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PubMed1986

Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus efficiently enters but does not replicate in poikilothermic vertebrate cells.

The host range of the insect virus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) was examined. AcMNPV could not initiate a productive infection in frog, turtle, trout, or codling moth cell lines. After exposure to AcMNPV, neither viral DNA nor RNA synthesis could be detected in these cell lines as assayed by nucleic acid probe hybridization. Entry of AcMNPV nucleocapsids into the cytoplasm and viral DNA into the nucleus, however, was as efficient in the nonpermissive cell lines as it was in a permissive insect cell line. The data suggest that the block in AcMNPV infection in these nonpermissive cell lines is at a stage subsequent to viral DNA entry into the nucleus.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Diterpenes from Salvia broussonetii transformed roots and their insecticidal activity.

The new diterpenes brussonol (1) and iguestol (6alpha,11-dihydroxy-12-methoxy-abieta-8,11,13-triene) (2) with an icetexane and a dehydroabietane skeleton, respectively, have been isolated from hairy root cultures of Salvia broussonetii. Other previously known diterpenes, 7-oxodehydroabietane, 11-hydroxy-12-methoxyabietatriene, taxodione, inuroyleanol, ferruginol, deoxocarnosol 12-methyl ether, cryptojaponol, pisiferal, sugiol, isomanool, 14-deoxycoleon U, 6alpha-hydroxydemethylcryptojaponol, demethylsalvicanol, and demethylcryptojaponol, were also obtained from these roots. The insect antifeedant and toxic effects of several of these compounds were investigated against the insect pests Spodoptera littoralis and Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Additionally, their comparative cytotoxic effects were tested on insect Sf9 and mammalian CHO cells. Demethylsalvicanol (4) was a moderate antifeedant to L. decemlineata, whereas brussonol (1) was inactive. 14-Deoxycoleon U (15) was the strongest antifeedant, whereas demethylcryptojaponol (11) was toxic to this insect. None of these compounds had antifeedant or negative effects on S. littoralis ingestion or weight gains after oral administration. Demethylcryptojaponol (11) was cytotoxic to mammalian CHO and insect Sf9 cell lines, followed by the icetexane derivative brussonol (1), with moderate cytotoxicity in both cases. The remainder of the test compounds showed a strong selective cytotoxicty to insect Sf9 cells, with demethylsalvicanol (4) being the most active.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

A tuber lectin from Arisaema helleborifolium Schott with anti-insect activity against melon fruit fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) and anti-cancer effect on human cancer cell lines.

An anti-insect and anti-cancer lectin has been isolated from Arisaema helleborifolium Schott by affinity chromatography using asialofetuin-linked amino activated silica beads. The bound A. helleborifolium lectin (AHL) was eluted with 100mM glycine-HCl buffer, pH 2.5. It gave a single band on SDS-PAGE, pH 8.3, and PAGE, pH 4.5. However, multiple bands were obtained in PAGE at pH 8.3 and isoelectric focusing. The lectin was a homotetramer having subunit molecular mass 13.4kDa while its native molecular mass was 52kDa. It was a glycoprotein with 3.40% carbohydrate and was stable up to 60 degrees C for 30min. It showed anti-insect activity towards second instar larvae of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) with LC(50) value of 16.4microg/ml. Larvae fed on artificial diet containing sub-lethal dose of AHL showed a significant decrease in acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activity while esterase activity markedly increased as compared to larvae fed on diet without lectin. AHL was also found to inhibit in vitro proliferation of some well established human cancer cell lines viz HOP-62 (95%), HCT-15 (92%), HEP-2 (66%), HT-29 (68%), PC-3 (39.4%), and A-549 (20.7%).

Acid Phosphatase↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Molecular characterization of a defensin in the IZD-MB-0503 cell line derived from immunocytes of the insect Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera).

The induction of anti-microbial peptides against Gram positive and negative bacteria in the IZD-MB-0503 cell line from the lepidopteran Mamestra brassicae is demonstrated, while no anti-fungal activity is detected. The identification of a defensin-like molecule active against Gram positive bacteria is described for the first time in Lepidoptera. This molecule shows between 43% and 59% homology with group A defensins from other dipteran and hymenopteran species.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Expression of rat interleukin-5 and generation of neutralizing antiserum: a comparative study of rat IL-5 produced in Escherichia coli and insect cells.

A cDNA coding for rat IL-5 was obtained by RT-PCR from total spleen RNA. With the exception of a single a.a. replacement at position 85 (L-P), it is identical to the published sequence obtained by retroviral gene transfer. This cDNA was used to express biologically active recombinant IL-5 in E. coli and in insect cells using a baculovirus system. Rat IL-5 is more active on B13, an IL-5 dependent cell line, when produced in insect cells (specific activity 1.47 x 10(11)UI/mg compared to 4.28 x 10(6)UI/mg). This increased activity seems to be associated with the presence of IL-5 homodimers in recombinant protein preparations. A rabbit antiserum raised against recombinant bacterial IL-5 specifically inhibited B13 proliferation induced by bacterial and baculoviral IL-5. The availability of such reagents should facilitate studying the role of IL-5 in different infectious diseases, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and in transplantation biology where the rat represents a more suitable model than mice.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Insect-transmitted vertebrate viruses: flaviviridae.

The Flaviviridae include almost 70 viruses, nearly half of which have been associated with human disease. These viruses are among the most important arthropod-borne viruses worldwide and include dengue, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. Morbidity and mortality caused by these viruses vary, but collectively they account for millions of encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, arthralgia, rash, and fever cases per year. Most of the members of this family are transmitted between vertebrate hosts by arthropod vectors, most commonly mosquitoes or ticks. Transmission cycles can be simple or complex depending on the hosts, vectors, the virus, and the environmental factors affecting both hosts and viruses. Replication of virus in invertebrate hosts does not seem to result in any significant pathology, which suggests a close evolutionary relationship between virus and vector. Another example of this relationship is the ability of these viruses to grow in invertebrate cell culture, where replication usually results in a steady state, persistent infection, often without cytopathic effect. Yields of virus from insect cell culture vary but are generally similar to yields in vertebrate cells. Replication kinetics are comparable between insect and vertebrate cell lines, despite differences in incubation temperature. Both vertebrate and insect cell culture systems continue to play a significant role in flavivirus isolation and the diagnosis of disease caused by these agents. Additionally, these culture systems permit the study of flavivirus attachment, penetration, replication, and release from cells and have been instrumental in the production and characterization of live-attenuated vaccines. Both vertebrate and insect cell culture systems will continue to play a significant role in basic and applied flavivirus research in the future.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

In vitro activity of antimicrobial agents against the endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis.

Arthropod-transmitted (filarial) nematodes are important causes of disease in humans in tropical countries, yet no safe drug appropriate for mass delivery kills the adult worms. However, most filarial nematodes contain rickettsia-like bacteria of the genus Wolbachia, and related bacteria also occur in insects. There is increasing evidence that these bacteria have significant functions in the biology of filarial nematodes. They are thus important targets in the search for antifilarial drugs and experiments in animals and humans have suggested that antibiotic therapy has potential in treating filarial infections. To optimize future clinical trials there is a need for a fast and simple in vitro drug screen to compare drug efficacies against Wolbachia. In the absence of Wolbachia-infected nematode cell lines, we have utilized an Aedes albopictus insect cell line, naturally infected with Wolbachia, to test the activity of antimicrobial agents. Of the five antibiotics tested, doxycycline, oxytetracycline and rifampicin showed good activity (MICs of 0.0625, 4 and 0.0625 mg/L, respectively) whereas ciprofloxacin and penicillin were shown to have no effect.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Diastereomeric ecdysteroids with a cyclic hemiacetal in the side chain produced by cytochrome P450 in hormonally resistant insect cells.

A microsomal cytochrome P450 from a cell line of the insect Chironomus tentans has been shown to hydroxylate the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone at C(26) to yield 20,26-dihydroxyecdysone, P1, which is further metabolized to P2 and P3. Based on (1)H NMR studies, acetonide formation and quantum chemical calculations, P2 and P3 represent novel slowly interconvertible geometrical isomers, occurring at a 3:1 ratio, presumably arising from hemiacetal formation between the 26-aldehyde group and the 22R-hydroxyl group to build a tetrahydropyran ring in the side chain. The stereochemistry at C(26) was S in P2 (trans-diol) and R in P3 (cis-diol), respectively. Both metabolites showed S configuration at C(25). With Chironomus cells, P2/P3 was inactive as both a hormonal agonist and antagonist, whereas 20,26-dihydroxyecdysone (P1) showed weak agonist activity. Thus, cytochrome P450-mediated inactivation of 20-hydroxyecdysone may be responsible for the hormonal insensitivity observed in some subclones of this cell line.

Acetals↗

PubMed2006

Long-term maintenance of in vitro cultured honeybee (Apis mellifera) embryonic cells.

BACKGROUND: In vitro cultivation of cells allows novel investigation of in vivo- mechanisms and is a helpful tool in developmental biology, biochemistry and functional genomics. Numerous cell lines of insect species, e.g., silkworm and mosquito, have been reported. However, this is not the case for successful long-term cultivation of cells in honeybees. RESULTS: Methods for cultivation of honeybee embryonic cells are discussed here. Pre-gastrula stage embryos were used to initiate cultures, and cells were reared on 96-wells microplates with Grace insect medium, supplemented with Fetal Bovine Serum. Cells proliferated in clusters, and maintained viable and mitotic for more than three months. CONCLUSION: We report here, for the first time, long-term cultivation of honeybee cells. Results represent a highly useful in vitro-system for studying a model organism of increasing importance in areas such as aging, sociality and neurobiology.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

N-acetyl galactosamine is part of the receptor in insect gut epithelia that recognizes an insecticidal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis.

Proteins synthesized by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis are potent insecticides. When ingested by susceptible larvae they rapidly lyse epithelial cells lining the midgut. In vitro the toxins lyse certain insect cell lines and show saturable, high-affinity binding to brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) prepared from insect midguts. We observed that the sugar N-acetyl galactosamine (GalNAc) specifically decreased the cytolytic activity of a CryIA(c) toxin towards Choristoneura fumiferana CF1 cells, completely abolished toxin binding to Manduca sexia BBMVs, partially inhibited binding to Heliothis virescens BBMVs and had no apparent effect on binding to Pieris brassicae BBMVs. In ligand blotting experiments the toxin bound proteins of 120 kDa in M. sexta, 125 kDa in P. brassicae and numerous proteins in H. zea. Toxin binding to these proteins was specifically inhibited by GalNAc. The toxin binding proteins of M. sexta and H. zea also bound the lectin soybean agglutinin. Taken together these findings suggest that N-acetyl galactosamine might be a component of a CryIA(c) toxin receptor of CF1 cells and of at least two of the insects tested.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

PubMed2005

Insect cell culture in research: Indian scenario.

Insect cell cultures are widely used in viral diagnosis and biotechnology, for the production of recombinant proteins, viral pesticides and vaccines as well as in basic research in genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, endocrinology and virology. Following KRP Singh's pioneering research in 1967, a large number of cell lines from diptera, hemiptera, and lepidopteran insects were established and characterized in India. With the availability of the modern tools in molecular biology and the advancements made in biotechnology, the indigenous cell lines may prove useful in creating a future without biohazardous chemical pesticides as well as producing life saving pharmaceuticals and vaccines for many diseases. This review summarizes information gathered regarding the insect cell lines established so far in India. It also covers the familiarization of the well characterized continuous cell lines and their potential applications. Special attention is given to virus susceptibility of the cell lines, the yield of virus with a comparative analysis with other conventional systems. The potential applications of dipteran and lepidopteran cell lines in agriculture and biotechnology are also briefly discussed for prospective studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Nitric oxide induces apoptosis in the fat body cell line IPLB-LdFB from the insect Lymantria dispar.

The presence of immunoreactive inducible nitric oxide synthase molecules (ir-iNOS) is demonstrated in the Lymantria dispar IPLB-LdFB cell line. The maximum ir-iNOS inducibility is observed 18 h after incubation with sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The increase in NO provoked by SNP in turn induces apoptosis. However, this phenomenon is observed only after 48 h. The NOS-inhibitors N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and N-[3-(aminomethyl)-benzyl]acetamide (1400W) were both unable to block the SNP-induced apoptosis at all the concentrations used. Incubation with SNP plus N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) further augmented the percentage of cell death with respect to SNP used alone, and this process is seen earlier, i.e. after 24 h. Moreover, the induction of apoptosis in the presence of NAC is time- and concentration-dependent. The high percentage of cell death with SNP+NAC suggests that NAC forms S-nitrosothiols with NO, resulting in an increase in the bioavailability of NO. In conclusion, these findings show the existence of a close relationship between mammalian and invertebrate cells with regards to SNP and NAC induction and the related NO response.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2002

O-glycosylation of EGF repeats: identification and initial characterization of a UDP-glucose: protein O-glucosyltransferase.

O-Glucose is an unusual form of posttranslational modification consisting of glucose directly attached to protein through O-linkage. Several serum proteins (factor VII, factor IX, protein Z, and thrombospondin) contain this unique modification on their epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats. Comparison of the glycosylation sites on these proteins revealed a putative consensus sequence for O-glucose modification: C(1)XSXPC(2), where C(1) and C(2) are the first and second conserved cysteines of the EGF repeat. We identify and characterize an enzymatic activity capable of adding glucose to EGF repeats: UDP-glucose: protein O-glucosyltransferase. Using extracts of Chinese hamster ovary cells as the enzyme source, recombinant factor VII EGF repeat as the acceptor, and UDP-[(3)H]glucose as the donor, we show that the activity is linearly dependent on time, enzyme amount, and substrate concentration. As with most glycosyltransferases, metal ions (such as manganese) are required for activity. Analysis demonstrated that the glucose is added in O-linkage to the EGF repeat. Mutation of the serine to alanine in the predicted glycosylation site abrogates glycosylation, as does reduction and alkylation of the EGF repeat, suggesting that the enzyme recognizes not only the consensus sequence but also the 3D structure of the EGF repeat. Detection of O-glucosyltransferase activity in extracts of cell lines from insects to humans and a variety of rat tissues suggests that O-glucose modification is widespread in biology. These studies lay the foundation for future work on the biological role of the O-glucose modification.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed1996

The baculovirus/insect cell system as an alternative to Xenopus oocytes. First characterization of the AKT1 K+ channel from Arabidopsis thaliana.

Two plant (Arabidopsis thaliana) K+ transport systems, KAT1 and AKT1, have been expressed in insect cells (Sf9 cell line) using recombinant baculoviruses. Microscopic observation after immunogold staining revealed that the expressed AKT1 and KAT1 polypeptides were mainly associated with internal membranes, but that a minute fraction was targeted to the cell membrane. KAT1 was known, from earlier electrophysiological characterization in Xenopus oocytes, to be an inwardly rectifying voltage-gated channel highly selective for K+, while similar experiments had failed to characterize AKT1. Insect cells expressing KAT1 displayed an exogenous inwardly rectifying K+ conductance reminiscent of that described previously in Xenopus oocytes expressing KAT1. Under similar conditions, cells expressing AKT1 showed a disturbed cell membrane electrical stability that precluded electrophysiological analysis. Use of a baculovirus transfer vector designed so as to decrease the expression level allowed the first electrophysiological characterization of AKT1. The baculovirus system can thus be used as an alternative method when expression in Xenopus oocytes is unsuccessful for electrophysiological characterization of the ion channel of interest. The plant AKT1 protein has been shown in this way to be an inwardly rectifying voltage-gated channel highly selective for K+ ions and sensitive to cGMP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1988

Functional studies on the p10 gene of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus using a recombinant expressing a p10-beta-galactosidase fusion gene.

The beta-galactosidase gene (lacZ) of Escherichia coli was inserted in phase with the coding sequence of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) late-expressed Mr 10,000 (p10) gene. The fusion gene was inserted into the AcMNPV genome by cotransfection of a recombinant plasmid pAcR159Z, consisting of the EcoRI P fragment-containing pBR325-derived plasmid pAcR159 and the lacZ insert in the p10 gene, and wild-type AcMNPVDNA. Infection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells by the resulting recombinant AcMNPV/p10Z-2 showed high level expression of a p10-lacZ fusion protein, but no synthesis of p10. Therefore, the p10 gene is dispensable for virus replication and the p10 promoter is effective in driving the expression of foreign genes. Cells infected with AcMNPV/p10Z recombinants resembled those infected with wild-type AcMNPV in the amounts of polyhedrin synthesized and polyhedra formed, although p10 was absent. The nucleus and cytoplasm of AcMNPV/p10Z-2-infected cells lacked the fibrous structures that are associated with p10 in wild-type AcMNPV-infected cells. Instead, large granular structures were observed that were found by immunogold labelling to contain the lacZ gene product. The electron-dense 'spacers', thought to be precursors of the polyhedron membrane, were absent from cells infected by the recombinant virus and the polyhedra did not have a membrane. The recombinant AcMNPV/p10Z-2 was at least twice as virulent for second instar S. exigua larvae than was wild-type AcMNPV. The increased virulence of the recombinant is an important property for the control of insects.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

A widely distributed "CAT" family of repetitive DNA sequences.

The yeast genome contains a family of repetitive sequences consisting primarily of a tandemly arranged trinucleotide, CAT, or a closely related CGT sequence. To characterize similar sequences in divergent organisms, a previously isolated "CAT" sequence was used to isolate homologous genomic clones from a human cell line, an insect and a higher plant. Sequence analyses show that comparable repetitive sequences are widely distributed and may be present in all eukaryotic genomes. In situ hybridization analyses indicate that in yeast, the CAT elements are dispersed among all the chromosomes, and a more detailed analysis in Drosophila indicates that at least one of these sequences maps on the X chromosome between known genetic loci which are actively expressed. Repeated searches of yeast cDNA libraries indicate that these CAT clusters are not expressed but substantial effects on the expression of a cloned gene strongly suggest that they play an important role in gene regulation.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Distinctive structural and kinetic properties of an unusual juvenile hormone-hydrolyzing esterase.

The insect juvenile hormone specific esterases (JHEs), related to acetylcholinesterases but exhibiting substrate specificity for juvenile hormone (JH), are essential enzymes for normal insect development, making them attractive targets for biorationally designed, environmentally safe pesticides. We examine here a new enzyme, JHER, related to, but yet structurally, biochemically, and kinetically distinct from, the classical JHE. Both classical JHE and baculovirus-expressed JHER hydrolyze JH show disproportionately higher catalytic rates at higher substrate concentrations (in contrast to substrate inhibition reported for acetylcholinesterase) and are similarly inhibited by an organophosphate. However, JHER, which possesses an unusual cysteine residue at +1 to the catalytic serine, is less sensitive to trifluoromethyl ketone transition state analogs designed around the structure of JH. We propose a model in which JHER is expressed just prior to metamorphosis for hydrolysis of a JH-like substrate with hydrophobic backbone, a proximal ester, and a terminal expoxide or related substitution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Tip60 inhibits activation of CREB protein by protein kinase A.

We have previously identified a cDNA encoding a cellular protein, Tip60 (Tat interactive protein, 60 kDa), that specifically interacts with the Tat (transactivating transcriptional regulator) protein of the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). In this report, we have characterized cellular Tip and find that it is a 60 kDa nuclear protein expressed in a wide variety of differentiated cell lines from insects to man. To identify cellular functions of Tip, we have assayed the effects of Tip on cellular pathways that Tat has been reported to affect. Overexpression of Tip results in an almost complete block in activation of a Gal4-CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) fusion protein by cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase A (PKA). This inhibition appears to be mediated through direct interaction of Tip and CREB, since Tip directly binds to CREB protein in vitro. We show that amino acid substitutions of two conserved amino acids found in the putative acetyl coenzyme A binding motif of Tip completely abolishes the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of recombinant Tip. Inhibition of CREB activation by Tip is not diminished in a HAT negative Tip mutant, indicating that Tip can negatively regulate gene expression independent of HAT activity. Recently, Tip has also been shown to be a transcriptional coactivator of nuclear hormone receptors; therefore, Tip can both activate transcription factors of one signaling pathway (nuclear hormone receptors) and bind to a different transcription factor (CREB) and inhibit activation of another signaling pathway.

Acetyltransferases↗