Characterization of Anopheles gambiae (African Malaria Mosquito) Ferritin and the Effect of Iron on Intracellular Localization in Mosquito Cells.

Ferritin is a 24-subunit molecule, made up of heavy chain (HC) and light chain (LC) subunits, which stores and controls the release of dietary iron in mammals, plants, and insects. In mosquitoes, dietary iron taken in a bloodmeal is stored inside ferritin. Our previous work has demonstrated the transport of dietary iron to the ovaries via ferritin during oogenesis.

The cyclic AMP cascade is altered in the fragile X nervous system.

Fragile X syndrome (FX), the most common heritable cause of mental retardation and autism, is a developmental disorder characterized by physical, cognitive, and behavioral deficits. FX results from a trinucleotide expansion mutation in the fmr1 gene that reduces levels of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Although research efforts have focused on FMRP's impact on mGluR signaling, how the loss of FMRP leads to the individual symptoms of FX is not known.