Immune signaling pathways regulating bacterial and malaria parasite infection of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae.
We show that, in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, expression of Cecropin 1 is regulated by REL2, an NF-kappaB-like transcription factor orthologous to Drosophila Relish. Through alternative splicing, REL2 produces a full-length (REL2-F) and a shorter (REL2-S) protein isoform lacking the inhibitory ankyrin repeats and death domain. RNA interference experiments show that, in contrast to Drosophila Relish, which responds solely to Gram-negative bacteria, the Anopheles REL2-F and REL2-S isoforms are involved in defense against the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria, respectively. REL2-F also regulates the intensity of mosquito infection with the malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei. The adaptor IMD shares the same activities as REL2-F. Microarray analysis identified 10 additional genes regulated by REL2, including CEC3, GAM1, and LRIM1.
Meister
Stephan
S
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
Kanzok
Stefan M
SM
Zheng
Xue-Li
XL
Luna
Coralia
C
Li
Tong-Ruei
TR
Hoa
Ngo T
NT
Clayton
John Randall
JR
White
Kevin P
KP
Kafatos
Fotis C
FC
Christophides
George K
GK
Zheng
Liangbiao
L
D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D040481:Genome Components; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008156:Luciferases; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000276:immunology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D019476:Insect Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008156:Luciferases