title: Inhibition of melanization by a Nasonia defensin-like peptide: implications for host immune suppression.
abstract: The parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis suppresses host immune mechanisms that include melanization reactions. Melanization is an important immune response of hosts induced by wasp infection and thus its inhibition represents a successful strategy for parasitism. However, the molecular basis associated with such inhibition is largely unknown in N. vitripennis. Here, we report recombinant expression, structural and functional characterization of a Nasonia-derived defensin-like peptide (called nasonin-3) whose recombinant product exerts inhibitory effect on host melanization. The possible role of nasonin-3 in immune suppression is also discussed.
authors: Group of Animal Innate Immunity, State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects & Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.
authors: Caihuan
authors: C
authors: Tian
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Gongyin
authors: G
authors: Ye
authors: Shunyi
authors: S
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000276:immunology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D023082:Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004175:Diptera / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D023082:Defensins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012313:RNA; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase