title: Characterization of a dual-CRD galectin in the silkworm Bombyx mori.
abstract: Galectins (S-type lectins) are an ancient family of lectins with the β-galactoside binding activity. In mammals, galectins play essential roles in many biological processes, such as development, immune homeostasis and tumor progression. However, few studies have been devoted to their functions in insects. Here, we characterized the only dual-CRD galectin in the silkworm Bombyx mori (BmGalectin-4). BmGalectin-4 cDNA possesses an open reading frame of 1089 bp, which encodes a putative galectin of 363 amino acids containing tandem carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs). BmGalectin-4 was expressed in various tissues but the protein was most abundant in fertilized eggs. Its transcript level in fertilized eggs was upregulated upon bacterial challenge. Recombinant BmGalectin-4 purified from Escherichia coli bound to bacterial cell wall components and bacterial cells. In addition, the recombinant protein induced bacterial agglutination, but did not have antibacterial activity against selected microorganisms. Taken together, our results suggest that BmGalectin-4 may function as a pattern recognition receptor primarily in silkworm fertilized eggs.
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China. Electronic address: rxj@ahau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiang-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Toufeeq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shahzad
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Yun-Fan
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao-Qiang
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000371:Agglutination; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000276:immunology; D012831:Bombyx / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D037161:Galectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000737:chemistry; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010802:Phylogeny; D011485:Protein Binding; D011817:Rabbits; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; D007106:Immune Sera; D019476:Insect Proteins
keywords: Galectin; Insect immunity; Lectin