Immune gene discovery by expressed sequence tag analysis of hemocytes and hepatopancreas in the Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, and the Atlantic White Shrimp, L. setiferus

A mannose-specific C-type lectin from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis exhibited antimicrobial activity to mediate shrimp innate immunity

Being one type of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), lectins exhibit a crucial role in the defense mechanism of invertebrates which are deficient in an adaptive immune system. A new C-type lectin called FmLC3 was isolated from hepatopancreas of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis by cloning approaches, RT-PCR and 5' and 3' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends). A full-length cDNA of FmLC3 contains 607 bp with one open reading frame of 480bp, encoding a 159-amino acids peptide. The predicted primary structure of FmLC3 is composed of a signal peptide, a carbohydrate recognition domain with an EPN motif and one Ca²⁺ binding site-2, including a double-loop region assisted by two conserved disulfide linkages. FmLC3 had a molecular mass of 17.96kDa and pI of 4.92. In normal or unchallenged shrimp, the mRNA expression of FmLC3 was detected only in hepatopancreas whilst its native proteins were found in hemolymph, heart, stomach and intestine but not in the expressed tissue, indicating that after being synthesized in hepatopancreas, FmLC3 would be secreted to other tissues. The significant up-regulation of FmLC3 was manifested in shrimp challenged with Vibrio harveyi or white spot syndrome virus. After knockdown with gene-specific double-stranded RNA and following by co-pathogenic inoculation, the FmLC3 expression was severely suppressed with coherence of increasing in cumulative mortality and reduction of the median lethal time. Recombinant FmLC3 (rFmLC3) had agglutinating activity towards diverse bacterial strains in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. Its activity was inhibited by lipopolysaccharide and mannose, implying that FmLC3 was mannose-binding C-type lectin. Moreover, rFmLC3 could bind directly to various microbial strains with Ca²⁺-requirement. Otherwise, rFmLC3 exhibited the antimicrobial activity by inhibiting effectively the microbial growth in vitro. All these results signified that FmLC3 might act as PRR to recognize with a broad specificity for diverse pathogens, and contribute in shrimp immune response via the agglutination, binding and antimicrobial activity.

Lipopolysaccharide-specific binding C-type lectin with one CRD domain from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis (FmLC4) functions as a pattern recognition receptor in shrimp innate immunity

In crustaceans, an innate immune system is solely required because they lack an adaptive immunity. One kind of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that plays a particular role in the innate immunity of aquatic shrimp is lectin. A new diverse C-type lectin (FmLC4) was cloned from the hepatopancreas of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis by using RT-PCR and 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends approaches. A full-length FmLC4 cDNA comprises 706 bp with an open reading frame of 552 bp, encoding a peptide of 184 amino acids. The predicted primary sequence of FmLC4 consists of a signal peptide of 19 amino acids, a molecular mass of 20.4 kDa, an isoelectric point of 5.13, one carbohydrate recognition domain with a QPD motif and a Ca²⁺ binding site as well as a double-loop characteristic supported by two conserved disulfide bonds. The FmLC4 mRNA expression was found only in the hepatopancreas of normal shrimp and significantly up-regulated upon challenge the shrimp with Vibrio harveyi or white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Recombinant FmLC4 (rFmLC4) could agglutinate various bacterial strains with Ca²⁺-dependence. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could specifically inhibit the agglutinating activity and potently bind to rFmLC4, indicating that FmLC4 was LPS-specific binding C-type lectin. Moreover, rFmLC4 itself displayed the in vivo effective clearance of the pathogenic bacterium V. harveyi. Altogether, FmLC4 may serve as LPS-specific PRR to recognize opportunistic bacterial and viral pathogens, and thus to play a role in the immune defense of aquatic shrimp via the binding and agglutination.

Antimicrobial peptides in marine invertebrate health and disease

Aquaculture contributes more than one-third of the animal protein from marine sources worldwide. A significant proportion of aquaculture products are derived from marine protostomes that are commonly referred to as 'marine invertebrates'. Among them, penaeid shrimp (Ecdysozosoa, Arthropoda) and bivalve molluscs (Lophotrochozoa, Mollusca) are economically important. Mass rearing of arthropods and molluscs causes problems with pathogens in aquatic ecosystems that are exploited by humans. Remarkably, species of corals (Cnidaria) living in non-exploited ecosystems also suffer from devastating infectious diseases that display intriguing similarities with those affecting farmed animals. Infectious diseases affecting wild and farmed animals that are present in marine environments are predicted to increase in the future. This paper summarizes the role of the main pathogens and their interaction with host immunity, with a specific focus on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and pathogen resistance against AMPs. We provide a detailed review of penaeid shrimp AMPs and their role at the interface between the host and its resident/pathogenic microbiota. We also briefly describe the relevance of marine invertebrate AMPs in an applied context.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'.

Transcriptional responses in the hepatopancreas of Eriocheir sinensis exposed to deltamethrin

Deltamethrin is an important pesticide widely used against ectoparasites. Deltamethrin contamination has resulted in a threat to the healthy breeding of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. In this study, we investigated transcriptional responses in the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis exposed to deltamethrin. We obtained 99,087,448, 89,086,478, and 100,117,958 raw sequence reads from control 1, control 2, and control 3 groups, and 92,094,972, 92,883,894, and 92,500,828 raw sequence reads from test 1, test 2, and test 3 groups, respectively. After filtering and quality checking of the raw sequence reads, our analysis yielded 79,228,354, 72,336,470, 81,859,826, 77,649,400, 77,194,276, and 75,697,016 clean reads with a mean length of 150 bp from the control and test groups. After deltamethrin treatment, a total of 160 and 167 genes were significantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Gene ontology terms "biological process," "cellular component," and "molecular function" were enriched with respect to cell killing, cellular process, other organism part, cell part, binding, and catalytic. Pathway analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that the metabolic pathways were significantly enriched. We found that the CYP450 enzyme system, carboxylesterase, glutathione-S-transferase, and material (including carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and other substances) metabolism played important roles in the metabolism of deltamethrin in the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis. This study revealed differentially expressed genes related to insecticide metabolism and detoxification in E. sinensis for the first time and will help in understanding the toxicity and molecular metabolic mechanisms of deltamethrin in E. sinensis.

Transcriptomic analysis of the hepatopancreas induced by eyestalk ablation in shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

Although eyestalk ablation (ESA) is currently considered the most effective method to facilitate molting and maturation, its physiological responses are still not clearly explained in decapod crustaceans. In this study, we analyzed the hepatopancreatic transcriptomes of Litopenaeus vannamei after ESA using the Illumina Miseq platform. After screening 53,029 contigs with high cutoff values (fold change>|10|; P-value<0.05; RPKM>1), we were able to identify 105 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 100 were up-regulated and five were down-regulated. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that many DEGs were involved in the synthetic pathways for glycerol and trehalose, which are known to function as the major protectants under conditions of low temperature and osmotic stress in arthropods. Additional analysis of the other DEGs enabled us to classify them in four categories: immunity; cellular trafficking; transcriptional regulation; molting and maturation. Many DEGs were involved in immunity and stress responses, in particular the proPO activation system, which is the major immune and wound-healing system in arthropods. In addition to immunity and stress responses, we were also able to identify DEGs involved in molting and maturation processes (e.g., group I chitinase), as well as those involved in hormone metabolism and trafficking. Collectively, based on the transcriptomic analysis, ESA causes not only stress and immune responses, but also molting and maturation in L. vannamei. The DEGs identified in this study could be useful markers to understand the physiological responses that ESA induces in shrimp, such as molting, maturation, and immunity.

Characterization and antimicrobial evaluation of SpPR-AMP1, a proline-rich antimicrobial peptide from the mud crab Scylla paramamosain

Antimicrobial peptide (AMP) is an important molecule in the innate immune system. Here, we report the cloning and functional studies of proline-rich AMPs (PR-AMPs) from the three species of mud crab: Scylla paramamosain, S. serrata, and the swimming crab Portunus pelagicus. The deduced peptides revealed that they contain the putative signal peptides and encode for mature peptides, which contain sequence architecture similar to a 6.5-kDa proline-rich AMP of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas which showed similarity with the bactenecin7. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that the SpPR-AMP1 was expressed in a wide range of adult tissues, with the highest expression levels in the crab hemocyte. Challenge experiments showed that the levels of SpPR-AMP1 mRNA expression were up-regulated in the hemocyte after peptidoglycan stimulation. To evaluate the biological properties of mature SpPR-AMP1, peptides were chemically synthesized and recombinantly expressed. SpPR-AMP1 showed strong antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria Micrococcus luteus and Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio harveyi. The results indicate that the SpPR-AMP1 plays a role in crab immunity.

A C1qDC Protein (HcC1qDC6) with Three Tandem C1q Domains Is Involved in Immune Response of Triangle-Shell Pearl Mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii)

C1q-domain-containing (C1qDC) proteins are a family of proteins with a globular C1q (gC1q) domain and participate in several immune responses. In this study, a C1qDC gene was identified from the triangle-shell pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii (designated as HcC1qDC6). This gene has a full-length cDNA of 1782 bp and an open reading frame of 1,335 bp that encodes a 444-amino acid polypeptide containing three gC1q domains. HcC1qDC6 contains at least five exons and four introns. The mRNA transcripts of HcC1qDC6 were found to have the highest expression levels in the mantle tissue. The expression levels in the mantle and hepatopancreas were significantly upregulated by Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenges. Moreover, knockdown of HcC1qDC6 inhibits the expression of two immune-related genes (tumor necrosis factor and whey acidic protein). The recombinant proteins of C1q1, C1q2, and C1q3 all exhibit a binding activity against seven bacterial species and directly bind to peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide. The results indicate that HcC1qDC6 is involved in the innate immunity of H. cumingii.

A novel anti-lipopolysaccharide factor SpALF6 in mud crab Scylla paramamosain exhibiting different antimicrobial activity from its single amino acid mutant

In crustaceans, anti-lipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) are important immune effectors that have sequence diversity and exhibit broad antimicrobial activities. In this study, we characterized a novel ALF homolog SpALF6 from mud crab Scylla paramamosain and its variant SpALF6-V, which was generated by mutations of two amino acids (H46 to R and A110 to P) due to the presence of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SpALF6 was an anionic peptide with isoelectric point (pI) 6.79, whereas SpALF6-V was a cationic protein with pI 7.98. These two proteins shared a common lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding domain (LBD) with pI 6.05. SpALF6 was expressed mainly in hemocytes and up-regulated by Vibrio parahaemolyticus or Staphylococcus aureus challenge, indicating that SpALF6 may participate in the antibacterial immune responses. To investigate the likely functional differences between SpALF6 and SpALF6-V and elucidate the underlying mechanisms, a single amino acid mutant SpALF6-M (from H46 to R, outside but very close to LBD), which had the same pI as SpALF6-V, was harvested by a fusion PCR. Then, both SpALF6 and SpALF6-M were overexpressed and purified to test antimicrobial activity and binding activity to microbial cells or polysaccharides. SpALF6-M exhibited more potent antimicrobial and cell-binding activity on Gram-positive bacteria and fungi than SpALF6. Furthermore, SpALF6-M possessed stronger lipoteichoic acid (LTA)-binding activity than SpALF6, demonstrating that this particular positively charged amino acid outside but close to LBD contributed to the increase in SpALF6-M antibacterial activity. In addition, SpALF6 LBD peptide and its biotin-labeled form were synthesized in this study. Results showed that this anionic LBD peptide itself did not exhibit any significant antimicrobial activity against 10 kinds of microorganisms but it possessed strong binding activity to LPS, LTA, and peptidoglycan. These findings suggested that this anionic LBD was still an important active center and required collaboration with some particular positively charged amino acids outside LBD to exhibit antibacterial activity. Thus, SpALF6-M antimicrobial activity was increased by the mutation of H46 to R instead of A110 to P, which did not change the protein charge, suggesting that SpALF6-V may have more potent antimicrobial activity than SpALF6 and play more important roles in antibacterial immunity. This study provided a new insight into the mechanisms of how ALF amino acid sequence diversity resulted in their functional divergence.

Molecular cloning, expression and antioxidative activity of 2-cys-peroxiredoxin from freshwater mussel Cristaria plicata

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) play an important role against various oxidative stresses by catalyzing the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and organic hydroperoxides to less harmful form. A 2-cys peroxiredoxin, designated as CpPrx, was cloned from hemocytes of freshwater mussel Cristaria plicata. The full length cDNA of CpPrx is 1247 bp, which includes an open reading frame (ORF) of 591bp, encoding 196 amino acids. CpPrx possesses two conserved cysteine residues (Cys49, Cys170). The deduced amino acid sequence of CpPrx showed a high level (67-74%) of sequence similarity to 2-Cys Prxs from other species. The results of real-time quantitative PCR revealed that CpPrx mRNA was constitutively expressed in tissues, and the highest expression levels were in hepatopancreas and gills. After peptidoglycan (PGN) and Aeromonas hydrophila challenge, the expression levels of CpPrx mRNA were up-regulated in hemocytes and hepatopancreas. The cDNA of CpPrx was cloned into the plasmid pET-32, and the recombinant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Comparison with DE3-pET-32 and DE3 strain, the cells of DE3-pET-32-CpPrx exhibited resistance to the concentration of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 mmoL/L H₂O₂ in vivo.

Characterization of three caspases and their pathogen-induced expression pattern in Portunus trituberculatus

Caspases are a family of proteases involved in many important biological processes including apoptosis and inflammation. In this study, we analyzed the expression patterns and effects on immune response in various tissues of the edible crab Portunus trituberculatus. PtCas 2, PtCas 3 and PtCas 4 share overall sequence identities of 55.88%-74.86%, 8.47%-46.54% and 20.11%-50.87%, respectively, with their other crustacean species. PtCas 2, PtCas 3 and PtCas 4 have the same caspase domain and catalytic site found in known caspases. The expression levels of the three caspases differed between tissues. Following bacterial and viral infection, the expression levels of the three caspases reached a maximum level at 24 h post-infection (hpi) in case of bacteria, whereas it was 48 hpi in virus. Moreover, the WSSV, Vibrio alginolyticus or V. parahaemolyticus induced the activities of PtCas 2-4 in a time-dependent manner. These results indicate an involvement of caspases in bacterial and viral induced immune response and demonstrate for the first time that PtCas 2, PtCas 3 and PtCas 4 are essential for optimal response to bacterial and virus infection in crabs.

Comparative genomic analysis of innate immunity reveals novel and conserved components in crustacean food crop species

BACKGROUND

Growing global demands for crustacean food crop species have driven large investments in aquaculture research worldwide. However, large-scale production is susceptible to pathogen-mediated destruction particularly in developing economies. Thus, a thorough understanding of the immune system components of food crop species is imperative for research to combat pathogens.

RESULTS

Through a comparative genomics approach utilising extant data from 55 species, we describe the innate immune system of the class Malacostraca, which includes all food crop species. We identify 7407 malacostracan genes from 39 gene families implicated in different aspects of host defence and demonstrate dynamic evolution of innate immunity components within this group. Malacostracans have achieved flexibility in recognising infectious agents through divergent evolution and expansion of pathogen recognition receptors genes. Antiviral RNAi, Toll and JAK-STAT signal transduction pathways have remained conserved within Malacostraca, although the Imd pathway appears to lack several key components. Immune effectors such as the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have unique evolutionary profiles, with many malacostracan AMPs not found in other arthropods. Lastly, we describe four putative novel immune gene families, potentially representing important evolutionary novelties of the malacostracan immune system.

CONCLUSION

Our analyses across the broader Malacostraca have allowed us to not only draw analogies with other arthropods but also to identify evolutionary novelties in immune modulation components and form strong hypotheses as to when key pathways have evolved or diverged. This will serve as a key resource for future immunology research in crustacean food crops.

Increased nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity induces white spot syndrome virus infection in Litopenaeus vannamei

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDK), which has the same sequence as oncoprotein (OP) in humans, can induce nucleoside triphosphates in DNA replication by maintenance of the deoxynucleotide triphosphate (dNTP’s) and is known to be regulated by viral infection in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. This paper describes the relationship between NDK and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. The recombinant NDK was produced by a prokaryotic expression system. WSSV copy numbers and mRNA levels of IE1 and VP28 were significantly increased in shrimp injected with recombinant NDK at 72 h after WSSV infection. After synthesizing dsRNA-NDK and confirming the efficacy of NDK silencing, we recorded the cumulative mortality of WSSV-infected shrimp injected with NDK and dsRNA-NDK. A comparison between the results demonstrated that silencing NDK delayed the death of shrimps. These findings indicate that NDK has an important role influencing the replication of WSSV replication in shrimp. Furthermore, NDK may have potential target as a new therapeutic strategy against WSSV infection in shrimp.

Characterization and functional analysis of a novel C-type lectin from the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus

C-type lectins (CTLs) are a family of calcium-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins. In the present study, a novel C-type lectin (designated as PtCTL1) was identified and characterized from Portunus trituberculatus. The full-length cDNA of PtCTL1 was of 702 bp, containing a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 91 bp, a 3' UTR of 110 bp with a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 501 bp encoding a polypeptide of 166 amino acids with a putative signaling peptide of 21 amino acids. A C-type lectin carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) containing four conserved cysteines was identified in the amino acid sequence of PtCTL1. The cDNA fragment encoding the mature peptide of PtCTL1 was recombined into pET-21a(+) with a C-terminal hexa-histidine tag fused in-frame and expressed in Escherichia coli Origami (DE3). The recombinant PtCTL1 (rPtCTL1) can agglutinate all the tested bacteria, including three Gram-positive bacterial strains and three Gram-negative bacterial strains. In addition, erythrocyte agglutination and LPS-binding activity were observed in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner. The erythrocyte agglutination was inhibited by EDTA, indicating that PtCTL1 was Ca²⁺-dependent. The mRNA transcripts of PtCTL1 were detected mainly in the tissues of hepatopancreas and hemocytes and its levels were significantly up-regulated in hemocytes following Vibrio alginolyticus challenge. These results indicate that PtCTL1 may function as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) for protecting P. trituberculatus from bacterial infection. Moreover, such findings also provide evidence for further understanding the innate immunology of invertebrate.

Lipopolysaccharide- and β-1,3-glucan-binding protein from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis functions as a pattern recognition receptor with a broad specificity for diverse pathogens in the defense against microorganisms

In crustaceans, lipopolysaccharide- and β-1,3-glucan-binding protein (LGBP) plays an important role in innate immunity by mediating the recognition of pathogens to host cells. Hereby, LGBP was cloned from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis hepatopancreas. Its full-length cDNA (1280 bp) had an open reading frame of 1101 bp, encoding a peptide of 366 amino acids. The LGBP primary structure comprises a recognition motif for β-1,3-linkage of polysaccharides, two integrin binding motifs, a kinase C phosphorylation site and a bacterial glucanase motif. The LGBP mRNA was strongly expressed in hepatopancreas and significantly up-regulated to get the maximum at 12 h upon Vibrio harveyi challenge. Recombinant LGBP (rLGBP) could agglutinate Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including yeast with Ca²⁺-dependence. V. harveyi agglutination induced by rLGBP was intensively inhibited by lipoteichoic acid, less in order were lipopolysaccharide, β-1,3-glucan and N-acetyl neuraminic acid. Western blotting revealed that rLGBP bound widely to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and also yeast. By ELISA quantification, rLGBP could bind to β-1,3-glucan better than to lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid. These findings suggest that LGBP may function as a receptor which recognizes invading diverse pathogens and contribute in F. merguiensis immune response.

Comparative study of two single CRD C-type lectins, CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5, from pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

C-type lectins (CTLs), a superfamily of Ca²⁺-dependent carbohydrate-recognition proteins, are involved in nonself-recognition and pathogen elimination, and play crucial roles in the innate immunity. In the present study, two single CRD C-type lectins, CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5, were identified from oyster Crassostrea gigas. The open reading frame (ORF) of CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5 encoded polypeptides of 152 and 150 amino acids, respectively. Both CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5 contained one CRD with six conserved cysteines to form three disulfide bridges. The motif in Ca²⁺-binding site 2 of CgCLec-4 was QPE, while it was QYE, a non-a typical motif in CgCLec-5. CgCLec-4 was a secreted lectin with a signal peptide which was highly expressed in hepatopancreas, mantle and hemocytes. CgCLec-5 was an intracellular lectin which was mostly expressed in hemocytes. The lipopolysaccharide stimulation could induce the expressions of CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5. The recombinant proteins of CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5 (rCgCLec-4 and rCgCLec-5) could bind to various PAMPs including LPS, PGN, GLU and mannan, while the binding affinity of rCgCLec-5 was stronger than that of rCgCLec-4. Meanwhile, rCgCLec-4 and rCgCLec-5 could bind to different kinds of microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Vibro anguillarum and Yarrowia lipolytica, and the microbial agglutinating ability of rCgCLec-4 was stronger than that of CgCLec-5. Moreover, rCgCLec-4 exhibited anti-microbial activity against bacteria and fungi, but anti-microbial activity of CgCLec-5 was not obvious. All these results suggested that CgCLec-4 and CgCLec-5 could function as an important PRR involved in immune defense against invading pathogen in oyster, and the diversity and complexity of motifs in Ca²⁺ binding site 2 in CRDs determined their comprehensive recognition spectrum and multiple immune functions.

Identification and function of a novel C1q domain-containing (C1qDC) protein in triangle-shell pearl mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii)

C1q is the target recognition sequence of the classical complement pathway and a major link that connects innate and acquired immunity. In this study, a C1qDC homolog, HcC1qDC5, from the triangle-shell pearl mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii) was identified. The complete nucleotide sequence of HcC1qDC5 cDNA consists of a 5'-untranslated terminal region (UTR) of 123 bp, a 3'-UTR of 105 bp with a poly(A) tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 1344 bp, which encodes a polypeptide of 447 amino acids. HcC1qDC5 contains a signal peptide and three typical C1q domains. The HcC1qDC5 gene was expressed in all tested tissues, with the highest expression in the mantle. Staphylococcus aureus or Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection increased the mRNA transcript levels of HcC1qDC5 in the hepatopancreas and mantle. The recombinant HcC1qDC5 protein could bind to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as to different PAMPs (LPS and PGN). RNAi results showed that HcC1qDC5 was involved in V. parahaemolyticus-induced HcTNF and HcWAP expression. The combined results demonstrated that HcC1qDC5 participates in the innate immunity of H. cumingii.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Hepatopancreas in the Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) under Acute Ammonia Stress

