Molecular Cloning, Functional Expression, and Characterization of Isolectin Genes of Hemolytic Lectin CEL-III from the Marine Invertebrate Cucumaria echinata

Purification, cDNA cloning and characterization of Kunitz-type protease inhibitors from Apios americana tubers

Two kinds of Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, AKPI1 and AKPI2, were purified from Apios americana tubers by four steps of column chromatographies and their cDNA cloning was performed. AKPI1 cDNA consist of 809 nucleotides, and the matured protein had 190 amino acids with 20,594 Da. AKPI2 cDNA consist of 794 nucleotides, and the matured protein had 177 amino acids with 19,336 Da. P1 site of AKPI2 was Leu88, suggested the target enzyme was chymotrypsin. On the other hand, Gly85-Ile86-Ser87 was positioned around P1 site of AKTI1. Sequence analysis suggested that two forms (single-chain and two-chain form) of AKPI2 protein were present in the tubers. Recombinant AKPI2 expressed by E.coli system showed inhibitory activity toward serine proteases and heat stability. The Ki values toward chymotrypsin and trypsin were 4 × 10^-7 M and 6 × 10^-6 M, respectively.Abbreviations: AAL: Apios americana lectin; AATI: Apios americana Bowman-Birk type trypsin inhibitor; ACE: angiotensin-converting enzyme; IPTG: isopropyl-β-D-thio-galactopyranoside; Ki: inhibition constant; KPIs: Kunitz-type protease inhibitors; L-BAPA: Benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide monohydrochloride; L-BTPA: Benzoyl-L-tyrosine p-nitroanilide; PFLNA: Pyr-Phe-Leu-p-nitroanilide; RP-HPLC: reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography; RT-PCR: reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; SDS-PAGE: sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; SLIC: sequence and ligation independent cloning; STANA: N-Succinyl-Ala-Ala-Ala-p-nitroanilide; SHR: spontaneously hypertensive rats; TFA: trifluoroacetic acid; UTR: untranslated region.

A review of the immune molecules in the sea cucumber

It is very important to identify and characterize the immune-related genes that respond to pathogens. Until recently, only some of the immune-related genes in sea cucumbers had been characterized. Their expression patterns after pathogen challenges have been analyzed via expressed sequence tag libraries, microarray studies and proteomic approaches. These genes include lectins, antimicrobial peptides, lysozyme, enzymes, clotting protein, pattern recognition proteins, Toll receptors, complement C3 and other humoral factors that might participate in the innate immune system of sea cucumbers. Although the participation of some of these immune molecules in the sea cucumber's innate immune defense against invading pathogens has been demonstrated, the functions of many of the molecules remain unclear. This review focuses on the discovery and functional characterization of the immune-related molecules from the sea cucumber for the first time and provides new insights into the immune mechanisms of the sea cucumber, which opens new possibilities for developing drugs for novel anti-bacterial and antiviral applications in fisheries.