Predominant expression and activity of vacuolar H(+)-ATPases in the mixed segment of the wood-feeding termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis

Rohitha P Kumara; Seikoh Saitoh; Hiroaki Aoyama; Naoya Shinzato; Gaku Tokuda

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.04.012

Predominant expression and activity of vacuolar H(+)-ATPases in the mixed segment of the wood-feeding termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis

J Insect Physiol. 2015 Jul:78:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.04.012. Epub 2015 Apr 30.

Authors

Rohitha P Kumara¹, Seikoh Saitoh², Hiroaki Aoyama², Naoya Shinzato², Gaku Tokuda³

Affiliations

¹ Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan; Tropical Biosphere Research Center, COMB, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
² Tropical Biosphere Research Center, COMB, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
³ Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan; Tropical Biosphere Research Center, COMB, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan. Electronic address: tokuda@comb.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.

PMID: 25937057
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.04.012

Abstract

The mixed segment is a unique part of the gut present only in the most apical lineage of termites and consists of a complex of overlapping mesenteric and proctodeal epithelia. In spite of its unique structure, the physiological functions of the mixed segment have been poorly studied. We performed transcriptome analysis to identify functional enzymes acting in the mixed segment of the wood-feeding higher termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis. We sequenced the transcripts (4563 isotigs) of the mixed segment and compared them with those of the midgut (4813 isotigs) and the first proctodeal segment (3629 isotigs). We found that vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) subunits were predominant in the mixed segment, which was confirmed by RT-qPCR analysis. The V-ATPase activity in these three tissues was in a good agreement with the expression patterns, suggesting that V-ATPase is a prevalent enzyme in the mixed segment of the termites. The results confirmed the proposed role of the mixed segment as a transporting epithelium.

Keywords: Gut; Mixed segment; Termite; Transcriptome; V-ATPase.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Gastrointestinal Tract / enzymology
Gene Expression
Insect Proteins / metabolism*
Isoptera / enzymology*
Organ Specificity
Transcriptome
Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / metabolism*

Substances

Insect Proteins
Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases