title: Cytoplasmic actin is an extracellular insect immune factor which is secreted upon immune challenge and mediates phagocytosis and direct killing of bacteria, and is a Plasmodium Antagonist.
abstract: Actin is a highly versatile, abundant, and conserved protein, with functions in a variety of intracellular processes. Here, we describe a novel role for insect cytoplasmic actin as an extracellular pathogen recognition factor that mediates antibacterial defense. Insect actins are secreted from cells upon immune challenge through an exosome-independent pathway. Anopheles gambiae actin interacts with the extracellular MD2-like immune factor AgMDL1, and binds to the surfaces of bacteria, mediating their phagocytosis and direct killing. Globular and filamentous actins display distinct functions as extracellular immune factors, and mosquito actin is a Plasmodium infection antagonist.
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Simone L
authors: SL
authors: Sandiford
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Yuemei
authors: Y
authors: Dong
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Pike
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Benjamin J
authors: BJ
authors: Blumberg
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: Ana C
authors: AC
authors: Bahia
authors: W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Dimopoulos
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D019476:Insect Proteins