Protease inhibitors in Bombyx mori silk might participate in protecting the pupating larva from microbial infection |
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Authors: | You‐Shan Li Hua‐Wei Liu Rui Zhu Qing‐You Xia Ping Zhao |
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Institution: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China;2. Vitamin D Research Institute, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, China;3. School of Management, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, China |
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Abstract: | 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. |
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Keywords: | Bombyx mori cocoon enzymatic hydrolysis microbial proteases protease inhibitors pupating larva |
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