1
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Sun M, Fu L, Chen T, Dong N. Extracellular production of antifungal peptides from oxidative endotoxin-free E. coli and application. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:56. [PMID: 38175241 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12888-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Antifungal peptides (AFPs) can be used as novel preservatives, but achieving large-scale production and application remains a long-term challenge. In this study, we developed a hybrid peptide MD (metchnikowin-drosomycin fusion) secreted into Escherichia coli supernatant, demonstrating strong inhibitory activity against Aspergillus flavus and Botrytis cinerea. The fusion tag did not impact its activity. Moreover, an endotoxin-free and oxidative leaky strain was developed by knocking out the trxB, gor, and lpp genes of endotoxin-free E. coli ClearColi-BL21(DE3). This strain facilitates the proper folding of multi-disulfide bond proteins and promotes the extracellular production of recombinant bioactive AFP MD, achieving efficient production of endotoxin-free MD. In addition, temperature control replaces chemical inducers to further reduce production costs and circumvent the toxicity of inducers. This extracellularly produced MD exhibited favorable effectiveness in inhibiting fruit mold growth, and its safety was preliminarily established by gavage testing in mice, suggesting that it can be developed into a green and sustainable fruit fungicide. In conclusion, this study provides novel approaches and systematic concepts for producing extracellularly active proteins or peptides with industrial significance. KEY POINTS: • First report of extracellular production of bioactive antifungal peptide in Escherichia coli. • The hybrid antifungal peptide MD showed strong inhibitory activity against Aspergillus flavus and Botrytis cinerea, and the activity was not affected by the fusion tag. • Endotoxin-free oxidative Escherichia coli suitable for the expression of multi-disulfide bond proteins was constructed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengning Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Linglong Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
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2
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Zhou L, Meng G, Zhu L, Ma L, Chen K. Insect Antimicrobial Peptides as Guardians of Immunity and Beyond: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3835. [PMID: 38612644 PMCID: PMC11011964 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073835] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as immune effectors synthesized by a variety of organisms, not only constitute a robust defense mechanism against a broad spectrum of pathogens in the host but also show promising applications as effective antimicrobial agents. Notably, insects are significant reservoirs of natural AMPs. However, the complex array of variations in types, quantities, antimicrobial activities, and production pathways of AMPs, as well as evolution of AMPs across insect species, presents a significant challenge for immunity system understanding and AMP applications. This review covers insect AMP discoveries, classification, common properties, and mechanisms of action. Additionally, the types, quantities, and activities of immune-related AMPs in each model insect are also summarized. We conducted the first comprehensive investigation into the diversity, distribution, and evolution of 20 types of AMPs in model insects, employing phylogenetic analysis to describe their evolutionary relationships and shed light on conserved and distinctive AMP families. Furthermore, we summarize the regulatory pathways of AMP production through classical signaling pathways and additional pathways associated with Nitric Oxide, insulin-like signaling, and hormones. This review advances our understanding of AMPs as guardians in insect immunity systems and unlocks a gateway to insect AMP resources, facilitating the use of AMPs to address food safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhou
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Guanliang Meng
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, 53113 Bonn, Germany;
| | - Ling Zhu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China;
| | - Li Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030810, China
| | - Kangkang Chen
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China;
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3
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Ma M, Luo J, Li C, Eleftherianos I, Zhang W, Xu L. A life-and-death struggle: interaction of insects with entomopathogenic fungi across various infection stages. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1329843. [PMID: 38259477 PMCID: PMC10800808 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1329843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Insects constitute approximately 75% of the world's recognized fauna, with the majority of species considered as pests. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are parasitic microorganisms capable of efficiently infecting insects, rendering them potent biopesticides. In response to infections, insects have evolved diverse defense mechanisms, prompting EPF to develop a variety of strategies to overcome or circumvent host defenses. While the interaction mechanisms between EPF and insects is well established, recent findings underscore that their interplay is more intricate than previously thought, especially evident across different stages of EPF infection. This review primarily focuses on the interplay between EPF and the insect defense strategies, centered around three infection stages: (1) Early infection stage: involving the pre-contact detection and avoidance behavior of EPF in insects, along with the induction of behavioral responses upon contact with the host cuticle; (2) Penetration and intra-hemolymph growth stage: involving the initiation of intricate cellular and humoral immune functions in insects, while symbiotic microbes can further contribute to host resistance; (3) Host insect's death stage: involving the ultimate confrontation between pathogens and insects. Infected insects strive to separate themselves from the healthy population, while pathogens rely on the infected insects to spread to new hosts. Also, we discuss a novel pest management strategy underlying the cooperation between EPF infection and disturbing the insect immune system. By enhancing our understanding of the intricate interplay between EPF and the insect, this review provides novel perspectives for EPF-mediated pest management and developing effective fungal insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiqi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Letian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
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4
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Tower J. Markers and mechanisms of death in Drosophila. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2023; 4:1292040. [PMID: 38149028 PMCID: PMC10749947 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1292040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Parameters correlated with age and mortality in Drosophila melanogaster include decreased negative geotaxis and centrophobism behaviors, decreased climbing and walking speed, and darkened pigments in oenocytes and eye. Cessation of egg laying predicts death within approximately 5 days. Endogenous green fluorescence in eye and body increases hours prior to death. Many flies exhibit erratic movement hours before death, often leading to falls. Loss of intestinal barrier integrity (IBI) is assayed by feeding blue dye ("Smurf" phenotype), and Smurf flies typically die within 0-48 h. Some studies report most flies exhibit Smurf, whereas multiple groups report most flies die without exhibiting Smurf. Transgenic reporters containing heat shock gene promoters and innate immune response gene promoters progressively increase expression with age, and partly predict remaining life span. Innate immune reporters increase with age in every fly, prior to any Smurf phenotype, in presence or absence of antibiotics. Many flies die on their side or supine (on their back) position. The data suggest three mechanisms for death of Drosophila. One is loss of IBI, as revealed by Smurf assay. The second is nervous system malfunction, leading to erratic behavior, locomotor malfunction, and falls. The aged fly is often unable to right itself after a fall to a side-ways or supine position, leading to inability to access the food and subsequent dehydration/starvation. Finally, some flies die upright without Smurf phenotype, suggesting a possible third mechanism. The frequency of these mechanisms varies between strains and culture conditions, which may affect efficacy of life span interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Tower
- Molecular and Computational Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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5
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Nakagawa A, Sakamoto T, Kanost MR, Tabunoki H. The Development of New Methods to Stimulate the Production of Antimicrobial Peptides in the Larvae of the Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15765. [PMID: 37958748 PMCID: PMC10647447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115765] [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: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) The global population is projected to reach a staggering 9.8 billion people by the year 2050, leading to major concerns about food security. The necessity to increase livestock production is inevitable. The black soldier fly (BSF) is known for its ability to consume a wide range of organic waste, and BSF larvae have already been used as a partial substitute for fishmeal. In contrast, the use of antibiotics in livestock feed for growth promotion and prophylaxis poses a severe threat to global health owing to antimicrobial resistance. Insect antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown the potential to rapidly disrupt target bacterial membranes, making bacterial resistance to AMPs a less likely concern. (2) In this study, we explored various methods for stimulating AMP synthesis in BSF larvae and found that thermal injury effectively induced the production of various AMP types. Additionally, we investigated the activation of innate immune response pathways that lead to AMP production following thermal injury. (3) Interestingly, thermal injury treatment, although not involving bacteria, exhibited a similar response to that observed following Gram-positive bacterial infection in eliciting the expression of AMP genes. (4) Our findings offer support for the industrial use of BSF to enhance livestock production and promote environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuyoshi Nakagawa
- Future Tech Laboratory, Corporate Research & Development, UBE Corporation, 8-1 Goi-Minamikaigan, Chiba 290-0045, Japan;
- Cooperative Major in Advanced Health Science, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and System Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
| | - Takuma Sakamoto
- Department of Science of Biological Production, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-Cho, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan;
| | - Michael R. Kanost
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, 141 Chalmers Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-3702, USA;
| | - Hiroko Tabunoki
- Cooperative Major in Advanced Health Science, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and System Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan
- Department of Science of Biological Production, Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-Cho, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan;
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6
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Zhang LM, Yang M, Zhou SW, Zhang H, Feng Y, Shi L, Li DS, Lu QM, Zhang ZH, Zhao M. Blapstin, a Diapause-Specific Peptide-Like Peptide from the Chinese Medicinal Beetle Blaps rhynchopetera, Has Antifungal Function. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0308922. [PMID: 37140456 PMCID: PMC10269622 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03089-22] [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: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance against bacteria and fungi has become common in recent years, and it is urgent to discover novel antimicrobial peptides to manage this problem. Many antimicrobial peptides from insects have been reported to have antifungal activity and are candidate molecules in the treatment of human diseases. In the present study, we characterized an antifungal peptide named blapstin that was isolated from the Chinese medicinal beetle Blaps rhynchopetera used in folk medicine. The complete coding sequence was cloned from the cDNA library prepared from the midgut of B. rhynchopetera. It is a 41-amino-acid diapause-specific peptide (DSP)-like peptide stabilized by three disulfide bridges and shows antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum with MICs of 7 μM and 5.3 μM, respectively. The C. albicans and T. rubrum treated with blapstin showed irregular and shrunken cell membranes. In addition, blapstin inhibited the activity of C. albicans biofilm and showed little hemolytic or toxic activity on human cells and it is highly expressed in the fat body, followed by the hemolymph, midgut, muscle, and defensive glands. These results indicate that blapstin may help insects fight against fungi and showed a potential application in the development of antifungal reagents. IMPORTANCE Candida albicans is one of the conditional pathogenic fungi causing severe nosocomial infections. Trichophyton rubrum and other skin fungi are the main pathogens of superficial cutaneous fungal diseases, especially in children and the elderly. At present, antibiotics such as amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and fluconazole are the main drugs for the clinical treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections. However, these drugs have certain acute toxicity. Long-term use can increase kidney damage and other side effects. Therefore, obtaining broad-spectrum antifungal drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity for the treatment of C. albicans and T. rubrum infections is a top priority. Blapstin is an antifungal peptide which shows activity against C. albicans and T. rubrum. The discovery of blapstin provides a novel clue for our understanding of the innate immunity of Blaps rhynchopetera and provides a template for designing antifungal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- La-Mei Zhang
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng-Wen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Feng
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qiu-Min Lu
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhong-He Zhang
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Institute of Highland Forest Science, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Kunming, China
- Key Laboratory of Breeding and Utilization of Resource Insects, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming, China
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7
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Bland ML. Regulating metabolism to shape immune function: Lessons from Drosophila. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 138:128-141. [PMID: 35440411 PMCID: PMC10617008 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Infection with pathogenic microbes is a severe threat that hosts manage by activating the innate immune response. In Drosophila melanogaster, the Toll and Imd signaling pathways are activated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns to initiate cellular and humoral immune processes that neutralize and kill invaders. The Toll and Imd signaling pathways operate in organs such as fat body and gut that control host nutrient metabolism, and infections or genetic activation of Toll and Imd signaling also induce wide-ranging changes in host lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Metabolic regulation by immune signaling can confer resistance to or tolerance of infection, but it can also lead to pathology and susceptibility to infection. These immunometabolic phenotypes are described in this review, as are changes in endocrine signaling and gene regulation that mediate survival during infection. Future work in the field is anticipated to determine key variables such as sex, dietary nutrients, life stage, and pathogen characteristics that modify immunometabolic phenotypes and, importantly, to uncover the mechanisms used by the immune system to regulate metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Bland
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, United States.
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8
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Specific Focus on Antifungal Peptides against Azole Resistant Aspergillus fumigatus: Current Status, Challenges, and Future Perspectives. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 9:jof9010042. [PMID: 36675863 PMCID: PMC9864941 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of fungal infections is increasing worldwide, especially that of aspergillosis, which previously only affected people with immunosuppression. Aspergillus fumigatus can cause allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and endangers public health due to resistance to azole-type antimycotics such as fluconazole. Antifungal peptides are viable alternatives that combat infection by forming pores in membranes through electrostatic interactions with the phospholipids as well as cell death to peptides that inhibit protein synthesis and inhibit cell replication. Engineering antifungal peptides with nanotechnology can enhance the efficacy of these therapeutics at lower doses and reduce immune responses. This manuscript explains how antifungal peptides combat antifungal-resistant aspergillosis and also how rational peptide design with nanotechnology and artificial intelligence can engineer peptides to be a feasible antifungal alternative.
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9
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Gu J, Isozumi N, Gao B, Ohki S, Zhu S. Mutation-driven evolution of antibacterial function in an ancestral antifungal scaffold: Significance for peptide engineering. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1053078. [PMID: 36532476 PMCID: PMC9751787 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1053078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutation-driven evolution of novel function on an old gene has been documented in many development- and adaptive immunity-related genes but is poorly understood in immune effector molecules. Drosomycin-type antifungal peptides (DTAFPs) are a family of defensin-type effectors found in plants and ecdysozoans. Their primitive function was to control fungal infection and then co-opted for fighting against bacterial infection in plants, insects, and nematodes. This provides a model to study the structural and evolutionary mechanisms behind such functional diversification. In the present study, we determined the solution structure of mehamycin, a DTAFP from the Northern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla with antibacterial activity and an 18-mer insert, and studied the mutational effect through using a mutant with the insert deleted. Mehamycin adopts an expected cysteine-stabilized α-helix and β-sheet fold in its core scaffold and the inserted region, called single Disulfide Bridge-linked Domain (abbreviated as sDBD), forms an extended loop protruding from the scaffold. The latter folds into an amphipathic architecture stabilized by one disulfide bridge, which likely confers mehamycin a bacterial membrane permeability. Deletion of the sDBD remarkably decreased the ability but accompanying an increase in thermostability, indicative of a structure-function trade-off in the mehamycin evolution. Allosteric analysis revealed an interior interaction between the two domains, which might promote point mutations at some key sites of the core domain and ultimately give rise to the emergence of antibacterial function. Our work may be valuable in guiding protein engineering of mehamycin to improve its activity and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Noriyoshi Isozumi
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shinya Ohki
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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10
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Kinoshita S, Takarada K, Kinoshita Y, Inoue YH. Drosophila hemocytes recognize lymph gland tumors of mxc mutants and activate the innate immune pathway in a reactive oxygen species-dependent manner. Biol Open 2022; 11:277211. [PMID: 36226812 PMCID: PMC9641529 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of cancer cell recognition and elimination by the innate immune system remains unclear. The immune signaling pathways are activated in the fat body to suppress the tumor growth in mxcmbn1 hematopoietic tumor mutants in Drosophila by inducing antimicrobial peptides (AMP). Here, we investigated the regulatory mechanism underlying the activation in the mutant. Firstly, we found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in the hemocytes due to induction of dual oxidase and one of its activators. This was required for the AMP induction and the tumor growth suppression. Next, more hemocytes transplanted from normal larvae were associated with the mutant tumor than normal lymph glands (LGs). Matrix metalloproteinase 1 and 2 (MMP2) were highly expressed in the tumors. The basement membrane components in the tumors were reduced and ultimately lost inside. Depletion of the MMP2 rather than MMP1 resulted in a significantly reduced AMP expression in the mutant larvae. The hemocytes may recognize the disassembly of basement membrane in the tumors and activate the ROS production. Our findings highlight the mechanism via which macrophage-like hemocytes recognize tumor cells and subsequently convey the information to induce AMPs in the fat body. They contribute to uncover the role of innate immune system against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzuko Kinoshita
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takarada
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Yuriko Kinoshita
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro H. Inoue
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan,Author for correspondence ()
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11
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Xu R, Lou Y, Tidu A, Bulet P, Heinekamp T, Martin F, Brakhage A, Li Z, Liégeois S, Ferrandon D. The Toll pathway mediates Drosophila resilience to Aspergillus mycotoxins through specific Bomanins. EMBO Rep 2022; 24:e56036. [PMID: 36322050 PMCID: PMC9827548 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202256036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Host defense against infections encompasses both resistance, which targets microorganisms for neutralization or elimination, and resilience/disease tolerance, which allows the host to withstand/tolerate pathogens and repair damages. In Drosophila, the Toll signaling pathway is thought to mediate resistance against fungal infections by regulating the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, potentially including Bomanins. We find that Aspergillus fumigatus kills Drosophila Toll pathway mutants without invasion because its dissemination is blocked by melanization, suggesting a role for Toll in host defense distinct from resistance. We report that mutants affecting the Toll pathway or the 55C Bomanin locus are susceptible to the injection of two Aspergillus mycotoxins, restrictocin and verruculogen. The vulnerability of 55C deletion mutants to these mycotoxins is rescued by the overexpression of Bomanins specific to each challenge. Mechanistically, flies in which BomS6 is expressed in the nervous system exhibit an enhanced recovery from the tremors induced by injected verruculogen and display improved survival. Thus, innate immunity also protects the host against the action of microbial toxins through secreted peptides and thereby increases its resilience to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xu
- Sino‐French Hoffmann InstituteGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina,Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Modèles Insectes de l'Immunité InnéeUPR 9022 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
| | - Yanyan Lou
- Sino‐French Hoffmann InstituteGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina,Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Modèles Insectes de l'Immunité InnéeUPR 9022 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
| | - Antonin Tidu
- Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARNUPR 9002 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209CNRS UMR 5309GrenobleFrance,Platform BioPark ArchampsArchampsFrance
| | - Thorsten Heinekamp
- Department of Molecular and Applied MicrobiologyLeibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology ‐ Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz‐HKI)JenaGermany
| | - Franck Martin
- Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARNUPR 9002 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
| | - Axel Brakhage
- Department of Molecular and Applied MicrobiologyLeibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology ‐ Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz‐HKI)JenaGermany,Institute of MicrobiologyFriedrich Schiller University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Zi Li
- Sino‐French Hoffmann InstituteGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Samuel Liégeois
- Sino‐French Hoffmann InstituteGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina,Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Modèles Insectes de l'Immunité InnéeUPR 9022 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
| | - Dominique Ferrandon
- Sino‐French Hoffmann InstituteGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina,Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance,Modèles Insectes de l'Immunité InnéeUPR 9022 du CNRSStrasbourgFrance
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12
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Perez-Rodriguez A, Eraso E, Quindós G, Mateo E. Antimicrobial Peptides with Anti-Candida Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169264. [PMID: 36012523 PMCID: PMC9409312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycoses are accountable for millions of infections yearly worldwide. Invasive candidiasis is the most usual, presenting a high morbidity and mortality. Candida albicans remains the prevalent etiologic agent, but the incidence of other species such as Candida parapsilosis, Candida glabrata and Candida auris keeps increasing. These pathogens frequently show a reduced susceptibility to commonly used antifungal drugs, including polyenes, triazoles and echinocandins, and the incidence of emerging multi-drug-resistant strains of these species continues to increase. Therefore, the need to search for new molecules that target these pathogenic species in a different manner is now more urgent than ever. Nature is an almost endless source of interesting new molecules that could meet this need. Among these molecules, antimicrobial peptides, present in different sources in nature, possess some advantages over conventional antifungal agents, even with their own drawbacks, and are considered as a promising pharmacological option against a wide range of microbial infections. In this review, we describe 20 antimicrobial peptides from different origins that possess an activity against Candida.
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13
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Hanson MA, Kondo S, Lemaitre B. Drosophila immunity: the Drosocin gene encodes two host defence peptides with pathogen-specific roles. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220773. [PMID: 35730150 PMCID: PMC9233930 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key to defence against infection in plants and animals. Use of AMP mutations in Drosophila has now revealed that AMPs can additively or synergistically contribute to defence in vivo. However, these studies also revealed high specificity, wherein just one AMP contributes an outsized role in combatting a specific pathogen. Here, we show the Drosocin locus (CG10816) is more complex than previously described. In addition to its namesake peptide 'Drosocin', it encodes a second mature peptide from a precursor via furin cleavage. This peptide corresponds to the previously uncharacterized 'Immune-induced Molecule 7'. A polymorphism (Thr52Ala) in the Drosocin precursor protein previously masked the identification of this peptide, which we name 'Buletin'. Using mutations differently affecting Drosocin and Buletin, we show that only Drosocin contributes to Drosocin gene-mediated defence against Enterobacter cloacae. Strikingly, we observed that Buletin, but not Drosocin, contributes to the Drosocin gene-mediated defence against Providencia burhodogranariea, including an importance of the Thr52Ala polymorphism for survival. Our study reveals that the Drosocin gene encodes two prominent host defence peptides with different specificity against distinct pathogens. This finding emphasizes the complexity of the Drosophila humoral response and demonstrates how natural polymorphisms can affect host susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Hanson
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - S. Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - B. Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life Science, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Salmela H, Harwood GP, Münch D, Elsik CG, Herrero-Galán E, Vartiainen MK, Amdam GV. Nuclear translocation of vitellogenin in the honey bee ( Apis mellifera). APIDOLOGIE 2022; 53:13. [PMID: 35309709 PMCID: PMC8924143 DOI: 10.1007/s13592-022-00914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Vitellogenin (Vg) is a conserved protein used by nearly all oviparous animals to produce eggs. It is also pleiotropic and performs functions in oxidative stress resistance, immunity, and, in honey bees, behavioral development of the worker caste. It has remained enigmatic how Vg affects multiple traits. Here, we asked whether Vg enters the nucleus and acts via DNA-binding. We used cell fractionation, immunohistology, and cell culture to show that a structural subunit of honey bee Vg translocates into cell nuclei. We then demonstrated Vg-DNA binding theoretically and empirically with prediction software and chromatin immunoprecipitation with sequencing (ChIP-seq), finding binding sites at genes influencing immunity and behavior. Finally, we investigated the immunological and enzymatic conditions affecting Vg cleavage and nuclear translocation and constructed a 3D structural model. Our data are the first to show Vg in the nucleus and suggest a new fundamental regulatory role for this ubiquitous protein. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13592-022-00914-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Salmela
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, 00014 Helsinki, FI Finland
| | - Gyan P. Harwood
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 320 Morrill Hall 505 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
| | - Daniel Münch
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Christine G. Elsik
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, S108 Animal Sciences Research Center (ASRC), Colombia, MO 65211 USA
| | | | - Maria K. Vartiainen
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-1432 Aas, Norway
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 East Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281 USA
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15
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Antimicrobial Properties of a Peptide Derived from the Male Fertility Factor kl2 Protein of Drosophila melanogaster. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 44:1169-1181. [PMID: 35723299 PMCID: PMC8947439 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44030076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important components of innate immunity. Here, we report the antimicrobial properties of a peptide derived from the Male fertility factor kl2 (MFF-kl2) protein of Drosophila melanogaster, which was identified as a functional analog of the mammalian antibacterial chemerin-p4 peptide. The antimicrobial activity of multifunctional chemerin is mainly associated with a domain localized in the middle of the chemerin sequence, Val66-Pro85 peptide (chemerin-p4). Using bioinformatic tools, we found homologs of the chemerin-p4 peptide in the proteome of D. melanogaster. One of them is MFF-p1, which is a part of the MFF kl2 protein, encoded by the gene male fertility factor kl2 (kl-2) located on the long arm of the Y chromosome. The second detected peptide (Z-p1) is a part of the Zizimin protein belonging to DOCK family, which is involved in cellular signaling processes. After testing the antimicrobial properties of both peptides, we found that only MFF-p1 possesses these properties. Here, we demonstrate its antimicrobial potential both in vitro and in vivo after infecting D. melanogaster with bacteria. MFF-p1 strongly inhibits the viable counts of E. coli and B. subtilis after 2 h of treatment and disrupts bacterial cells. The expression of kl-2 is regulated by exposure to bacteria and by the circadian clock.
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16
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Entomopathogenic Fungi for Pests and Predators Control in Beekeeping. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9020095. [PMID: 35202348 PMCID: PMC8875931 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9020095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of resistance to chemical drugs in beekeeping is becoming a phenomenon of widespread concern. One promising alternative to the use of chemicals is entomopathogenic organisms that are environmentally friendly and are capable of stopping the expression of resistance once it has evolved. In the recent past, the scientific community has carried out several experiments addressing the use of microbiological control agents. In particular, experimental studies using entomopathogenic fungi have had more success in honey bee research. With their adherence properties and their ability to digest the cuticle and overcome the host defense mechanism, they could be a suitable ingredient in bioacaricides. Several promising fungi have been identified in the search for effective means to control pest populations. The data obtained from the different experiments are interesting and often favorable to their use, but there are also conflicting results. The aim of this review is to describe the state of the art on the topic under investigation.
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17
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Transgenic Silkworms Overexpressing Relish and Expressing Drosomycin Confer Enhanced Immunity to Multiple Pathogens. Mol Biotechnol 2022; 64:711-724. [DOI: 10.1007/s12033-021-00438-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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18
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Zhu S, Gao B, Umetsu Y, Peigneur S, Li P, Ohki S, Tytgat J. Adaptively evolved human oral actinomyces-sourced defensins show therapeutic potential. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 14:e14499. [PMID: 34927385 PMCID: PMC8819291 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202114499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of eukaryote‐derived antimicrobial peptides as systemically administered drugs has proven a challenging task. Here, we report the first human oral actinomyces‐sourced defensin—actinomycesin—that shows promise for systemic therapy. Actinomycesin and its homologs are only present in actinobacteria and myxobacteria, and share similarity with a group of ancient invertebrate‐type defensins reported in fungi and invertebrates. Signatures of natural selection were detected in defensins from the actinomyces colonized in human oral cavity and ruminant rumen and dental plaque, highlighting their role in adaptation to complex multispecies bacterial communities. Consistently, actinomycesin exhibited potent antibacterial activity against oral bacteria and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus and synergized with two classes of human salivary antibacterial factors. Actinomycesin specifically inhibited bacterial peptidoglycan synthesis and displayed weak immunomodulatory activity and low toxicity on human and mammalian cells and ion channels in the heart and central nervous system. Actinomycesin was highly efficient in mice infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae and mice with MRSA‐induced experimental peritoneal infection. This work identifies human oral bacteria as a new source of systemic anti‐infective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yoshitaka Umetsu
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Japan
| | - Steve Peigneur
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ping Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety (Chinese Academy of Sciences), National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Shinya Ohki
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Japan
| | - Jan Tytgat
- Toxicology and Pharmacology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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19
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Takeuchi KI, Honda D, Okumura M, Miura M, Chihara T. Systemic innate immune response induces death of olfactory receptor neurons in Drosophila. Genes Cells 2021; 27:113-123. [PMID: 34921694 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12914] [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: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neural functions are known to decline during normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms of functional impairment owing to the normal aging of the brain are poorly understood. Previously, we reported that caspase-3-like protease, the protease responsible for inducing apoptosis, is activated in a subset of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), especially in Drosophila Or42b neurons, during normal aging. Herein, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying age-related caspase-3-like protease activation and cell death in Or42b neurons. Gene expression profiling of young and aged fly antenna showed that the expression of antimicrobial peptides was significantly upregulated, suggesting an activated innate immune response. Consistent with this observation, inhibition or activation of the innate immune pathway caused delayed or precocious cell death, respectively, in Or42b neurons. Accordingly, autonomous cell activation of the innate immune pathway in Or42b neurons is not likely required for their age-related death, whereas the systemic innate immune response induces caspase-3-like protease activation in Or42b neurons; this indicated that the death of these neurons is regulated non-cell autonomously. We propose a possible link between the innate immune response and the death of olfactory neurons during normal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-Ichi Takeuchi
- Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan
| | - Daichi Honda
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Misako Okumura
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masayuki Miura
- Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan
| | - Takahiro Chihara
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.,Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
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20
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Eleftherianos I, Zhang W, Heryanto C, Mohamed A, Contreras G, Tettamanti G, Wink M, Bassal T. Diversity of insect antimicrobial peptides and proteins - A functional perspective: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 191:277-287. [PMID: 34543628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The innate immune response of insects provides a robust line of defense against pathogenic microbes and eukaryotic parasites. It consists of two types of overlapping immune responses, named humoral and cellular, which share protective molecules and regulatory mechanisms that closely coordinate to prevent the spread and replication of pathogens within the compromised insect hemocoel. The major feature of the humoral part of the insect immune system involves the production and secretion of antimicrobial peptides from the fat body, which is considered analogous to adipose tissue and liver in vertebrates. Previous research has identified and characterized the nature of antimicrobial peptides that are directed against various targets during the different stages of infection. Here we review this information focusing mostly on the diversity and mode of action of these host defense components, and their critical contribution to maintaining host homeostasis. Extending this knowledge is paramount for understanding the evolution of innate immune function and the physiological balance required to provide sufficient protection to the host against external enemies while avoiding overactivation signaling events that would severely undermine physiological stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Eleftherianos
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Wei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Huaxi District, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Christa Heryanto
- Infection and Innate Immunity Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Amr Mohamed
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Gabriela Contreras
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gianluca Tettamanti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant, 3, Varese 21100, Italy; BAT Center - Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Università, 100, Portici 80055, Italy
| | - Michael Wink
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Taha Bassal
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
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21
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The Drosophila Baramicin polypeptide gene protects against fungal infection. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009846. [PMID: 34432851 PMCID: PMC8423362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster combats microbial infection by producing a battery of effector peptides that are secreted into the haemolymph. Technical difficulties prevented the investigation of these short effector genes until the recent advent of the CRISPR/CAS era. As a consequence, many putative immune effectors remain to be formally described, and exactly how each of these effectors contribute to survival is not well characterized. Here we describe a novel Drosophila antifungal peptide gene that we name Baramicin A. We show that BaraA encodes a precursor protein cleaved into multiple peptides via furin cleavage sites. BaraA is strongly immune-induced in the fat body downstream of the Toll pathway, but also exhibits expression in other tissues. Importantly, we show that flies lacking BaraA are viable but susceptible to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Consistent with BaraA being directly antimicrobial, overexpression of BaraA promotes resistance to fungi and the IM10-like peptides produced by BaraA synergistically inhibit growth of fungi in vitro when combined with a membrane-disrupting antifungal. Surprisingly, BaraA mutant males but not females display an erect wing phenotype upon infection. Here, we characterize a new antifungal immune effector downstream of Toll signalling, and show it is a key contributor to the Drosophila antimicrobial response.
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22
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Gu J, Isozumi N, Yuan S, Jin L, Gao B, Ohki S, Zhu S. Evolution-Based Protein Engineering for Antifungal Peptide Improvement. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:5175-5189. [PMID: 34320203 PMCID: PMC8557468 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been considered as the alternatives to antibiotics because of their less susceptibility to microbial resistance. However, compared with conventional antibiotics they show relatively low activity and the consequent high cost and nonspecific cytotoxicity, hindering their clinical application. What’s more, engineering of AMPs is a great challenge due to the inherent complexity in their sequence, structure, and function relationships. Here, we report an evolution-based strategy for improving the antifungal activity of a nematode-sourced defensin (Cremycin-5). This strategy utilizes a sequence-activity comparison between Cremycin-5 and its functionally diverged paralogs to identify sites associated with antifungal activity for screening of enhanceable activity-modulating sites for subsequent saturation mutagenesis. Using this strategy, we identified a site (Glu-15) whose mutations with nearly all other types of amino acids resulted in a universally enhanced activity against multiple fungal species, which is thereby defined as a Universally Enhanceable Activity-Modulating Site (UEAMS). Especially, Glu15Lys even exhibited >9-fold increased fungicidal potency against several clinical isolates of Candida albicans through inhibiting cytokinesis. This mutant showed high thermal and serum stability and quicker killing kinetics than clotrimazole without detectable hemolysis. Molecular dynamic simulations suggest that the mutations at the UEAMS likely limit the conformational flexibility of a distant functional residue via allostery, enabling a better peptide–fungus interaction. Further sequence, structural, and mutational analyses of the Cremycin-5 ortholog uncover an epistatic interaction between the UEAMS and another site that may constrain its evolution. Our work lights one new road to success of engineering AMP drug leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Noriyoshi Isozumi
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan
| | - Shouli Yuan
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ling Jin
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shinya Ohki
- Center for Nano Materials and Technology (CNMT), Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1292, Japan
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
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23
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De Mandal S, Panda AK, Murugan C, Xu X, Senthil Kumar N, Jin F. Antimicrobial Peptides: Novel Source and Biological Function With a Special Focus on Entomopathogenic Nematode/Bacterium Symbiotic Complex. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:555022. [PMID: 34335484 PMCID: PMC8318700 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.555022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid emergence of multidrug resistant microorganisms has become one of the most critical threats to public health. A decrease in the effectiveness of available antibiotics has led to the failure of infection control, resulting in a high risk of death. Among several alternatives, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics to resolve the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. These small proteins exhibit potent antimicrobial activity and are also an essential component of the immune system. Although several AMPs have been reported and characterized, studies associated with their potential medical applications are limited. This review highlights the novel sources of AMPs with high antimicrobial activities, including the entomopathogenic nematode/bacterium (EPN/EPB) symbiotic complex. Additionally, the AMPs derived from insects, nematodes, and marine organisms and the design of peptidomimetic antimicrobial agents that can complement the defects of therapeutic peptides have been used as a template.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surajit De Mandal
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Chandran Murugan
- SRM Research Institute, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India
| | - Xiaoxia Xu
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Fengliang Jin
- Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Creation and Application of Guangdong Province, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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24
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Sarkar T, Chetia M, Chatterjee S. Antimicrobial Peptides and Proteins: From Nature's Reservoir to the Laboratory and Beyond. Front Chem 2021; 9:691532. [PMID: 34222199 PMCID: PMC8249576 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.691532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance against conventional antimicrobials, resurgence of multidrug resistant microbes and the slowdown in the development of new classes of antimicrobials, necessitates the urgent development of alternate classes of therapeutic molecules. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small proteins present in different lifeforms in nature that provide defense against microbial infections. They have been effective components of the host defense system for a very long time. The fact that the development of resistance by the microbes against the AMPs is relatively slower or delayed compared to that against the conventional antibiotics, makes them prospective alternative therapeutics of the future. Several thousands of AMPs have been isolated from various natural sources like microorganisms, plants, insects, crustaceans, animals, humans, etc. to date. However, only a few of them have been translated commercially to the market so far. This is because of some inherent drawbacks of the naturally obtained AMPs like 1) short half-life owing to the susceptibility to protease degradation, 2) inactivity at physiological salt concentrations, 3) cytotoxicity to host cells, 4) lack of appropriate strategies for sustained and targeted delivery of the AMPs. This has led to a surge of interest in the development of synthetic AMPs which would retain or improve the antimicrobial potency along with circumventing the disadvantages of the natural analogs. The development of synthetic AMPs is inspired by natural designs and sequences and strengthened by the fusion with various synthetic elements. Generation of the synthetic designs are based on various strategies like sequence truncation, mutation, cyclization and introduction of unnatural amino acids and synthons. In this review, we have described some of the AMPs isolated from the vast repertoire of natural sources, and subsequently described the various synthetic designs that have been developed based on the templates of natural AMPs or from de novo design to make commercially viable therapeutics of the future. This review entails the journey of the AMPs from their natural sources to the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sunanda Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India
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25
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Moretta A, Scieuzo C, Petrone AM, Salvia R, Manniello MD, Franco A, Lucchetti D, Vassallo A, Vogel H, Sgambato A, Falabella P. Antimicrobial Peptides: A New Hope in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Fields. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:668632. [PMID: 34195099 PMCID: PMC8238046 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.668632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 55.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics are essential drugs used to treat pathogenic bacteria, but their prolonged use contributes to the development and spread of drug-resistant microorganisms. Antibiotic resistance is a serious challenge and has led to the need for new alternative molecules less prone to bacterial resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have aroused great interest as potential next-generation antibiotics, since they are bioactive small proteins, naturally produced by all living organisms, and representing the first line of defense against fungi, viruses and bacteria. AMPs are commonly classified according to their sources, which are represented by microorganisms, plants and animals, as well as to their secondary structure, their biosynthesis and their mechanism of action. They find application in different fields such as agriculture, food industry and medicine, on which we focused our attention in this review. Particularly, we examined AMP potential applicability in wound healing, skin infections and metabolic syndrome, considering their ability to act as potential Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme I and pancreatic lipase inhibitory peptides as well as antioxidant peptides. Moreover, we argued about the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches to develop new antibiotics, the drug development strategies and the formulation approaches which need to be taken into account in developing clinically suitable AMP applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Moretta
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
| | - Carmen Scieuzo
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies s.r.l, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
| | | | - Rosanna Salvia
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies s.r.l, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Franco
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies s.r.l, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
| | - Donatella Lucchetti
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Vassallo
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Alessandro Sgambato
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Centro di Riferimento Oncologico della Basilicata (IRCCS-CROB), Rionero in Vulture, Italy
| | - Patrizia Falabella
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
- Spinoff XFlies s.r.l, University of Basilicata, Potenza, Italy
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Khalili D, Kalcher C, Baumgartner S, Theopold U. Anti-Fibrotic Activity of an Antimicrobial Peptide in a Drosophila Model. J Innate Immun 2021; 13:376-390. [PMID: 34000729 PMCID: PMC8613551 DOI: 10.1159/000516104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrotic lesions accompany several pathological conditions, including tumors. We show that expression of a dominant-active form of the Ras oncogene in Drosophila salivary glands (SGs) leads to redistribution of components of the basement membrane (BM) and fibrotic lesions. Similar to several types of mammalian fibrosis, the disturbed BM attracts clot components, including insect transglutaminase and phenoloxidase. SG epithelial cells show reduced apicobasal polarity accompanied by a loss of secretory activity. Both the fibrotic lesions and the reduced cell polarity are alleviated by ectopic expression of the antimicrobial peptide drosomycin (Drs), which also restores the secretory activity of the SGs. In addition to extracellular matrix components, both Drs and F-actin localize to fibrotic lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilan Khalili
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute (MBW), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christina Kalcher
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute (MBW), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Baumgartner
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrich Theopold
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute (MBW), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Transmission of the wMel Wolbachia strain is modulated by its titre and by immune genes in Drosophila melanogaster (Wolbachia density and transmission). J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 181:107591. [PMID: 33882275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Wolbachia are common intracellular endosymbionts of arthropods, but the interactions between Wolbachia and arthropods are only partially understood. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a model insect for understanding Wolbachia-host interactions. Here the native wMel strain of D. melanogaster was isolated and then different initial titres of wMel were artificially transferred back into antibiotics-treated fruit flies. Our purpose was to examine the interactions between the injected wMel in a density gradient and the recipient host during trans-generational transmission. The results showed that the trans-generational transmission rates of wMel and titres of wMel exhibited a fluctuating trend over nine generations, and the titres of wMel displayed a similar fluctuating trans-generational trend. There was a significant positive correlation between the transmission rate and the titre of wMel. Reciprocal crossings between wMel-transinfected and uninfected fruit flies revealed that wMel could induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) at different initial titres, but the intensity of CI was not significantly correlated with the initial titre of wMel. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that the immune genes Drsl5 and Spn38F displayed a significant transcriptional response to wMel transfection, with an obvious negative correlation with the titre of wMel at the 3rd and 4th generations. Furthermore, RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Drsl5 and Spn38F elicited a drastic increase in the titre of wMel. In combination, our study suggests that the trans-generational transmission of wMel is modulated by its density, and the immune genes are involved in the regulation of Wolbachia density.
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Struyfs C, Cammue BPA, Thevissen K. Membrane-Interacting Antifungal Peptides. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:649875. [PMID: 33912564 PMCID: PMC8074791 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.649875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of invasive fungal infections is increasing worldwide, resulting in more than 1.6 million deaths every year. Due to growing antifungal drug resistance and the limited number of currently used antimycotics, there is a clear need for novel antifungal strategies. In this context, great potential is attributed to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are part of the innate immune system of organisms. These peptides are known for their broad-spectrum activity that can be directed toward bacteria, fungi, viruses, and/or even cancer cells. Some AMPs act via rapid physical disruption of microbial cell membranes at high concentrations causing cell leakage and cell death. However, more complex mechanisms are also observed, such as interaction with specific lipids, production of reactive oxygen species, programmed cell death, and autophagy. This review summarizes the structure and mode of action of antifungal AMPs, thereby focusing on their interaction with fungal membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Struyfs
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno P A Cammue
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karin Thevissen
- Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Liu FF, Ding C, Yang LL, Li H, Rao XJ. Identification and analysis of two lebocins in the oriental armyworm Mythimna separata. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 116:103962. [PMID: 33301794 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The insect immune system can produce defensive molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to eliminate invading pathogens. Here, we report the identification of two cDNAs (MseLeb1, MseLeb2) that encode lepidopteral lebocin preproproteins in the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata. Their open reading frames are 483/492 bp that encode 161/164 aa peptides. MseLeb1 is mainly expressed in the fat body and epidermis, while MseLeb2 is mainly expressed in the fat body, Malpighian tube, and epidermis. They were significantly induced by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Beauveria bassiana in hemocytes. The preproproteins can be processed after RXXR motifs into mature peptides. Multiple sequence alignment indicates that MseLeb1 (18-42, 121-161) are potentially active peptides. Five peptides were synthesized for analyses: 18-42, 121-161, 121-154, 121-151, 121-146. Synthetic peptides showed agglutinating activity, but no hemolytic activity. Bacterial growth assay, colony formation assay, and electron microscopy revealed that synthetic peptides can inhibit bacterial growth and disrupt bacterial cell wall. B. bassiana conidia and blastospores were lysed by synthetic peptides. These results indicate that MseLeb1 and MseLeb2 are immune responsive lebocins, and the mature peptides have antibacterial and antifungal activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fang Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Chen Ding
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Li-Ling Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Hao Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China
| | - Xiang-Jun Rao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops, Key Laboratory of Biology and Sustainable Management of Plant Diseases and Pests of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China.
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Jiang ZY, Ligoxygakis P, Xia YX. HYD3, a conidial hydrophobin of the fungal entomopathogen Metarhizium acridum induces the immunity of its specialist host locust. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 165:1303-1311. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Martínez BA, Hoyle RG, Yeudall S, Granade ME, Harris TE, Castle JD, Leitinger N, Bland ML. Innate immune signaling in Drosophila shifts anabolic lipid metabolism from triglyceride storage to phospholipid synthesis to support immune function. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009192. [PMID: 33227003 PMCID: PMC7721134 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
During infection, cellular resources are allocated toward the metabolically-demanding processes of synthesizing and secreting effector proteins that neutralize and kill invading pathogens. In Drosophila, these effectors are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are produced in the fat body, an organ that also serves as a major lipid storage depot. Here we asked how activation of Toll signaling in the larval fat body perturbs lipid homeostasis to understand how cells meet the metabolic demands of the immune response. We find that genetic or physiological activation of fat body Toll signaling leads to a tissue-autonomous reduction in triglyceride storage that is paralleled by decreased transcript levels of the DGAT homolog midway, which carries out the final step of triglyceride synthesis. In contrast, Kennedy pathway enzymes that synthesize membrane phospholipids are induced. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed elevated levels of major phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine species in fat bodies with active Toll signaling. The ER stress mediator Xbp1 contributed to the Toll-dependent induction of Kennedy pathway enzymes, which was blunted by deleting AMP genes, thereby reducing secretory demand elicited by Toll activation. Consistent with ER stress induction, ER volume is expanded in fat body cells with active Toll signaling, as determined by transmission electron microscopy. A major functional consequence of reduced Kennedy pathway induction is an impaired immune response to bacterial infection. Our results establish that Toll signaling induces a shift in anabolic lipid metabolism to favor phospholipid synthesis and ER expansion that may serve the immediate demand for AMP synthesis and secretion but with the long-term consequence of insufficient nutrient storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A. Martínez
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Rosalie G. Hoyle
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Scott Yeudall
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Mitchell E. Granade
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Thurl E. Harris
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - J. David Castle
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Norbert Leitinger
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Bland
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Benoist L, Houyvet B, Henry J, Corre E, Zanuttini B, Zatylny-Gaudin C. In-Depth In Silico Search for Cuttlefish ( Sepia officinalis) Antimicrobial Peptides Following Bacterial Challenge of Haemocytes. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18090439. [PMID: 32847054 PMCID: PMC7551771 DOI: 10.3390/md18090439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) haemocytes are potential sources of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). To study the immune response to Vibrio splendidus and identify new AMPs, an original approach was developed based on a differential transcriptomic study and an in-depth in silico analysis using multiple tools. Two de novo transcriptomes were retrieved from cuttlefish haemocytes following challenge by V. splendidus or not. A first analysis of the annotated transcripts revealed the presence of Toll/NF-κB pathway members, including newly identified factors such as So-TLR-h, So-IKK-h and So-Rel/NF-κB-h. Out of the eight Toll/NF-κB pathway members, seven were found up-regulated following V. splendidus challenge. Besides, immune factors involved in the immune response were also identified and up-regulated. However, no AMP was identified based on annotation or conserved pattern searches. We therefore performed an in-depth in silico analysis of unannotated transcripts based on differential expression and sequence characteristics, using several tools available like PepTraq, a homemade software program. Finally, five AMP candidates were synthesized. Among them, NF19, AV19 and GK28 displayed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Each peptide had a different spectrum of activity, notably against Vibrio species. GK28—the most active peptide—was not haemolytic, whereas NF19 and AV19 were haemolytic at concentrations between 50 and 100 µM, 5 to 10 times higher than their minimum inhibitory concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Benoist
- Normandy University, Unicaen, CNRS, BOREA, 14000 CAEN, France; (L.B.); (B.H.); (J.H.)
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) Université de Caen-Normandie, MNHN, SU, UA, CNRS, IRD, Esplanade de la Paix, CEDEX, 14032 Caen, France
| | - Baptiste Houyvet
- Normandy University, Unicaen, CNRS, BOREA, 14000 CAEN, France; (L.B.); (B.H.); (J.H.)
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) Université de Caen-Normandie, MNHN, SU, UA, CNRS, IRD, Esplanade de la Paix, CEDEX, 14032 Caen, France
- SATMAR, Société ATlantique de MARiculture, Research and Development Department, 50760 Gatteville, France
| | - Joël Henry
- Normandy University, Unicaen, CNRS, BOREA, 14000 CAEN, France; (L.B.); (B.H.); (J.H.)
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) Université de Caen-Normandie, MNHN, SU, UA, CNRS, IRD, Esplanade de la Paix, CEDEX, 14032 Caen, France
| | - Erwan Corre
- Plateforme ABiMS, Station Biologique de Roscoff (CNRS-Sorbonne Université), 29688 Roscoff, France;
| | - Bruno Zanuttini
- Normandy University, Unicaen, Ensicaen, CNRS, GREYC, 14000 Caen, France;
| | - Céline Zatylny-Gaudin
- Normandy University, Unicaen, CNRS, BOREA, 14000 CAEN, France; (L.B.); (B.H.); (J.H.)
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) Université de Caen-Normandie, MNHN, SU, UA, CNRS, IRD, Esplanade de la Paix, CEDEX, 14032 Caen, France
- Correspondence:
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Lin SJH, Cohen LB, Wasserman SA. Effector specificity and function in Drosophila innate immunity: Getting AMPed and dropping Boms. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008480. [PMID: 32463841 PMCID: PMC7255597 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. H. Lin
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Lianne B. Cohen
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Steven A. Wasserman
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Brungardt J, Govind R, Trick HN. A simplified method for producing laboratory grade recombinant TEV protease from E. coli. Protein Expr Purif 2020; 174:105662. [PMID: 32387144 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2020.105662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease has become a popular choice for cleaving fusion proteins because of its high stringency in sequence recognition. Procedures for isolating recombinant protein from the cytoplasm of E. coli require rupturing of the cell wall via enzymatic treatment combined with sonication or French press. Here we present an expedited method for producing laboratory-grade TEV protease in E. coli using a freeze-thaw method, followed by purification with immobilized metal affinity chromatography. Protease is obtained by expression from the pDZ2087 plasmid in BL21 (DE3) cells. Proteolysis resulting from this product, cleaves a maltose-binding protein fusion to completion at a fusion-to-protease molar ratio of 50:1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Brungardt
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
| | - Revathi Govind
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
| | - Harold N Trick
- Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA.
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Zheng X, Li S, Si Y, Hu J, Xia Y. Locust can detect β-1, 3-glucan of the fungal pathogen before penetration and defend infection via the Toll signaling pathway. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 106:103636. [PMID: 32014469 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The timing and mechanism by which a host insect initiates an immune response are critical to successful defense against infection. Pathogen recognition, a prerequisite for host defense, has long been recognized to take place during the insect epidermis invasion by fungus. Here we report that insect can sense the fungal pathogen before host cuticle is penetrated by fungus. We discovered the upstream pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes of the Toll pathway were upregulated in both the integument and fat body early during fungal germination on the epicuticle of Locusta migratoria manilensis. The Toll signaling pathway was strongly activated in the fat body at the penetration stage. RNAi of Myd88 increased the susceptibility of locusts to fungal infection, but that of Cactus showed the opposite effect. In addition, β-1, 3-glucan (laminarin), the main component of the cell wall of the pathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum, was capable of activating the Toll signaling pathway (Spaetzle and Cactus) when it was applied on the host cuticle. These results demonstrate that host epidemis can effectively defend fungal infection by detecting β-1, 3-glucan on the fungal cell wall and activate the Toll signaling pathway even before fungal penetration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Zheng
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, PR China; Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, 400030, PR China
| | - Sai Li
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, 400030, PR China
| | - Yang Si
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, 400030, PR China
| | - Jun Hu
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, 400030, PR China
| | - Yuxian Xia
- Genetic Engineering Research Center, School of Life Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Fungal Insecticide, Chongqing, 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation Technologies under Chongqing Municipal Education Commission, Chongqing, 400030, PR China.
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Gautam UK, Bohatá A, Shaik HA, Zemek R, Kodrík D. Adipokinetic hormone promotes infection with entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea in the cockroach Periplaneta americana. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 229:108677. [PMID: 31783176 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.108677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) are known to be involved in insect immunity, thus their role in the cockroach Periplaneta americana infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea was examined in this study. The application of I. fumosorosea resulted in a significant increase in both Akh gene expression and AKH peptide levels. Further, co-application of I. fumosorosea with Peram-CAH-II significantly enhanced cockroach mortality compared with the application of I. fumosorosea alone. The mechanism of AKH action could involve metabolic stimulation, which was indicated by a significant increase in carbon dioxide production; this effect can increase the turnover and thus efficacy of toxins produced by I. fumosorosea in the cockroach's body. I. fumosorosea treatment resulted in a significant decrease in haemolymph nutrients (carbohydrates and lipids), but co-application with Peram-CAH-II restored control level of lipids or even further increased the level of carbohydrates. Such nutritional abundance could enhance the growth and development of I. fumosorosea. Further, both I. fumosorosea and Peram-CAH-II probably affected oxidative stress: I. fumosorosea alone curbed the activity of catalase in the cockroach's gut, but co-application with Peram-CAH-II stimulated it. Interestingly, the hormone alone had no effect on catalase activity. Taken together, the results of the present study demonstrate the interactions between the fungus and AKH activity; understanding this relationship could provide insight into AKH action and may have practical implications for insect pest control in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umesh Kumar Gautam
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Andrea Bohatá
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of South Bohemia, Studentská 1668, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Haq Abdul Shaik
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Rostislav Zemek
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Kodrík
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, CAS, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Contreras G, Shirdel I, Braun MS, Wink M. Defensins: Transcriptional regulation and function beyond antimicrobial activity. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2020; 104:103556. [PMID: 31747541 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.103556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Defensins are one the largest group of antimicrobial peptides and are part of the innate defence. Defensins are produced by animals, plants and fungi. In animals and plants, defensins can be constitutively or differentially expressed both locally or systemically which confer defence before and a stronger response after infection. Immune signalling pathways regulate the gene expression of defensins. These pathways include cellular receptors, which recognise pathogen-associated molecular patterns and are found both in plants and animals. After recognition, signalling pathways and, subsequently, transcriptional factors are activated. There is an increasing number of novel functions in defensins, such as immunomodulators and immune cell attractors. Identification of defensin triggers could help us to elucidate other new functions. The present article reviews the different elicitors of defensins with a main focus on human, fish and marine invertebrate defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Contreras
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Iman Shirdel
- Marine Sciences Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran
| | - Markus Santhosh Braun
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Wink
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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New insights on Drosophila antimicrobial peptide function in host defense and beyond. Curr Opin Immunol 2020; 62:22-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2019.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Cohen LB, Lindsay SA, Xu Y, Lin SJH, Wasserman SA. The Daisho Peptides Mediate Drosophila Defense Against a Subset of Filamentous Fungi. Front Immunol 2020; 11:9. [PMID: 32038657 PMCID: PMC6989431 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal infections, widespread throughout the world, affect a broad range of life forms, including agriculturally relevant plants, humans, and insects. In defending against fungal infections, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster employs the Toll pathway to induce a large number of immune peptides. Some have been investigated, such as the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and Bomanins (Boms); many, however, remain uncharacterized. Here, we examine the role in innate immunity of two related peptides, Daisho1 and Daisho2 (formerly IM4 and IM14, respectively), found in hemolymph following Toll pathway activation. By generating a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of both genes, Δdaisho, we find that the Daisho peptides are required for defense against a subset of filamentous fungi, including Fusarium oxysporum, but not other Toll-inducible pathogens, such as Enterococcus faecalis and Candida glabrata. Analysis of null alleles and transgenes revealed that the two daisho genes are each required for defense, although their functions partially overlap. Generating and assaying a genomic epitope-tagged Daisho2 construct, we detected interaction in vitro of Daisho2 peptide in hemolymph with the hyphae of F. oxysporum. Together, these results identify the Daisho peptides as a new class of innate immune effectors with humoral activity against a select set of filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne B Cohen
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Scott A Lindsay
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Yangyang Xu
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Samuel J H Lin
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Steven A Wasserman
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Aumer T, Voisin SN, Knobloch T, Landon C, Bulet P. Impact of an Antifungal Insect Defensin on the Proteome of the Phytopathogenic Fungus Botrytis cinerea. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:1131-1146. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.9b00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Aumer
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Sébastien N. Voisin
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
| | - Thomas Knobloch
- Bayer SAS, Bayer CropScience, Centre de Recherche de la Dargoire, 69263 Lyon, France
| | - Céline Landon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38700 La Tronche, France
- Plateforme BioPark d’Archamps, Archamps Technopole, 74166 Saint Julien en Genevois, France
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Lin SJH, Fulzele A, Cohen LB, Bennett EJ, Wasserman SA. Bombardier Enables Delivery of Short-Form Bomanins in the Drosophila Toll Response. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3040. [PMID: 31998316 PMCID: PMC6965162 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll mediates a robust and effective innate immune response across vertebrates and invertebrates. In Drosophila melanogaster, activation of Toll by systemic infection drives the accumulation of a rich repertoire of immune effectors in hemolymph, including the recently characterized Bomanins, as well as the classical antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Here we report the functional characterization of a Toll-induced hemolymph protein encoded by the bombardier (CG18067) gene. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate a precise deletion of the bombardier transcriptional unit, we found that Bombardier is required for Toll-mediated defense against fungi and Gram-positive bacteria. Assaying cell-free hemolymph, we found that the Bomanin-dependent candidacidal activity is also dependent on Bombardier, but is independent of the antifungal AMPs Drosomycin and Metchnikowin. Using mass spectrometry, we demonstrated that deletion of bombardier results in the specific absence of short-form Bomanins from hemolymph. In addition, flies lacking Bombardier exhibited a defect in pathogen tolerance that we trace to an aberrant condition triggered by Toll activation. These results lead us to a model in which the presence of Bombardier in wild-type flies enables the proper folding, secretion, or intermolecular associations of short-form Bomanins, and the absence of Bombardier disrupts one or more of these steps, resulting in defects in both immune resistance and tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J H Lin
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Amit Fulzele
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lianne B Cohen
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Eric J Bennett
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Steven A Wasserman
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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Chambers MC, Jacobson E, Khalil S, Lazzaro BP. Consequences of chronic bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224440. [PMID: 31648237 PMCID: PMC6812774 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Even when successfully surviving an infection, a host often fails to eliminate a pathogen completely and may sustain substantial pathogen burden for the remainder of its life. Using systemic bacterial infection in Drosophila melanogaster, we characterize chronic infection by three bacterial species from different genera - Providencia rettgeri, Serratia marcescens, and Enterococcus faecalis–following inoculation with a range of doses. To assess the consequences of these chronic infections, we determined the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes, survival of secondary infection, and starvation resistance after one week of infection. While higher infectious doses unsurprisingly lead to higher risk of death, they also result in higher chronic bacterial loads among the survivors for all three infections. All three chronic infections caused significantly elevated expression of antimicrobial peptide genes at one week post-infection and provided generalized protection again secondary bacterial infection. Only P. rettgeri infection significantly influenced resistance to starvation, with persistently infected flies dying more quickly under starvation conditions relative to controls. These results suggest that there is potentially a generalized mechanism of protection against secondary infection, but that other impacts on host physiology may depend on the specific pathogen. We propose that chronic infections in D. melanogaster could be a valuable tool for studying tolerance of infection, including impacts on host physiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moria Cairns Chambers
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Eliana Jacobson
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Sarah Khalil
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian P. Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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Araki M, Kurihara M, Kinoshita S, Awane R, Sato T, Ohkawa Y, Inoue YH. Anti-tumour effects of antimicrobial peptides, components of the innate immune system, against haematopoietic tumours in Drosophila mxc mutants. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm037721. [PMID: 31160313 PMCID: PMC6602314 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.037721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune response is the first line of defence against microbial infections. In Drosophila, two major pathways of the innate immune system (the Toll- and Imd-mediated pathways) induce the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) within the fat body. Recently, it has been reported that certain cationic AMPs exhibit selective cytotoxicity against human cancer cells; however, little is known about their anti-tumour effects. Drosophila mxcmbn1 mutants exhibit malignant hyperplasia in a larval haematopoietic organ called the lymph gland (LG). Here, using RNA-seq analysis, we found many immunoresponsive genes, including those encoding AMPs, to be upregulated in these mutants. Downregulation of these pathways by either a Toll or imd mutation enhanced the tumour phenotype of the mxc mutants. Conversely, ectopic expression of each of five different AMPs in the fat body significantly suppressed the LG hyperplasia phenotype in the mutants. Thus, we propose that the Drosophila innate immune system can suppress the progression of haematopoietic tumours by inducing AMP gene expression. Overexpression of any one of the five AMPs studied resulted in enhanced apoptosis in mutant LGs, whereas no apoptotic signals were detected in controls. We observed that two AMPs, Drosomycin and Defensin, were taken up by circulating haemocyte-like cells, which were associated with the LG regions and showed reduced cell-to-cell adhesion in the mutants. By contrast, the AMP Diptericin was directly localised at the tumour site without intermediating haemocytes. These results suggest that AMPs have a specific cytotoxic effect that enhances apoptosis exclusively in the tumour cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayo Araki
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Centre for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan
| | - Massanori Kurihara
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Centre for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan
| | - Suzuko Kinoshita
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Centre for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan
| | - Rie Awane
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Centre for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Sato
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Kyushu 812-0054, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Ohkawa
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Kyushu 812-0054, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro H Inoue
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Centre for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan
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Wen Y, He Z, Xu T, Jiao Y, Liu X, Wang YF, Yu XQ. Ingestion of killed bacteria activates antimicrobial peptide genes in Drosophila melanogaster and protects flies from septic infection. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 95:10-18. [PMID: 30731096 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster possesses a sophisticated and effective immune system composed of humoral and cellular immune responses, and production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is an important defense mechanism. Expression of AMPs is regulated by the Toll and IMD (immune deficiency) pathways. Production of AMPs can be systemic in the fat body or a local event in the midgut and epithelium. So far, most studies focus on systemic septic infection in adult flies and little is known about AMP gene activation after ingestion of killed bacteria. In this study, we investigated activation of AMP genes in the wild-type w1118, MyD88 and Imd mutant flies after ingestion of heat-killed Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. We showed that ingestion of E. coli activated most AMP genes, including drosomycin and diptericin, in the first to third instar larvae and pupae, while ingestion of S. aureus induced only some AMP genes in some larval stages or in pupae. In adult flies, ingestion of killed bacteria activated AMP genes differently in males and females. Interestingly, ingestion of killed E. coli and S. aureus in females conferred resistance to septic infection by both live pathogenic Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and ingestion of E. coli in males conferred resistance to P. aeruginosa infection. Our results indicated that E. coli and S. aureus can activate both the Toll and IMD pathways, and systemic and local immune responses work together to provide Drosophila more effective protection against infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Zhen He
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Tao Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yan Jiao
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Xusheng Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yu-Feng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Yu
- School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China; Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 64110, USA.
