Scientific article
English

Leucine-rich repeat protein complex activates mosquito complement in defense against Plasmodium parasites

Published inScience, vol. 324, no. 5924, p. 258-261
Publication date2009
Abstract

Leucine-rich repeat-containing proteins are central to host defense in plants and animals. We show that in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae, two such proteins that antagonize malaria parasite infections, LRIM1 and APL1C, circulate in the hemolymph as a high-molecular-weight complex held together by disulfide bridges. The complex interacts with the complement C3-like protein, TEP1, promoting its cleavage or stabilization and its subsequent localization on the surface of midgut-invading Plasmodium berghei parasites, targeting them for destruction. LRIM1 and APL1C are members of a protein family with orthologs in other disease vector mosquitoes and appear to be important effectors in innate mosquito defenses against human pathogens.

Keywords
  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Anopheles gambiae/genetics/immunology/metabolism/parasitology
  • Complement Activation
  • Complement C3/immunology/metabolism
  • Digestive System/parasitology
  • Female
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Gene Silencing
  • Genes, Insect
  • Hemolymph
  • Insect Proteins/chemistry/genetics/isolation & purification/metabolism
  • Insect Vectors/genetics/immunology/metabolism/parasitology
  • Leucine/chemistry
  • Multiprotein Complexes/chemistry/metabolism
  • Plasmodium berghei/immunology/physiology
Citation (ISO format)
POVELONES, Michael et al. Leucine-rich repeat protein complex activates mosquito complement in defense against Plasmodium parasites. In: Science, 2009, vol. 324, n° 5924, p. 258–261. doi: 10.1126/science.1171400
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
Journal ISSN0036-8075
682views
0downloads

Technical informations

Creation31/10/2013 14:28:00
First validation31/10/2013 14:28:00
Update14/03/2023 20:51:14
Status update14/03/2023 20:51:14
Last indexation30/10/2024 15:52:38
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack