The expression and regulation on antimicrobial peptide genes in insects: studies in the tobacco hornworm manduca sexta

Insects have evolved an efficient innate immune system to combat microbes. Most of our knowledge of insect immunity comes from studies with dipteran and lepidopteran insects, such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta and the silkworm Bombyx mori. One of the insect humoral responses is the induced production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In D. melanogaster, bacterial peptidoglycan (PG) and fungal beta-1,3-glucan can induce AMP production by activating the Toll and the IMD (immune deficiency) pathway. Chapter 1 reviews the key features of insect innate immunity. Chapter 2 studies transcriptional upregulation of AMPs in M. sexta triggered by ultrapure LPS, LTA and PG. Chapter 3 describes species-related activities of AMP gene promoters. We determined that κB and GATA factors function in different insect species and unknown coregulators are responsible for the species-related activities. In chapter 4 the Manduca lysozyme protein was purified was purified and shown to prevent melanization by inhibiting the conversion of proPO to PO.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Cell Biology and Biophysics (UMKC)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Kansas City

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Rao, Xiangjun, 1980-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Yu, Xiao-Qiang

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10355/10689

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/10689