Like other multicellular organisms, the model nematode C. elegans responds to infection by inducing the expression of defense genes. Among the genes upregulated in response to a natural fungal pathogen is nlp-29, encoding an antimicrobial peptide. In a screen for mutants that fail to express nlp-29 following fungal infection, we isolated alleles of tpa-1, homologous to the mammalian protein kinase C (PKC) delta. Through epistasis analyses, we demonstrate that C. elegans PKC acts through the p38 MAPK pathway to regulate nlp-29. This involves G protein signaling and specific C-type phospholipases acting upstream of PKCdelta. Unexpectedly and unlike in mammals, tpa-1 does not act via D-type protein kinases, but another C. elegans PKC gene, pkc-3, functions nonredundantly with tpa-1 to control nlp-29 expression. Finally, the tribbles-like kinase nipi-3 acts upstream of PKCdelta in this antifungal immune signaling cascade. These findings greatly expand our understanding of the pathways involved in C. elegans innate immunity.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2009.03.006 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Viroporin activity is necessary for intercellular calcium signals that contribute to viral pathogenesis.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Viruses engage in a variety of processes to subvert host defenses and create an environment amenable to replication. Here, using rotavirus as a prototype, we show that calcium conductance out of the endoplasmic reticulum by the virus encoded ion channel, , induces intercellular calcium waves that extend beyond the infected cell and contribute to pathogenesis. Viruses that lack the ability to induce this signaling show diminished viral shedding and attenuated disease in a mouse model of rotavirus diarrhea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe actin cytoskeleton regulates danger-associated molecular pattern signaling and PEP1 RECEPTOR1 internalization.
Plant Physiol
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
In plants, cytoskeletal proteins assemble into dynamic polymers that play numerous roles in diverse fundamental cellular processes, including endocytosis, vesicle trafficking, and the spatial distribution of organelles and protein complexes. Plant elicitor peptides (Peps) are damage/danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that are perceived by the receptor-like kinases PEP RECEPTOR 1 (PEPR1) and PEPR2 to enhance innate immunity and inhibit root growth in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). To date, however, there is little evidence that the actin cytoskeleton of the host cell participates in DAMP-induced innate immunity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFcGAS-STING: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.
Sci China Life Sci
January 2025
The Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Cell Biology of Shanxi Province, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China.
The cGAS-STING pathway plays a crucial role in the innate immune system by detecting mislocalized double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in the cytoplasm and triggering downstream signal transduction. Understanding the mechanisms by which cGAS and STING operate is vital for gaining insights into the biology of this pathway. This review provides a detailed examination of the structural features of cGAS and STING proteins, with a particular emphasis on their activation and inhibition mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!