CLONING AND SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE GENE OF SCHITOSOMA JAPONICUM

Objective To clone and identify tyrosine hydroxylase gene of Schistosoma japonicum (SjTH) for approach to the role of SjTH in signal transduction of S. japonicum and for new vaccine molecules against schistosomiasis. Methods A pair of primers were designed and synthesized based on the cDNA sequence of tyrosine hydroxylase gene of S. mansoni (SmTH). The DNA fragments encoding SjTH were amplified by RT PCR. The PCR products were ligated to pGEM T easy vector and the inserts were confirmed by both restriction endonuclease digestion and DNA sequencing. Results The 480 bp DNA fragment was amplified by RT PCR from adult S. japonicum and was cloned into the pGEM T vector successfully .The DNA fragments was sequenced and analyzed. It had 87% homology with SmTH compared with completed cDNA of SmTH. Conclusion The incompleted sequence of SjTH is successfully amplified, which has 87% homology with SmTH. It will be used as a template for cloning and identification of the completed encoding sequence of SjTH by Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends(RACE) PCR or other means for further research of this key molecule.