title: Cloning, identification and functional analysis of a β-catenin homologue from Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.
abstract: Wnt signaling is known to control multiple of cellular processes such as cell differentiation, communication, apoptosis and proliferation, and is also reported to play a role during microbial infection. β-catenin is a key regulator of the Wnt signaling cascade. In the present study, we cloned and identified a β-catenin homologue from Litopenaeus vannamei termed Lvβ-catenin. The full-length of Lvβ-catenin transcript was 2797 bp in length within a 2451 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded a protein of 816 amino acids. Lvβ-catenin protein was comprised of several characteristic domains such as an N-terminal region of GSK-β consensus phosphorylation site and Coed coil section, a central region of 12 continuous Armadillo/β-Catenin-like repeat (ARM) domains and a C-terminal region. Real-time PCR showed Lvβ-catenin expression was responsive to Vibrio parahaemolyticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Dual-reporter analysis showed that over-expression of Lvβ-catenin could induce activation of the promoter activities of several antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as shrimp PEN4, suggesting that Lvβ-catenin could play a role in regulating the production of AMPs. Knockdown of Lvβ-catenin enhanced the sensitivity of shrimps to V. parahaemolyticus and WSSV challenge, suggesting Lvβ-catenin could play a positive role against bacterial and viral pathogens. In summary, the results presented in this study provided some insights into the function of Wnt/β-catenin of shrimp in regulating AMPs and the host defense against invading pathogens.
authors.affiliation: College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, PR China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, PR China.
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: L
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China.
authors.forename: Haoyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China; School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; South China Sea Resource Exploitation and Protection Collaborative Innovation Center (SCS-REPIC), PR China. Electronic address: lsshjg@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Safety/State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; Institute of Aquatic Economic Animals, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Aquatic Economic Animals, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, PR China; School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China; South China Sea Resource Exploitation and Protection Collaborative Innovation Center (SCS-REPIC), PR China. Electronic address: lichaozh@mail2.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chaozheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D033561:Penaeidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000502:physiology; D046848:White spot syndrome virus 1 / Q000502:physiology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs); Litopenaeus vannamei; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; WSSV; Wnt pathway; β-Catenin