CLONING OF THE V-ATPASE B-SUBUNIT CDNA FROM CULEX-QUINQUEFASCIATUS AND EXPRESSION OF THE B-SUBUNIT AND C-SUBUNIT IN MOSQUITOS

The V-ATPase B subunit cDNA isolated from the midgut and Malpighian tu bules of Culex guinquefasciatus larvae has a 1478 bp ORF encoding a 49 2 amino acids protein with a predicted mass of 54.8 kDa. Northern blot analysis reveals the presence of 1.8 and 4.2 kb transcripts in larvae and a 3.0 kb transcript in pupae, A single 57 kDa protein band is det ected in immunoblot analysis of protein extracts from C. quinquefascia tus and A. aegypti larvae. Using antibodies to the B subunits we demon strate high-level expression of these subunits in ion-transporting cel ls of caeca and anterior midgut, and in Malpighian tubules and rectum. High V-ATPase expression was also observed in the larval salivary gla nds, central nervous system neurophile, the thoracic endocrine complex and in imaginal discs.