MD-2 Homologue Recognizes the White Spot Syndrome Virus Lipid Component and Induces Antiviral Molecule Expression in...

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Virology
• Marine Biology

Background:

• The myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2)-related lipid-recognition (ML) domain proteins are crucial in antibacterial signaling and lipid metabolism.
• Their role in host-virus interactions, particularly in invertebrates, is largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the function of ML proteins in antiviral immunity in kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus).
• To elucidate the molecular mechanism of ML protein involvement in resistance against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV).

Main Methods:

• Identified and characterized an ML protein (ML1) in kuruma shrimp.
• Investigated ML1's interaction with cholesta-3,5-diene (CD), a lipid component of WSSV.
• Analyzed the downstream signaling pathway involving Dorsal and Vago.

Main Results:

• ML1, a shrimp homolog of mammalian MD-2/MD-1, recognizes WSSV lipid component CD.
• CD recognition by ML1 induces nuclear translocation of the NF-κB transcription factor Dorsal.
• This leads to the expression of Vago, an invertebrate IFN-like antiviral cytokine.

Conclusions:

• The study identifies ML1 as a key immune recognition protein for viral lipids in shrimp.
• The discovered CD-ML1-Dorsal-Vago signaling pathway provides novel insights into invertebrate antiviral immunity.