Serpin-4 Facilitates Baculovirus Infection by Inhibiting Melanization in Asian Corn Borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee).

ABSTRACT: Phenoloxidase (PO)-catalyzed melanization is a vital immune response in insects for defense against pathogen infection. This process is mediated by clip domain serine proteases and regulated by members of the serpin superfamily. We here revealed that the infection of Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) significantly inhibited the PO activity in Ostrinia furnacalis hemolymph and induced the expression of O. furnacalis serpin-4. Addition of recombinant serpin-4 protein to O. furnacalis hemolymph resulted in a great increase of AcMNPV copies. Serpin-4 significantly suppressed the PO activity and the amidase activity in cleaving colorimetric substrate IEARpNA (IEARase activity) of hemolymph. Further experiments indicated it formed

SUBMITTER: Ji J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9218052 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature