51
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Maistrou S, Paris V, Jensen AB, Rolff J, Meyling NV, Zanchi C. A constitutively expressed antifungal peptide protects Tenebrio molitor during a natural infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 86:26-33. [PMID: 29698631 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been well studied in the context of bacterial infections. Antifungal peptides have received comparatively less attention. Fungal pathogens of insects and their hosts represent a unique opportunity to study host-pathogen interactions due to the million of years of co-evolution they share. In this study, we investigated role of a constitutively expressed thaumatin-like peptide with antifungal activity expressed by the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, named Tenecin 3, during a natural infection with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. We monitored the effect of the expression of Tenecin 3 on the survival of infected hosts as well as on the progression of the fungal infection inside the host. Finally, we tested the activity of Tenecin 3 against B. bassiana. These findings could help improving biocontrol strategies and help understanding the evolution of antifungal peptides as a defense mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevasti Maistrou
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Véronique Paris
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette B Jensen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Rolff
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolai V Meyling
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Caroline Zanchi
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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52
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Kumar A, Srivastava P, Sirisena P, Dubey SK, Kumar R, Shrinet J, Sunil S. Mosquito Innate Immunity. INSECTS 2018; 9:insects9030095. [PMID: 30096752 PMCID: PMC6165528 DOI: 10.3390/insects9030095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mosquitoes live under the endless threat of infections from different kinds of pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses. The mosquito defends itself by employing both physical and physiological barriers that resist the entry of the pathogen and the subsequent establishment of the pathogen within the mosquito. However, if the pathogen does gain entry into the insect, the insect mounts a vigorous innate cellular and humoral immune response against the pathogen, thereby limiting the pathogen's propagation to nonpathogenic levels. This happens through three major mechanisms: phagocytosis, melanization, and lysis. During these processes, various signaling pathways that engage intense mosquito⁻pathogen interactions are activated. A critical overview of the mosquito immune system and latest information about the interaction between mosquitoes and pathogens are provided in this review. The conserved, innate immune pathways and specific anti-pathogenic strategies in mosquito midgut, hemolymph, salivary gland, and neural tissues for the control of pathogen propagation are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Kumar
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Priyanshu Srivastava
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Pdnn Sirisena
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Sunil Kumar Dubey
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Ramesh Kumar
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Jatin Shrinet
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
| | - Sujatha Sunil
- Vector Borne Diseases Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi-110067, India.
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53
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de Castro RJS, Ohara A, Aguilar JGDS, Domingues MAF. Nutritional, functional and biological properties of insect proteins: Processes for obtaining, consumption and future challenges. Trends Food Sci Technol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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54
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Chen K, Lu Z. Immune responses to bacterial and fungal infections in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 83:3-11. [PMID: 29289612 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The silkworm Bombyx mori, an economically important insect that is usually reared indoors, is susceptible to various pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and microsporidia. As with other insects, the silkworm lacks an adaptive immune system and relies solely on innate immunity to defend itself against infection. Compared to other intensively studied insects, such as the fruit fly and tobacco hornworm, the principal immune pathways in the silkworm remain unclear. In this article, we review the literature concerning silkworm immune responses to bacteria and fungi and present our perspectives on future research into silkworm immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangkang Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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55
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Qu S, Wang S. Interaction of entomopathogenic fungi with the host immune system. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 83:96-103. [PMID: 29355579 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi can invade wide range of insect hosts in the natural world and have been used as environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides for pest control. Studies of host-pathogen interactions provide valuable insights into the coevolutionay arms race between fungal pathogens and their hosts. Entomopathogenic fungi have evolved a series of sophisticated strategies to counter insect immune defenses. In response to fungal infection, insect hosts rely on behavior avoidance, physical barrier and innate immune defenses in the fight against invading pathogens. The insect cuticle acts as the first physical barrier against pathogens. It is an inhospitable physiological environment that contains chemicals (e.g., antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species), which inhibit fungal growth. In addition, innate immune responses, including cellular immunity and humoral immunity, play critical roles in preventing fungal infection. In this review, we outline the current state of our knowledge of insect defenses to fungal infection and discuss the strategies by which entomopathogenic fungi counter the host immune system. Increased knowledge regarding the molecular interactions between entomopathogenic fungi and the insect host could provide new strategies for pest management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Qu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Sibao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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56
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Tryptophan-Rich and Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptides. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23040815. [PMID: 29614844 PMCID: PMC6017362 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23040815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the increasing emergence of drug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms, there is a world-wide quest to develop new-generation antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides with a broad spectrum of antibiotic activities against bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses and sometimes exhibit cytotoxic activity toward cancer cells. As a part of the native host defense system, most AMPs target the membrane integrity of the microorganism, leading to cell death by lysis. These membrane lytic effects are often toxic to mammalian cells and restrict their systemic application. However, AMPs containing predominantly either tryptophan or proline can kill microorganisms by targeting intracellular pathways and are therefore a promising source of next-generation antibiotics. A minimum length of six amino acids is required for high antimicrobial activity in tryptophan-rich AMPs and the position of these residues also affects their antimicrobial activity. The aromatic side chain of tryptophan is able to rapidly form hydrogen bonds with membrane bilayer components. Proline-rich AMPs interact with the 70S ribosome and disrupt protein synthesis. In addition, they can also target the heat shock protein in target pathogens, and consequently lead to protein misfolding. In this review, we will focus on describing the structures, sources, and mechanisms of action of the aforementioned AMPs.
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57
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Wei G, Sun L, Li R, Li L, Xu J, Ma F. Dynamic miRNA-mRNA regulations are essential for maintaining Drosophila immune homeostasis during Micrococcus luteus infection. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 81:210-224. [PMID: 29198775 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Pathogen bacteria infections can lead to dynamic changes of microRNA (miRNA) and mRNA expression profiles, which may control synergistically the outcome of immune responses. To reveal the role of dynamic miRNA-mRNA regulation in Drosophila innate immune responses, we have detailedly analyzed the paired miRNA and mRNA expression profiles at three time points during Drosophila adult males with Micrococcus luteus (M. luteus) infection using RNA- and small RNA-seq data. Our results demonstrate that differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs represent extensively dynamic changes over three time points during Drosophila with M. luteus infection. The pathway enrichment analysis indicates that differentially expressed genes are involved in diverse signaling pathways, including Toll and Imd as well as orther signaling pathways at three time points during Drosophila with M. luteus infection. Remarkably, the dynamic change of miRNA expression is delayed by compared to mRNA expression change over three time points, implying that the "time" parameter should be considered when the function of miRNA/mRNA is further studied. In particular, the dynamic miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks have shown that miRNAs may synergistically regulate gene expressions of different signaling pathways to promote or inhibit innate immune responses and maintain homeostasis in Drosophila, and some new regulators involved in Drosophila innate immune response have been identified. Our findings strongly suggest that miRNA regulation is a key mechanism involved in fine-tuning cooperatively gene expressions of diverse signaling pathways to maintain innate immune response and homeostasis in Drosophila. Taken together, the present study reveals a novel role of dynamic miRNA-mRNA regulation in immune response to bacteria infection, and provides a new insight into the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism of Drosophila innate immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanyun Wei
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Lianjie Sun
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Ruimin Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Lei Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China; Laboratory of Intelligent Computation, School of Computer Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Jiao Xu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China.
