title: Isolation and expression of a novel MBL-like collectin cDNA enhanced by LPS injection in the body wall of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis.
abstract: Collectins are a family of calcium-dependent lectins that are characterized by their collagen-like domains. Considerable interest has been focused on this class of proteins because of their ability to interact with components of the complement system activating a cascade of events responsible for the activation of the innate immune system. A differential screening between LPS-challenged and naïve Ciona intestinalis has been performed allowing the isolation of a full length cDNA encoding for a 221 AA protein. In silico analysis has shown that this polypeptide displays protein domains with similarities to mannose-binding lectins. A phylogenetic analysis suggested that C. intestinalis MBL has evolved early as a prototype of vertebrate MBL. Real-time PCR assay demonstrated that this gene is strongly activated after LPS injection in the tunica. In situ hybridization performed in LPS-induced animals has shown that this gene is expressed in granular amoebocytes and large granules hemocytes in the inflamed body wall tissue. Finally, an antimicrobial activity of the C. intestinalis MBL has been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biomedicina ed Immunologia Molecolare Alberto Monroy del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonura
authors.forename: Aiti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vizzini
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D037222:Collectins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D037222:Collectins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides