title: Gene silencing of serine proteases affects melanization of Sephadex beads in Anopheles gambiae.
abstract: Serine proteases play an important role in activation of prophenoloxidase (proPO), a critical enzyme in the production of melanin. We tested the effect of knockdown of gene expression for five clip domain serine proteases on melanization of abiotic targets in Anopheles gambiae. Knockdown of CLIPB4 resulted in a striking lack of melanization of Sephadex beads while knockdown of CLIPB8 caused a strong shift towards incompletely melanized beads. Knockdown of CLIPB1, B9 and B10 had lesser effects. CLIPB4 and CLIPB8 are strong candidates for activating enzymes in the proPO enzymatic cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 237 Russell Labs, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paskewitz
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andreev
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000201:enzymology*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000378:metabolism*; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology*; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D008543:Melanins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C025614:sephadex; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C115269:pro-phenol oxidase activating proteinase