title: Rab3 is involved in cellular immune responses of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera.
abstract: Rab3, a member of the Rab GTPase family, has been found to be involved in innate immunity. However, the precise function of this GTPase in innate immunity remains unknown. In this study, we identified a Rab3 gene (Ha-Rab3) from the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera and studied its roles in innate immune responses. Expression of Ha-Rab3 was upregulated in the hemocytes of H. armigera larvae after the injection of Escherichia coli or chromatography beads. The dsRNA-mediated knockdown of Ha-Rab3 gene in H. armigera larval hemocytes led to significant reduction in the phagocytosis and nodulation activities of hemocytes against E. coli, significant increase in the bacterial load in larval hemolymph, and significant reduction in the encapsulation activities of hemocytes toward invading chromatography beads. Furthermore, Ha-Rab3 knockdown significantly suppressed spreading of plasmatocytes. These results suggest that Ha-Rab3 plays important roles in H. armigera cellular immune responses, possibly by mediating spreading of hemocytes.
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Cai-Xia
authors: CX
authors: Song
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Yu-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Li
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China.
authors: Xiu-Hong
authors: XH
authors: Wei
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China. Electronic address: jlwang@mail.ccnu.edu.cn.
authors: Jia-Lin
authors: JL
authors: Wang
authors: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, 152 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China. Electronic address: xsliu@mail.ccnu.edu.cn.
authors: Xu-Sheng
authors: XS
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003637:DEAE-Dextran / Q000276:immunology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007814:Larva / Q000276:immunology*; D008863:Microspheres; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009036:Moths / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D003637:DEAE-Dextran; D020692:rab3 GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Cellular immune response; Encapsulation; Helicoverpa armigera; Nodulation; Phagocytosis; Rab GTPase