A novel C-type lectin with four CRDs is involved in the regulation of antimicrobial peptide gene expression in Hyriopsis cumingii.
C-type lectins (CTLs) are found in a wide number of invertebrates, and have been reported to participate in immune responses, such as the activation of prophenoloxidase, cell adhesion, bacterial clearance and phagocytosis. Previous studies on CTLs focused on the function of their carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs). Currently, studies on lectins with multi-CRDs are limited. In this study, a lectin with four CRDs was cloned from Hyriopsis cumingii, and called HcLec4. HcLec4 was widely distributed in several tissues and was significantly down-regulated at the early stage (2 h) of bacterial infection. We further analyzed the bacteria and carbohydrate binding activities of HcLec4. The results showed that HcLec4 could bind to several bacteria, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN). In HcLec4 knockdown mussels, the bacterial clearance rate was increased, and the expression level of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) was up-regulated. This study reveals that HcLec4 exerts its antibacterial effect by regulating the expression of AMPs at the early stage of bacterial infection.
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity & Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210046, PR China.
Ling-Ling
LL
Zhao
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China.
Yu-Qing
YQ
Wang
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China.
Yun-Jia
YJ
Dai
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China.
Li-Juan
LJ
Zhao
College of Marine Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510642, PR China.
Qiwei
Q
Qin
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China.
Li
L
Lin
Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity & Biotechnology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Aquatic Crustacean Diseases, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing, 210046, PR China. Electronic address: renqian0402@126.com.
Qian
Q
Ren
Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: lanjiangfeng@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
Jiang-Feng
JF
Lan
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000494:pharmacology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D049876:Unionidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D015922:Complement C1q
Antimicrobial peptides; Hyriopsis cumingii; Innate immunity; Lectin