro residues was prepared for a study of its effect on oogenesis in sarcophaga bullata parker (diptera). peptides 3a-3d were synthesized in solution by the fragment condensation of boc-tyr-asp(otbu)-pro-ala-pro-oh (2f) with pro oligopeptides h-(pro)2-5-otbu. the amino-terminal protected pentapeptide acid 2f was prepared by a stepwise procedure from t ...	1997	9309578
nuclear localization and involvement in dna synthesis of sarcophaga prolyl endopeptidase.	a specific prolyl endopeptidase (pep) inhibitor, ztta, selectively inhibited dna synthesis by imaginal discs and cultured embryonic cells of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly). pep was found to be localized in restricted nuclear regions. unfertilized eggs were shown to contain a maternal message for pep and analysis of sarcophaga embryos at blastdermal stage revealed pep was localized exclusively in the nuclei. these results suggest that pep participates in dna synthesis by, and therefore cell pro ...	1997	9354394
three case studies in forensic entomology from southern italy.	three cases of forensic interest regarding the estimation of postmortem interval (pmi) by entomological data are presented. the three cases concerning criminal investigations were performed in southern italy by the entomological laboratory of the institute of forensic medicine at the university of bari. for each case the authors present a detailed description of the remains as observed at the crime scene and a description of the arthropods collected from the remains. the pmi estimation was based ...	1998	9456548
enhanced expression of an antimicrobial peptide sarcotoxin ia by gus fusion in transgenic tobacco plants.	to enhance the disease resistance of plants expressing a foreign peptide, the gene for sarcotoxin ia, which is an antimicrobial peptide from an insect consisting of 39 amino acid residues, was introduced into tobacco (nicotiana tabacum) under the control of a high expression promotor via agrobacterium-mediated transformation. in transgenic plants, sarcotoxin ia mrna accumulated to detectable levels, however, the amount of the peptide produced was so small that we could scarcely detect it by prot ...	1998	9517001
antibacterial activity of a novel 26-kda serine protease in the yellow body of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) pupae.	we have reported a novel serine protease produced by sarcophaga peregrina (nakajima et al., j. biol. chem. 272 (1997) 23805-23810). this 26-kda protease showed antibacterial activity against several bacteria. this activity was an intrinsic characteristic of the enzyme protein and not directly related to its protease activity, because treating the 26-kda protease with diisopropyl fluorophosphate had no appreciable effect on its antibacterial activity. unlike bovine trypsin, the 26-kda protease in ...	1998	9541021
a novel lectin from sarcophaga. its purification, characterization, and cdna cloning.	a novel c-type lectin that agglutinates rabbit red cells was purified from nih-sape-4 cells derived from the flesh fly (sarcophaga peregrina), and its cdna was isolated. this lectin, named granulocytin, appeared to be a trimer of a 20-kda subunit consisting of 151 amino acid residues. the gene for granulocytin was activated in third instar larvae, and its expression was enhanced when the larval body wall was injured. in third instar larvae, granulocytin was found to be synthesized by hemocytes a ...	1998	9545300
regulated spacing of synapses and presynaptic active zones at larval neuromuscular junctions in different genotypes of the flies drosophila and sarcophaga.	synapses at larval neuromuscular junctions of the flies drosophila melanogaster and sarcophaga bullata are not distributed randomly. they have been studied in serial electron micrographs of two identified axons (axons 1 and 2) that innervate ventral longitudinal muscles 6 and 7 of the larval body wall. the following fly larvae were examined: axon 1--wild-type sarcophaga and drosophila and drosophila mutants dunce(m14) and fasii(e76), a hypomorphic allele of the fasciclin ii gene; and axon 2--dro ...	1998	9550153
evolutionary history and mechanism of the drosophila cecropin gene family.	upon bacterial infection, insects secrete a set of synthesized antibacterial proteins into the hemolymph and initiate synergistic destruction of invaders. cecropin is one such antibacterial protein which is also found in vertebrates. to study the evolutionary history and mechanism of the cecropin gene family, we determined dna sequences of one isogenic in(3r)c and six isofemale lines of drosophila melanogaster as well as one line of d. simulans and of d. yakuba. the phylogenetic analysis of thes ...	1998	9553148
diapause-specific gene expression in pupae of the flesh fly sarcophaga crassipalpis.	several cdnas isolated from brains of diapausing pupae of the flesh fly, sarcophaga crassipalpis, show expression patterns unique to diapause. to isolate such cdnas a diapause pupal brain cdna library was screened by using an elimination hybridization technique, and cdnas that did not hybridize with cdna probes constructed from the rna of nondiapausing pupae were selected for further screening. the 95 clones that did not hybridize in the initial library screen were selected for further character ...	1998	9576932
g0/g1 cell cycle arrest in the brain of sarcophaga crassipalpis during pupal diapause and the expression pattern of the cell cycle regulator, proliferating cell nuclear antigen.	during pupal diapause in the flesh fly, sarcophaga crassipalpis, the cells of the brain are arrested in the g0/g1 phase of the cell cycle. when diapause is terminated with a topical application of hexane, cell cycling is evident within 12 hours. four g1 and s phase regulatory genes were examined by northern blot analysis to evaluate their expression patterns in relation to this cell cycle arrest. a distinction between diapausing and nondiapausing individuals was noted only for proliferating cell ...	1998	9639874
inhibitory effects of 5-s-gad on phosphorylation of v-src and bcr-abl tyrosine kinase.	we examined the inhibitory effects of n-beta-alanyl-5-s-glutathionyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (5-s-gad), a novel antibacterial substance from the immunized adult sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly), on protein phosphorylation using immune complexes of protein tyrosine kinases (ptks) with anti-ptks monoclonal antibody. we found that 5-s-gad directly inhibited not only tyrosine phosphorylation of ptk p60(v-src), but also tyrosine phosphorylation of ptk p210(bcr-abl). the inhibitory potency of 5-s-g ...	1998	9703270
cloning and sequencing of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna) from the flesh fly, sarcophaga crassipalpis, and its expression in response to cold shock and heat shock.	we report the isolation and sequencing of a 1326<hsp sp = "0.25">bp cdna fragment encoding the cell-cycle proliferation protein scpcna from the flesh fly, sarcophaga crassipalpis. the amino acid (aa) sequence shows 91% and 79% identity to drosophila melanogaster and bombyx mori proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna), respectively. the coding sequence is interrupted by a single intron of 60 bp, resulting in a deduced aa sequence of 260 residues. the gene is transcribed as a single mrna (approx ...	1998	9714841
upregulation of a 23 kda small heat shock protein transcript during pupal diapause in the flesh fly, sarcophaga, crassipalpis.	a diapause upregulated cdna clone was isolated from a cdna library generated from brain mrna of diapausing sarcophaga crassipalpis pupae. the clone hybridized to a 1600 bp transcript on a northern blot. the insert is 823 bp in length, has a tentative open reading frame of 615 bp, and codes for a 23 kda protein. the clone has a high level of identity at the amino acid level with the four small heat shock proteins of drosophila melanogaster. northern analysis revealed no detectable expression of t ...	1998	9755478
effects of temperature on sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (diptera: sarcophagidae) development.	growth curves were studied for the larva and pupa of sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (fallen) under cyclic temperatures with means of 15.6, 21.1, 26.7, and 35 degrees c, and a constant temperature of 25 degrees c. development from 1st instar to adult under all regimes ranged from 252 to 802 h. a constant temperature of 25 degrees c produced a range of pupation times from 93 to 153 h, with adult emergence ranging from 252 to 502 h. a maximal preferential temperature of 30 degrees c was determined for ...	1998	9775595
seasonal colonization and decomposition of rat carrion in water and on land in an open field in south carolina.	decomposition and insect colonization of rat, rattus rattus l., carrion on land and in water were compared during summer and winter in a plowed field in northwestern south carolina. during winter, carcasses on land reached the dried-remains stage of decomposition, whereas carcasses in water reached the early-floating stage. during summer, carcasses in both habitats entered the final-remains stage of decomposition in 1-2 wk. fewer than 30 species of carrion insects were recorded from the carcasse ...	1998	9775597
degradation of a radiolabeled juvenile hormone analog using two insect species.	a synthetic insect juvenile hormone analog (a juvenoid), ethyl n-[2-[4-[[2,2-(ethylenedioxy)cyclohexyl]methyl]phenox]ethyl]carbam ate, which has displayed high biological activity against different insect species and high stability under field conditions, was selected as a biologically active model compound for a study of a juvenile hormone analog degradation. the biologically active compound itself and its three diversely radiolabeled derivatives were applied to the flesh fly (sarcophaga bullat ...	1997	9783444
motor nerve terminals on abdominal muscles in larval flesh flies, sarcophaga bullata: comparisons with drosophila.	motor nerve terminals on abdominal body-wall muscles 6a and 7a in larval flesh flies were investigated to establish their general structural features with confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and freeze-fracture procedures. as in drosophila and other dipterans, two motor axons supply these muscles, and two morphologically different terminals were discerned with confocal microscopy: thin terminals with relatively small varicosities (type is), and thicker terminals with larger va ...	1998	9845243
enhanced resistance to bacterial diseases of transgenic tobacco plants overexpressing sarcotoxin ia, a bactericidal peptide of insect.	sarcotoxin ia is a bactericidal peptide of 39 amino acids found in the common flesh fly, sarcophaga peregrina. many agronomically important bacteria in japan are killed by this peptide at sub-micro molar levels, and the growth of tobacco and rice suspension cultured cells is not inhibited with less than 25 microm. transgenic tobacco plants which overexpress the peptide, i.e. over 250 pmol per gram of fresh leaf, under the control of a high expression constitutive promoter showed enhanced resista ...	1999	10050028
two subunits of the insect 26/29-kda proteinase are probably derived from a common precursor protein.	we previously identified the 26/29-kda proteinase in the hemocytes of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) that appears to participate in elimination of foreign proteins in this insect [eur. j. biochem. 209, 939-944 (1992)]. here, we report the cdna cloning of this proteinase. the cdna encodes a protein which includes both the 26- and 29-kda subunit, strongly suggesting that the both subunits are derived from a single precursor protein. the 26- and 29-kda subunit located at the amino-terminal and ca ...	1999	10050046
induction of sarcophaga central nervous system remodeling by 20-hydroxyecdysone in vitro.	proliferation and apoptosis of neural cells were found to be induced simultaneously when larval brains of sarcophaga peregrina were cultured in the presence of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-he) for 24 h. the locations of proliferating cells and apoptotic cells in the brain hemispheres were different. the morphology of brains exposed to 20-he for a short period proceeded to change sequentially when culture was continued for 2 days even in the absence of 20-he. these changes mainly consisted of enlargeme ...	1999	10050051
a novel egg-derived tyrosine phosphatase, edtp, that participates in the embryogenesis of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly).	we have previously reported that cathepsin l mrna is present in unfertilized eggs of sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) as a maternal mrna, which suggests that cathepsin l is required for embryogenesis. now we have identified an egg protein, with a molecular mass of 100 kda, that is extremely susceptible to cathepsin l digestion and which disappears rapidly as the embryos develop. we purified this protein to homogeneity, cloned its cdna, and found that it contained a consensus sequence for the act ...	1999	10092886
[gastrointestinal myiasis. apropos of 1 moroccan case].	this observation relates an exceptional case of gastrointestinal myiasis in a 15 year-old rural moroccan girl. she was admitted for abdominal pain, hematemesis, and worm vomitting. the parasitologic identification revealed sarcophaga hemorrhoidalis. through this observation, the authors underline the epidemiological, clinical and evolutive aspects of this parasitosis in morocco.	1999	10214514
functional analysis of poly(adp-ribose) polymerase in drosophila melanogaster.	poly(adp-ribose) polymerase (parp) is conserved in eukaryotes. to analyze the function of parp, we isolated and characterized the gene for parp in drosophila melanogaster. the parp gene consisted of six translatable exons and spanned more than 50 kb. the dna binding domain is encoded by exons 1-4. although the consensus cleavage site of ced-3 like protease during apoptosis is conserved from human to xenopus laevis parps, it is neither conserved in the corresponding region of drosophila nor sarco ...	1999	10331645
saccharomyces cerevisiae cells harboring the gene encoding sarcotoxin ia secrete a peptide that is toxic to plant pathogenic bacteria.	sarcotoxin ia is a cecropin-type antibacterial protein produced by the flesh fly, sarcophaga peregrina. similar to other bactericidal small proteins produced by insects, sarcotoxin ia is released into the hemolymph of larvae and nymphs upon mechanical injury or bacterial infection. the gene (sarco) that encodes this toxin was introduced into saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells and was expressed under a constitutive yeast promoter. the transformed yeast cells were grown in a liquid medium, and a ...	1999	10336869
the roles of sarcophaga defense molecules in immunity and metamorphosis.	this article summarizes recent progress (1996 1998) in our studies on self-defense molecules in sarcophaga peregrina. a new antibacterial substance was purified and its unique structure and function revealed a novel aspect of the sarcophaga defense system. we found a novel lectin and cysteine protease in hemocytes which will assist in the understanding of immune response of hemocytes. there have been two major advances in research on the regulation of defense gene induction: (i) cdna cloning of ...	1999	10426425
in vitro analysis of venom from the wasp nasonia vitripennis: susceptibility of different cell lines and venom-induced changes in plasma membrane permeability.	the lethal effects of crude venom prepared from the ectoparasitic wasp nasonia vitripennis were examined with cultured cells from six insect and two vertebrate species. venom caused cells from sarcophaga peregrina (nih sape4), drosophila melanogaster (crl 1963), trichoplusia ni (tn-368 and bti-tn-5b1-4), spodoptera frugiperda (sf-21ae), and lymantria dispar (ipl-ldfbc1) to round up, swell, and eventually die. despite similar sensitivities and overlapping lc50 values [0.0004-0.0015 venom reservoi ...	1999	10475265
the pharmacological flexibility of the insect voltage gated sodium channel: toxicity of aait to knockdown resistant (kdr) flies.	aait is an insect selective neurotoxic polypeptide shown to affect insect neuronal sodium conductance by binding to excitable sodium channels. in the present study the paralytic potency of aait to wild type and various mutant strains of houseflies (musca domestica) and fruitflies (drosophila melanogaster) was examined and it has been shown that: on the basis of body weight when compared to published data on sarcophaga falculata blowflies, the musca and drosophila flies reveal at least two orders ...	1999	10528405
ophthalmomyiasis caused by sarcophaga crassipalpis (diptera: sarcophagidae) in a hospital patient.	nine sarcophagid larvae were found on the right eyelid, cornea, and bulbar conjunctiva of a debilitated patient in a hospital in osaka, japan. inflammation of the right eyelid and conjunctival congestion, probably initiated or aggravated by the larvae, were found. the larvae were removed and reared for accurate identification, and, on the basis of the characteristics of the 3rd instar and adult flies, the species was identified as sarcophaga crassipalpis macquart. this is a report of ophthalmomy ...	1999	10593102
extreme resistance to desiccation in overwintering larvae of the gall fly eurosta solidaginis (diptera, tephritidae).	during winter, larvae of the goldenrod gall fly eurosta solidaginis are exposed for extended periods to severe low ambient temperatures and low humidities within plant galls. the resistance of these larvae to desiccation at various temperatures and humidities, the transition (critical) temperature, and the effects of treatment with organic solvents on the larval rates of water loss and on changes in osmolality during desiccation were examined. the water loss rates of the flesh fly sarcophaga cra ...	2000	10648220
[molecular cloning of cdnas coding sarcophaga diptericin family].	we purified an antibacterial protein named sarcotoxin iii from the hemolymph of injured larvae of sarcophaga peregrina (baba k., et al., j. biochem., 102, 69-74 (1987)). in this report we determined the partial amino acid sequence of sarcotoxin iii and tried to conduct the cloning of sarcotoxin iii cdna. as a result we obtained two clones coding a protein similar to sarcotoxin iii in sequence. their primary structures are highly homologous to n-terminal sequences of an antibacterial protein from ...	2000	10655789
[cutaneous myiasis by sarcophaga sp].	myasis are due to the invasion of tissue or cavities of animal organism by dipterous larvae.	2000	10721558
the human homolog of insect-derived growth factor, cecr1, is a candidate gene for features of cat eye syndrome.	cat eye syndrome (ces) is a developmental disorder with multiple organ involvement, associated with the duplication of a 2-mb region of 22q11.2. using exon trapping and genomic sequence analysis, we have isolated and characterized a gene, cecr1, that maps to this critical region. the protein encoded by cecr1 is similar to previously identified novel growth factors: idgf from sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) and mdgf from aplysia californica (sea hare). the cecr1 gene is alternatively spliced and ...	2000	10756095
