Requirement for a Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein (PGRP) in Relish Activation and Antibacterial Immune Responses in Drosophila
Kwang-Min Choe,12
Thomas Werner,3
Svenja Stöven,3
Dan Hultmark,3
Kathryn V. Anderson12*
Components of microbial cell walls are potent activators of
innate immune responses in animals. For example, the mammalian TLR4
signaling pathway is activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide and is
required for resistance to infection by Gram-negative bacteria. Other
components of microbial surfaces, such as peptidoglycan, are also
potent activators of innate immune responses, but less is known about
how those components activate host defense. Here we show that a
peptidoglycan recognition protein, PGRP-LC, is absolutely
required for the induction of antibacterial peptide genes in response
to infection in Drosophila and acts by controlling activation of the NF-
B family transcription factor Relish.
1 Molecular Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering
Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue,
New York, NY 10021, USA.
2 Molecular and Cell
Biology Program, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell
University, 445 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
3 Umeå Centre for Molecular Pathogenesis, Umeå
University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
k-anderson{at}ski.mskcc.org
