Fucosyltransferase 2 is involved in immune-related functions in Penaeus vannamei by modulating antimicrobial peptides' expression. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Yiqi; Jiang, Mingming; Zheng, Zhihong; Yao, Defu; Yang, Shen; Yang, Chunling; Zhang, Yueling; Aweya, Jude Juventus
• Is Part Of: Developmental and comparative immunology. Volume 140(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Fucosyltransferase 2 -- Penaeus vannamei -- Antimicrobial peptides -- Immune response; Immunology -- Periodicals; Developmental immunology -- Periodicals; 616.079
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2022.104611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-305X

Abstract

Abstract: In mammals fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) plays an important regulatory role in inflammation, bacterial or viral infection, and tumor metastasis. However, the specific role of FUT2 in invertebrate immunity has not been reported. Here, the FUT2 homolog of Penaeus vannamei (designated as Pv FUT2) was cloned and found to have a full-length cDNA of 1104 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) encoding 316 amino acids. Pv FUT2 is constitutively expressed in all shrimp tissues tested with the highest found in intestines. Moreover, Pv FUT2 was induced in the main immune organs (hemocytes and hepatopancreas) of shrimp by Gram-positive ( Vibrio parahaemolyticus ), Gram-negative ( Streptococcus iniae ) bacteria and virus (White Spot Syndrome Virus), indicating the involvement of Pv FUT2 in shrimp antimicrobial response. Intriguingly, Pv FUT2 knockdown with or without pathogen challenge reduced the expression of Pv β-catenin and antimicrobial peptides genes, particularly anti lipopolysaccharide factor and lysozyme. Further analysis revealed that the knockdown of Pv FUT2 increased Vibrio abundance in hemolymph and resulted in an increase in shrimp cumulative mortality rate. Thus, during pathogen challenge, the expression of Pv FUT2 is induced to regulate β-catenin and subsequently antimicrobial peptides expression to augment shrimp antimicrobial immune response. Highlights: Penaeus vanammei fucosyltransferase 2 ( Pv FUT2) is induced by pathogens. Pv FUT2 modulates the expression of β-catenin and antimicrobial peptides. Hemolymph bacteria abundance is affected after Pv FUT2 knockdown. Pv FUT2 plays an essential role in shrimp survival during bacterial infection.