Identification of cis-regulatory sequences reveals potential participation of lola and Deaf1 transcription factors in Anopheles gambiae innate immune response

PLoS One. 2017 Oct 13;12(10):e0186435. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186435. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The innate immune response of Anopheles gambiae involves the transcriptional upregulation of effector genes. Therefore, the cis-regulatory sequences and their cognate binding factors play essential roles in the mosquito's immune response. However, the genetic control of the mosquito's innate immune response is not yet fully understood. To gain further insight on the elements, the factors and the potential mechanisms involved, an open chromatin profiling was carried out on A. gambiae-derived immune-responsive cells. Here, we report the identification of cis-regulatory sites, immunity-related transcription factor binding sites, and cis-regulatory modules. A de novo motif discovery carried out on this set of cis-regulatory sequences identified immunity-related motifs and cis-regulatory modules. These modules contain motifs that are similar to binding sites for REL-, STAT-, lola- and Deaf1-type transcription factors. Sequence motifs similar to the binding sites for GAGA were found within a cis-regulatory module, together with immunity-related transcription factor binding sites. The presence of Deaf1- and lola-type binding sites, along with REL- and STAT-type binding sites, suggests that the immunity function of these two factors could have been conserved both in Drosophila and Anopheles gambiae.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anopheles / genetics*
  • Anopheles / immunology*
  • Anopheles / metabolism
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Genomics
  • Immunity, Innate / genetics*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Insect Proteins
  • Transcription Factors

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Grants 84012 and 257990. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.