title: Aedes Dronc: a novel ecdysone-inducible caspase in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.
abstract: Caspases are cysteinyl-aspartate-specific proteases known for their role in apoptosis. Here, we describe the characterization of Aedes Dronc, a novel caspase in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Aedes Dronc is predicted to contain an N-terminal caspase recruitment domain and is a homologue of Drosophila Dronc and human caspase-9. An increase in transcripts and caspase activity coincides with developmental changes in the mosquito, suggesting that Aedes Dronc plays a role in developmental apoptosis. Exposure of third instar larvae to ecdysone resulted in a significant increase in both transcript levels and caspase activity. We present here a functional characterization of the first caspase recruitment domain-containing caspase in mosquitoes, and will initiate studies on the role of apoptosis in the innate immune response of vectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. dmcooper@sfu.ca
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Thi
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lowenberger
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015004:Yellow Fever / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D004440:Ecdysone; D020169:Caspases