Self-association of an insect ?-1,3-glucan recognition protein upon binding laminarin stimulates prophenoloxidase activation as an innate immune response.
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ABSTRACT: Insect ?-glucan recognition protein (?GRP), a pathogen recognition receptor for innate immune responses, detects ?-1,3-glucan on fungal surfaces via its N-terminal carbohydrate-binding domain (N-?GRP) and triggers serine protease cascades for the activation of prophenoloxidase (pro-PO) or Toll pathways. Using biophysical and biochemical methods, we characterized the interaction of the N-terminal domain from Manduca sexta ?GRP2 (N-?GRP2) with laminarin, a soluble form of ?-1,3-glucan. We found that carbohydrate binding by N-?GRP2 induces the formation of two types of protein-carbohydrate complexes, depending on the molar ratio of carbohydrate to protein ([C]/[P]). Precipitation, analytical ultracentrifugation, and chemical cross-linking experiments have shown that an insoluble aggregate forms when the molar ratio of carbohydrate to protein is low ([C]/[P] ? 1). In contrast, a soluble complex, containing at least five N-?GRP2 molecules forms at a higher molar ratio of carbohydrate/protein ([C]/[P] >5). A hypothesis that this complex is assembled partly due to protein-protein interactions was supported by chemical cross-linking experiments combined with LC-MS/MS spectrometry analysis, which permitted identification of a specific intermolecular cross-link site between N-?GRP molecules in the soluble complex. The pro-PO activation in naive plasma was strongly stimulated by addition of the insoluble aggregates of N-?GRP2. The soluble complex with laminarin formed in the plasma also stimulated pro-PO activation, but at a lower level. Taken together, these results provide experimental evidence for novel mechanisms in which associations of ?GRP with microbial polysaccharide promotes assembly of ?GRP oligomers, which may form a platform needed to trigger the pro-PO pathway activation cascade.
SUBMITTER: Takahashi D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4192492 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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