Abstract
To investigate the function of a DNA topoisomerase III enzyme in Caenorhabditis elegans, the full-length cDNA of C.elegans DNA topoisomerase IIIalpha was cloned. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited identities of 48 and 39% with those of human DNA topoisomerase IIIalpha and Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA topoisomerase III, respectively. The overexpressed polypeptide showed an optimal activity for removing negative DNA supercoils at a relatively high temperature of 52-57 degrees C, which is similar to the optimum temperatures of other eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase III enzymes. When topoisomerase IIIalpha expression was interfered with by a cognate double-stranded RNA injection, pleiotropic phenotypes with abnormalities in germ cell proliferation, oogenesis and embryo-genesis appeared. These phenotypes were well correlated with mRNA expression localized in the meiotic cells of gonad and early embryonic cells.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Caenorhabditis elegans / embryology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / enzymology
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Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics*
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Catalysis
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Cloning, Molecular
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DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / genetics*
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DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / metabolism
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DNA, Complementary / chemistry
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DNA, Complementary / genetics
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
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Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects
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Genes / genetics
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Glutathione Transferase / genetics
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Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
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In Situ Hybridization
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Molecular Sequence Data
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RNA, Antisense / administration & dosage
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RNA, Antisense / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
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Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
Substances
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DNA, Complementary
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RNA, Antisense
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RNA, Messenger
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
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Glutathione Transferase
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DNA Topoisomerases, Type I