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  • Title: Reassessing the role of defensin in the innate immune response of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti.
    Author: Bartholomay LC, Fuchs JF, Cheng LL, Beck ET, Vizioli J, Lowenberger C, Christensen BM.
    Journal: Insect Mol Biol; 2004 Apr; 13(2):125-32. PubMed ID: 15056359.
    Abstract:
    Defensin is the predominant inducible immune peptide in Aedes aegypti. In spite of its activity against Gram-positive bacteria in vitro, defensin expression is detected in mosquitoes inoculated with Gram-positive or negative bacteria, or with filarial worms. Defensin transcription and expression are dependent upon bacterial dose; however, translation is inconsistent with transcription because peptide is detectable only in mosquitoes inoculated with large doses. In vitro translation assays provide further evidence for post-transcriptional regulation of defensin. Clearance assays show that a majority of bacteria are cleared before defensin is detected. In gene silencing experiments, no significant difference in mortality was observed between defensin-deficient and control mosquitoes after bacteria inoculation. These studies suggest that defensin may have an alternative function in mosquito immunity.
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