In the practical farming of Litopenaeus vannamei, the intensive culture system and environmental pollution usually results in a high concentration of ammonia, which usually brings large detrimental effects to shrimp, such as increasing the susceptibility to pathogens, reducing growth, decreasing osmoregulatory capacity, increasing the molting frequency, and even causing high mortality. However, little information is available on the molecular mechanisms of the detrimental effects of ammonia stress in shrimp. In this study, we performed comparative transcriptome analysis between ammonia-challenged and control groups from the same family of L. vannamei to identify the key genes and pathways response to ammonia stress. The comparative transcriptome analysis identified 136 significantly differentially expressed genes that have high homologies with the known proteins in aquatic species, among which 94 genes are reported potentially related to immune function, and the rest of the genes are involved in apoptosis, growth, molting, and osmoregulation. Fourteen GO terms and 6 KEGG pathways were identified to be significantly changed by ammonia stress. In these GO terms, 13 genes have been studied in aquatic species, and 11 of them were reported potentially involved in immune defense and two genes were related to molting. In the significantly changed KEGG pathways, all the 7 significantly changed genes have been reported in shrimp, and four of them were potentially involved in immune defense and the other three were related to molting, defending toxicity, and osmoregulation, respectively. In addition, majority of the significantly changed genes involved in nitrogen metabolisms that play an important role in reducing ammonia toxicity failed to perform the protection function. The present results have supplied molecular level support for the previous founding of the detrimental effects of ammonia stress in shrimp, which is a prerequisite for better understanding the molecular mechanism of the immunosuppression from ammonia stress.

Identification of an anti-lipopolysacchride factor possessing both antiviral and antibacterial activity from the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus

It is well-known that anti-lipopolysacchride factors (ALFs) are involved in the recognition and elimination of invading pathogens. In this study, the full-length ALF cDNA sequence of the red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (termed CqALF) was cloned from a suppression subtractive hybridization library constructed using red claw crayfish hematopoietic tissue cell (Hpt cell) cultures following challenge with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The full-length cDNA sequence of CqALF was 863 bp, and the open reading frame encoded 123 amino acids with a signal peptide in the N-terminus and a conserved LPS-binding domain. Unlike most ALFs, which are highly expressed in haemocytes, high expression levels of CqALF were detected in epithelium, the stomach and eyestalks, while lower expression was detected in Hpt, nerves, the heart, muscle tissue, gonads, haemocytes, intestines, gills and the hepatopancreas. To further explore the biological activities of CqALF, mature recombinant CqALF protein (rCqALF) was expressed and purified using a eukaryotic expression system, and an antimicrobial activity test was carried out. rCqALF clearly exerted antiviral activity, as evidenced by the severe disruption of the envelope of intact WSSV virions following co-incubation of virions with rCqALF. Additionally, pre-incubation of WSSV with rCqALF resulted in both a significant reduction in WSSV replication in red claw crayfish Hpt cell cultures and an increased survival rate among animals. Furthermore, rCqALF was effective against both Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Shigella flexneri and Staphylococcus aureus. A membrane integrity assay suggested that rCqALF was unlikely to disrupt bacterial membrane integrity compared to cecropin P1. Taken together, these data suggest that CqALF may play an important role in immune defence in the crustacean C. quadricarinatus.

Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Novel Isoform of Anti-lipopolysaccharide Factor from the Mantis Shrimp, Miyakea nepa

Anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (ALF) is a cationic anti-microbial peptide representing humoral defence system exhibiting a diverse spectrum of activity against microbial pathogens, including gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel ALF homologue (MnALF) encoding cDNA sequence from the haemocytes of stomatopod mantis shrimp Miyakea nepa. The deduced peptide of MnALF encoded for a 123-amino acid peptide with a 25-residue signal peptide containing selenocysteine followed by a highly cationic mature peptide comprised of a putative LPS-binding domain flanked by two cysteine residues. BLAST analysis of MnALF showed that it exhibits identity to crustacean and limulid ALFs. The mature peptide of MnALF has a net charge of +7 and predicted molecular weight of 10.998 kDa with a theoretical isoelectric point (pI) of 9.93. Spatial structure of MnALF comprises three α-helices packed against a four-stranded β-sheet of which two were linked by a disulphide bond to form an amphipathic loop similar to the structure of Penaeus monodon, ALF-Pm3. All these features suggest that MnALF could play an imperative role in the innate defence mechanism of M. nepa. To our knowledge, this study accounts for the first report of an anti-microbial peptide from the order stomatopoda.

Antimicrobial functions of EsLecH, a C-type lectin, via JNK pathway in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

C-type lectins (CTLs) are pattern recognition proteins that play significant roles in the innate immune system by identifying and eliminating pathogens. Here, we have reported a CTL (EsLecH) from the Chinese mitten crab that can bind to microorganisms and regulate antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression via the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. EsLecH was found to have an N-terminal signal peptide and a single carbohydrate recognition domain. The EsLecH transcript was detected abundantly in various tissues, and it was significantly upregulated in hemocytes after challenging with lipopolysaccharides and bacteria. Recombinant (r)EsLecH could bind to microorganisms, but at different levels. Ca(2+) significantly increased rEsLecH binding affinity to microorganisms. Furthermore, growth inhibition by rEsLecH increased with increasing rEsLecH levels. Knockdown of EsLecH was accompanied by a significant reduction in AMP expression and JNK phosphorylation; AMP expression was reduced with JNK silencing and can not rescued by rEsLecH when absence of JNK. These results indicate that EsLecH could regulate AMPs via JNK signaling.

Function of gC1qR in innate immunity of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

gC1qR is identified as the globular "head" binding protein of the C1q protein and performs an important function in innate immunity. A EsgC1qR gene was identified from the hepatopancreas of Eriocheir sinensis. EsgC1qR encodes a protein with 275 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that, together with crustaceans gC1qRs, EsgC1qR belongs to one group. EsgC1qR mRNA was detected in hemocytes, intestine, hepatopancreas, gills, eyestalk, heart, muscle, and nerve. The expression of the EsgC1qR transcript in the hepatopancreas could be regulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), peptidoglycans (PGN), Staphyloccocus aureus, or Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Recombinant EsgC1qR (rEsgC1qR) protein could bind to various bacteria, LPS, and PGN. rEsgC1qR protein also presents direct bacteria inhibitory activity. rEsgC1qR could interact with EsCnx or EsCrt. Therefore, from the results, we could speculate that EsgC1qR is involved in the innate immunity of Chinese mitten crab, E. sinensis.

Characterization of a type-I crustin with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity from red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii

Crustins are a family of antimicrobial peptides mainly identified in crustaceans and characterized by a whey acidic protein (WAP) domain and an additional glycine-, cysteine-, or proline-rich region. In this study, we identified and characterized PcCru, a new crustin isolated from red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The open reading frame of PcCru was 333 base pairs long and encoded a 110-residue polypeptide, which contained a signal peptide, a cysteine-rich region, and a WAP domain. The architecture and phylogenetic analysis suggested that PcCru was a new member of the type-I crustin family. PcCru was highly expressed in hemocytes and was significantly induced by viral and bacterial stimulations at both the translational and transcriptional levels. The titer of PcCru in circulating plasma was also increased considerably by bacterial challenge. Recombinant PcCru from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems were generated, and the proteins exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, PcCru protected crayfish from infection by pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila in vivo. This study provided new information emphasizing the important role of the crustin family in the crustacean antibacterial immune response.

