title: Gene expression of TLR homologues identified by genome-wide screening of the earthworm Dendrobaena veneta.
abstract: TLRs represent one of the most important components of innate immunity. Currently, these receptors have been extensively studied in vertebrates and insects, but our knowledge for annelids is very limited. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify earthworm TLR homologs by genome-wide screening, and to determine the expression of candidate genes as a response to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Using a combination of deep pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR we found six candidate genes, for which all were expressed in Dentrobaena veneta. Two of the candidates showed significant response to bacterial exposure. In conclusion, TLRs seem to have a role in earthworm immunology.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Science, Hedmark University College, Hamar, Norway Centre for Evolutionary and Ecological Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Trine F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Fjøsne
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Science, Hedmark University College, Hamar, Norway.
authors.forename: Else-Berit
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Stenseth
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Science, Hedmark University College, Hamar, Norway.
authors.forename: Frøydis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Myromslien
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Science, Hedmark University College, Hamar, Norway Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University for Life Sciences, Ås, Norway knut.rudi@nmbu.no.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rudi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005820:Genetic Testing; D016678:Genome; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000276:immunology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Earthworm; Toll-like receptors; bacteria; gene expression; genome