title: Identification of AaCASPS7, an effector caspase in Aedes albopictus.
abstract: Aedes albopictus mosquito is a vector of various arboviruses and is becoming a significant threat to public health due to its rapid global expansion. Several reports suggest that apoptosis could be a factor limiting arbovirus infection in mosquitoes. Thus, it is significant to identify apoptosis pathway and study the correlation between apoptosis and virus infection in mosquitoes. Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death that plays a vital role in immunity, development, and tissue homeostasis. Caspases are a family of conserved proteases playing important roles in apoptosis. In this study, we identified Aedes albopictus AaCASPS7, a caspase shared high identity with dipteran insect drICE orthologs. Phylogenetic analysis showed the closest relative of AaCASPS7 was Aedes aegypti AeCASPS7. AaCASPS7 displayed several features that were typical of an effector caspase and showed significant activity to effector caspase substrates. Aacasps7 transcripts were expressed ubiquitously in developmental and adult stages in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Transient expression of AaCASPS7 induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in C6/36 cells. Taken together the above data, this study identified a novel caspase, AaCASPS7, which might function as an apoptotic caspase. Further study the function of AaCASPS7 would facilitate better understanding the apoptotic mechanism in Aedes albopictus mosquito.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lingyan
authors: L
authors: Feng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiaomei
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jialu
authors: J
authors: Qiao
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shengya
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Deyin
authors: D
authors: Guo
authors: State Key Laboratory of Virology and Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: qzhliu@whu.edu.cn.
authors: Qingzhen
authors: Q
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D053179:Caspase 7
keywords: AaCASPS7; Aedes albopictus; Apoptosis