Cloning and characterization of a dronc homologue in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

Cloning and Characterization of the Caspase Family Member BmDronc from Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) Embryo Cells

“…These genes were designated BmDroncL (BmDronc Long) and BmDroncS (BmDronc_ Short) and were assigned Gene Accessions GQ426280 and GQ426281, respectively. Comparisons with the Bm-dronc reported by Suganuma et al 2011, revealed the absence of 22 aa between the large and small subunit in the BmDronc reported here (Fig. 2B).…”

“…It can be speculated that this is because of a gene extension resulting from various selective stress pressures encountered during silkworm evolution. Compared with the silkworm BmN cell-derived drone reported by Suganuma et al 2011 encoding 438 aa, BmDroncL and BmDroncS encode 415 aa and 183 aa, respectively. Alignment of the sequences showed that all these genes are identical with the exception of certain bases (Fig.…”

Novel Apoptosis Suppressor Apsup from the Baculovirus Lymantria dispar Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus Precludes Apoptosis by Preventing Proteolytic Processing of Initiator Caspase Dronc

“…These facts suggest that the apoptosis suppressor Apsup, as well as Op-IAP3, from lepidopteran baculoviruses coevolved with lepidopteran cellular components and mechanisms involved in apoptosis regulation. Recently, we found that Bm-Dronc and Ld-Dronc undergo proteolytic processing, but do not trigger apoptosis, when overexpressed in S2 cells (45,46). This finding indicates that although lepidopteran and Drosophila cells have undergone functional divergence with respect to the specificity of proteins functioning in apoptotic pathways, the caspase cascade that regulates apoptosis is evolutionarily conserved (63).…”

“…Although cellular homologues of baculovirus IAPs have also been identified in various organisms, including yeast, nematodes, insects, and mammals (30,31), only a few cellular IAPs have the capacity to suppress apoptosis (5,11). Nonapoptotic cellular IAPs play important regulatory roles in immune raised in a rabbit against Ld-Dronc protein expressed in Escherichia coli (46), according to methods described previously for anti-Bm-Dronc antibody (45). To raise anti-Ld-caspase-1 polyclonal antibody in a rabbit, a mixture of partial amino acid sequences of Ld-caspase-1, 1-MEDESRNN GFEETEQRPNGGGGD-23, 67-EGFNIHSLKSRTGTNVD-83, and 218-Y YSWRNTTRGSWFMQALC-235, was used.…”

“…Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) against apsup and egfp were synthesized using a MEGAscript T7 kit (Ambion) as described previously (10,45). The synthesized dsRNA was introduced into Ld652Y cells by transfection.…”