identification and characterization of an anterior fat body protein in an insect.	we purified a novel protein with a molecular mass of 34 kda from the sarcophaga larval fat body. this protein, named afp (anterior fat body protein), was restricted almost exclusively to the anterior fat body. the afp content decreased after pupation on disintegration of the fat body tissue. cdna analysis revealed that this protein consists of 306 amino acid residues and exhibits significant structural similarity with mammalian regucalcin (senescence marker protein-30), a calcium-binding liver p ...	2000	10788801
a juvenile hormone-repressible transferrin-like protein from the bean bug, riptortus clavatus: cdna sequence analysis and protein identification during diapause and vitellogenesis.	we found several juvenile hormone-responsive cdnas in the bean bug, riptortus clavatus, by using mrna differential display (hirai et al., 1998). one of them, a juvenile hormone-repressible cdna, jr-3, was cloned, sequenced, characterized and identified as a transferrin (rctf). rctf cdna encoded 652 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 71,453 da. the deduced amino acid sequence showed significant homology with the transferin genes of several insects, manduca sexta (43% identity), bla ...	2000	10790182
developmental upregulation of inducible hsp70 transcripts, but not the cognate form, during pupal diapause in the flesh fly, ssarcophaga crassipalpis.	partial clones of the sarcophaga crassipalpis heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) and of heat shock cognate 70 (hsc70) were developed by rt-pcr and library screening respectively. these clones were used to probe total rna northern blots for the expression of transcripts in response to high and low temperature stress and in conjunction with the entry into an overwintering pupal diapause. in nondiapausing individuals, hsp70 was highly expressed in response to a 40 degrees c heat shock, while hsc70 was u ...	2000	10802243
detection and distribution patterns of telomerase activity in insects.	telomeres of most insects consist of pentanucleotide (ttagg)n repeats, although the repeats are absent in diptera and some other insect species, where the telomere regions are perhaps maintained without telomerase. to understand various and unusual telomere formation in insects, we have studied the characteristic features of a putative insect telomerase that has not been previously described. using a modified telomeric repeat amplification protocol (trap), we first detected the telomerase activi ...	2000	10806402
molecular cloning and characterization of sram, a novel insect rel/ankyrin-family protein present in nuclei.	previously, we purified a 59-kda protein that binds to the kappab motif of the sarcophaga lectin gene. here we report its cdna cloning and some of its characteristics as a novel member of the rel/ankyrin-family. this protein, named sram, contained a rel homology domain, a nuclear localization signal and 4 ankyrin repeats, but lacked the ser-rich domain and pest sequence that relish contained. we found that sram was localized in the nuclei of nih-sape-4 cells, which are an embryonic cell line of ...	2000	10833285
influence of temperature on the survival and infectivity of trichinella spiralis larvae in sarcophaga argyrostoma (diptera, sarcophagidae) maggots.	to investigate the role of fleshfly maggots as a paratenic host for trichinella spiralis larvae, maggots of sarcophaga argyrostoma (muscidae, sarcophagidae) kept at different temperatures (26, 22, 20, 16, 12, 8, and 4 c) were allowed to feed on t. spiralis-infected mouse meat. trichinella larvae found in maggots kept at 8-26 c were able to cause infection when inoculated in mice. infective larvae survived in maggots up to 5 days postinfection at 8 c and for shorter periods of time at higher temp ...	2000	10864271
recovery of forensically important insect larvae from human cadavers in malaysia (1993-1996).	forensically important entomological specimens recovered from 95 forensic cases of human cadavers from april 1993 to may 1996 in malaysia were identified and analysed. the results indicated that 73.7% of these specimens were chrysomya species, occurring either as single or mixed infestations. of these, the most prominent species were ch megacephala (f.) and ch rufifacies (macquart). other fly maggots recovered included sarcophaga spp., lucilia spp. and hermetia spp., mostly occurring together wi ...	1996	10879234