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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Insect prophenoloxidase activation is coordinated by a serine protease network, which is regulated by serine protease inhibitors of the serpin superfamily. The enzyme system also leads to proteolytic processing of a Spatzle precursor. Binding of Spatzle to a Toll receptor turns on a signaling pathway to induce the synthesis of defense proteins. Previous studies of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta have revealed key members of the protease cascade, which generates phenoloxidase for melanogenesis and Spatzle to induce immunity-related genes. Here we provide evidence that M. sexta serpin-12 regulates hemolymph protease-14 (HP14), an initiating protease of the cascade. This inhibitor, unlike the other serpins characterized in M. sexta, has an amino-terminal extension rich in hydrophilic residues and an unusual P1 residue (Leu(429)) right before the scissile bond cleaved by a target protease. Serpins with similarities to serpin-12, including Drosophila Necrotic, were identified in a wide range of insects including flies, moths, wasps, beetles, and two hemimetabolous species. The serpin-12 mRNA is present at low, constitutive levels in larval fat body and hemocytes and becomes more abundant after an immune challenge. We produced the serpin-12 core domain (serpin-12DeltaN) in insect cells and in Escherichia coli and demonstrated its inhibition of human cathepsin G, bovine alpha-chymotrypsin, and porcine pancreatic elastase. MALDI-TOF analysis of the reaction mixtures confirmed the predicted P1 residue of Leu(429). Supplementation of larval plasma samples with the serpin-12DeltaN decreased prophenoloxidase activation elicited by microbial cells and reduced the proteolytic activation of the protease precursors of HP6, HP8, PAPs, and other serine protease-related proteins. After incubation of plasma stimulated with peptidoglycan, a 72kDa protein appeared, which was recognized by polyclonal antibodies against both serpin-12 and HP14, suggesting that a covalent serpin-protease complex formed when serpin-12 inhibited HP14. Together, these data suggest that M. sexta serpin-12 inhibits HP14 to regulate melanization and antimicrobial peptide induction.

Manduca sexta serpin-12 controls the prophenoloxidase activation system in larval hemolymph.,Yang F, Wang Y, Sumathipala N, Cao X, Kanost MR, Jiang H Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2018 Aug;99:27-36. doi: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.05.004. Epub, 2018 May 23. PMID:29800677^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.