title: The limulus clotting reaction.
abstract: Our biochemical studies on the hemolymph coagulation-complement system using limulus indicate that the circulating hemocytes contain at least four serine protease zymogens and one clottable protein, coagulogen, which constitute a cascade triggered by bacterial endotoxins and (1,3)-beta-D-glucan. We also found several antimicrobial substances, tachyplesin peptides and anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, in the hemocytes. These clotting factors and antimicrobial substances are released into the hemolymph in response to lipopolysaccharide, where they cooperate in immobilization and killing of invading microorganisms as a host defense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwanaga
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000737:chemistry; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000737:chemistry; D006737:Horseshoe Crabs / Q000737:chemistry*; D008033:Limulus Test; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D010455:Peptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C057636:tachyplesin peptide, Tachypleus tridentatus; C062385:polyphemusin I; C062386:polyphemusin II; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases