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Protease inhibitors in Bombyx mori silk might participate in protecting the pupating larva from microbial infection
Author(s) -
Li YouShan,
Liu HuaWei,
Zhu Rui,
Xia QingYou,
Zhao Ping
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
insect science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1744-7917
pISSN - 1672-9609
DOI - 10.1111/1744-7917.12241
Subject(s) - proteases , biology , protease , bombyx mori , microbiology and biotechnology , trypsin , larva , enzyme , antimicrobial peptides , antimicrobial , serine protease , pupa , silk , extracellular , biochemistry , botany , computer science , operating system , gene
Pupae inside cocoons rarely suffer from disease. It is apparent that some factors in the cocoon exert antimicrobial effects whereby the pupae inside can be protected from microbial infection. In the present study, we investigated the expression of cocoon protease inhibitors using immunoblotting and activity staining. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cocoon proteins in vitro was performed to characterize their roles in protecting the cocoon from microbial proteases. We found that some protease inhibitors, particularly trypsin inhibitor‐like (TIL)‐type protease inhibitors, can be secreted into the cocoon layer during the spinning process, thereby providing effective protection to the cocoon and pupa by inhibiting the extracellular proteases that can be secreted by pathogens.