Constitutive Activation of Toll-Mediated Antifungal Defense in Serpin-Deficient Drosophila

Elena A. Levashina; Emma Langley; Clare Green; David Gubb; Michael Ashburner; Jules A. Hoffmann; Jean‐Marc Reichhart

doi:10.1126/science.285.5435.1917

Abstract

The antifungal defense of Drosophila is controlled by the spaetzle/Toll/cactus gene cassette. Here, a loss-of-function mutation in the gene encoding a blood serine protease inhibitor, Spn43Ac, was shown to lead to constitutive expression of the antifungal peptide drosomycin, and this effect was mediated by the spaetzle and Toll gene products. Spaetzle was cleaved by proteolytic enzymes to its active ligand form shortly after immune challenge, and cleaved Spaetzle was constitutively present in Spn43Ac -deficient flies. Hence, Spn43Ac negatively regulates the Toll signaling pathway, and Toll does not function as a pattern recognition receptor in the Drosophila host defense.

Keywords

SerpinSerine proteaseBiologyGeneToll-like receptorImmune systemInnate immune systemCell biologyFunction (biology)ReceptorProteaseAntifungalEnzymeMicrobiologyGeneticsBiochemistry

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Publication Info

Year: 1999
Type: article
Volume: 285
Issue: 5435
Pages: 1917-1919
Citations: 434
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Elena A. Levashina, 
                                
                                    Emma Langley, 
                                
                                    Clare Green
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (1999). 
                            Constitutive Activation of Toll-Mediated Antifungal Defense in Serpin-Deficient <i>Drosophila</i>. 
                            Science
                            , 285
                            (5435)
                            , 1917-1919.
                            https://doi.org/10.1126/science.285.5435.1917
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5435.1917