Characterization of the cyclin-dependent kinase 6 gene in Apis cerana cerana in response to multiple environmental stresses

Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are serine/threonine kinases that play critical roles in the cell cycle regulation. Herein, we describe the identification of a CDK gene from Apis cerana cerana, named AccCDK6. The full-length cDNA is 1,778 bp long, including an ORF of 1,380 bp that encodes a polypeptide of 459 amino acid residues. Multiple sequence alignment analysis showed that the predicted AccCDK6 sequence shares a high similarity with CDK6 genes of other species, and this protein may share an evolutionary predecessor with Drosophila CDK4. The expression patterns of the gene were also analysed, and the transcript was detected throughout the larval, pupal, and adult developmental stages. Furthermore, the expression level of the mRNA of the gene in adult workers was influenced by H2O2, ultraviolet (UV) light, temperature (42 °C), HgCl2, and pyriproxyfen. These results indicate that AccCDK6 responds to multiple environmental stresses and may also participate in intracellular reactions of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and development processes in honey-bees.