Nature-Inspired Thylakoid-Based Photosynthetic Nanoarchitectures for Biomedical Applications.

"Drawing inspiration from nature" offers a wealth of creative possibilities for designing cutting-edge materials with improved properties and performance. Nature-inspired thylakoid-based nanoarchitectures, seamlessly integrate the inherent structures and functions of natural components with the diverse and controllable characteristics of nanotechnology. These innovative biomaterials have garnered significant attention for their potential in various biomedical applications.

Analysis of expression, cellular localization, and function of three inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) from Litopenaeus vannamei during WSSV infection and in regulation of antimicrobial peptide genes (AMPs).

Inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) play important roles in apoptosis and NF-κB activation. In this study, we cloned and characterized three IAPs (LvIAP1-3) from the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeusvannamei. LvIAP1-3 proteins shared signature domains and exhibited significant similarities with other IAP family proteins.

The shrimp IKK-NF-κB signaling pathway regulates antimicrobial peptide expression and may be subverted by white spot syndrome virus to facilitate viral gene expression.

The IκB kinases IKKα and IKKβ and the IKK-related kinases TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IKKε are the master regulators of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Although this pathway has been extensively studied in mammals, less attention has been paid in crustaceans, which have significant economic value. Here, we report the cloning and functional studies of two IKK homologs, LvIKKβ and LvIKKε, from Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

Nucleic acid-induced antiviral immunity in shrimp.

Vertebrates detect viral infection predominantly by sensing viral nucleic acids to produce type I interferon (IFN). In invertebrates, it has been believed that the IFN system is absent and RNA interference is a sequence-specific antiviral pathway. In this study, we found that injection of nucleic acid mimics poly(I:C), poly(C:G), CL097, poly C and CpG-DNA, afforded shrimp antiviral immunity, which is similar to the vertebrate IFN system.

Litopenaeus vannamei Toll-interacting protein (LvTollip) is a potential negative regulator of the shrimp Toll pathway involved in the regulation of the shrimp antimicrobial peptide gene penaeidin-4 (PEN4).

The Toll-like receptor (TLR)-nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway is evolutionarily conserved from insects to mammals as a regulator of the expression of immune-related genes. In mammals, TLR-NF-κB signaling is tightly controlled because excessive activation of this pathway can result in severe damage to the host. The mammalian Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) has an important function in the negative regulation of this pathway, but no reports about invertebrate Tollip have been published to date.

Litopenaeus vannamei sterile-alpha and armadillo motif containing protein (LvSARM) is involved in regulation of Penaeidins and antilipopolysaccharide factors.

The Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated NF-κB pathway is tightly controlled because overactivation may result in severe damage to the host, such as in the case of chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. In mammals, sterile-alpha and armadillo motif-containing protein (SARM) plays an important role in negatively regulating this pathway. While Caenorhabditis elegans SARM is crucial for an efficient immune response against bacterial and fungal infections, it is still unknown whether Drosophila SARM participates in immune responses.

The shrimp NF-κB pathway is activated by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) 449 to facilitate the expression of WSSV069 (ie1), WSSV303 and WSSV371.

The Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated NF-κB pathway is essential for defending against viruses in insects and mammals. Viruses also develop strategies to utilize this pathway to benefit their infection and replication in mammal hosts. In invertebrates, the TLR-mediated NF-κB pathway has only been well-studied in insects and has been demonstrated to be important in antiviral responses.

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of two novel Tolls (LvToll2 and LvToll3) and three putative Spätzle-like Toll ligands (LvSpz1-3) from Litopenaeus vannamei.

Toll-like receptor-mediated NF-κB pathways are essential for inducing immune related-gene expression in the defense against bacterial, fungal and viral infections in insects and mammals. Although a Toll receptor (LvToll1) was cloned in Litopenaeus vannamei, relatively little is known about other types of Toll-like receptors and their endogenous cytokine-like ligand, Spätzle. Here, we report two novel Toll-like receptors (LvToll2 and LvToll3) and three Spätzle-like proteins (LvSpz1-3) from L.

Molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily gene, TNF receptor superfamily gene and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor (LITAF) gene from Litopenaeus vannamei.

In vertebrates, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor (TNFR) system participates in diverse physiological and pathological events, such as inflammation and protective immune responses to microbial infections. There are few reports about the role of the invertebrate TNF-TNFR system in immune responses. Here, we isolated and characterized the TNF superfamily (LvTNFSF) gene, TNFR superfamily (LvTNFRSF) gene and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-α factor (LvLITAF) gene from Litopenaeus vannamei.

Litopenaeus vannamei tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) responds to Vibrio alginolyticus and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection and activates antimicrobial peptide genes.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a key signaling adaptor protein not only for the TNFR superfamily but also for the Interleukin-1 receptor/Toll-like receptor (IL-1/TLR) superfamily. To investigate TRAF6 function in invertebrate innate immune responses, Litopenaeus vannamei TRAF6 (LvTRAF6) was identified and characterized. The full-length cDNA of LvTRAF6 is 2823bp long, with an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative protein of 594 amino acids, including a RING-type Zinc finger, two TRAF-type Zinc fingers, a coiled-coil region, and a meprin and TRAF homology (MATH) domain.

Identification and functional study of a shrimp Relish homologue.

Rel/NF-kappaB transcription factors play central roles in induction and regulation of innate immune responses. Here we describe the identification and functional analysis of a Relish homologue, LvRelish and its shorter isoform sLvRelish, from the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. The LvRelish gene has 22 exons in approximately 15 kb genomic sequence.

An immune deficiency homolog from the white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, activates antimicrobial peptide genes.

Invertebrates rely on innate immunity as the first line defense against microbes. In Drosophila, the inducible antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) regulated by the Toll and immune deficiency (Imd) pathways are important effectors in innate immunity. Here we report an immune deficiency homolog (LvIMD) from the white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.