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Development of the cellular immune system of Drosophila requires the membrane attack complex/perforin-like protein Torso-like
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 01:41 authored by Forbes-Beadle, L, Crossman, T, Johnson, TK, Burke, R, Coral WarrCoral Warr, Whisstock, JCPore-forming members of the membrane attack complex/perforin-like (MACPF) protein superfamily perform well-characterized roles as mammalian immune effectors. For example, complement component 9 and perforin function to directly form pores in the membrane of Gram-negative pathogens or virally infected/transformed cells, respectively. In contrast, the only known MACPF protein in Drosophila melanogaster, Torso-like, plays crucial roles during development in embryo patterning and larval growth. Here, we report that in addition to these functions, Torso-like plays an important role in Drosophila immunity. However, in contrast to a hypothesized effector function in, for example, elimination of Gram-negative pathogens, we find that torso-like null mutants instead show increased susceptibility to certain Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. We further show that this deficit is due to a severely reduced number of circulating immune cells and, as a consequence, an impaired ability to phagocytose bacterial particles. Together these data suggest that Torso-like plays an important role in controlling the development of the Drosophila cellular immune system. © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.
History
Publication title
GeneticsVolume
204Pagination
675-681ISSN
0016-6731Department/School
Tasmanian School of MedicinePublisher
GeneticsPlace of publication
428 East Preston St, Baltimore, USA, Md, 21202Repository Status
- Restricted