A C-type lectin with an immunoglobulin-like domain promotes phagocytosis of hemocytes in crayfish Procambarus clarkii

C-type lectins are important immune molecules that participate in host defense response. The present work reports a novel C-type lectin (PcLec3) from the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Sequence analysis found that PcLec3 encodes a polypeptide with252 amino acid residues, which contains an immunoglobulin-like domain (IG) and a C-type lectin domain (CTLD) arranged in tandem. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that PcLec3 is enriched expressed in hemocytes and hepatopancreas cells, in which PcLec3 was up-regulated following bacterial challenge by Vibrio anguillarum. Function analysis using recombinant full-length PcLec3, IG, and CTLD proteins revealed that these recombinant proteins had the capacity to bind carbohydrates and bacteria, while IG determined the cell binding activity. However, only full-length PcLec3 promotes the phagocytic activity of hemocytes and subsequent clearance of invasive bacteria. Taken together, these results manifest that PcLec3 acts as a hemocyte adhesion molecule to promote hemocyte phagocytosis against invasive V. anguillarum.

Comparison of immune response in Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, after knock down of Toll and IMD gene in vivo

The Toll and immune deficiency (IMD) pathways are essential for inducing immune related genes during invasion of pathogens. In the present study, transcripts of eight pathway-related genes in Litopenaeus vannamei, including Toll, IMD, Pelle, IAP1, TRAF6, ALF, Crustin and Penaeidin3 were analyzed to further understand the potential relationship between Toll and IMD pathway. The high transcription levels of TRAF6, Pelle, Toll, IMD and IAP1 in selected tissues indicates their functional roles in Toll and IMD pathways. The increased mRNA expression of Toll and IMD detected in the early stage might suggest the inducible role of Toll and IMD upon bacterial infection. Moreover, the continuous increase of IMD and the high level of Pelle and TRAF6 in Vibrio anguillarum challenged group indicated that Gram-negative bacterium can activate both the Toll and IMD signaling pathway. Silencing of Toll by a dsRNA-mediated RNAi strongly increased the transcripts of IMD, Pelle, TRAF6, IAP1 and Akirin, knocking down of IMD also markedly increased the transcripts of Toll, Pelle, IAP1 and Akirin. Furthermore, ALF expression was significantly increased in response to V. anguillarum and Micrococcus lysodeikticus challenge, while the transcripts of Crustin and Pen3 in hemocytes were significantly reduced in V. anguillarum group, but rose significantly following M. lysodeikticus infection. In summary, we speculate that Toll and IMD pathway are not independent in shrimp, but linked to defense against bacterial infection.

Two endoplasmic reticulum proteins (calnexin and calreticulin) are involved in innate immunity in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Calnexin (Cnx) and calreticulin (Crt), which are important chaperones in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), participate in the folding and quality control of client proteins. Cnx and Crt identified from Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) are designated as EsCnx and EsCrt, respectively. EsCnx and EsCrt are expressed in the hemocyte, hepatopancrea, gill, and intestine at the mRNA and protein level. Immunofluorescence analysis indicated that EsCnx and EsCRT are located in the ER. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression levels of EsCnx and EsCrt were altered by challenge with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), peptidoglycans (PGN), Staphyloccocus aureus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Recombinant EsCnx and EsCrt (rEsCnx and rEsCrt, respectively) proteins can bind to various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as to different polysaccharides (LPS and PGN). rEsCnx and rEsCrt assisted in the clearance of V. parahaemolyticus in vivo, and the clearance efficiency was impaired after silencing of EsCnx and EsCrt. Our results suggest that the two ER proteins are involved in anti-bacterial immunity in E. sinensis.

Copper-induced oxidative damage to the prophenoloxidase-activating system in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii

Previous studies have demonstrated copper-induced proteins damage in gill and hepatopancreas of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii, but little information is available about its effects on key component of the innate defense in haemolymph. In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between oxidative carbonylation and prophenoloxidase-activating system (proPO-AS) activity, by exposing P. clarkii to sub-lethal concentrations (1/50, 1/12, 1/6 and 1/3 of the 96 h LC50) Cu(2+) up to 96 h. Six biomarkers of oxidative stress, i.e. reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), protein carbonyl (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs), and six indicators of immune status, i.e. total hemocyte counts (THCs), differential hemocyte counts (DHCs), hemocyanin (HC), prophenoloxidase (proPO), serine protease (SP) and phenoloxidase (PO), were determined in haemolymph. The results indicated that there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the levels of ROS, PC, MDA and DPCs accompanied by markedly decreased (P < 0.05) activities of proPO, SP, PO and HC in a dose and time dependent manner. The significant and positive correlations (P < 0.01) between ROS production and the formation of PC, MDA and DPCs were observed in crayfish at 96 h. There was a significant negative correlation (P < 0.01) between the levels of protein carbonyls and the activities of proPO and SP in hemocyte lysate supernatant and PO and HC in haemolymph. Carbonylated proteins may be recognized not merely as a specific signal in oxidative stress pathways but also as a "non-self" molecule in proPO-AS. In crayfish species, copper-catalyzed protein carbonylation may be one of the main mechanisms for immunity dysfunction in proPO-AS.

Identification and functional characterization of an endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductin 1-α gene in Litopenaeus vannamei

In the current study, full-length sequence of endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductin 1-α (LvERO1-α) was cloned from Litopenaeus vannamei. Real-time RT-PCR results showed that LvERO1-α was highly expressed in hemocytes, gills, and intestines. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) challenge was performed, and the expression of LvERO1-α and two other downstream genes of the double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like ER kinase-eIF2α (PERK-α) pathway, namely, homocysteine-induced endoplasmic reticulum protein (LvHERP) and acylamino-acid-releasing enzyme (LvAARE), strongly increased in the hemocytes. Flow cytometry assay results indicated that the apoptosis rate of L. vannamei hemocytes in the LvERO1-α knockdown group was significantly lower than that of the controls. Moreover, shrimps with knockdown expression of LvERO1-α exhibited decreased cumulative mortality upon WSSV infection. Downregulation of L. vannamei immunoglobulin-binding protein (LvBip), which had been proven to induce unfolded protein response (UPR) in L. vannamei, did not only upregulate LvERO1-α, LvHERP, and LvAARE in hemocytes, but also increased their apoptosis rate, as well as the shrimp cumulative mortality. Furthermore, reporter gene assay results showed that the promoter of LvERO1-α was activated by L. vannamei activating transcription factor 4, thereby confirming that LvERO1-α was regulated by the PERK-eIF2α pathway. These results suggested that LvERO1-α plays a critical role in WSSV-induced apoptosis, which likely occurs through the WSSV-activated PERK-eIF2α pathway.

Responses of three very large inducible GTPases to bacterial and white spot syndrome virus challenges in the giant fresh water prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Interferons (IFNs) are cytokines secreted by cells in response to invasion by pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, or tumor cells. Very large inducible GTPases (VLIG) are the latest IFN-inducible GTPase family to be discovered and are the largest known GTPases of any species. However, VLIG proteins from invertebrates have yet to be characterized. In this study, three forms of VLIGs designated as MrVLIG1, MrVLIG2, and MrVLIG3 were cloned from the giant fresh water prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. MrVLIG1 has a 5445 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding an 1814-amino acid protein. The complete nucleotide sequence of MrVLIG2 cDNA is 7055 bp long consisting of a 5757 bp ORF encoding a protein with 1918 amino acids. The full length of the MrVLIG3 gene consists of 5511 bp with a 3909 bp ORF encoding a peptide with 1302 amino acids. BLASTP and phylogenetic tree analyses showed that the three MrVLIGs are clustered into one subgroup and, together with other vertebrate VLIGs, into a branch. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that the mRNAs of the three MrVLIGs were widely expressed in almost all detected tissues, including the hemocytes, heart, hepatopancreas, gills, stomach, and intestine, with the highest expression in the hepatopancreas. They were also detected in the intestine but with relatively low expression levels. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that the mRNA transcripts of the MrVLIGs in the hepatopancreas were significantly expressed at various time points after infection with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and white spot syndrome virus. In summary, the three isoforms of VLIG genes participate in the innate immune response of the shrimps to bacterial and viral infections.

Single CRD containing lectin from Macrobrachium rosenbergii (MrLec) participates in innate immunity against pathogen infections

As a type of pattern-recognition proteins, lectins perform important functions in the innate immunity of crustaceans, including prawns. Although several reports showed that C-type lectin domain family (CLEC) importantly functions in host-pathogen interactions, limited research has focused on CLEC in Macrobrachium rosenbergii. In the present study, a new single CRD containing CLEC (designated as MrLec) was reported in freshwater prawns, M. rosenbergii. The full-length cDNA of MrLec consisted of 1027 bp with an open reading frame of 801 bp, which encoded a peptide of 266 amino acid residues. Genomic sequence for MrLec was also obtained from the M. rosenbergii, which contain 4 exons and 3 introns. MrLec was found to contain a single carbohydrate-recognition domain with an EPN motif. MrLec was ubiquitously distributed in various tissues of a normal prawn, particularly in the hepatopancreas and gills. MrLec expression in the gills was significantly upregulated after a challenge with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and downregulated at 24 h after MrLec RNA interference (MrLec-RNAi). The expression levels of some AMPs, including antilipopolysaccharide factor 1 (Alf1) and lysozyme 2 (Lyso2), also markedly decreased after MrLec-RNAi. Recombinant MrLec can agglutinate (Ca(2+)-dependent) and bind both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Results suggested that MrLec participates in the recognition of invading pathogens and functions in the immune response of prawn against pathogen infections.

A single CRD C-type lectin from Eriocheir sinensis (EsLecB) with microbial-binding, antibacterial prophenoloxidase activation and hem-encapsulation activities

C-type lectins (CTLs) exist widely in crustaceans. To date, thirteen CTLs have been reported in crustaceans, and play significant roles in pathogen recognition, encapsulation of hemocytes and antimicrobial activity in the innate immune response. Based on the initial expressed sequence tags (EST) of a hepatopancreatic cDNA library, a novel CTL, designated as EsLecB, with a 470 bp open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 156 amino acids, including a signal peptide of 19 amino acid residues and one carbohydrate-recognition domain of 131 aa residues, was cloned from the crustacean Eriocheir sinensis. By qRT-PCR analysis, EsLecB was detected in all tested tissues, and showed highest expression in hemocytes, hepatopancreas and heart. The expression of EsLecB was up-regulated following injections of PAMPs or bacteria. The recombinant protein (rEsLecB) expressed in Escherichia coli had a calcium-independent but carbohydrate-dependent microbial-binding and microbial-agglutinating, microorganism growth inhibitory and hem-encapsulation activities. Moreover, the rEsLecB could stimulate the activation of prophenoloxidase in vitro. These results indicated that EsLecB, as an antibacterial pattern recognition receptor is involved in innate immunity, and may act as an upstream detector of the prophenoloxidase activating system, which can detect pathogen invasion in E. sinensis.

A transcriptome study on Macrobrachium rosenbergii hepatopancreas experimentally challenged with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)

The world production of shrimp such as the Malaysian giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii is seriously affected by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). There is an urgent need to understand the host pathogen interaction between M. rosenbergii and WSSV which will be able to provide a solution in controlling the spread of this infectious disease and lastly save the aquaculture industry. Now, using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), we will be able to capture the response of the M. rosenbergii to the pathogen and have a better understanding of the host defence mechanism. Two cDNA libraries, one of WSSV-challenged M. rosenbergii and a normal control one, were sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000 platform. After de novo assembly and clustering of the unigenes from both libraries, 63,584 standard unigenes were generated with a mean size of 698bp and an N50 of 1137bp. We successfully annotated 35.31% of all unigenes by using BLASTX program (E-value <10-5) against NCBI non-redundant (Nr), Swiss-Prot, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathway (KEGG) and Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG) databases. Gene Ontology (GO) assessment was conducted using BLAST2GO software. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by using the FPKM method showed 8443 host genes were significantly up-regulated whereas 5973 genes were significantly down-regulated. The differentially expressed immune related genes were grouped into 15 animal immune functions. The present study showed that WSSV infection has a significant impact on the transcriptome profile of M. rosenbergii's hepatopancreas, and further enhanced the knowledge of this host-virus interaction. Furthermore, the high number of transcripts generated in this study will provide a platform for future genomic research on freshwater prawns.

Transcriptome assembly and expression profiling of molecular responses to cadmium toxicity in hepatopancreas of the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious global problem, which causes irreversible toxic effects on animals. Freshwater crab, Sinopotamon henanense, is a useful environmental indicator since it is widely distributed in benthic habitats whereby it tends to accumulate Cd and other toxicants. However, its molecular responses to Cd toxicity remain unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing and gene expression analyses of its hepatopancreas with and without Cd treatments. A total of 7.78 G clean reads were obtained from the pooled samples, and 68,648 unigenes with an average size of 622 bp were assembled, in which 5,436 were metabolism-associated and 2,728 were stimulus response-associated that include 380 immunity-related unigenes. Expression profile analysis demonstrated that most genes involved in macromolecular metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, detoxification and anti-oxidant defense were up-regulated by Cd exposure, whereas immunity-related genes were down-regulated, except the genes involved in phagocytosis were up-regulated. The current data indicate that Cd exposure alters gene expressions in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, our results provide the first comprehensive S.henanense transcriptome dataset, which is useful for biological and ecotoxicological studies on this crab and its related species at molecular level, and some key Cd-responsive genes may provide candidate biomarkers for monitoring aquatic pollution by heavy metals.

Evidence of Antibacterial Activities in Peptide Fractions Originating from Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) By-Products

Antibacterial peptide fractions generated via proteolytic processing of snow crab by-products exhibited activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Among the bacterial strains tested, peptide fractions demonstrated inhibitory activity against the Gram-negative bacteria such as Aeromonas caviae, Aeromonas hydrophila, Campylobacter jejuni, Listonella anguillarum, Morganella morganii, Shewanella putrefasciens, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus and against a few Gram-positive bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus agalactiae. The principal bioactive peptide fraction was comprised mainly of proteins and minerals (74.3 and 15.5%, respectively). Lipids were not detected. The amino acid content revealed that arginine (4.6%), glutamic acid (5.3%) and tyrosine (4.8%) residues were represented in the highest composition in the antibacterial peptide fraction. The optimal inhibitory activity was observed at alkaline pH. The V. vulnificus strain, most sensitive to the peptide fraction, was used to develop purification methods. The most promising chromatography resins selected for purification, in order to isolate peptides of interest and to carry out their detailed biochemical characterization, were the SP-Sepharose™ Fast Flow cation exchanger and the Phenyl Sepharose™ High Performance hydrophobic interaction media. The partially purified antibacterial peptide fraction was analyzed for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, and the value obtained was 25 μg ml(-1). Following mass spectrometry analysis, the active peptide fraction seems to be a complex of molecules comprised of several amino acids and other organic compounds. In addition, copper was the main metal found in the active peptide fraction. Results indicate the production of antibacterial molecules from crustacean by-products that support further applications for high-value bioproducts in several areas such as food and health.

