title: Development of the Cellular Immune System of Drosophila Requires the Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin-Like Protein Torso-Like.
abstract: Pore-forming members of the membrane attack complex/perforin-like (MACPF) protein superfamily perform well-characterized roles as mammalian immune effectors. For example, complement component 9 and perforin function to directly form pores in the membrane of Gram-negative pathogens or virally infected/transformed cells, respectively. In contrast, the only known MACPF protein in Drosophila melanogaster, Torso-like, plays crucial roles during development in embryo patterning and larval growth. Here, we report that in addition to these functions, Torso-like plays an important role in Drosophila immunity. However, in contrast to a hypothesized effector function in, for example, elimination of Gram-negative pathogens, we find that torso-like null mutants instead show increased susceptibility to certain Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis We further show that this deficit is due to a severely reduced number of circulating immune cells and, as a consequence, an impaired ability to phagocytose bacterial particles. Together these data suggest that Torso-like plays an important role in controlling the development of the Drosophila cellular immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forbes-Beadle
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Tova
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crossman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Travis K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia coral.warr@monash.edu james.whisstock@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Coral G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Warr
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia coral.warr@monash.edu james.whisstock@monash.edu.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Whisstock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000276:immunology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D054353:Perforin / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C085211:tsl protein, Drosophila; D054353:Perforin
keywords: Drosophila melanogaster; Torso-like; cellular immunity; genetics of immunity; membrane attack complex/perforin-like proteins; phagocytosis