TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunology
T2 - Extensive diversity of Ig-superfamily proteins in the immune system of insects
AU - Watson, Fiona L.
AU - Püttmann-Holgado, Roland
AU - Thomas, Franziska
AU - Lamar, David L.
AU - Hughes, Michael
AU - Kondo, Masahiro
AU - Rebel, Vivienne I.
AU - Schmucker, Dietmar
PY - 2005/9/16
Y1 - 2005/9/16
N2 - The extensive somatic diversification of immune receptors is a hallmark of higher vertebrates. However, whether molecular diversity contributes to immune protection in invertebrates is unknown. We present evidence that Drosophila immune-competent cells have the potential to express more than 18,000 isoforms of the immunoglobulin (Ig)-superfamily receptor Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam). Secreted protein isoforms of Dscam were detected in the hemolymph, and hemocyte-specific loss of Dscam impaired the efficiency of phagocytic uptake of bacteria, possibly due to reduced bacterial binding. Importantly, the molecular diversity of Dscam transcripts generated through a mechanism of alternative splicing is highly conserved across major insect orders, suggesting an unsuspected molecular complexity of the innate immune system of insects.
AB - The extensive somatic diversification of immune receptors is a hallmark of higher vertebrates. However, whether molecular diversity contributes to immune protection in invertebrates is unknown. We present evidence that Drosophila immune-competent cells have the potential to express more than 18,000 isoforms of the immunoglobulin (Ig)-superfamily receptor Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam). Secreted protein isoforms of Dscam were detected in the hemolymph, and hemocyte-specific loss of Dscam impaired the efficiency of phagocytic uptake of bacteria, possibly due to reduced bacterial binding. Importantly, the molecular diversity of Dscam transcripts generated through a mechanism of alternative splicing is highly conserved across major insect orders, suggesting an unsuspected molecular complexity of the innate immune system of insects.
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U2 - 10.1126/science.1116887
DO - 10.1126/science.1116887
M3 - Article
C2 - 16109846
AN - SCOPUS:24944454976
VL - 309
SP - 1874
EP - 1878
JO - Science
JF - Science
SN - 0036-8075
IS - 5742
ER -