title: Reassessing the role of defensin in the innate immune response of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti.
abstract: Defensin is the predominant inducible immune peptide in Aedes aegypti. In spite of its activity against Gram-positive bacteria in vitro, defensin expression is detected in mosquitoes inoculated with Gram-positive or negative bacteria, or with filarial worms. Defensin transcription and expression are dependent upon bacterial dose; however, translation is inconsistent with transcription because peptide is detectable only in mosquitoes inoculated with large doses. In vitro translation assays provide further evidence for post-transcriptional regulation of defensin. Clearance assays show that a majority of bacteria are cleared before defensin is detected. In gene silencing experiments, no significant difference in mortality was observed between defensin-deficient and control mosquitoes after bacteria inoculation. These studies suggest that defensin may have an alternative function in mosquito immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Bartholomay
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: L-L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vizioli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lowenberger
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D017931:DNA Primers; D023082:Defensins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005216:Fat Body / Q000737:chemistry; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000737:chemistry; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016982:Micrococcus luteus / Q000276:immunology; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D023082:Defensins; D012333:RNA, Messenger