RESUMO
The present report shows a partial biochemical characterization and life cycle expression of N-ß-alanyldopamine hydrolase (Tan protein) in Ceratitis capitata and Drosophila melanogaster. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of N-ß-alanyldopamine (NBAD), the main tanning precursor of insect brown cuticles. It also plays an important role in the metabolism of brain neurotransmitters, recycling dopamine and histamine. In contrast to NBAD-synthase, Tan is expressed constitutively in epidermis and does not respond directly to microbial challenge. Immunodetection experiments showed the novel localization of NBAD-hydrolase in the embryo central neural system and in different regions of the adult brain, in addition to optic lobes. We sequenced and characterized Drosophila mutants tan¹ and tan³. The latter appears to be a mutant with normal expression in neural tissue but weak one in epidermis.
Assuntos
Ceratitis capitata/enzimologia , Proteínas Cromossômicas não Histona/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/metabolismo , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Drosophila melanogaster/enzimologia , Proteínas de Insetos/metabolismo , Animais , Sequência de Bases , Encéfalo/enzimologia , Ceratitis capitata/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Proteínas Cromossômicas não Histona/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a DNA/genética , Derme/enzimologia , Proteínas de Drosophila/genética , Drosophila melanogaster/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Regulação da Expressão Gênica no Desenvolvimento , Proteínas de Insetos/genética , Larva/enzimologia , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Fenótipo , Pupa/enzimologiaRESUMO
In holometabolous insects, there is a complete body remodeling from larva to adult. We determined in Ceratitis capitata that the transition from pre-pupa to pupa, 40 to 48 h after puparium formation (h APF), is a key moment of metamorphosis; when salivary glands, intestine, fat body, and muscles are in different stages of cell death. At 44-46 h APF, muscles from segments 1-3 (thoracic region) appeared fully disintegrated, whereas posterior muscles just started death processes. To understand some of the biochemical events eventually involved in histolytic processes during early metamorphosis, two cysteine peptidases coined "Metamorphosis Associated Cysteine Peptidase" (MACP-I and MACP-II) were purified to homogeneity from 40-46-h APF insects. Both enzymes were inhibited by Ep-475, a specific inhibitor of papain-like cysteine-peptidases. MACP-I is a single chain protein with an apparent molecular mass of 80 kDa and includes several isoforms with pI values of pH 6.25-6.35, 6.7, and 7.2. The enzyme has an optimum pH of 5.0 and its pH stability ranges from pH 4.0 to 6.0. The molecular weight and N-terminal sequence suggest that MACP-I might be a novel enzyme. MACP-II is an acidic single chain protein with a pI of pH 5.85 and an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa. The enzyme is labile with a maximum stability in the pH range of 4.0 to 6.0 and an optimum pH among 5.0 to 6.0. MAPCP-II characteristics suggest it is a cathepsin B-like enzyme.
Assuntos
Ceratitis capitata/enzimologia , Cisteína Endopeptidases/metabolismo , Metamorfose Biológica/fisiologia , Animais , Ceratitis capitata/fisiologia , Cisteína Endopeptidases/isolamento & purificação , Pupa/enzimologiaRESUMO
Insects trigger a multifaceted innate immune response to fight microbial infections. We show that in the yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, septic injuries induce the synthesis of N-beta-alanyldopamine (NBAD), which is known as the main sclerotization precursor of insect brown cuticles. We demonstrate that NBAD synthase is induced in the epidermis of the mealworm and of the Medfly, Ceratitis capitata, by infection with Escherichia coli. Our results indicate that synthesis of NBAD seems to be a novel component of the overall innate immune response in insects.
Assuntos
Ceratitis capitata/enzimologia , Ceratitis capitata/imunologia , Dopamina/análogos & derivados , Imunidade Inata/imunologia , Ligases/metabolismo , Tenebrio/enzimologia , Tenebrio/imunologia , Animais , Indução Enzimática , Epiderme/enzimologia , Escherichia coli/fisiologia , Proteínas de Insetos/metabolismo , Larva/microbiologia , Ligases/imunologia , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
A proteinaceous trypsin inhibitor was purified from Crotalaria pallida seeds by ammonium sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography on immobilized trypsin-Sepharose and TCA precipitation. The trypsin inhibitor, named CpaTI, had M(r) of 32.5 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and was composed of two subunits with 27.7 and 5.6 kDa linked by disulfide bridges. CpaTI was stable at 50 degrees C and lost 40% of activity at 100 degrees C. CpaTI was also stable from pH 2 to 12 at 37 degrees C. CpaTI weakly inhibited chymotrypsin and elastase and its inhibition of papain, a cysteine proteinase, were indicative of its bi-functionality. CpaTI inhibited, in different degrees, digestive enzymes from Spodoptera frugiperda, Alabama argillacea, Plodiainterpunctella, Anthonomus grandis and Zabrotes subfasciatus guts. In vitro and in vivo susceptibility of Callosobruchus maculatus and Ceratitis capitata to CpaTI was evaluated. C. maculatus and C. capitata enzymes were strongly susceptible, 74.4+/-15.8% and 100.0+/-7.3%, respectively, to CpaTI. When CpaTI was added to artificial diets and offered to both insect larvae, the results showed that C. maculatus was more susceptible to CpaTI with an LD(50) of 3.0 and ED(50) of 2.17%. C. capitata larvae were more resistant to CpaTI, in disagreement with the in vitro effects. The larvae were more affected at lower concentrations, causing 27% mortality and 44.4% mass decrease. The action was constant at 2-4% (w/w) with 15% mortality and 38% mass decrease.
Assuntos
Ceratitis capitata/enzimologia , Crotalaria/química , Inseticidas , Inibidores da Tripsina , Gorgulhos/enzimologia , Animais , Ceratitis capitata/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Quimotripsina/antagonistas & inibidores , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Inseticidas/isolamento & purificação , Larva/enzimologia , Dose Letal Mediana , Elastase Pancreática/antagonistas & inibidores , Sementes/metabolismo , Temperatura , Inibidores da Tripsina/isolamento & purificação , Gorgulhos/crescimento & desenvolvimentoRESUMO
During larva to adult transition, the larval fat body of the Medfly (Ceratitis capitata) progressively disintegrates to be replaced by the adult one, after imago ecdysis. Here we show that a temporal correlation exists among the microscopy images of fat body progressive disintegration, the activation of fat body lysosomes (as judged by acid phosphatase activity), and the activity of a novel fat body aspartyl proteinase. The enzyme was purified and partially characterized. This proteinase exhibited a wide range of acid isoforms with isoelectric points from 5.6 to 7.3, an optimum pH of 3.0 for hemoglobin digestion, and was completely inhibited by pepstatin A. The apparent molecular weight was estimated (42 +/- 1 kDa) and the protein was characterized as N-glycosylated, judging from affinity to Concanavalin A. From the biochemical characteristics, the enzyme that we called "Early Metamorphosis Aspartyl Proteinase" (EMAP) appears to be similar to mammalian Cathepsin D. However, the N-terminal sequence of EMAP showed no similarity with any known animal Cathepsins and exhibited an important instability to neutral and alkaline pH. This feature seems to be a peculiar characteristic of insect aspartyl proteinases. The temporal activity profile of EMAP during metamorphosis correlated well with the microscopy images of fat body cell autolytic death. Our data support the notion that EMAP is a metamorphosis-specific lysosomal proteinase, mostly expressed during larval fat body histolysis.