Characterization of six antibacterial response genes from the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) larval gut and their expression in response to bacterial challenge

• Published in: Journal of insect physiology 2011-03, Vol.57 (3), p.345-355
• Main Authors: Khajuria, Chitvan, Buschman, Lawrent L., Chen, Ming-Shun, Zurek, Ludek, Zhu, Kun Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - immunology; Antibacterial response protein; Bacteria; Enterobacter aerogenes; Enterobacter aerogenes - immunology; Enterobacter aerogenes - physiology; European corn borer; Gastrointestinal Tract - immunology; Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology; Gene Expression Regulation; Insect Proteins - chemistry; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - immunology; Larva; Lysozyme; Micrococcus luteus; Micrococcus luteus - immunology; Micrococcus luteus - physiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Moths - classification; Moths - genetics; Moths - immunology; Moths - microbiology; Ostrinia nubilalis; Peptidoglycan recognition proteins; Phylogeny; Sequence Alignment; Zea mays; β-1,3-Glucanase-1
• ISSN: 0022-1910; 1879-1611
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.12.005

[Display omitted] ▶ Six cDNAs putatively encoding antibacterial proteins were characterized. ▶ These genes included four PGRPs, one β-1,3-glucanase-1 and one lysozyme. ▶ Except for lysozyme, all other genes were highly expressed in the midgut. ▶ Variation was found in expression of these genes during developmental stages. ▶ All Genes showed response to bacterial challenge. Six cDNAs encoding putative antibacterial response proteins were identified and characterized from the larval gut of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). These antibacterial response proteins include four peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs), one β-1,3-glucanase-1 (βglu-1), and one lysozyme. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that these genes were highly expressed in the midgut, except for lysozyme. Analysis of expression of these genes in different developmental stage showed that they were expressed in larval stages, but little or no detectable expression was found in egg, pupa and adult. When larvae were challenged with Gram-negative bacteria (Enterobacter aerogenes), the expression of all six genes was up-regulated in the fatbodies. However, when larvae were challenged with Gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus), only PGRP-C and lysozyme genes were up-regulated. This study provides additional insights into the expression of antibacterial response genes in O. nubilalis larvae and helps us better understand the immune defense response in O. nubilalis.