TmDorX2 positively regulates antimicrobial peptides in Tenebrio molitor gut, fat body, and hemocytes in response to bacterial and fungal infection

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 14;9(1):16878. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53497-4.

Abstract

Dorsal, a member of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) family of transcription factors, is a critical downstream component of the Toll pathway that regulates the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) against pathogen invasion. In this study, the full-length ORF of Dorsal was identified from the RNA-seq database of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor (TmDorX2). The ORF of TmDorX2 was 1,482 bp in length, encoding a polypeptide of 493 amino acid residues. TmDorX2 contains a conserved Rel homology domain (RHD) and an immunoglobulin-like, plexins, and transcription factors (IPT) domain. TmDorX2 mRNA was detected in all developmental stages, with the highest levels observed in 3-day-old adults. TmDorX2 transcripts were highly expressed in the adult Malpighian tubules (MT) and the larval fat body and MT tissues. After challenging the larvae with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the TmDorX2 mRNA levels were upregulated 6 and 9 h post infection in the whole body, fat body, and hemocytes. Upon Candida albicans challenge, the TmDorX2 mRNA expression were found highest at 9 h post-infection in the fat body. In addition, TmDorX2-knockdown larvae exposed to E. coli, S. aureus, or C. albicans challenge showed a significantly increased mortality rate. Furthermore, the expression of 11 AMP genes was downregulated in the gut and fat body of dsTmDorX2-injected larvae upon E. coli challenge. After C. albicans and S. aureus challenge of dsTmDorX2-injected larvae, the expression of 11 and 10 AMPs was downregulated in the gut and fat body, respectively. Intriguingly, the expression of antifungal transcripts TmTenecin-3 and TmThaumatin-like protein-1 and -2 was greatly decreased in TmDorX2-silenced larvae in response to C. albicans challenge, suggesting that TmDorX2 regulates antifungal AMPs in the gut in response to C. albicans infection. The AMP expression profiles in the fat body, hemocytes, gut, and MTs suggest that TmDorX2 might have an important role in promoting the survival of T. molitor larvae against all mentioned pathogens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / chemistry
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / immunology*
  • Candida albicans / growth & development
  • Candida albicans / immunology
  • Candida albicans / pathogenicity
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development
  • Escherichia coli / immunology
  • Escherichia coli / pathogenicity
  • Fat Body / immunology*
  • Fat Body / microbiology
  • Hemocytes / immunology*
  • Hemocytes / microbiology
  • Insect Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / immunology*
  • Intestines / immunology
  • Intestines / microbiology
  • Larva / genetics
  • Larva / immunology
  • Larva / microbiology
  • Malpighian Tubules / immunology
  • Malpighian Tubules / metabolism
  • Malpighian Tubules / ultrastructure
  • Nuclear Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / immunology
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / immunology
  • Protein Domains
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / immunology
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / immunology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / growth & development
  • Staphylococcus aureus / immunology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / pathogenicity
  • Tenebrio / genetics
  • Tenebrio / immunology*
  • Tenebrio / microbiology
  • Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / immunology*

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Insect Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Peptides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Transcription Factors
  • tenecin 3 protein, Tenebrio molitor