CLIP proteases and Plasmodium melanization in Anopheles gambiae.
Melanization is a potent immune response mediated by phenoloxidase (PO). Multiple Clip-domain serine proteases (CLIP) regulate PO activation as part of a complex cascade of proteases that are cleaved sequentially. The role of several CLIP as key activators or suppressors of the melanization responses of Anopheles gambiae to Plasmodium berghei (murine malaria) has been established recently using a genome-wide reverse genetics approach. Important differences in regulation of PO activation between An. gambiae strains were also identified. This review summarizes these findings and discusses our current understanding of the An. gambiae melanization responses to Plasmodium.
Barillas-Mury
Carolina
C
Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. cbarillas@niaid.nih.gov
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D008543:Melanins / Q000276:immunology*; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000276:immunology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D008543:Melanins; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases