Homology cloning, sequence characterization, and expression analysis of cDNA encoding electron transfer flavoprotein beta polypeptide in mud crab (Scylla paramamosain).

Electron transfer flavoproteins (ETFs) are αβ-heterodimers found in eukaryotic mitochondria and bacteria. Herein we report a full-length complementary DNA of a mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) ETF β subunit (Scpa-ETFB) isolated with a homology cloning strategy. The complete complementary DNA of the Scpa-ETFB contains a 17-nt 5'-untranslated region, a 765-nt open reading frame encoding 254 amino acids, and a 248-nt 3'-untranslated region. The high identity of Scpa-ETFB with ETFB in other organisms indicated that Scpa-ETFB is a new member of the ETFB family. Although the conserved motif associated with flavin adenine dinucleotide binding is absent in Scpa-ETFB, the signature sequences of the ETF superfamily were identified. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we detected the messenger RNA transcript of Scpa-ETFB in high levels in the tissues of the hepatopancreas, ovary, heart, and muscle. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Scpa-ETFB is most closely related to the ETFB genes of Caligus rogercresseyi and Lepeophtheirus salmonis. These results provided basic information for elucidating the molecular mechanism of energy production in the mud crab.