The Toll/NF-κB pathway in cuttlefish symbiotic accessory nidamental gland

Dev Comp Immunol. 2015 Nov;53(1):42-6. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2015.06.016. Epub 2015 Jul 2.

Abstract

The female genital apparatus of decapod cephalopods contains a symbiotic accessory nidamental gland (ANG) that harbors bacterial symbionts. Although the ANG bacterial consortium is now well described, the impact of symbiosis on Sepia officinalis innate immunity pathways remains unknown. In silico analysis of the de novo transcriptome of ANG highlighted for the first time the existence of the NF-κB pathway in S. officinalis. Several signaling components were identified, i.e. five Toll-like receptors, eight signaling cascade features, and the immune response target gene iNOS, previously described as being involved in the initiation of bacterial symbiosis in a cephalopod gland. This work provides a first key for studying bacterial symbiosis and its impact on innate immunity in S. officinalis ANG.

Keywords: Cephalopod; Genital glands; Innate immunity; Invertebrate; NF-kappaB pathway; Symbiosis; Toll-like receptor.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Genitalia / metabolism*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Microbiota / immunology
  • NF-kappa B / genetics*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics
  • Sepia / genetics*
  • Sepia / immunology
  • Sepia / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Symbiosis
  • Toll-Like Receptors / genetics*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism
  • Transcriptome / genetics

Substances

  • NF-kappa B
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II