Anti-lipopolysaccharide factor isoform 3 from Penaeus monodon (ALFPm3) exhibits antiviral activity by interacting

Sivalee Suraprasit1, Thanachai Methatham1, Phattarunda Jaree1

  • 1Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

Antiviral Research
|August 19, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Antimicrobial peptides like anti-lipopolysaccharide factor isoform 3 (ALFPm3) combat pathogens. This study reveals ALFPm3 binds to WSSV envelope protein WSSV189, explaining its antiviral action against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV).

Area of Science:

  • * Marine biology and immunology
  • * Invertebrate pathology and disease resistance
  • * Molecular virology and host-pathogen interactions

Background:

  • * Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are crucial for innate immunity against microbial threats.
  • * Anti-lipopolysaccharide factor isoform 3 (ALFPm3) is an AMP in Penaeus monodon with known activity against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV).
  • * The precise mechanism of ALFPm3's antiviral activity against WSSV remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To identify proteins interacting with ALFPm3 within the WSSV.
  • * To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which ALFPm3 neutralizes WSSV.
  • * To investigate the role of WSSV structural proteins in ALFPm3-mediated antiviral defense.

Main Methods:

  • * Yeast two-hybrid screening to identify ALFPm3-interacting WSSV proteins.
  • * Temporal transcriptional analysis of WSSV genes in infected shrimp.
  • * Western blot and immunoelectron microscopy to characterize WSSV189.
  • * In vitro pull-down assays to confirm protein interactions.
  • * In vivo shrimp infection models to assess the impact of protein interactions on WSSV neutralization.

Main Results:

  • * Five potential ALFPm3-interacting WSSV proteins were identified: WSSV186, WSSV189, WSSV395, WSSV458, and WSSV471.
  • * These WSSV genes were predominantly expressed during the late phase of infection.
  • * WSSV189, an enveloped structural protein, directly interacts with ALFPm3.
  • * Pre-incubation of WSSV189 and ALFPm3 proteins diminished ALFPm3's WSSV neutralization efficacy in vivo, leading to increased shrimp mortality.

Conclusions:

  • * ALFPm3 exerts its anti-WSSV activity by binding to the WSSV envelope protein WSSV189.
  • * This interaction likely disrupts the virus's ability to infect host cells.
  • * ALFPm3 may also interact with other WSSV structural proteins, contributing to its broad antiviral effect.