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45
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Ramirez JL, Muturi EJ, Barletta ABF, Rooney AP. The Aedes aegypti IMD pathway is a critical component of the mosquito antifungal immune response. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 95:1-9. [PMID: 30582948 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Successful infection of the insect body by entomopathogenic fungi is the result of complex molecular interactions between the host and the invading pathogenic fungi. The mosquito antifungal response is multifaceted and is regulated in part by the Toll and Jak-STAT pathways. Here, we assessed the role of the IMD pathway in the mosquito Ae. aegypti antifungal immune response when challenged with one of two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica. IMD pathway components of the mosquito immune system were elicited in response to infection with both entomopathogenic fungi, primarily in the fat body of mosquitoes. Furthermore, we observed induction of antimicrobial peptides that in turn appear to be tissue and fungal strain-specific. IMD pathway impairment by RNAi gene silencing resulted in higher fungal proliferation and reduction in survival of fungi-infected mosquitoes. Collectively, these data indicates that the IMD pathway plays a more significant role in the antifungal immune response than previously recognized.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Ramirez
- Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL, USA.
| | - Ephantus J Muturi
- Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Ana B F Barletta
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Alejandro P Rooney
- Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Peoria, IL, USA
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46
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Hanson MA, Dostálová A, Ceroni C, Poidevin M, Kondo S, Lemaitre B. Synergy and remarkable specificity of antimicrobial peptides in vivo using a systematic knockout approach. eLife 2019; 8:e44341. [PMID: 30803481 PMCID: PMC6398976 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are host-encoded antibiotics that combat invading microorganisms. These short, cationic peptides have been implicated in many biological processes, primarily involving innate immunity. In vitro studies have shown AMPs kill bacteria and fungi at physiological concentrations, but little validation has been done in vivo. We utilized CRISPR gene editing to delete all known immune-inducible AMPs of Drosophila, namely: 4 Attacins, 4 Cecropins, 2 Diptericins, Drosocin, Drosomycin, Metchnikowin and Defensin. Using individual and multiple knockouts, including flies lacking all 14 AMP genes, we characterize the in vivo function of individual and groups of AMPs against diverse bacterial and fungal pathogens. We found that Drosophila AMPs act primarily against Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, contributing either additively or synergistically. We also describe remarkable specificity wherein certain AMPs contribute the bulk of microbicidal activity against specific pathogens, providing functional demonstrations of highly specific AMP-pathogen interactions in an in vivo setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Austin Hanson
- Global Health Institute, School of Life ScienceÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Anna Dostálová
- Global Health Institute, School of Life ScienceÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Camilla Ceroni
- Global Health Institute, School of Life ScienceÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Mickael Poidevin
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC)Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris SudGif-sur-YvetteFrance
| | - Shu Kondo
- Invertebrate Genetics Laboratory, Genetic Strains Research CenterNational Institute of GeneticsMishimaJapan
| | - Bruno Lemaitre
- Global Health Institute, School of Life ScienceÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
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Waili A, Gao YH, Zhang LF, Ziyavitdinov ZF, Maksimov VV, Yili A, Aisa HA. Production of Antimicrobial Peptides from Cicer arietinum Sprouts and Determination of Their Molecular Masses. Chem Nat Compd 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10600-018-2573-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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48
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Gu J, Gao B, Zhu S. Characterization of bi-domain drosomycin-type antifungal peptides in nematodes: An example of convergent evolution. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 87:90-97. [PMID: 29894713 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Drosomycin-type antifungal peptides (DTAFPs) are natural effectors of the innate immune system, which are restrictedly distributed in plants and ecdysozoans. Mehamycin is a bi-domain DTAFP (abbreviated as bDTAFP) firstly found in the Northern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla. Here, we report its structural and functional features and the evolution of bDTAFPs in nematodes. Different from classical DTAFPs, mehamycin contains an insertion, called single Disulfide Bridge-linked Domain (abbreviated as sDBD), located in a loop region of the drosomycin scaffold. Despite this, recombinant mehamycin likely adopts a similar fold to drosomycin, as revealed by the circular dichroism spectral analysis. Functionally, it showed some weak activity against three species of fungi but relatively stronger activity against seven species of Gram-positive bacteria, indicative of functional diversification between mehamycin and classical DTAFPs. By computational data mining of the nematode databases, we identified polymorphic genes encoding mehamycin and a new multigene family of bDTAFPs (named roremycins) from Rotylenchulus reniformis. A combination of data suggests that the origination of sDBDs from M. hapla and R. reniformis is a consequence of convergent evolution, in which some probably suffered positive selection during evolution. Our study may be valuable in understanding the role of these unique antimicrobial peptides in the innate immunity of nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shunyi Zhu
- Group of Peptide Biology and Evolution, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
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49
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Alpar L, Bergantiños C, Johnston LA. Spatially Restricted Regulation of Spätzle/Toll Signaling during Cell Competition. Dev Cell 2018; 46:706-719.e5. [PMID: 30146479 PMCID: PMC6156939 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell competition employs comparisons of fitness to selectively eliminate cells sensed as less healthy. In Drosophila, apoptotic elimination of the weaker "loser" cells from growing wing discs is induced by a signaling module consisting of the Toll ligand Spätzle (Spz), several Toll-related receptors, and NF-κB factors. How this module is activated and restricted to competing disc cells is unknown. Here, we use Myc-induced cell competition to demonstrate that loser cell elimination requires local wing disc synthesis of Spz. We identify Spz processing enzyme (SPE) and modular serine protease (ModSP) as activators of Spz-regulated competitive signaling and show that "winner" cells trigger elimination of nearby WT cells by boosting SPE production. Moreover, Spz requires both Toll and Toll-8 to induce apoptosis of wing disc cells. Thus, during cell competition, Spz-mediated signaling is strictly confined to the imaginal disc, allowing errors in tissue fitness to be corrected without compromising organismal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lale Alpar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Cora Bergantiños
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Laura A. Johnston
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Correspondence:
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50
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Maistrou S, Paris V, Jensen AB, Rolff J, Meyling NV, Zanchi C. A constitutively expressed antifungal peptide protects Tenebrio molitor during a natural infection by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 86:26-33. [PMID: 29698631 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides have been well studied in the context of bacterial infections. Antifungal peptides have received comparatively less attention. Fungal pathogens of insects and their hosts represent a unique opportunity to study host-pathogen interactions due to the million of years of co-evolution they share. In this study, we investigated role of a constitutively expressed thaumatin-like peptide with antifungal activity expressed by the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor, named Tenecin 3, during a natural infection with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. We monitored the effect of the expression of Tenecin 3 on the survival of infected hosts as well as on the progression of the fungal infection inside the host. Finally, we tested the activity of Tenecin 3 against B. bassiana. These findings could help improving biocontrol strategies and help understanding the evolution of antifungal peptides as a defense mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevasti Maistrou
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Véronique Paris
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette B Jensen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Rolff
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nicolai V Meyling
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Caroline Zanchi
- Freie Universität Berlin, Evolutionary Biology, Königin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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