Journal
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Volume 150, Issue 4, Pages 403-408Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2008.04.010
Keywords
Anopheles gambiae; insect immunity; melanization mosquito
Categories
Funding
- NIAID NIH HHS [AI46031, R01 AI046031-05, R01 AI037083-08, R01 AI037083, R01 AI046031] Funding Source: Medline
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The production of melanin is a complex biochemical process in which several enzymes may play a role. Although phenoloxidase and serine proteases are clearly key components, the activity of other enzymes, including dopa decarboxylase and dopachrome conversion enzyme may also be required. We tested the effect of knockdown of gene expression for these two enzymes on melanization of abiotic targets in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Knockdown of dopa decarboxylase and dopachrome conversion enzyme resulted in a significant reduction of melanization of Sephadex beads at 24 h after injection. Knockdown of a third enzyme, phenylalanine hydroxylase, which is involved in endogenous production of tyrosine, had no effect on bead melanization. Quantitative analysis of gene expression demonstrated significant upregulation of phenylalanine hydroxylase, but not the other two genes, following injection. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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