Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection
Melanization mediated by the prophenoloxidase (PPO)-activating system is an important innate immunity to fight pathogens in insects. In this study, the in vitro time-dependent increase in the intensity of melanization and phenoloxidase (PO) activity from the hemolymph of <i>Odontotermes formos...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/1/406 |
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| author | Zhiqiang Wang Jian Luo Kai Feng Yujingyun Zhou Fang Tang |
| author_facet | Zhiqiang Wang Jian Luo Kai Feng Yujingyun Zhou Fang Tang |
| author_sort | Zhiqiang Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Melanization mediated by the prophenoloxidase (PPO)-activating system is an important innate immunity to fight pathogens in insects. In this study, the in vitro time-dependent increase in the intensity of melanization and phenoloxidase (PO) activity from the hemolymph of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) challenged by pathogenic bacteria was detected. PPO is one of the key genes in melanization pathway, whereas the molecular characteristics and functions of <i>O. formosanus</i> PPO are unclear. The <i>OfPPO</i> gene was cloned and characterized. The open reading frame of <i>OfPPO</i> is 2085 bp in length and encodes a 79.497 kDa protein with 694 amino acids. A BLASTx search and phylogenetic analyses revealed that OfPPO shares a high degree of homology to the Blattodea PPOs. Moreover, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis showed that <i>OfPPO</i> is ubiquitously expressed in all castes and tissues examined, with the highest expression in workers and variable expression patterns in tissues of different termite castes. Furthermore, the expression of <i>OfPPO</i> was significantly induced in <i>O. formosanus</i> infected by pathogenic bacteria. Intriguingly, in combination with silencing of <i>OfPPO</i> expression, pathogenic bacteria challenge caused greatly increased mortality of <i>O. formosanus</i>. These results suggest that <i>OfPPO</i> plays a role in defense against bacteria and highlight the novel termite control strategy combining pathogenic bacteria application with termite PPO silencing. |
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| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:59:19Z |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-dbeff9802b8346cfa59c1b6ee8a9cddf2023-11-16T15:32:56ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-12-0124140610.3390/ijms24010406Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial InfectionZhiqiang Wang0Jian Luo1Kai Feng2Yujingyun Zhou3Fang Tang4Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaCo-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, ChinaMelanization mediated by the prophenoloxidase (PPO)-activating system is an important innate immunity to fight pathogens in insects. In this study, the in vitro time-dependent increase in the intensity of melanization and phenoloxidase (PO) activity from the hemolymph of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) challenged by pathogenic bacteria was detected. PPO is one of the key genes in melanization pathway, whereas the molecular characteristics and functions of <i>O. formosanus</i> PPO are unclear. The <i>OfPPO</i> gene was cloned and characterized. The open reading frame of <i>OfPPO</i> is 2085 bp in length and encodes a 79.497 kDa protein with 694 amino acids. A BLASTx search and phylogenetic analyses revealed that OfPPO shares a high degree of homology to the Blattodea PPOs. Moreover, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis showed that <i>OfPPO</i> is ubiquitously expressed in all castes and tissues examined, with the highest expression in workers and variable expression patterns in tissues of different termite castes. Furthermore, the expression of <i>OfPPO</i> was significantly induced in <i>O. formosanus</i> infected by pathogenic bacteria. Intriguingly, in combination with silencing of <i>OfPPO</i> expression, pathogenic bacteria challenge caused greatly increased mortality of <i>O. formosanus</i>. These results suggest that <i>OfPPO</i> plays a role in defense against bacteria and highlight the novel termite control strategy combining pathogenic bacteria application with termite PPO silencing.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/1/406<i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki)Prophenoloxidase<i>Serratia marcescens</i> Bizio<i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i>RNA interference |
| spellingShingle | Zhiqiang Wang Jian Luo Kai Feng Yujingyun Zhou Fang Tang Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection International Journal of Molecular Sciences <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) Prophenoloxidase <i>Serratia marcescens</i> Bizio <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> RNA interference |
| title | Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection |
| title_full | Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection |
| title_fullStr | Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection |
| title_short | Prophenoloxidase of <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) (Blattodea: Termitidae) Is a Key Gene in Melanization and Has a Defensive Role during Bacterial Infection |
| title_sort | prophenoloxidase of i odontotermes formosanus i shiraki blattodea termitidae is a key gene in melanization and has a defensive role during bacterial infection |
| topic | <i>Odontotermes formosanus</i> (Shiraki) Prophenoloxidase <i>Serratia marcescens</i> Bizio <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> RNA interference |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/1/406 |
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