Lvserpin3 is involved in shrimp innate immunity via the inhibition of bacterial proteases and proteases involved in prophenoloxidase system

Serine protease inhibitor, represented by serpin, plays an important inhibitory role on proteases involved in the immune responses. To clarify the immune characterizations of serpin, a novel serpin (Lvserpin3) encoding for 410 amino acids with a 23-amino acid signal peptide and a serpin domain was identified from the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Lvserpin3 expressed strongest in hepatopancreas, and was significantly up-regulated in the early stage upon Vibrio anguillarum, Micrococcus lysodeikticus or White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) infection. Suppression of Lvserpin3 by dsRNA led to a significant increase in the transcripts of LvPPAF, LvproPO and phenoloxidase (PO) activity, and also led to the high cumulative mortality. The recombinant Lvserpin3 protein (rLvserpin3) inhibited the proteases secreted by M. lysodeikticus and Bacillus subtilis, and further exhibited inhibitory role on the growth of B. subtilis and M. lysodeikticu. Moreover, rLvserpin3 was found to be able to block the activation of prophenoloxidase system. Taken together, the results imply that Lvserpin3 may be involved in shrimp innate immunity via the inhibition of bacterial proteases and proteases involved in prophenoloxidase system.

iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of Macrobrachium rosenbergii hemocytes during Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection

Spiroplasma eriocheiris, as a novel aquaculture pathogen, has led into catastrophic economic losses in aquaculture. The Macrobrachium rosenbergii hemocytes were major target cells in S. eriocheiris infection. Our study was designed to examine the hemocytes' immune response at the protein levels. The differential proteomes of the prawn hemocytes were analyzed immediately prior to injection with the pathogen, and at 192h post-injection by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantization (iTRAQ) labeling, followed by liquid chromatogramphytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A total of 69 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Forty-nine proteins were up-regulated and 20 proteins were down-regulated resulting from a S. eriocheiris infection. Up-regulated proteins included vertebrate gliacolin-like protein, vitellogenin, Gram-negative binding protein 1, alpha2 macroglobulin isoform 2 (a2M), etc. Down-regulated proteins, involved with beta-1,3-glucan-binding protein (BGBP), immunoglobulin like, Rab7, lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-glucan (LGBP), actin-related protein, etc. Selected bioactive factors (tachylectin, α2M and vitellogenin, BGBP, C-type lectin, LGBP and Rab7) were verified by their immune roles in the S. eriocheiris infection using real-time PCR. The present work could serve as a basis for future studies on the proteins implicated in the susceptibility/resistance of M. rosenbergii to S. eriocheiris, as well as contribute to our understanding of disease processes in prawns.

BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first time using an iTRAQ approach to analyze proteomes of M. rosenbergii mobilized against S. eriocheiris infection and substantiated the hemocytes' proteomic changes in M. rosenbergii using an infection model. The results reported here can provide a significant step forward toward a more complete elucidation of the immune relationship between M. rosenbergii and the pathogen S. eriocheiris.

An intimate link between antimicrobial peptide sequence diversity and binding to essential components of bacterial membranes

Antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) are widespread in the living kingdom. They are key effectors of defense reactions and mediators of competitions between organisms. They are often cationic and amphiphilic, which favors their interactions with the anionic membranes of microorganisms. Several AMP families do not directly alter membrane integrity but rather target conserved components of the bacterial membranes in a process that provides them with potent and specific antimicrobial activities. Thus, lipopolysaccharides (LPS), lipoteichoic acids (LTA) and the peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II are targeted by a broad series of AMPs. Studying the functional diversity of immune effectors tells us about the essential residues involved in AMP mechanism of action. Marine invertebrates have been found to produce a remarkable diversity of AMPs. Molluscan defensins and crustacean anti-LPS factors (ALF) are diverse in terms of amino acid sequence and show contrasted phenotypes in terms of antimicrobial activity. Their activity is directed essentially against Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria due to their specific interactions with Lipid II or Lipid A, respectively. Through those interesting examples, we discuss here how sequence diversity generated throughout evolution informs us on residues required for essential molecular interaction at the bacterial membranes and subsequent antibacterial activity. Through the analysis of molecular variants having lost antibacterial activity or shaped novel functions, we also discuss the molecular bases of functional divergence in AMPs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Antimicrobial peptides edited by Karl Lohner and Kai Hilpert.

Identification of five anti-lipopolysaccharide factors in oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense

Anti-lipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) are a group of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities and antiviral activities mainly found in crustaceans and horseshoe crabs. In the present study, we identified 5 ALF expression sequence tags (ESTs) through analysis of the established M. nipponense transcriptome, and cloned their full-length cDNA sequences using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The 5 ALFs were designated as MnALF1-5, and all of them showed high similarity with their Macrobrachium rosenbergii homologs in the phylogenetic analyses, especially in LPS binding domains. In healthy adult prawns, we found the highest expression of MnALF2 and MnALF4 in haemocytes, and the highest expression of MnALF4 and MnALF3 in intestine. Some isoforms of MnALF were down-regulated but the majority was up-regulated in different prawn tissues upon Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. To conform the expected antimicrobial activities harbored in MnALFs' LPS binding domains, we used a synthesized peptide cMnALF24 that corresponds to the LPS binding domain of MnALF2 as a representative molecule for the antibacterial activity test, and found that cMnALF24 possessed strong and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, but no inhibition activity against fungi; Meanwhile, in the hemolytic test, cMnALF24 showed weak hemolysis activities (around 10%) to the rabbit red blood cells at concentrations of 0.67-33.50 μM. This study provides insights into understanding the antibacterial function of ALFs in the innate immunity of freshwater prawn, and reports a peptide that can be a potential drug candidate with good efficacy against bacterial infection and low toxicity to host cells.

Antimicrobial proteins: From old proteins, new tricks

This review describes the main types of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) synthesised by crustaceans, primarily those identified in shrimp, crayfish, crab and lobster. It includes an overview of their range of microbicidal activities and the current landscape of our understanding of their gene expression patterns in different body tissues. It further summarises how their expression might change following various types of immune challenges. The review further considers proteins or protein fragments from crustaceans that have antimicrobial properties but are more usually associated with other biological functions, or are derived from such proteins. It discusses how these unconventional AMPs might be generated at, or delivered to, sites of infection and how they might contribute to crustacean host defence in vivo. It also highlights recent work that is starting to reveal the extent of multi-functionality displayed by some decapod AMPs, particularly their participation in other aspects of host protection. Examples of such activities include proteinase inhibition, phagocytosis, antiviral activity and haematopoiesis.

Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression analysis of two different types of lectins from the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense

Lectins, which are widely expressed in invertebrates, play important roles in many biological processes, including protein trafficking, cell signaling, pathogen recognition, as effector molecules, and so on (Wang and Wang, 2013). This study identified one novel M-type lectin and one L-Type lectin, designated as MnMTL1 and MnLTL1, from the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. The full-length cDNA of MnMTL1 was 2064 bp with a 1761 bp ORF encoding a putative protein of 586 deduced amino acids. The full-length cDNA of MnLTL1 was 1744 bp with a 972 bp ORF encoding a 323-amino acid peptide. The deduced MnMTL1 protein contained a putative type II transmembrane region and a 440-aa Glycoside hydrolase family 47 (GH47) domain. One luminal carbohydrate recognition domain and a 23-aa type I transmembrane region were identified from the MnLTL1. MnMTL1 shared 78% identity with Marsupenaeus japonicus M-type lectin and MnLTL1 shared 83% similarity with M. japonicus L-type lectin. RT-PCR analysis showed that MnMTL1 and MnLTL1 were expressed in all tested tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that MnMTL1 and MnLTL1 are substantially fluctuant during Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas veronii infections. Based on immune responses and previous literature, we assumed that MnMTL1 and MnLTL1 might be functioned as pattern recognition receptors and play important roles in the immune response of M. nipponense.

Identification, characterization, and functional studies of a Pelle gene in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

The toll-like receptor/NF-κB signaling pathways play an important role in the innate immune system. In the present study, one Pelle gene (named EsPelle) was identified for the first time from the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis. The full-length cDNA of EsPelle is 3797 bp with a 3156 bp-long open reading frame that encodes a 1051 amino acid protein. EsPelle protein contains a death domain at the N-terminal and a serine/threonine kinase domain at the C-terminal. A neighbor joining phylogenetic tree showed that the EsPelle protein, which is closest to those of Scylla paramamosain Pelle and Litopenaeus vannamei Pelle, was clustered to a group of crustacean Pelle proteins. EsPelle was expressed in all tested tissues of normal crabs, and its expression was regulated in hemocytes and hepatopancreas of crabs challenged with lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, Staphyloccocus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Aeromonas hydrophila. Overexpression of EsPelle in Drosophila Schneider 2 cells could upregulate the expression of Drosophila antimicrobial peptides, namely, metchnikowin (Mtk), attacinA (Atta), drosomycin (Drs), and cecropinA (CecA). Moreover, EsPelle silencing by siRNA reduced the transcription of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor 1 and 2, crustin 2, and lysozyme in crabs challenged with V. parahaemolyticus. From the results, we speculated that EsPelle was involved in innate immune defense against V. parahaemolyticus in E. sinensis.

Daxx from Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei is involved in activation of NF-κB pathway

Death domain-associated factor 6 (Daxx) is a Fas-binding protein that mediates the activation of Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway and Fas-induced apoptosis. In this study, a crustacean Daxx (LvDaxx) was firstly cloned and identified from Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The LvDaxx cDNA was 2644 bp in length with an Open Reading Frame (ORF) of 2217 bp. Sequence analysis indicated that LvDaxx contained a single Daxx domain and two nuclear localization signals (NLSs) and shared a similarity with Drosophila melanogaster Daxx. LvDaxx was a nuclear-localized protein that was expressed highest in hemocytes and could be up-regulated in pathogen- and stimulant-challenge shrimps. LvDaxx could activate the artificial promoter containing an NF-κB binding site and the promoters of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) ie1 gene and arthropod antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), suggesting LvDaxx could be involved in the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Knock-down of LvDaxx in vivo resulted in down-regulation of shrimp AMPs and reduction of WSSV copies in tissues. Furthermore, suppression of LvDaxx significantly decreased the mortality of WSSV-infected shrimps, but increased the mortality of Vibrio Parahaemolyticus-infected shrimps. Thus, these suggested that LvDaxx could play a role in the innate immunity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in L. vannamei, while in the antiviral response, LvDaxx may be hijacked by WSSV and play a complex role in WSSV pathogenesis.

Molecular characterization of LvAV in response to white spot syndrome virus infection in the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Litopenaeus vannamei is the most important farmed shrimp species globally, but its production is affected by several factors, including infectious disease. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), in particular, causes significant shrimp losses. To understand the shrimp's immune response against WSSV, we cloned LvAV from L. vannamei and analyzed its expression pattern in different tissues, in addition to its expression following infection. We employed dsRNA and recombinant (r)LvAV to explore the potential role of LvAV in shrimp immunity when infected with WSSV. We find that LvAV is a C-type Lectin composed of 176 amino acids with a signal peptide and a specific C-type Lectin-type domain (CTLD). It shares 81% amino acid similarity with PmAV, an antiviral-like C-type Lectin from Penaeus monodom, and it is highly expressed in the hepatopancreas. Its expression is affected by infection with both WSSV and V. parahaemolyticus. Significantly, injection with rLvAV slowed WSSV replication, while injection with LvAV dsRNA initially led to enhanced virus propagation. Surprisingly, LvAV dsRNA subsequently led to a dramatic decrease in viral load in the later stages of infection, suggesting that LvAV may be subverted by WSSV to enhance viral replication or immune avoidance. Our results indicate that LvAV plays an important, but potentially complex role in the Pacific white shrimp's immune defense.

Identification and molecular characterization of a peritrophin-like gene, involved in the antibacterial response in Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

Peritrophin was first isolated from insect peritrophic membrane (PM) and was thought to protect insects from invasion of microorganisms and to stimulate digestion of food. In this study, a peritrophin-like gene (EsPT) was obtained from Eriocheir sinensis. The full length cDNA of EsPT was 1232 bp, which contained 1005 bp ORF encoding a protein of 334 amino acids, including a 22 amino acid signal peptide, and 3 conserved chitin binding type 2 domains (ChtBD2) characterized by having a 6-cysteine motif. Phylogenetic analysis showed that EsPT was clustered together with 2 insect peritrophin-44-like proteins (MdP44L from Musca domestica and CcP44L from Ceratitis capitata), an insect chitin binding peritrophin-A domain containing protein (CfPT from Coptotermes formosanus) and a crustacean peritrophin (MnPT from Macrobrachium nipponense). Tissue distribution analysis revealed that EsPT was mainly expressed in hepatopancreas, intestine and hemocytes. The expression of EsPT is regulated by lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. The recombinant EsPT could bind to different microbes, and enhanced the clearance of V. parahaemolyticus in vivo. In crabs, silencing of EsPT by siRNA suppressed the elimination of V. parahaemolyticus and increasing number of bacteria, finally upregulated the expression of anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (ALF) and clip domain serine proteases (cSP). The results might indicate that EsPT was involved in the anti-bacterial innate immunity of crabs.

A novel single WAP domain-containing protein isoform with antibacterial relevance in Litopenaeus vannamei

Single WAP domain (SWD)-containing protein is a small protein containing a whey acidic protein (WAP) domain at the C-terminal region. SWD-containing protein exhibits structural similarity to the family of serine proteinase inhibitors. As of this writing, some SWD domain-containing proteins have been identified in crustaceans, and their functions included antibacterial and anti-proteinase activities. We identified a SWD protein isoform gene in Litopenaeus vanname (Lv-SWDi). Very high sequence similarity was found between Lv-SWDi and Lv-SWD. Results of time-course analysis for the gene expression profile showed that Lv-SWDi could produce a rapid feedback and an obvious upregulation at 12 h after Vibrio injection. Endogenous Lv-SWDi protein was obviously upregulated, and the highest expression level was reached at 24 h after Vibrio injection. The purified rLv-SWDi could directly bind to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Results of the proteinase inhibitory assay also showed that rLv-SWDi could inhibit secretory protease activity from Bacillus subtilis. Lv-SWDi is a part of an important immunity-relevant gene and may serve important functions in defense against bacteria.

Immune responses of whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931), to bacterially expressed dsRNA specific to VP28 gene of white spot syndrome virus

In this study, dsRNA specific to VP28 gene of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) of shrimp was synthesized in Escherichia coli in large scale and studied the immune response of shrimp to dsRNA-VP28. The haematological parameters such as clotting time and total haemocytes counts, and immunological parameters such as prophenoloxidase (proPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), superoxide anion (SOA) and malondialdehyde content, as well as the mRNA expression of ten immune-related genes were examined to estimate the effect of dsRNA-VP28 on the innate immunity of Litopenaeus vannamei. The activities of proPO, SOA and SOD significantly increased in haemocyte after dsRNA-VP28 treatment, whereas MDA content did not change significantly. Among the ten immune-related genes examined, only the mRNA expression of proPO, cMnSOD, haemocyanin, crustin, BGBP, lipopolysaccharides (LPs), lectin and lysozyme in haemocytes, gill and hepatopancreas of L. vannamei, was significantly upregulated at 12 h after dsRNA-VP28 treatment, while no significant expression changes were observed in Toll receptor and tumour receptor genes. The increase of proPO and SOD activities, and SOA level and mRNA expression level of proPO, cMnSOD, haemocyanin, crustin, BGBP, LPs, lectin and lysozyme after dsRNA-VP28 stimulation indicate that these immune-related genes were involved in dsRNA-VP28-induced innate immunity in shrimp.