Signals from the IL-1 receptor homolog, Toll, can activate an immune response in a Drosophila hemocyte cell line.
The Toll gene encodes an interleukin 1 receptor-like protein that mediates dorsoventral polarity in the Drosophila embryo. The possible involvement of Toll or Toll-like proteins also in the Drosophila immune response was investigated by overexpressing Toll10B, a constitutively active mutant protein, in the Drosophila blood cell line mbn-2. Induction of the Cecropin A1 (CecA1) gene, coding for a bactericidal peptide, was used as an indicator for the immune response. Toll10B was found to increase CecA1 transcription, as detected with a cotransfected CecA1-lacZ reporter gene construct. This effect depends on the presence of a kappa B-like site in the CecA1 promoter. The endogenous Toll gene is expressed in mbn-2 cells, indicating that this gene may normally play a role in Drosophila blood cells.
Rosetto
M
M
Department of Molecular Biology, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Engström
Y
Y
Baldari
C T
CT
Telford
J L
JL
Hultmark
D
D
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002460:Cell Line; D004330:Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D007301:Insect Hormones; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; C068721:Tl protein, Drosophila; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; C031161:cecropin A