Article abstract
Nature Immunology 9, 1165 - 1170 (2008)
Published online: 24 August 2008 | doi:10.1038/ni.1643
Sensing of 'danger signals' and pathogen-associated molecular patterns defines binary signaling pathways 'upstream' of Toll
Laure El Chamy1,2, Vincent Leclerc1,2, Isabelle Caldelari1 & Jean-Marc Reichhart1
Abstract
In drosophila, molecular determinants from fungi and Gram-positive bacteria are detected by circulating pattern-recognition receptors. Published findings suggest that such pattern-recognition receptors activate as-yet-unidentified serine-protease cascades that culminate in the cleavage of Spätzle, the endogenous Toll receptor ligand, and trigger the immune response. We demonstrate here that the protease Grass defines a common activation cascade for the detection of fungi and Gram-positive bacteria mediated by pattern-recognition receptors. The serine protease Persephone, shown before to be specific for fungal detection in a cascade activated by secreted fungal proteases, was also required for the sensing of proteases elicited by bacteria in the hemolymph. Hence, Persephone defines a parallel proteolytic cascade activated by 'danger signals' such as abnormal proteolytic activities.
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Propre de Recherche 9022, Université Louis Pasteur, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Jean-Marc Reichhart1 e-mail: jm.reichhart@ibmc.u-strasbg.fr
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