title: A novel Lozenge gene in silkworm, Bombyx mori regulates the melanization response of hemolymph.
abstract: Runt-related (RUNX) transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved either in vertebrate or invertebrate. Lozenge (Lz), a members of RUNX family as well as homologue of AML-1, functions as an important transcription factor regulating the hemocytes differentiation. In this paper, we identified and characterized RUNX family especially Lz in silkworm, which is a lepidopteran model insect. The gene expression analysis illustrated that BmLz was highly expressed in hemocytes throughout the whole development period, and reached a peak in glutonous stage. Over-expression of BmLz in silkworm accelerated the melanization process of hemolymph, and led to instantaneously up-regulation of prophenoloxidases (PPOs), which were key enzymes in the melanization process. Further down-regulation of BmLz expression by RNA interference resulted in the significant delay of melanization reaction of hemolymph. These findings suggested that BmLz regulated the melanization process of hemolymph by inducing PPOs expression, and played a critical role in innate immunity defense in silkworm.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China.
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK.
authors.forename: Laurence H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
authors.forename: Hanfei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology (Southwest University), 400715, China. Electronic address: hcui@swu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongjuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D050657:Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008543:Melanins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; C038451:pro-phenoloxidase; D004156:Catechol Oxidase
keywords: Bombyx mori; Lozenge; Melanization; Prophenoloxidases; Runt-related transcription factor (RUNX)