AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

Basic biological characters and functions of Pseudoplusia includens protein PicyT1

by Shu Zhang




Institution: University of Georgia
Department: Entomology
Degree: MS
Year: 2006
Keywords: Plasmatocyte
Record ID: 1776290
Full text PDF: http://purl.galileo.usg.edu/uga_etd/zhang_shu_200605_ms


Abstract

PiCyt1 is a protein which was identified from the hemocytes of Pseudoplusia includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This protein is the antigen of 43E9A10, a monoclonal antibody which recognizes specifically one type of hemocyte named plasmatocytes. In this project, I studied some basic biological characteristics and functions of this protein. The biological characters include the encoding cDNA and protein sequences, the expression tissue, transcriptional pattern thin 5 instar P. includens larvae, the influence of some immune challenges on the transcription and secretion of this protein. Based on the facts that PiCyt1 shares homology with a hemolytic protein from Aspergillus fumigatus, Asp-hemolysin, we hypothesize that it has a similar function. Here I transiently expressed PiCyt1 in selected insect cell lines and purified the recombinant protein through the attached 6xHis tag. The cytolytic activity assay of recombinant PiCyt1 was conducted against both prokaryotic and eukaryotic targets.