RNAi-mediated gene silencing of Phlebotomus papatasi defensins favors Leishmania major infection.

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Production of different antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is one of the insect's prominent defense strategies, regulated mainly by Toll and immune deficiency (IMD) humoral pathways. Here we focused mainly on two AMPs of Phlebotomus papatasi, vector of Leishmania major parasites, their association with the relish transcription factor and the effective participation on Leishmania infection. Methods and results: We further characterized the role of previously described gut-specific P. papatasi defensin (PpDef1) and identified the second defensin (PpDef2) expressed in various sand fly tissues. Using the RNAi-mediated gene silencing, we report that the silencing of PpDef1 gene or simultaneous silencing of both defensin genes (PpDef1<

SUBMITTER: Vomackova Kykalova B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10230645 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature