Dataset Information

In silico structural and functional characterization of Antheraea mylitta cocoonase.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cocoonase is a serine protease present in sericigenous insects and majorly involved in dissolving of sericin protein allowing moth to escape. Cocoon structure is made up of sericin protein which holds fibroin filaments together. Cocoonase enzyme hydrolyzes sericin protein without harming the fibroin. However, until date, no detailed characterization of cocoonase enzyme and its presence in wild silk moth Antheraea mylitta has been carried out. Therefore, current study aimed for detailed characterization of amplified cocoonase enzyme, secondary and tertiary structure prediction, sequence and structural alignment, phylogenetic analysis, and computational validation. Several computational tools such as ProtParam, Iterative Threading Assembly Refinement (I-TASSER), PROCHECK, SAVES v6.0, TM-align, Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) X, and Figtree were employed for characterization of cocoonase protein.

Results

The present study elucidates about the isolation of RNA, cDNA preparation, PCR amplification, and in silico characterization of cocoonase from Antheraea mylitta. Here, total RNA was isolated from head region of A. mylitta, and gene-specific primers were designed using Primer3 followed by PCR-based amplification and sequencing. The newly constructed 377-bp length sequence of cocoonase was subjected to in silico characterization. In silico study of A. mylitta cocoonase showed 26% similarity to A. pernyi strain Qing-6 cocoonase using Blastp and belongs to member of chymotrypsin-like serine protease superfamily. From phylogenetic study, it was found that A. mylitta cocoonase sequence is closely related to A. pernyi cocoonase sequence.

Conclusions

The present study revealed about the detailed in silico characterization of cocoonase gene and encoded protein obtained from A. mylitta head region. The results obtained infer the presence of cocoonase enzyme in the wild silkworm A. mylitta and can be used for cocoon degumming which will be a valuable and cost-effective strategy in silk industry.

SUBMITTER: Sneha S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9273796 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundAntheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV), a cypovirus of Reoviridae family, infects Indian non-mulberry silkworm, Antheraea mylitta, and contains 11 segmented double stranded RNA (S1-S11) in its genome. Some of its genome segments (S2 and S6-S11) have been previously characterized but genome segments encoding viral capsid have not been characterized.ResultsIn this study genome segments 1 (S1) and 3 (S3) of AmCPV were converted to cDNA, cloned and sequenced. S1 consisted of 3852 nucleotides, with one long ORF of 3735 nucleotides and could encode a protein of 1245 amino acids with molecular mass of approximately 141 kDa. Similarly, S3 consisted of 3784 nucleotides having a long ORF of 3630 nucleotides and could encode a protein of 1210 amino acids with molecular mass of approximately 137 kDa. BLAST analysis showed 20-22% homology of S1 and S3 sequence with spike and capsid proteins, respectively, of other closely related cypoviruses like Bombyx mori CPV (BmCPV), Lymantria dispar CPV (LdCPV), and Dendrolimus punctatus CPV (DpCPV). The ORFs of S1 and S3 were expressed as 141 kDa and 137 kDa insoluble His-tagged fusion proteins, respectively, in Escherichia coli M15 cells via pQE-30 vector, purified through Ni-NTA chromatography and polyclonal antibodies were raised. Immunoblot analysis of purified polyhedra, virion particles and virus infected mid-gut cells with the raised anti-p137 and anti-p141 antibodies showed specific immunoreactive bands and suggest that S1 and S3 may code for viral structural proteins. Expression of S1 and S3 ORFs in insect cells via baculovirus recombinants showed to produce viral like particles (VLPs) by transmission electron microscopy. Immunogold staining showed that S3 encoded proteins self assembled to form viral outer capsid and VLPs maintained their stability at different pH in presence of S1 encoded protein.ConclusionOur results of cloning, sequencing and functional analysis of AmCPV S1 and S3 indicate that S3 encoded viral structural proteins can self assemble to form viral outer capsid and S1 encoded protein remains associated with it as inner capsid to maintain the stability. Further studies will help to understand the molecular mechanism of capsid formation during cypovirus replication.

Project description:BackgroundAntheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV), a cypovirus of Reoviridae family, infects non mulberry Indian silk worm, Antheraea mylitta, and contains eleven segmented double stranded RNA in its genome (S1-S11). Some of its genome segments (S1-S3, and S6-S11) have been previously characterized but genome segment encoding the viral guanylyltransferase which helps in RNA capping has not been characterized.ResultsIn this study genome segment 5 (S5) of AmCPV was converted to cDNA, cloned and sequenced. S5 consisted of 2180 nucleotides, with one long ORF of 1818 nucleotides and could encode a protein of 606 amino acids with molecular mass of ~65 kDa (p65). Bioinformatics analysis showed presence of KLRS and HxnH motifs as observed in some other reoviral guanylyltransferase and suggests that S5 may encodes viral guanylyltransferase. The ORF of S5 was expressed in E. coli as 65 kDa his tagged fusion protein, purified through Ni-NTA chromatography and polyclonal antibody was raised. Immunoblot analysis of virion particles with the purified antibody showed specific immunoreactive band and suggests p65 as a viral structural protein. Functional analysis showed that recombinant p65 possesses guanylyltransferase activity, and transfers GMP moiety to the 5' diphosphate (A/G) ended viral RNA after the formation of p65-GMP complex for capping. Kinetic analysis showed K(m) of this enzyme for GTP and RNA was 34.24 uM and 98.35 nM, respectively. Site directed mutagenesis at K21A in KLRS motif, and H93A or H105A in HxnH motif completely abolished the autoguanylylation activity and indicates importance of these residues at these sites. Thermodynamic analysis showed p65-GTP interaction was primarily driven by enthalpy (ΔH = -399.1 ± 4.1 kJ/mol) whereas the p65-RNA interaction by favorable entropy (0.043 ± 0.0049 kJ/ mol).ConclusionViral capping enzymes play a critical role in the post transcriptional or post replication modification in case of RNA virus. Our results of cloning, sequencing and functional analysis of AmCPV S5 indicates that S5 encoded p65 through its guanylyltransferase activity can transfer guanine residue to the 5' end of viral RNA for capping. Further studies will help to understand complete capping process of cypoviral RNA during viral replication within the viral capsid.