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The serine protease Sp7 is expressed in blood cells and regulates the melanization reaction in Drosophila.

Castillejo-Lopez, Casimiro LU and Häcker, Udo LU (2005) In Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 338(2). p.1075-1082
Abstract
Serine proteases play a central role in defense against pathogens by regulating processes such as blood clotting, melanization of injured surfaces, and proteolytic activation of signaling pathways involved in innate immunity. Here, we present the functional characterization of the Drosophila serine protease Sp7 (CG3006) by inducible RNA interference. We show that Sp7 is constitutively expressed in blood cells during embryonic and larval stages. Silencing of the gene impairs the melanization reaction upon injury. Our data demonstrate that Sp7 is required for phenoloxidase activation and its activity is restricted to a subclass of blood cells, the crystal cells. Transcriptional up-regulation of Sp7 was observed after clean, septic injury and... (More)
Serine proteases play a central role in defense against pathogens by regulating processes such as blood clotting, melanization of injured surfaces, and proteolytic activation of signaling pathways involved in innate immunity. Here, we present the functional characterization of the Drosophila serine protease Sp7 (CG3006) by inducible RNA interference. We show that Sp7 is constitutively expressed in blood cells during embryonic and larval stages. Silencing of the gene impairs the melanization reaction upon injury. Our data demonstrate that Sp7 is required for phenoloxidase activation and its activity is restricted to a subclass of blood cells, the crystal cells. Transcriptional up-regulation of Sp7 was observed after clean, septic injury and in flies expressing an activated form of Toll; however, mutations in the Toll or the IMD pathway did not abolish expression of Sp7, indicating the existence of other regulatory pathways and/or independent basal transcription. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Drosophila, RNAi, Serine protease, Melanization, Phenoloxidase, Wound, Blood cells, Innate immunity
in
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
volume
338
issue
2
pages
1075 - 1082
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:16256951
  • wos:000233451100053
  • scopus:27744431570
ISSN
1090-2104
DOI
10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.10.042
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9b23fdba-0e59-4b37-a5fd-bfc85b6c96ec (old id 148273)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16256951&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:56:34
date last changed
2022-01-28 08:11:30
@article{9b23fdba-0e59-4b37-a5fd-bfc85b6c96ec,
  abstract     = {{Serine proteases play a central role in defense against pathogens by regulating processes such as blood clotting, melanization of injured surfaces, and proteolytic activation of signaling pathways involved in innate immunity. Here, we present the functional characterization of the Drosophila serine protease Sp7 (CG3006) by inducible RNA interference. We show that Sp7 is constitutively expressed in blood cells during embryonic and larval stages. Silencing of the gene impairs the melanization reaction upon injury. Our data demonstrate that Sp7 is required for phenoloxidase activation and its activity is restricted to a subclass of blood cells, the crystal cells. Transcriptional up-regulation of Sp7 was observed after clean, septic injury and in flies expressing an activated form of Toll; however, mutations in the Toll or the IMD pathway did not abolish expression of Sp7, indicating the existence of other regulatory pathways and/or independent basal transcription.}},
  author       = {{Castillejo-Lopez, Casimiro and Häcker, Udo}},
  issn         = {{1090-2104}},
  keywords     = {{Drosophila; RNAi; Serine protease; Melanization; Phenoloxidase; Wound; Blood cells; Innate immunity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{1075--1082}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications}},
  title        = {{The serine protease Sp7 is expressed in blood cells and regulates the melanization reaction in Drosophila.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.10.042}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.10.042}},
  volume       = {{338}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}