A peptidoglycan recognition protein in innate immunity conserved from insects to humans

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1998-08, Vol.95 (17), p.10078-10082
• Main Authors: Kang, D. (Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.), Liu, G, Lundstrom, A, Gelius, E, Steiner, H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADN; Amino Acid Sequence; AMINO ACID SEQUENCES; ANIMAL PROTEINS; Animals; ARN MENSAJERO; ARN MESSAGER; Bacteria; Bacteria - immunology; Baculoviridae; Baculoviridae - genetics; Base Sequence; BAZO; BINDING; BINDING PROTEINS; Biological Sciences; BONE MARROW; Butterflies & moths; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; COMPLEMENTARY DNA; COMPOSICION QUIMICA; COMPOSITION CHIMIQUE; Conserved Sequence; DNA; EXPRESION GENICA; EXPRESSION DES GENES; GENBANK/AF076481; GENBANK/AF076482; GENBANK/AF076483; GENE EXPRESSION; GENERO HUMANO; GENRE HUMAIN; Humans; IMMUNITE; IMMUNITY; Immunity - genetics; INMUNIDAD; Insect genetics; Insect Proteins - genetics; Insect Proteins - immunology; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Insect viruses; Male; MANKIND; MEDULA OSEA; MESSENGER RNA; MICE; Microbiology; MICROCOCCUS; MICROCOCCUS LUTEUS; MOELLE OSSEUSE; MOLECULAR SEQUENCE DATA; Moths - genetics; Moths - immunology; Noctuidae; NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE; Peptidoglycan - immunology; Peptidoglycan - metabolism; POLISACARIDOS; POLYHOLOSIDE; Polymerase Chain Reaction; POLYSACCHARIDES; Protein Binding; PROTEINAS; PROTEINAS AGLUTINANTES; PROTEINE; PROTEINE DE LIAISON; PROTEINS; Proteins - genetics; Proteins - immunology; Proteins - metabolism; RATE; RATON; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; RNA; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; SECUENCIA NUCLEOTIDICA; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; SEQUENCE NUCLEOTIDIQUE; SOURIS; SPLEEN; Tissue Distribution; TRICHOPLUSIA NI; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.17.10078

Innate nonself recognition must rely on common structures of invading microbes. In a differential display screen for up-regulated immune genes in the moth Trichoplusia ni we have found mechanisms for recognition of bacterial cell wall fragments. One bacteria-induced gene encodes a protein that, after expression in the baculovirus system, was shown to be a peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP). It binds strongly to Gram-positive bacteria. We have also cloned the corresponding cDNA from mouse and human and shown this gene to be expressed in a variety of organs, notably organs of the immune system-i.e., bone marrow and spleen. In addition, purified recombinant murine PGRP was shown to possess peptidoglycan affinity. From our results and the sequence homology, we conclude that PGRP is a ubiquitous protein involved in innate immunity, conserved from insects to humans