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Asano T. Multicopper oxidase-2 mediated cuticle formation: Its contribution to evolution and success of insects as terrestrial organisms. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 168:104111. [PMID: 38508343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2024.104111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The insect cuticle is a non-cellular matrix composed of polysaccharide chitins and proteins. The cuticle covers most of the body surface, including the trachea, foregut, and hindgut, and it is the body structure that separates the intraluminal environment from the external environment. The cuticle is essential to sustain their lives, both as a physical barrier to maintain homeostasis and as an exoskeleton that mechanically supports body shape and movement. Previously, we proposed a theory about the possibility that the cuticle-forming system contributes to the "evolution and success of insects." The main points of our theory are that 1) insects evolved an insect-specific system of cuticle formation and 2) the presence of this system may have provided insects with a competitive advantage in the early land ecosystems. The key to this theory is that insects utilize molecular oxygen abundant in the atmosphere, which differs from closely related crustaceans that form their cuticles with calcium ions. With newly obtained knowledge, this review revisits the significance of the insect-specific system for insects to adapt to terrestrial environments and also discusses the long-standing question in entomology as to why, despite their great success in terrestrial environments, they poorly adapt to marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsunaki Asano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan, Minami-osawa 1-1, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.
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Mora-Gamboa MPC, Ferrucho-Calle MC, Ardila-Leal LD, Rojas-Ojeda LM, Galindo JF, Poutou-Piñales RA, Pedroza-Rodríguez AM, Quevedo-Hidalgo BE. Statistical Improvement of rGILCC 1 and rPOXA 1B Laccases Activity Assay Conditions Supported by Molecular Dynamics. Molecules 2023; 28:7263. [PMID: 37959683 PMCID: PMC10648076 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28217263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Laccases (E.C. 1.10.3.2) are glycoproteins widely distributed in nature. Their structural conformation includes three copper sites in their catalytic center, which are responsible for facilitating substrate oxidation, leading to the generation of H2O instead of H2O2. The measurement of laccase activity (UL-1) results may vary depending on the type of laccase, buffer, redox mediators, and substrates employed. The aim was to select the best conditions for rGILCC 1 and rPOXA 1B laccases activity assay. After sequential statistical assays, the molecular dynamics proved to support this process, and we aimed to accumulate valuable insights into the potential application of these enzymes for the degradation of novel substrates with negative environmental implications. Citrate buffer treatment T2 (CB T2) (pH 3.0 ± 0.2; λ420nm, 2 mM ABTS) had the most favorable results, with 7.315 ± 0.131 UL-1 for rGILCC 1 and 5291.665 ± 45.83 UL-1 for rPOXA 1B. The use of citrate buffer increased the enzyme affinity for ABTS since lower Km values occurred for both enzymes (1.49 × 10-2 mM for rGILCC 1 and 3.72 × 10-2 mM for rPOXA 1B) compared to those obtained in acetate buffer (5.36 × 10-2 mM for rGILCC 1 and 1.72 mM for rPOXA 1B). The molecular dynamics of GILCC 1-ABTS and POXA 1B-ABTS showed stable behavior, with root mean square deviation (RMSD) values not exceeding 2.0 Å. Enzyme activities (rGILCC 1 and rPOXA 1B) and 3D model-ABTS interactions (GILCC 1-ABTS and POXA 1B-ABTS) were under the strong influence of pH, wavelength, ions, and ABTS concentration, supported by computational studies identifying the stabilizing residues and interactions. Integration of the experimental and computational approaches yielded a comprehensive understanding of enzyme-substrate interactions, offering potential applications in environmental substrate treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- María P. C. Mora-Gamboa
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia (M.C.F.-C.); (L.D.A.-L.)
| | - María C. Ferrucho-Calle
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia (M.C.F.-C.); (L.D.A.-L.)
| | - Leidy D. Ardila-Leal
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia (M.C.F.-C.); (L.D.A.-L.)
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Grupo de Investigación en Asuntos Ambientales y Desarrollo Sostenible (MINDALA), Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y del Ambiente, Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander, Ocaña 546552, Colombia
| | - Lina M. Rojas-Ojeda
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Johan F. Galindo
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| | - Raúl A. Poutou-Piñales
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia (M.C.F.-C.); (L.D.A.-L.)
| | - Aura M. Pedroza-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Suelos, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Balkys E. Quevedo-Hidalgo
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Aplicada, Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia;
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Cheng Y, Wang P, Zeng Y, An W, Wang T, Xiao Y. Characterization of five pigmentation genes as transgenic markers in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Int J Biol Macromol 2023:124981. [PMID: 37236572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), has become one of the most damaging pests worldwide since its invasion of Africa, Asia and Oceania from 2016, threatening plants in 76 families including important crops. Genetics-based methods have proved to be an efficient way to control pests, especially invasive species, but many difficulties must be overcome to develop a transgenic insect strain, especially for a non-model species. Here we thus sought to identify a visible marker that would facilitate the distinction between genetically modified (GM) and non-transgenic insects, thereby simplifying mutation identification and facilitating the broader application of genome editing tools in non-model insects. Five genes (sfyellow-y, sfebony, sflaccase2, sfscarlet, and sfok) that are orthologs of well-studied genes in pigment metabolism were knocked out using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to identify candidate gene markers. Two genes, Sfebony and Sfscarlet, were identified responsible for body and compound eye coloration, respectively, in S. frugiperda, and could be potential visual markers for genetics-based pest management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Cheng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuxiao Zeng
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenwen An
- School of Life Science and Technology, Jining Normal University, Jining, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, China
| | - Yutao Xiao
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Gene Editing Technologies(Hainan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
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Ardila-Leal LD, Poutou-Piñales RA, Pedroza-Rodríguez AM, Quevedo-Hidalgo BE. A Brief History of Colour, the Environmental Impact of Synthetic Dyes and Removal by Using Laccases. Molecules 2021; 26:3813. [PMID: 34206669 PMCID: PMC8270347 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The history of colour is fascinating from a social and artistic viewpoint because it shows the way; use; and importance acquired. The use of colours date back to the Stone Age (the first news of cave paintings); colour has contributed to the social and symbolic development of civilizations. Colour has been associated with hierarchy; power and leadership in some of them. The advent of synthetic dyes has revolutionized the colour industry; and due to their low cost; their use has spread to different industrial sectors. Although the percentage of coloured wastewater discharged by the textile; food; pharmaceutical; cosmetic; and paper industries; among other productive areas; are unknown; the toxic effect and ecological implications of this discharged into water bodies are harmful. This review briefly shows the social and artistic history surrounding the discovery and use of natural and synthetic dyes. We summarise the environmental impact caused by the discharge of untreated or poorly treated coloured wastewater to water bodies; which has led to physical; chemical and biological treatments to reduce the colour units so as important physicochemical parameters. We also focus on laccase utility (EC 1.10.3.2), for discolouration enzymatic treatment of coloured wastewater, before its discharge into water bodies. Laccases (p-diphenol: oxidoreductase dioxide) are multicopper oxidoreductase enzymes widely distributed in plants, insects, bacteria, and fungi. Fungal laccases have employed for wastewater colour removal due to their high redox potential. This review includes an analysis of the stability of laccases, the factors that influence production at high scales to achieve discolouration of high volumes of contaminated wastewater, the biotechnological impact of laccases, and the degradation routes that some dyes may follow when using the laccase for colour removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leidy D. Ardila-Leal
- Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ), Bogotá 110-23, DC, Colombia;
| | - Raúl A. Poutou-Piñales
- Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Laboratorio de Biotecnología Molecular, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ), Bogotá 110-23, DC, Colombia;
| | - Aura M. Pedroza-Rodríguez
- Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y de Suelos, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ), Bogotá 110-23, DC, Colombia;
| | - Balkys E. Quevedo-Hidalgo
- Grupo de Biotecnología Ambiental e Industrial (GBAI), Laboratorio de Biotecnología Aplicada, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (PUJ), Bogotá 110-23, DC, Colombia;
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Liu J, Chen Z, Xiao Y, Asano T, Li S, Peng L, Chen E, Zhang J, Li W, Zhang Y, Tong X, Kadono-Okuda K, Zhao P, He N, Arunkumar KP, Gopinathan KP, Xia Q, Willis JH, Goldsmith MR, Mita K. Lepidopteran wing scales contain abundant cross-linked film-forming histidine-rich cuticular proteins. Commun Biol 2021; 4:491. [PMID: 33888855 PMCID: PMC8062583 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01996-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Scales are symbolic characteristic of Lepidoptera; however, nothing is known about the contribution of cuticular proteins (CPs) to the complex patterning of lepidopteran scales. This is because scales are resistant to solubilization, thus hindering molecular studies. Here we succeeded in dissolving developing wing scales from Bombyx mori, allowing analysis of their protein composition. We identified a distinctive class of histidine rich (His-rich) CPs (6%-45%) from developing lepidopteran scales by LC-MS/MS. Functional studies using RNAi revealed CPs with different histidine content play distinct and critical roles in constructing the microstructure of the scale surface. Moreover, we successfully synthesized films in vitro by crosslinking a 45% His-rich CP (BmorCPR152) with laccase2 using N-acetyl- dopamine or N-β-alanyl-dopamine as the substrate. This molecular study of scales provides fundamental information about how such a fine microstructure is constructed and insights into the potential application of CPs as new biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqiu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhiwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yingdan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tsunaki Asano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shenglong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Peng
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Enxiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wanshun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoling Tong
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Keiko Kadono-Okuda
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ping Zhao
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ningjia He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kallare P Arunkumar
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute, (CMER&TI), Central Silk Board, Jorhat, India
| | | | - Qingyou Xia
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Judith H Willis
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Marian R Goldsmith
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA.
| | - Kazuei Mita
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
- Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Asano T, Seto Y, Hashimoto K, Kurushima H. Mini-review an insect-specific system for terrestrialization: Laccase-mediated cuticle formation. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 108:61-70. [PMID: 30904465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Insects are often regarded as the most successful group of animals in the terrestrial environment. Their success can be represented by their huge biomass and large impact on ecosystems. Among the factors suggested to be responsible for their success, we focus on the possibility that the cuticle might have affected the process of insects' evolution. The cuticle of insects, like that of other arthropods, is composed mainly of chitin and structural cuticle proteins. However, insects seem to have evolved a specific system for cuticle formation. Oxidation reaction of catecholamines catalyzed by a copper enzyme, laccase, is the key step in the metabolic pathway for hardening of the insect cuticle. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that laccase functioning in cuticle sclerotization has evolved only in insects. In this review, we discuss a theory on how the insect-specific "laccase" function has been advantageous for establishing their current ecological position as terrestrial animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsunaki Asano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan.
| | - Yosuke Seto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Kosei Hashimoto
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kurushima
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
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Biodeterioration of plasma pretreated LDPE sheets by Pleurotus ostreatus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203786. [PMID: 30212510 PMCID: PMC6136779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) waste generates an environmental impact. To achieve the most suitable option for their degradation, it is necessary to implement chemical, physical and biological treatments, as well as combining procedures. Best treatment was prognosticated by Plackett-Burman Experimental Design (PB), evaluating five factors with two levels (0.25 mM or 1.0 gL-1 glucose, 1.0 or 2.0 mM CuSO4, 0.1 or 0.2 mM ABTS [2, 20-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)], pH 4.5 ± 0.2 or 7.0 ± 0.2 and 30 or 90 day incubation), which was reproduced for 150 days. Therefore, PB identified a sequential treatment (plasma followed by fungus) for partial LDPE biodeterioration. Sheets were pretreated with glow discharge plasma (O2, 3.0 x 10−2 mbar, 600 V, 6 min.), followed by Pleurotus ostreatus biodeterioration. Fungus growth, colonization percentage, and pigment generation followed. Laccase (Lac), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) activities were appraised. Additionally, contact angle (CA), functional group presence and changes and carbonyl and vinyl indices (Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy) were evaluated. LDPE surface changes were assessed by Young’s modulus, yield strength, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Plasma discharge increased hydrophilicity, decreasing CA by 76.57% and increasing surface roughness by 99.81%. P. ostreatus colonization was 88.72% in 150 days in comparison with untreated LDPE (45.55%). After this treatment carbonyl groups (C = O), C = C insaturations, high hydrophilicity CA (16 ± 4) °, and low surface roughness (7 ± 2) nm were observed. However, the highest Lac and LiP activities were detected after 30 days (Lac: 2.817 U Lac g-1 and LiP: 70.755 U LiP g-1). In addition, highest MnP activity was observed at day 120 (1.097 U MnP g-1) only for P. ostreatus treated LDPE. Plasma favored P. ostreatus adsorption, adherence, growth and colonization (88.72%), as well as partial LDPE biodeterioration, supported by increased hydrophilicity and presence of specific functional chemical groups. The approximate 27% changes in LDPE physical properties support its biodeterioration.
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Shi L, Chan S, Li C, Zhang S. Identification and characterization of a laccase from Litopenaeus vannamei involved in anti-bacterial host defense. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 66:1-10. [PMID: 28476665 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2017.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Phenoloxidases (POs) are a family of enzymes including tyrosinases, catecholases and laccases, which play an important role in immune defences of various invertebrates. Whether or not laccase exists in shrimp and its function is still poorly understood. In this study, a laccase (LvLac) was cloned and identified from Litopenaeus vannamei for the first time. The full length of LvLac is 3406 bp, including a 2034 bp open reading frame (ORF) coding for a putative protein of 677 amino acids with a signal peptide of 33 aa. LvLac contains three Cu-oxidase domains with copper binding centers formed by 10 histidines, one cysteine and one methionine, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LvLac was close to insects laccase 1 family. LvLac expression was most abundant in heart and the crude LvLac protein could catalyze the oxidation of hydroquinone. Real-time PCR showed that LvLac expression was responsive to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Micrococcus lysodeikticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Knockdown of LvLac enhanced the sensitivity of shrimps to V. parahaemolyticus and M. lysodeikticus challenge, suggesting that LvLac may play a positive role against bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Shi
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, PR China
| | - Siuming Chan
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, PR China
| | - Chaozheng Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China; School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; South China Sea Resource Exploitation and Protection Collaborative Innovation Center (SCS-REPIC), PR China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, PR China.
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Du MH, Yan ZW, Hao YJ, Yan ZT, Si FL, Chen B, Qiao L. Suppression of Laccase 2 severely impairs cuticle tanning and pathogen resistance during the pupal metamorphosis of Anopheles sinensis (Diptera: Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:171. [PMID: 28376914 PMCID: PMC5381134 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2118-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Phenol oxidases (POs) catalyze the oxidation of dopa and dopamine to melanin, which is crucial for cuticle formation and innate immune maintenance in insects. Although, Laccase 2, a member of the PO family, has been reported to be a requirement for melanin-mediated cuticle tanning in the development stages of some insects, whether it participates in cuticle construction and other physiological processes during the metamorphosis of mosquito pupae is unclear. Methods The association between the phenotype and the expression profile of Anopheles sinensis Laccase 2 (AsLac2) was assessed from pupation to adult eclosion. Individuals showing an expression deficiency of AsLac2 that was produced by RNAi and their phenotypic defects and physiological characterizations were compared in detail with the controls. Results During the dominant expression period, knockdown of AsLac2 in pupae caused the cuticle to be unpigmented, and produced thin and very soft cuticles, which further impeded the eclosion rate of adults as well as their fitness. Moreover, melanization immune responses in the pupae were sharply decreased, leading to poor resistance to microorganism infection. Both the high conservation among Laccase 2 homologs and a very similar genomic synteny of the neighborhood in Anopheles genus implies a conservative function in the pupal stage. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the serious phenotypic defects in mosquito pupae caused by the dysfunction of Laccase 2. Our findings strongly suggest that Laccase 2 is crucial for Anopheles cuticle construction and melanization immune responses to pathogen infections during pupal metamorphosis. This irreplaceability provides valuable information on the application of Lacccase 2 and/or other key genes in the melanin metabolism pathway for developing mosquito control strategies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2118-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hui Du
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Zheng-Wen Yan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - You-Jin Hao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Zhen-Tian Yan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Feng-Ling Si
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Bin Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Liang Qiao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects; Institute of Entomology and Molecular Biology; College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
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Masuoka Y, Maekawa K. Gene expression changes in the tyrosine metabolic pathway regulate caste-specific cuticular pigmentation of termites. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 74:21-31. [PMID: 27125584 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In social insects, all castes have characteristic phenotypes suitable for their own tasks and to engage in social behavior. The acquisition of caste-specific phenotypes was a key event in the course of social insect evolution. However, understanding of the genetic basis and the developmental mechanisms that produce these phenotypes is still very limited. In particular, termites normally possess more than two castes with specific phenotypes (i.e. workers, soldiers, and reproductives), but proximate developmental mechanisms are far from being fully understood. In this study, we focused on the pigmentation of the cuticle as a model trait for caste-specific phenotypes, during the molts of each caste; workers, soldiers, presoldiers (intermediate stage of soldiers), and alates (primary reproductives) in Zootermopsis nevadensis. Expression patterns of cuticular tanning genes (members of the tyrosine metabolic pathway) were different among each molt, and high expression levels of several "key genes" were observed during each caste differentiation. For the differentiation of castes with well-tanned cuticles (i.e. soldiers and alates), all focal genes except DDC in the former were highly expressed. On the other hand, high expression levels of yellow and aaNAT were observed during worker and presoldier molts, respectively, but most other genes in the pathway were expressed at low levels. RNA interference (RNAi) of these key genes affected caste-specific cuticular pigmentation, leading to soldiers with yellowish-white heads and pigmented mandibular tips, presoldiers with partly pigmented head cuticles, and alates with the yellow head capsules. These results suggest that the pigmentation of caste-specific cuticles is achieved by the regulation of gene expression in the tyrosine metabolic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudai Masuoka
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Maekawa
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
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He S, Tong X, Lu K, Lu Y, Luo J, Yang W, Chen M, Han MJ, Hu H, Lu C, Dai F. Comparative Analysis of Transcriptomes among Bombyx mori Strains and Sexes Reveals the Genes Regulating Melanic Morph and the Related Phenotypes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155061. [PMID: 27153103 PMCID: PMC4859508 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As a source of insect polymorphism, melanism plays an important role in ecological adaption and usually endows advantageous phenotypic-effects on insects. However, due to the mechanistic diversity, there are knowledge gaps in the molecular mechanisms underlying melanism and the related phenotypes. In silk moths, a recessive melanic mutant (sex-controlled melanism, sml) strain exhibits extended adult longevity. We took a transcriptome approach to perform a comparative analysis between this sml strain and a wild-type strain (Dazao). Our analysis resulted in the identification of 59 unique differentially expressed genes in the melanic mutant. Two key genes (laccase2 and yellow) involved in melanin formation were significantly up-regulated in melanic individuals. The laccase2 B-type isoform (BGIBMGA006746) was found to likely participate in the silkworm cuticular melanism process at late pupal stage. Moreover, we discovered 22 cuticular protein encoding genes with the possible function in melanin transport and/or maintenance. Based on our findings, we presume that the longer survival of the melanic sml male moths might be associated with the enhanced antioxidant defense systems and a reduction in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway (IIS). These findings will facilitate the understanding of the molecular basis underlying melanism and the derived phenotypic-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songzhen He
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Xiaoling Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Kunpeng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yaru Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Jiangwen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Wenhao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Min-jin Han
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Cheng Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Fangyin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory for Sericulture Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Agricultural Ministry, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
- * E-mail:
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Peng Z, Dittmer NT, Lang M, Brummett LM, Braun CL, Davis LC, Kanost MR, Gorman MJ. Multicopper oxidase-1 orthologs from diverse insect species have ascorbate oxidase activity. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 59:58-71. [PMID: 25701385 PMCID: PMC4387078 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.02.005] [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: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Members of the multicopper oxidase (MCO) family of enzymes can be classified by their substrate specificity; for example, ferroxidases oxidize ferrous iron, ascorbate oxidases oxidize ascorbate, and laccases oxidize aromatic substrates such as diphenols. Our previous work on an insect multicopper oxidase, MCO1, suggested that it may function as a ferroxidase. This hypothesis was based on three lines of evidence: RNAi-mediated knock down of Drosophila melanogaster MCO1 (DmMCO1) affects iron homeostasis, DmMCO1 has ferroxidase activity, and DmMCO1 has predicted iron binding residues. In our current study, we expanded our focus to include MCO1 from Anopheles gambiae, Tribolium castaneum, and Manduca sexta. We verified that MCO1 orthologs have similar expression profiles, and that the MCO1 protein is located on the basal surface of cells where it is positioned to oxidize substrates in the hemolymph. In addition, we determined that RNAi-mediated knock down of MCO1 in A. gambiae affects iron homeostasis. To further characterize the enzymatic activity of MCO1 orthologs, we purified recombinant MCO1 from all four insect species and performed kinetic analyses using ferrous iron, ascorbate and two diphenols as substrates. We found that all of the MCO1 orthologs are much better at oxidizing ascorbate than they are at oxidizing ferrous iron or diphenols. This result is surprising because ascorbate oxidases are thought to be specific to plants and fungi. An analysis of three predicted iron binding residues in DmMCO1 revealed that they are not required for ferroxidase or laccase activity, but two of the residues (His374 and Asp380) influence oxidation of ascorbate. These two residues are conserved in MCO1 orthologs from insects and crustaceans; therefore, they are likely to be important for MCO1 function. The results of this study suggest that MCO1 orthologs function as ascorbate oxidases and influence iron homeostasis through an unknown mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Peng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Neal T Dittmer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Minglin Lang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Lisa M Brummett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Caroline L Braun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Lawrence C Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Michael R Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
| | - Maureen J Gorman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, 141 Chalmers, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA.
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