Fine-tuning of Wnt signaling by RNA surveillance factor Smg5 in the mouse craniofacial development.

The specific roles of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), a translation-dependent RNA quality control mechanism that degrades mRNAs containing premature termination codons (PTCs), in mammalian craniofacial development have remained unclear. Here, we show that knockout of the essential NMD factor in mouse craniofacial neural crest cells leads to hypoplastic mandibles, subsequently inducing tongue mispositioning and cleft palate formation. Furthermore, loss triggers massive cell apoptosis and disrupts cell differentiation, accompanied by widespread alterations in alternative splicing and a surge in PTC-containing mRNA levels.

Involvement of tetraspanin 8 in the innate immune response of the giant prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

The tetraspanins, representing a conserved superfamily of four-span membrane proteins, are highly involved in viral and bacterial infections. Thus far, the function of the tetraspanins in crustaceans remains largely unknown. In this study, we report the cloning and expression analysis of a tetraspanin 8 from the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (named as MrTspan8).

Wntless, a conserved Wnt-transport protein, is involved in the innate immune response of Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Wnt signaling plays important roles in a variety of developmental and pathological processes. Here we show that Wntless, the main regulator for Wnt secretion, is involved in the innate immune response of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The full-length cDNA of the prawn Wntless (named MrWntless) is 2173 bp in length and contains a 1602-bp open reading frame (ORF), which is conceptually translated into a 533-amino acids sequence.

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of a prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) juvenile hormone esterase-like carboxylesterase following immune challenge.

Methyl farnesoate (MF), the crustacean juvenile hormone (JH), plays critical roles in various physiological processes in crustaceans. The titer of MF is precisely regulated by specific carboxylesterase. Here, we report for the first time that the cloning and expression analysis of a JH esterase-like carboxylesterase from the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (named as MrCXE).