Identification of a PP2A gene in Bombyx mori with antiviral function against B. mori nucleopolyhedrovirus

AbstractSer/Thr protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is one of the type 2 protein phosphatases, which is required for many intracellular physiological processes and pathogen infection. However, the function of PP2A is unclear in silkworm,Bombyx mori. Here, we cloned and identifiedBmPP2A, aPP2A gene fromB. mori, which has two HEAT domains and a high similarity to PP2A from other organisms. Our results showed that BmPP2A is localized in the cytoplasm and highly expressed in silkworm epidermis and midgut, and thatBombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection induces down ‐regulation of BmPP2A expression. Furthermore, up‐regulation ofBmPP2A via overexpression significantly inhibited BmNPV multiplication. In contrast, down ‐regulation ofBmPP2A via RNA interference and okadaic acid (a PP2A inhibitor) treatment allowed robust BmNPV replication. This is the first report of PP2A having an antiviral effect in silkworm and provides insights into the function of BmPP2A, a potential anti ‐BmNPV mechanism, and a possible target for the breeding of silkworm‐resistant strains.

Source: Insect Science - May 25, 2019 Category: Biology Authors: Zhi ‐Gang Hu, Zhan‐Qi Dong, Fei‐Fan Dong, Yan Zhu, Peng Chen, Cheng Lu, Min‐Hui Pan Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research