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58
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Kenmoku H, Hori A, Kuraishi T, Kurata S. A novel mode of induction of the humoral innate immune response in Drosophila larvae. Dis Model Mech 2017; 10:271-281. [PMID: 28250052 PMCID: PMC5374318 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.027102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila adults have been utilized as a genetically tractable model organism to decipher the molecular mechanisms of humoral innate immune responses. In an effort to promote the utility of Drosophila larvae as an additional model system, in this study, we describe a novel aspect of an induction mechanism for innate immunity in these larvae. By using a fine tungsten needle created for manipulating semi-conductor devices, larvae were subjected to septic injury. However, although Toll pathway mutants were susceptible to infection with Gram-positive bacteria as had been shown for Drosophila adults, microbe clearance was not affected in the mutants. In addition, Drosophila larvae were found to be sensitive to mechanical stimuli with respect to the activation of a sterile humoral response. In particular, pinching with forceps to a degree that might cause minor damage to larval tissues could induce the expression of the antifungal peptide gene Drosomycin; notably, this induction was partially independent of the Toll and immune deficiency pathways. We therefore propose that Drosophila larvae might serve as a useful model to analyze the infectious and non-infectious inflammation that underlies various inflammatory diseases such as ischemia, atherosclerosis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Kenmoku
- Department of Molecular Biopharmacy and Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Aki Hori
- Department of Molecular Biopharmacy and Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kuraishi
- Department of Molecular Biopharmacy and Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan
| | - Shoichiro Kurata
- Department of Molecular Biopharmacy and Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
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59
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Sun JJ, Xu S, He ZH, Shi XZ, Zhao XF, Wang JX. Activation of Toll Pathway Is Different between Kuruma Shrimp and Drosophila. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1151. [PMID: 28979261 PMCID: PMC5611483 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Toll pathway is essential for inducing an immune response to defend against bacterial invasion in vertebrates and invertebrates. Although Toll receptors and the transcription factor Dorsal were identified in different shrimp, relatively little is known about how the Toll pathway is activated or the function of the pathway in shrimp antibacterial immunity. In this study, three Tolls (Toll1–3) and the Dorsal were identified in Marsupenaeus japonicus. The Toll pathway can be activated by Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G−) bacterial infection. Unlike Toll binding to Spätzle in Drosophila, shrimp Tolls could directly bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns from G+ and G− bacteria, resulting in Dorsal translocation into nucleus to regulate the expression of different antibacterial peptides (AMPs) in the clearance of infected bacteria. These findings suggest that shrimp Tolls are pattern recognition receptors and the Toll pathway in shrimp is different from the Drosophila Toll pathway but identical with the mammalian Toll-like receptor pathway in its activation and antibacterial functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-Jie Sun
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Sen Xu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhong-Hua He
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiu-Zhen Shi
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jin-Xing Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cells and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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60
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Mylonakis E, Podsiadlowski L, Muhammed M, Vilcinskas A. Diversity, evolution and medical applications of insect antimicrobial peptides. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0290. [PMID: 27160593 PMCID: PMC4874388 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short proteins with antimicrobial activity. A large portion of known AMPs originate from insects, and the number and diversity of these molecules in different species varies considerably. Insect AMPs represent a potential source of alternative antibiotics to address the limitation of current antibiotics, which has been caused by the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. To get more insight into AMPs, we investigated the diversity and evolution of insect AMPs by mapping their phylogenetic distribution, allowing us to predict the evolutionary origins of selected AMP families and to identify evolutionarily conserved and taxon-specific families. Furthermore, we highlight the use of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a whole-animal model in high-throughput screening methods to identify AMPs with efficacy against human pathogens, including Acinetobacter baumanii and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. We also discuss the potential medical applications of AMPs, including their use as alternatives for conventional antibiotics in ectopic therapies, their combined use with antibiotics to restore the susceptibility of multidrug-resistant pathogens, and their use as templates for the rational design of peptidomimetic drugs that overcome the disadvantages of therapeutic peptides. The article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftherios Mylonakis
- Division of Infectious Disease, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Zooecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maged Muhammed
- Division of Infectious Disease, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
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61
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Moghaddam MRB, Gross T, Becker A, Vilcinskas A, Rahnamaeian M. The selective antifungal activity of Drosophila melanogaster metchnikowin reflects the species-dependent inhibition of succinate-coenzyme Q reductase. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8192. [PMID: 28811531 PMCID: PMC5557811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08407-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect-derived antifungal peptides have a significant economic potential, particularly for the engineering of pathogen-resistant crops. However, the nonspecific antifungal activity of such peptides could result in detrimental effects against beneficial fungi, whose interactions with plants promote growth or increase resistance against biotic and abiotic stress. The antifungal peptide metchnikowin (Mtk) from Drosophila melanogaster acts selectively against pathogenic Ascomycota, including Fusarium graminearum, without affecting Basidiomycota such as the beneficial symbiont Piriformospora indica. Here we investigated the mechanism responsible for the selective antifungal activity of Mtk by using the peptide to probe a yeast two-hybrid library of F. graminearum cDNAs. We found that Mtk specifically targets the iron-sulfur subunit (SdhB) of succinate-coenzyme Q reductase (SQR). A functional assay based on the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity of mitochondrial complex II clearly demonstrated that Mtk inhibited the SDH activity of F. graminearum mitochondrial SQR by up to 52%, but that the equivalent enzyme in P. indica was unaffected. A phylogenetic analysis of the SdhB family revealed a significant divergence between the Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. SQR is one of the key targets of antifungal agents and we therefore propose Mtk as an environmentally sustainable and more selective alternative to chemical fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad-Reza Bolouri Moghaddam
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse 2, D-35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas Gross
- Institute of Botany, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Annette Becker
- Institute of Botany, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse 2, D-35394, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Department of Bioresources, Winchester Strasse 2, D-35394, Giessen, Germany.
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62
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Sulca M, Remuzgo C, Cárdenas J, Kiyota S, Cheng E, Bemquerer M, Machini M. Venom of the Peruvian snake Bothriopsis oligolepis : Detection of antibacterial activity and involvement of proteolytic enzymes and C-type lectins in growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus. Toxicon 2017; 134:30-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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63
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Koehbach J. Structure-Activity Relationships of Insect Defensins. Front Chem 2017; 5:45. [PMID: 28748179 PMCID: PMC5506212 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2017.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects make up the largest and most diverse group of organisms on earth with several million species to exist in total. Considering the sheer number of insect species and the vast variety of ways they interact with their environment through chemistry, it is clear that they have significant potential as a source of new lead molecules. They have adapted to a range of ecological habitats and exhibit a symbiotic lifestyle with various microbes such as bacteria and fungi. Accordingly, numerous antimicrobial compounds have been identified including for example defensin peptides. Insect defensins were found to have broad-spectrum activity against various gram-positive/negative bacteria as well as fungi. They exhibit a unique structural topology involving the complex arrangement of three disulfide bonds as well as an alpha helix and beta sheets, which is known as cysteine-stabilized αβ motif. Their stability and amenability to peptide engineering make them promising candidates for the development of novel antibiotics lead molecules. This review highlights the current knowledge regarding the structure-activity relationships of insect defensin peptides and provides basis for future studies focusing on the rational design of novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Koehbach
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of QueenslandSt. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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64
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Dhinaut J, Chogne M, Moret Y. Immune priming specificity within and across generations reveals the range of pathogens affecting evolution of immunity in an insect. J Anim Ecol 2017; 87:448-463. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Dhinaut
- UMR CNRS 6282 BioGéoSciences; Équipe Écologie Évolutive; Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté; Dijon France
| | - Manon Chogne
- UMR CNRS 6282 BioGéoSciences; Équipe Écologie Évolutive; Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté; Dijon France
| | - Yannick Moret
- UMR CNRS 6282 BioGéoSciences; Équipe Écologie Évolutive; Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté; Dijon France
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65
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Li Y, Li S, Li R, Xu J, Jin P, Chen L, Ma F. Genome-wide miRNA screening reveals miR-310 family members negatively regulate the immune response in Drosophila melanogaster via co-targeting Drosomycin. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 68:34-45. [PMID: 27871832 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Although innate immunity mediated by Toll signaling has been extensively studied in Drosophila melanogaster, the role of miRNAs in regulating the Toll-mediated immune response remains largely unknown. In this study, following Gram-positive bacterial challenge, we identified 93 differentially expressed miRNAs via genome-wide miRNA screening. These miRNAs were regarded as immune response related (IRR). Eight miRNAs were confirmed to be involved in the Toll-mediated immune response upon Gram-positive bacterial infection through genetic screening of 41 UAS-miRNA lines covering 60 miRNAs of the 93 IRR miRNAs. Interestingly, four out of these eight miRNAs, miR-310, miR-311, miR-312 and miR-313, are clustered miRNAs and belong to the miR-310 family. These miR-310 family members were shown to target and regulate the expression of Drosomycin, an antimicrobial peptide produced by Toll signaling. Taken together, our study implies important regulatory roles of miRNAs in the Toll-mediated innate immune response of Drosophila upon Gram-positive bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Shengjie Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Ruimin Li
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Jiao Xu
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Ping Jin
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Liming Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Fei Ma
- Laboratory for Comparative Genomics and Bioinformatics & Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China.
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Zhang R, Zhu Y, Pang X, Xiao X, Zhang R, Cheng G. Regulation of Antimicrobial Peptides in Aedes aegypti Aag2 Cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:22. [PMID: 28217557 PMCID: PMC5291090 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important group of immune effectors that play a role in combating microbial infections in invertebrates. Most of the current information on the regulation of insect AMPs in microbial infection have been gained from Drosophila, and their regulation in other insects are still not completely understood. Here, we generated an AMP induction profile in response to infections with some Gram-negative, -positive bacteria, and fungi in Aedes aegypti embryonic Aag2 cells. Most of the AMP inductions caused by the gram-negative bacteria was controlled by the Immune deficiency (Imd) pathway; nonetheless, Gambicin, an AMP gene discovered only in mosquitoes, was combinatorially regulated by the Imd, Toll and JAK-STAT pathways in the Aag2 cells. Gambicin promoter analyses including specific sequence motif deletions implicated these three pathways in Gambicin activity, as shown by a luciferase assay. Moreover, the recognition between Rel1 (refer to Dif/Dorsal in Drosophila) and STAT and their regulatory sites at the Gambicin promoter site was validated by a super-shift electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Our study provides information that increases our understanding of the regulation of AMPs in response to microbial infections in mosquitoes. And it is a new finding that the A. aegypti AMPs are mainly regulated Imd pathway only, which is quite different from the previous understanding obtained from Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudian Zhang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; School of Life Science, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Yibin Zhu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; School of Life Science, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Xiaojing Pang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoping Xiao
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University Beijing, China
| | - Renli Zhang
- SZCDC-SUSTech Joint Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention Shenzhen, China
| | - Gong Cheng
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua UniversityBeijing, China; SZCDC-SUSTech Joint Key Laboratory for Tropical Diseases, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and PreventionShenzhen, China
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Zhang S, Gao B, Zhu S. Independent Origins of Scorpion Toxins Affecting Potassium and Sodium Channels. EVOLUTION OF VENOMOUS ANIMALS AND THEIR TOXINS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-6458-3_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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68
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Kubrak OI, Kučerová L, Theopold U, Nylin S, Nässel DR. Characterization of Reproductive Dormancy in Male Drosophila melanogaster. Front Physiol 2016; 7:572. [PMID: 27932997 PMCID: PMC5121231 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are known to respond to seasonal and adverse environmental changes by entering dormancy, also known as diapause. In some insect species, including Drosophila melanogaster, dormancy occurs in the adult organism and postpones reproduction. This adult dormancy has been studied in female flies where it is characterized by arrested development of ovaries, altered nutrient stores, lowered metabolism, increased stress and immune resistance and drastically extended lifespan. Male dormancy, however, has not been investigated in D. melanogaster, and its physiology is poorly known in most insects. Here we show that unmated 3-6 h old male flies placed at low temperature (11°C) and short photoperiod (10 Light:14 Dark) enter a state of dormancy with arrested spermatogenesis and development of testes and male accessory glands. Over 3 weeks of diapause we see a dynamic increase in stored carbohydrates and an initial increase and then a decrease in lipids. We also note an up-regulated expression of genes involved in metabolism, stress responses and innate immunity. Interestingly, we found that male flies that entered reproductive dormancy do not attempt to mate females kept under non-diapause conditions (25°C, 12L:12D), and conversely non-diapausing males do not mate females in dormancy. In summary, our study shows that male D. melanogaster can enter reproductive dormancy. However, our data suggest that dormant male flies deplete stored nutrients faster than females, studied earlier, and that males take longer to recover reproductive capacity after reintroduction to non-diapause conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga I Kubrak
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucie Kučerová
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrich Theopold
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sören Nylin
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dick R Nässel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
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Tarr DEK. Establishing a reference array for the CS-αβ superfamily of defensive peptides. BMC Res Notes 2016; 9:490. [PMID: 27863510 PMCID: PMC5116183 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-2291-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND "Invertebrate defensins" belong to the cysteine-stabilized alpha-beta (CS-αβ), also known as the scorpion toxin-like, superfamily. Some other peptides belonging to this superfamily of defensive peptides are indistinguishable from "defensins," but have been assigned other names, making it unclear what, if any, criteria must be met to qualify as an "invertebrate defensin." In addition, there are other groups of defensins in invertebrates and vertebrates that are considered to be evolutionarily unrelated to those in the CS-αβ superfamily. This complicates analyses and discussions of this peptide group. This paper investigates the criteria for classifying a peptide as an invertebrate defensin, suggests a reference cysteine array that may be helpful in discussing peptides in this superfamily, and proposes that the superfamily (rather than the name "defensin") is the appropriate context for studying the evolution of invertebrate defensins with the CS-αβ fold. METHODS CS-αβ superfamily sequences were identified from previous literature and BLAST searches of public databases. Sequences were retrieved from databases, and the relevant motifs were identified and used to create a conceptual alignment to a ten-cysteine reference array. Amino acid sequences were aligned in MEGA6 with manual adjustments to ensure accurate alignment of cysteines. Phylogenetic analyses were performed in MEGA6 (maximum likelihood) and MrBayes (Bayesian). RESULTS Across invertebrate taxa, the term "defensin" is not consistently applied based on number of cysteines, cysteine spacing pattern, spectrum of antimicrobial activity, or phylogenetic relationship. The analyses failed to reveal any criteria that unify "invertebrate defensins" and differentiate them from other defensive peptides in the CS-αβ superfamily. Sequences from various groups within the CS-αβ superfamily of defensive peptides can be described by a ten-cysteine reference array that aligns their defining structural motifs. CONCLUSIONS The proposed ten-cysteine reference array can be used in addition to current nomenclature to compare sequences in the CS-αβ superfamily and clarify their features relative to one another. This will facilitate analysis and discussion of "invertebrate defensins" in an appropriate evolutionary context, rather than relying on nomenclature.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Ellen K Tarr
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA.
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70
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Gao B, Zhu S. The drosomycin multigene family: three-disulfide variants from Drosophila takahashii possess antibacterial activity. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32175. [PMID: 27562645 PMCID: PMC4999892 DOI: 10.1038/srep32175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosomycin (DRS) is a strictly antifungal peptide in Drosophila melanogaster, which contains four disulfide bridges (DBs) with three buried in molecular interior and one exposed on molecular surface to tie the amino- and carboxyl-termini of the molecule together (called wrapper disulfide bridge, WDB). Based on computational analysis of genomes of Drosophila species belonging to the Oriental lineage, we identified a new multigene family of DRS in Drosphila takahashii that includes a total of 11 DRS-encoding genes (termed DtDRS-1 to DtDRS-11) and a pseudogene. Phylogenetic tree and synteny analyses reveal orthologous relationship between DtDRSs and DRSs, indicating that orthologous genes of DRS-1, DRS-2, DRS-3 and DRS-6 have undergone duplication in D. takahashii and three amplifications (DtDRS-9 to DtDRS-11) of DRS-3 have lost WDB. Among the 11 genes, five are transcriptionally active in adult fruitflies. The ortholog of DRS (DtDRS-1) shows high structural and functional similarity to DRS while two WDB-deficient members display antibacterial activity accompanying complete loss or remarkable reduction of antifungal activity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of three-disulfide antibacterial DRSs in a specific Drosophila species, suggesting a potential role of DB loss in neofunctionalization of a protein via structural adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
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Al Souhail Q, Hiromasa Y, Rahnamaeian M, Giraldo MC, Takahashi D, Valent B, Vilcinskas A, Kanost MR. Characterization and regulation of expression of an antifungal peptide from hemolymph of an insect, Manduca sexta. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2016; 61:258-68. [PMID: 26976231 PMCID: PMC4866881 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Insects secrete antimicrobial peptides as part of the innate immune response. Most antimicrobial peptides from insects have antibacterial but not antifungal activity. We have characterized an antifungal peptide, diapausin-1 from hemolymph of a lepidopteran insect, Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm). Diapausin-1 was isolated by size exclusion chromatography from hemolymph plasma of larvae that were previously injected with a yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fractions containing activity against S. cerevisiae were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF MS/MS and found to contain a 45-residue peptide that was encoded by sequences identified in M. sexta transcriptome and genome databases. A cDNA for diapausin-1 was cloned from cDNA prepared from fat body RNA. Diapausin-1 is a member of the diapausin family of peptides, which includes members known to have antifungal activity. The M. sexta genome contains 14 genes with high similarity to diapausin-1, each with 6 conserved Cys residues. Diapausin-1 was produced as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli. Purified recombinant diapausin-1 was active against S. cerevisiae, with IC50 of 12 μM, but had no detectable activity against bacteria. Spores of some plant fungal pathogens treated with diapausin-1 had curled germination tubes or reduced and branched hyphal growth. Diapausin-1 mRNA level in fat body strongly increased after larvae were injected with yeast or with Micrococcus luteus. In addition, diapausin-1 mRNA levels increased in midgut and fat body at the wandering larval stage prior to pupation, suggesting developmental regulation of the gene. Our results indicate that synthesis of diapausin-1 is part of an antifungal innate immune response to infection in M. sexta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qasim Al Souhail
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Yasuaki Hiromasa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Mohammad Rahnamaeian
- LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology and Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Giessen Winchesterstrasse 2, 35394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Martha C Giraldo
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Daisuke Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Barbara Valent
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Insect Biotechnology and Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Giessen Winchesterstrasse 2, 35394 Giessen, Germany; Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 39592 Giessen, Germany
| | - Michael R Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
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Balandin SV, Ovchinnikova TV. Antimicrobial peptides of invertebrates. Part 1. structure, biosynthesis, and evolution. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162016030055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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73
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Faruck MO, Yusof F, Chowdhury S. An overview of antifungal peptides derived from insect. Peptides 2016; 80:80-88. [PMID: 26093218 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2014] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Fungi are not classified as plants or animals. They resemble plants in many ways but do not produce chlorophyll or make their own food photosynthetically like plants. Fungi are useful for the production of beer, bread, medicine, etc. More complex than viruses or bacteria; fungi can be destructive human pathogens responsible for various diseases in humans. Most people have a strong natural immunity against fungal infection. However, fungi can cause diseases when this immunity breaks down. In the last few years, fungal infection has increased strikingly and has been accompanied by a rise in the number of deaths of cancer patients, transplant recipients, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients owing to fungal infections. The growth rate of fungi is very slow and quite difficult to identify. A series of molecules with antifungal activity against different strains of fungi have been found in insects, which can be of great importance to tackle human diseases. Insects secrete such compounds, which can be peptides, as a part of their immune defense reactions. Active antifungal peptides developed by insects to rapidly eliminate infectious pathogens are considered a component of the defense munitions. This review focuses on naturally occurring antifungal peptides from insects and their challenges to be used as armaments against human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Omer Faruck
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Faridah Yusof
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Kulliyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Silvia Chowdhury
- Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, P.O. Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Butt TM, Coates CJ, Dubovskiy IM, Ratcliffe NA. Entomopathogenic Fungi: New Insights into Host-Pathogen Interactions. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 94:307-64. [PMID: 27131329 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Although many insects successfully live in dangerous environments exposed to diverse communities of microbes, they are often exploited and killed by specialist pathogens. Studies of host-pathogen interactions (HPI) provide valuable insights into the dynamics of the highly aggressive coevolutionary arms race between entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) and their arthropod hosts. The host defenses are designed to exclude the pathogen or mitigate the damage inflicted while the pathogen responds with immune evasion and utilization of host resources. EPF neutralize their immediate surroundings on the insect integument and benefit from the physiochemical properties of the cuticle and its compounds that exclude competing microbes. EPF also exhibit adaptations aimed at minimizing trauma that can be deleterious to both host and pathogen (eg, melanization of hemolymph), form narrow penetration pegs that alleviate host dehydration and produce blastospores that lack immunogenic sugars/enzymes but facilitate rapid assimilation of hemolymph nutrients. In response, insects deploy an extensive armory of hemocytes and macromolecules, such as lectins and phenoloxidase, that repel, immobilize, and kill EPF. New evidence suggests that immune bioactives work synergistically (eg, lysozyme with antimicrobial peptides) to combat infections. Some proteins, including transferrin and apolipophorin III, also demonstrate multifunctional properties, participating in metabolism, homeostasis, and pathogen recognition. This review discusses the molecular intricacies of these HPI, highlighting the interplay between immunity, stress management, and metabolism. Increased knowledge in this area could enhance the efficacy of EPF, ensuring their future in integrated pest management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Butt
- Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - C J Coates
- Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | | | - N A Ratcliffe
- Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Lu HL, St. Leger R. Insect Immunity to Entomopathogenic Fungi. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI 2016; 94:251-85. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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76
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Moskalev A, Zhikrivetskaya S, Krasnov G, Shaposhnikov M, Proshkina E, Borisoglebsky D, Danilov A, Peregudova D, Sharapova I, Dobrovolskaya E, Solovev I, Zemskaya N, Shilova L, Snezhkina A, Kudryavtseva A. A comparison of the transcriptome of Drosophila melanogaster in response to entomopathogenic fungus, ionizing radiation, starvation and cold shock. BMC Genomics 2015; 16 Suppl 13:S8. [PMID: 26694630 PMCID: PMC4686790 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-16-s13-s8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The molecular mechanisms that determine the organism's response to a variety of doses and modalities of stress factors are not well understood. Results We studied effects of ionizing radiation (144, 360 and 864 Gy), entomopathogenic fungus (10 and 100 CFU), starvation (16 h), and cold shock (+4, 0 and -4°C) on an organism's viability indicators (survival and locomotor activity) and transcriptome changes in the Drosophila melanogaster model. All stress factors but cold shock resulted in a decrease of lifespan proportional to the dose of treatment. However, stress-factors affected locomotor activity without correlation with lifespan. Our data revealed both significant similarities and differences in differential gene expression and the activity of biological processes under the influence of stress factors. Conclusions Studied doses of stress treatments deleteriously affect the organism's viability and lead to different changes of both general and specific cellular stress response mechanisms.
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Short-term heat shock affects the course of immune response in Galleria mellonella naturally infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. J Invertebr Pathol 2015; 130:42-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2015.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Lee J, Lee D, Choi H, Kim HH, Kim H, Hwang JS, Lee DG, Kim JI. Structure-activity relationships of the intramolecular disulfide bonds in coprisin, a defensin from the dung beetle. BMB Rep 2015; 47:625-30. [PMID: 24393527 PMCID: PMC4281341 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2014.47.11.262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Defensins, which are small cationic molecules produced by organisms as part of their innate immune response, share a common structural scaffold that is stabilized by three disulfide bridges. Coprisin is a 43-amino acid defensin-like peptide from Copris tripartitus. Here, we report the intramolecular disulfide connectivity of cysteine-rich coprisin, and show that it is the same as in other insect defensins. The disulfide bond pairings of coprisin were determined by combining the enzymatic cleavage and mass analysis. We found that the loss of any single disulfide bond in coprisin eliminated all antibacterial, but not antifungal, activity. Circular dichroism (CD) analysis showed that two disulfide bonds, Cys20-Cys39 and Cys24-Cys41, stabilize coprisin's α-helical region. Moreover, a BLAST search against UniProtKB database revealed that coprisin's α-helical region is highly homologous to those of other insect defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeho Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Korea
| | - Daeun Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Korea
| | - Hyemin Choi
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus program), College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Korea
| | - Ha Hyung Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea
| | - Ho Kim
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Science, Daejin University, Pocheon 487-711, Korea
| | - Jae Sam Hwang
- Department of Agricultural Biology, Natural Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA, Suwon 441-707, Korea
| | - Dong Gun Lee
- School of Life Sciences, KNU Creative BioResearch Group (BK21 plus program), College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Korea
| | - Jae Il Kim
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Korea
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He Y, Cao X, Li K, Hu Y, Chen YR, Blissard G, Kanost MR, Jiang H. A genome-wide analysis of antimicrobial effector genes and their transcription patterns in Manduca sexta. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 62:23-37. [PMID: 25662101 PMCID: PMC4476920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial proteins/peptides (AMPs) are effectors of innate immune systems against pathogen infection in multicellular organisms. Over half of the AMPs reported so far come from insects, and these effectors act in concert to suppress or kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In this work, we have identified 86 AMP genes in the Manduca sexta genome, most of which seem likely to be functional. They encode 15 cecropins, 6 moricins, 6 defensins, 3 gallerimycins, 4 X-tox splicing variants, 14 diapausins, 15 whey acidic protein homologs, 11 attacins, 1 gloverin, 4 lebocins, 6 lysozyme-related proteins, and 4 transferrins. Some of these genes (e.g. attacins, cecropins) constitute large clusters, likely arising after rounds of gene duplication. We compared the amino acid sequences of M. sexta AMPs with their homologs in other insects to reveal conserved structural features and phylogenetic relationships. Expression data showed that many of them are synthesized in fat body and midgut during the larval-pupal molt. Certain genes contain one or more predicted κB binding sites and other regulatory elements in their promoter regions, which may account for the dramatic mRNA level increases in fat body and hemocytes after an immune challenge. Consistent with these strong mRNA increases, many AMPs become highly abundant in the larval plasma at 24 h after the challenge, as demonstrated in our previous peptidomic study. Taken together, these data suggest the existence of a large repertoire of AMPs in M. sexta, whose expression is up-regulated via immune signaling pathways to fight off invading pathogens in a coordinated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Xiaolong Cao
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Institute of Biological Sciences, Donghua University, Songjiang, Shanghai 310029, China
| | - Yingxia Hu
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Yun-ru Chen
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Gary Blissard
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michael R Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Haobo Jiang
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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80
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van de Water JAJM, Ainsworth TD, Leggat W, Bourne DG, Willis BL, van Oppen MJH. The coral immune response facilitates protection against microbes during tissue regeneration. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:3390-404. [PMID: 26095670 DOI: 10.1111/mec.13257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Increasing physical damage on coral reefs from predation, storms and anthropogenic disturbances highlights the need to understand the impact of injury on the coral immune system. In this study, we examined the regulation of the coral immune response over 10 days following physical trauma artificially inflicted on in situ colonies of the coral Acropora aspera, simultaneously with bacterial colonization of the lesions. Corals responded to injury by increasing the expression of immune system-related genes involved in the Toll-like and NOD-like receptor signalling pathways and the lectin-complement system in three phases (<2, 4 and 10 days post-injury). Phenoloxidase activity was also significantly upregulated in two phases (<3 and 10 days post-injury), as were levels of non-fluorescent chromoprotein. In addition, green fluorescent protein expression was upregulated in response to injury from 4 days post-injury, while cyan fluorescent protein expression was reduced. No shifts in the composition of coral-associated bacterial communities were evident following injury based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing. Bacteria-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization also showed no evidence of bacterial colonization of the wound or regenerating tissues. Coral tissues showed near-complete regeneration of lesions within 10 days. This study demonstrates that corals exhibit immune responses that support rapid recovery following physical injury, maintain coral microbial homeostasis and prevent bacterial infestation that may compromise coral fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen A J M van de Water
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia
| | - Tracy D Ainsworth
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
| | - William Leggat
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia
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81
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Schubert M, Houdelet M, Kogel KH, Fischer R, Schillberg S, Nölke G. Thanatin confers partial resistance against aflatoxigenic fungi in maize (Zea mays). Transgenic Res 2015; 24:885-95. [PMID: 26071308 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-015-9888-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aflatoxin-producing fungi can contaminate plants and plant-derived products with carcinogenic secondary metabolites that present a risk to human and animal health. In this study, we investigated the effect of antimicrobial peptides on the major aflatoxigenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. In vitro assays with different chemically-synthesized peptides demonstrated that the broad-spectrum peptide thanatin from the spined soldier bug (Podisus maculiventris) had the greatest potential to eliminate aflatoxigenic fungi. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of thanatin against A. flavus and A. parasiticus were 3.13 and 12.5 µM, respectively. A thanatin cDNA was subsequently cloned in a plant expression vector under the control of the ubiquitin-1 promoter allowing the recombinant peptide to be directed to the apoplast in transgenic maize plants. Successful integration of the thanatin expression cassette was confirmed by PCR and expression was demonstrated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR in transgenic maize kernels. Infection assays with maize kernels from T1 transgenic plants showed up to three-fold greater resistance against Aspergillus spp. infections compared to non-transgenic kernels. We demonstrated for the first time that heterologous expression of the antimicrobial peptide thanatin inhibits the growth of Aspergillus spp. in transgenic maize plants offering a solution to protect crops from aflatoxin-producing fungi and the resulting aflatoxin contamination in the field and under storage conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Schubert
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcel Houdelet
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Karl-Heinz Kogel
- Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rainer Fischer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Phytopathology and Applied Zoology, Justus-Liebig University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Greta Nölke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstraße 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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82
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Evans R, Dudley E, Nigam Y. Detection and partial characterization of antifungal bioactivity from the secretions of the medicinal maggot,Lucilia sericata. Wound Repair Regen 2015; 23:361-8. [DOI: 10.1111/wrr.12287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rhys Evans
- College of Human and Health Sciences; Swansea University; Swansea Wales United Kingdom
| | - Ed Dudley
- College of Medicine, Swansea University; Swansea Wales United Kingdom
| | - Yamni Nigam
- Lead, Swansea Maggot Research Group, College of Human and Health Sciences; Swansea University; Swansea Wales United Kingdom
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83
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Clemmons AW, Lindsay SA, Wasserman SA. An effector Peptide family required for Drosophila toll-mediated immunity. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1004876. [PMID: 25915418 PMCID: PMC4411088 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster, recognition of an invading pathogen activates the Toll or Imd signaling pathway, triggering robust upregulation of innate immune effectors. Although the mechanisms of pathogen recognition and signaling are now well understood, the functions of the immune-induced transcriptome and proteome remain much less well characterized. Through bioinformatic analysis of effector gene sequences, we have defined a family of twelve genes – the Bomanins (Boms) – that are specifically induced by Toll and that encode small, secreted peptides of unknown biochemical activity. Using targeted genome engineering, we have deleted ten of the twelve Bom genes. Remarkably, inactivating these ten genes decreases survival upon microbial infection to the same extent, and with the same specificity, as does eliminating Toll pathway function. Toll signaling, however, appears unaffected. Assaying bacterial load post-infection in wild-type and mutant flies, we provide evidence that the Boms are required for resistance to, rather than tolerance of, infection. In addition, by generating and assaying a deletion of a smaller subset of the Bom genes, we find that there is overlap in Bom activity toward particular pathogens. Together, these studies deepen our understanding of Toll-mediated immunity and provide a new in vivo model for exploration of the innate immune effector repertoire. Dedicated defense systems in the bodies of humans and other animals protect against dangerous microbes, such as bacteria and fungi. We study these processes in the fruit fly Drosophila, which can be readily grown and manipulated in the laboratory. In this animal, as in humans, protective activities are triggered when fragments of bacteria or fungi activate a system for defense gene regulation known as the Toll signaling pathway. The result is the large-scale production of defense molecules and, in many cases, clearance of the infection and survival of the animal. Although the systems for recognizing and initiating responses are well described, the role of many defense molecules is not understood. We have identified a group of closely related defense molecules in flies and used state-of-the-art genomic engineering to simultaneously eliminate most of the genes in the group. By comparing the effect of fungal or bacterial infection on the genetically altered flies and normal siblings, we find that this group of defense molecules is essential for disease resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa W. Clemmons
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Scott A. Lindsay
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Steven A. Wasserman
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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84
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Li Y, Zhao P, Liu H, Guo X, He H, Zhu R, Xiang Z, Xia Q. TIL-type protease inhibitors may be used as targeted resistance factors to enhance silkworm defenses against invasive fungi. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 57:11-19. [PMID: 25453359 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi penetrate the insect cuticle using their abundant hydrolases. These hydrolases, which include cuticle-degrading proteases and chitinases, are important virulence factors. Our recent findings suggest that many serine protease inhibitors, especially TIL-type protease inhibitors, are involved in insect resistance to pathogenic microorganisms. To clarify the molecular mechanism underlying this resistance to entomopathogenic fungi and identify novel genes to improve the silkworm antifungal capacity, we conducted an in-depth study of serine protease inhibitors. Here, we cloned and expressed a novel silkworm TIL-type protease inhibitor, BmSPI39. In activity assays, BmSPI39 potently inhibited the virulence protease CDEP-1 of Beauveria bassiana, suggesting that it might suppress the fungal penetration of the silkworm integument by inhibiting the cuticle-degrading proteases secreted by the fungus. Phenol oxidase activation studies showed that melanization is involved in the insect immune response to fungal invasion, and that fungus-induced excessive melanization is suppressed by BmSPI39 by inhibiting the fungal cuticle-degrading proteases. To better understand the mechanism involved in the inhibition of fungal virulence by protease inhibitors, their effects on the germination of B. bassiana conidia was examined. BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 significantly inhibited the germination of B. bassiana conidia. Survival assays showed that BmSPI38 and BmSPI39 markedly improved the survival rates of silkworms, and can therefore be used as targeted resistance proteins in the silkworm. These results provided new insight into the molecular mechanisms whereby insect protease inhibitors confer resistance against entomopathogenic fungi, suggesting their potential application in medicinal or agricultural fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youshan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China; Vitamin D Research Institute, Shannxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723001, Shannxi Province, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Huawei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Xiaomeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Huawei He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- School of Management, Shannxi University of Technology, Hanzhong 723001, Shannxi Province, China
| | - Zhonghuai Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Qingyou Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
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85
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Stokes BA, Yadav S, Shokal U, Smith LC, Eleftherianos I. Bacterial and fungal pattern recognition receptors in homologous innate signaling pathways of insects and mammals. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:19. [PMID: 25674081 PMCID: PMC4309185 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to bacterial and fungal infections in insects and mammals, distinct families of innate immune pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) initiate highly complex intracellular signaling cascades. Those cascades induce a variety of immune functions that restrain the spread of microbes in the host. Insect and mammalian innate immune receptors include molecules that recognize conserved microbial molecular patterns. Innate immune recognition leads to the recruitment of adaptor molecules forming multi-protein complexes that include kinases, transcription factors, and other regulatory molecules. Innate immune signaling cascades induce the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides and other key factors that mount and regulate the immune response against microbial challenge. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the bacterial and fungal PRRs for homologous innate signaling pathways of insects and mammals in an effort to provide a framework for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany A Stokes
- Insect Infection and Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Shruti Yadav
- Insect Infection and Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Upasana Shokal
- Insect Infection and Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
| | - L C Smith
- Insect Infection and Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Insect Infection and Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
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86
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Quantitative profiling of Drosophila melanogaster Dscam1 isoforms reveals no changes in splicing after bacterial exposure. PLoS One 2014; 9:e108660. [PMID: 25310676 PMCID: PMC4195611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypervariable Dscam1 (Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule 1) gene can produce thousands of different ectodomain isoforms via mutually exclusive alternative splicing. Dscam1 appears to be involved in the immune response of some insects and crustaceans. It has been proposed that the diverse isoforms may be involved in the recognition of, or the defence against, diverse parasite epitopes, although evidence to support this is sparse. A prediction that can be generated from this hypothesis is that the gene expression of specific exons and/or isoforms is influenced by exposure to an immune elicitor. To test this hypothesis, we for the first time, use a long read RNA sequencing method to directly investigate the Dscam1 splicing pattern after exposing adult Drosophila melanogaster and a S2 cell line to live Escherichia coli. After bacterial exposure both models showed increased expression of immune-related genes, indicating that the immune system had been activated. However there were no changes in total Dscam1 mRNA expression. RNA sequencing further showed that there were no significant changes in individual exon expression and no changes in isoform splicing patterns in response to bacterial exposure. Therefore our studies do not support a change of D. melanogaster Dscam1 isoform diversity in response to live E. coli. Nevertheless, in future this approach could be used to identify potentially immune-related Dscam1 splicing regulation in other host species or in response to other pathogens.
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87
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Effects of caste on the expression of genes associated with septic injury and xenobiotic exposure in the Formosan subterranean termite. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105582. [PMID: 25141339 PMCID: PMC4139394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
As social insects, termites live in densely populated colonies with specialized castes under conditions conducive to microbial growth and transmission. Furthermore, termites are exposed to xenobiotics in soil and their lignocellulose diet. Therefore, termites are valuable models for studying gene expression involved in response to septic injury, immunity and detoxification in relation to caste membership. In this study, workers and soldiers of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, were challenged by bacterial injection or by no-choice feeding with a sublethal concentration (0.5%) of phenobarbital. Constitutive and induced expression of six putative immune response genes (two encoding for lectin-like proteins, one for a ficolin-precursor, one for the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, one for a chitin binding protein, and one for the gram-negative binding protein 2) and four putative detoxification genes (two encoding for cytochrome P450s, one for glutathione S-transferase, and one for the multi antimicrobial extrusion protein), were measured via quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and compared within and among 1) colonies, 2) treatment types and 3) castes via ANOVA. Eight genes were inducible by septic injury, feeding with phenobarbital or both. Colony origin had no effect on inducibility or differential gene expression. However, treatment type showed significant effects on the expression of the eight inducible genes. Caste effects on expression levels were significant in five of the eight inducible genes with constitutive and induced expression of most target genes being higher in workers than in soldiers.
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88
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Chemical synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and properties of shepherin I: a fungicidal peptide enriched in glycine-glycine-histidine motifs. Amino Acids 2014; 46:2573-86. [PMID: 25106507 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-014-1811-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Although glycine-rich antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found in animals and plants, very little has been reported on their chemistry, structure activity-relationship, and properties. We investigated those topics for Shepherin I (Shep I), a glycine-rich AMP with the unique amino acid sequence G(1)YGGHGGHGGHGGHGGHGGHGHGGGGHG(28). Shep I and analogues were synthesized by the solid-phase method at 60 °C using conventional heating. Purification followed by chemical characterization confirmed the products' identities and high purity. Amino acid analysis provided their peptide contents. All peptides were active against the clinically important Candida species, but ineffective against bacteria and mycelia fungi. Truncation of the N- or C-terminal portion reduced Shep I antifungal activity, the latter being more pronounced. Carboxyamidation of Shep I did not affect the activity against C. albicans or C. tropicalis, but increased activity against S. cerevisiae. Carboxyamidated analogues Shep I (3-28)a and Shep I (6-28)a were equipotent to Shep I and Shep Ia against Candida species. As with most cationic AMPs, all peptides had their activity significantly reduced in high-salt concentrations, a disadvantage that is defeated if 10 µM ZnCl2 is present. At 100 µM, the peptides were practically not hemolytic. Shep Ia also killed C. albicans MDM8 and ATCC 90028 cells. Fluo-Shep Ia, an analogue labeled with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, was rapidly internalized by C. albicans MDM8 cells, a salt-sensitive process dependent on metabolic energy and temperature. Altogether, such results shed light on the chemistry, structural requirements for activity, and other properties of candidacidal glycine-rich peptides. Furthermore, they show that Shep Ia may have strong potential for use in topical application.
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89
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Control of Drosophila blood cell activation via Toll signaling in the fat body. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102568. [PMID: 25102059 PMCID: PMC4125153 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Toll signaling pathway, first discovered in Drosophila, has a well-established role in immune responses in insects as well as in mammals. In Drosophila, the Toll-dependent induction of antimicrobial peptide production has been intensely studied as a model for innate immune responses in general. Besides this humoral immune response, Toll signaling is also known to activate blood cells in a reaction that is similar to the cellular immune response to parasite infections, but the mechanisms of this response are poorly understood. Here we have studied this response in detail, and found that Toll signaling in several different tissues can activate a cellular immune defense, and that this response does not require Toll signaling in the blood cells themselves. Like in the humoral immune response, we show that Toll signaling in the fat body (analogous to the liver in vertebrates) is of major importance in the Toll-dependent activation of blood cells. However, this Toll-dependent mechanism of blood cell activation contributes very little to the immune response against the parasitoid wasp, Leptopilina boulardi, probably because the wasp is able to suppress Toll induction. Other redundant pathways may be more important in the defense against this pathogen.
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90
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Murad S. Toll-like receptor 4 in inflammation and angiogenesis: a double-edged sword. Front Immunol 2014; 5:313. [PMID: 25071774 PMCID: PMC4083339 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sheeba Murad
- Molecular Immunology Lab, Health Care Biotech Department, Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology , Islamabad , Pakistan
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91
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Gene Expression of a Novel Defensin Antimicrobial Peptide in the Silkworm,Bombyx mori. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2014; 72:2353-61. [DOI: 10.1271/bbb.80263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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92
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Zhu S, Gao B. Nematode-derived drosomycin-type antifungal peptides provide evidence for plant-to-ecdysozoan horizontal transfer of a disease resistance gene. Nat Commun 2014; 5:3154. [DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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93
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Zhu S, Peigneur S, Gao B, Umetsu Y, Ohki S, Tytgat J. Experimental conversion of a defensin into a neurotoxin: implications for origin of toxic function. Mol Biol Evol 2014; 31:546-59. [PMID: 24425781 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msu038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Scorpion K(+) channel toxins and insect defensins share a conserved three-dimensional structure and related biological activities (defense against competitors or invasive microbes by disrupting their membrane functions), which provides an ideal system to study how functional evolution occurs in a conserved structural scaffold. Using an experimental approach, we show that the deletion of a small loop of a parasitoid venom defensin possessing the "scorpion toxin signature" (STS) can remove steric hindrance of peptide-channel interactions and result in a neurotoxin selectively inhibiting K(+) channels with high affinities. This insect defensin-derived toxin adopts a hallmark scorpion toxin fold with a common cysteine-stabilized α-helical and β-sheet motif, as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Mutations of two key residues located in STS completely diminish or significantly decrease the affinity of the toxin on the channels, demonstrating that this toxin binds to K(+) channels in the same manner as scorpion toxins. Taken together, these results provide new structural and functional evidence supporting the predictability of toxin evolution. The experimental strategy is the first employed to establish an evolutionary relationship of two distantly related protein families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Animal Innate Immunity, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects & Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
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94
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Imler JL. Overview of Drosophila immunity: a historical perspective. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 42:3-15. [PMID: 24012863 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2013.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The functional analysis of genes from the model organism Drosophila melanogaster has provided invaluable information for many cellular and developmental or physiological processes, including immunity. The best-understood aspect of Drosophila immunity is the inducible humoral response, first recognized in 1972. This pioneering work led to a remarkable series of findings over the next 30 years, ranging from the identification and characterization of the antimicrobial peptides produced, to the deciphering of the signalling pathways activating the genes that encode them and, ultimately, to the discovery of the receptors sensing infection. These studies on an insect model coincided with a revival of the field of innate immunity, and had an unanticipated impact on the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Imler
- Faculté des Sciences de la Vie, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; UPR9022 du CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France.
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95
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Lindsay SA, Wasserman SA. Conventional and non-conventional Drosophila Toll signaling. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 42:16-24. [PMID: 23632253 PMCID: PMC3787077 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2013.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Revised: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of Toll in Drosophila and of the remarkable conservation in pathway composition and organization catalyzed a transformation in our understanding of innate immune recognition and response. At the center of that picture is a cascade of interactions in which specific microbial cues activate Toll receptors, which then transmit signals driving transcription factor nuclear localization and activity. Experiments gave substance to the vision of pattern recognition receptors, linked phenomena in development, gene regulation, and immunity into a coherent whole, and revealed a rich set of variations for identifying non-self and responding effectively. More recently, research in Drosophila has illuminated the positive and negative regulation of Toll activation, the organization of signaling events at and beneath membranes, the sorting of information flow, and the existence of non-conventional signaling via Toll-related receptors. Here, we provide an overview of the Toll pathway of flies and highlight these ongoing realms of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Lindsay
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0349, USA
| | - Steven A. Wasserman
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0349, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel: 858-822-2408.
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96
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Extensive differences in antifungal immune response in two Drosophila species revealed by comparative transcriptome analysis. Int J Genomics 2013; 2013:542139. [PMID: 24151578 PMCID: PMC3782847 DOI: 10.1155/2013/542139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 08/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system of Drosophila is activated by ingestion of microorganisms. D. melanogaster breeds on fruits fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas D. virilis breeds on slime flux and decaying bark of tree housing a variety of bacteria, yeasts, and molds. In this study, it is shown that D. virilis has a higher resistance to oral infection of a species of filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Penicillium compared to D. melanogaster. In response to the fungal infection, a transcriptome profile of immune-related genes was considerably different between D. melanogaster and D. virilis: the genes encoding antifungal peptides, Drosomycin and Metchnikowin, were highly expressed in D. melanogaster whereas, the genes encoding Diptericin and Defensin were highly expressed in D. virilis. On the other hand, the immune-induced molecule (IM) genes showed contrary expression patterns between the two species: they were induced by the fungal infection in D. melanogaster but tended to be suppressed in D. virilis. Our transcriptome analysis also showed newly predicted immune-related genes in D. virilis. These results suggest that the innate immune system has been extensively differentiated during the evolution of these Drosophila species.
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Wu T, Tang D, Chen W, Huang H, Wang R, Chen Y. Expression of antimicrobial peptides thanatin(S) in transgenic Arabidopsis enhanced resistance to phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. Gene 2013; 527:235-42. [PMID: 23820081 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2012] [Revised: 06/08/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Thanatin(S) is an analog of thanatin, an insect antimicrobial peptide possessing strong and broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. In order to investigate if the thanatin could be used in engineering transgenic plants for increased resistance against phytopathogens, the synthetic thanatin(S) was introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana plants. To increase the expression level of thanatin(S) in plants, the coding sequence was optimized by plant-preference codon. To avoid cellular protease degradation, signal peptide of rice Cht1 was fused to N terminal of thanatin(S) for secreting the expressed thanatin(S) into intercellular spaces. To evaluate the application value of thanatin(S) in plant disease control, the synthesized coding sequence of Cht1 signal peptide (Cht1SP)-thanatin(S) was ligated to plant gateway destination binary vectors pGWB11 (with FLAG tag). Meanwhile, in order to observe the subcellular localization of Cht1SP-thanatin(S)-GFP and thanatin(S)-GFP, the sequences of Cht1SP-thanatin(S) and thanatin(S) were respectively linked to pGWB5 (with GFP tag). The constructs were transformed into Arabidopsis ecotype Col-0 and mutant pad4-1 via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The transformants with Cht1SP-thanatin(S)-FLAG fusion gene were analyzed by genomic PCR, real-time PCR, and western blots and the transgenic Arabidopsis plants introduced respectively Cht1SP-thanatin(S)-GFP and thanatin(S)-GFP were observed by confocal microscopy. Transgenic plants expressing Cht1SP-thanatin(S)-FLAG fusion protein showed antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea and powdery mildew, as well as antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. And the results from confocal observation showed that the GFP signal from Cht1SP-thanatin(S)-GFP transgenic Arabidopsis plants occurred mainly in intercellular space, while that from thanatin(S)-GFP transgenic plants was mainly detected in the cytoplasm and that from empty vector transgenic plants was distributed uniformly throughout the cell, demonstrating that Cht1 signal peptide functioned. In addition, thanatin(S) and thanatin(S)-FLAG chemically synthesized have both in vitro antimicrobial activities against P. syringae pv. tomato and B. cinerea. So, thanatin(S) is an ideal candidate AMPs for the construction of transgenic crops endowed with a broad-spectrum resistance to phytopathogens and the strategy is feasible to link a signal peptide to the target gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingquan Wu
- Vegetable Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Imler JL. WITHDRAWN: Overview of Drosophila immunity: A historical perspective. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2013:S0145-305X(13)00128-6. [PMID: 23665509 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2013.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Imler
- Faculté des Sciences de la Vie, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; UPR9022 du CNRS, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France.
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Quintin J, Asmar J, Matskevich AA, Lafarge MC, Ferrandon D. The Drosophila Toll pathway controls but does not clear Candida glabrata infections. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2013; 190:2818-27. [PMID: 23401590 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenicity of Candida glabrata to patients remains poorly understood for lack of convenient animal models to screen large numbers of mutants for altered virulence. In this study, we explore the minihost model Drosophila melanogaster from the dual perspective of host and pathogen. As in vertebrates, wild-type flies contain C. glabrata systemic infections yet are unable to kill the injected yeasts. As for other fungal infections in Drosophila, the Toll pathway restrains C. glabrata proliferation. Persistent C. glabrata yeasts in wild-type flies do not appear to be able to take shelter in hemocytes from the action of the Toll pathway, the effectors of which remain to be identified. Toll pathway mutant flies succumb to injected C. glabrata. In this immunosuppressed background, cellular defenses provide a residual level of protection. Although both the Gram-negative binding protein 3 pattern recognition receptor and the Persephone protease-dependent detection pathway are required for Toll pathway activation by C. glabrata, only GNBP3, and not psh mutants, are susceptible to the infection. Both Candida albicans and C. glabrata are restrained by the Toll pathway, yet the comparative study of phenoloxidase activation reveals a differential activity of the Toll pathway against these two fungal pathogens. Finally, we establish that the high-osmolarity glycerol pathway and yapsins are required for virulence of C. glabrata in this model. Unexpectedly, yapsins do not appear to be required to counteract the cellular immune response but are needed for the colonization of the wild-type host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Quintin
- Unité Propre de Recherche 9022 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, F67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France
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Moreau SJM. "It stings a bit but it cleans well": venoms of Hymenoptera and their antimicrobial potential. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 59:186-204. [PMID: 23073394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Revised: 10/01/2012] [Accepted: 10/04/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Venoms from Hymenoptera display a wide range of functions and biological roles. These notably include manipulation of the host, capture of prey and defense against competitors and predators thanks to endocrine and immune systems disruptors, neurotoxic, cytolytic and pain-inducing venom components. Recent works indicate that many hymenopteran species, whatever their life style, have also evolved a venom with properties which enable it to regulate microbial infections, both in stinging and stung animals. In contrast to biting insects and their salivary glands, stinging Hymenoptera seem to constitute an under-exploited ecological niche for agents of vector-borne disease. Few parasitic or mutualistic microorganisms have been reported to be hosted by venom-producing organs or to be transmitted to stung animals. This may result from the presence of potent antimicrobial molecules in venoms, histological features of venom apparatuses and selective effects of venoms on immune defenses of targeted organisms. The present paper reviews for the first time the venom antimicrobial potential of solitary and social Hymenoptera in molecular, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien J M Moreau
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, CNRS UMR 7261, Université François-Rabelais, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Parc Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France.
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