title: Serpin-15 from Bombyx mori inhibits prophenoloxidase activation and expression of antimicrobial peptides.
abstract: Serine protease inhibitors (SPIs) play a key role in physiological responses by controlling protease activities. In this study, we studied the biochemical functions of serpin-15, an SPI, from Bombyx mori (Bmserpin-15). Recombinant Bmserpin-15 was expressed in Escherichia coli cells and used to raise rabbit anti-Bmserpin-15 polyclonal antibodies. Bmserpin-15 mRNA and protein expression was detected in all tested tissues, particularly in the fat body and silk gland. After challenge with four different microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Beauveria bassiana, Micrococcus luteus and B. mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus), the expressions of Bmserpin-15 mRNA and protein were induced significantly, particularly by B. bassiana and M. luteus. Recombinant Bmserpin-15 inhibited prophenoloxidase activation, but did not affect phenoloxidase activity, in B. mori hemolymph. Injection of recombinant Bmserpin-15 into B. mori larvae reduced significantly the transcript levels of antimicrobial peptides in fat body. Our results suggested that Bmserpin-15 plays an important role in the innate immunity of B. mori.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Dongran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Cen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Lishang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
authors.forename: Baojian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China. Electronic address: cyschx@163.com.
authors.forename: Chaoliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052982:Beauveria / Q000276:immunology*; D012831:Bombyx / Q000276:immunology*; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology*; D005216:Fat Body / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016982:Micrococcus luteus / Q000276:immunology*; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000276:immunology*; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015843:Serpins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D019476:Insect Proteins; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D015843:Serpins; C038451:pro-phenoloxidase; D004156:Catechol Oxidase
keywords: AMPs; Bombyx mori; Immunity; Phenoloxidase; Serpin