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. 2020 Feb 1;21(3):982.
doi: 10.3390/ijms21030982.

Potential Molecular Mimicry Proteins Responsive to α-pinene in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Fanli Meng  1   2 , Yongxia Li  1   2 , Zhenkai Liu  1   2 , Xuan Wang  1   2 , Yuqian Feng  1   2 , Wei Zhang  1   2 , Xingyao Zhang  1   2
Affiliations

Potential Molecular Mimicry Proteins Responsive to α-pinene in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Fanli Meng et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

: Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is a nematode species that has damaged pine trees worldwide, but its pathogenesis has not been fully characterized. α-pinene helps protect host species during the early B. xylophilus infection and colonization stages. In this study, we identified potential molecular mimicry proteins based on a comparative transcriptomic analysis of B. xylophilus. The expression levels of three genes encoding secreted B. xylophilus proteins were influenced by α-pinene. We cloned one gene encoding a thaumatin-like protein, Bx-tlp-2 (accession number MK000287), and another gene encoding a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, Bx-cpi (accession number MK000288). Additionally, α-pinene appeared to induce Bx-tlp-1 expression, but had the opposite effect on Bx-cpi expression. An analysis of the expression of the potential molecular mimicry proteins in B. xylophilus infecting pine trees revealed that the α-pinene content was consistent with the expression levels of Bx-tlp-1 (Bx-cpi) and Pm-tlp (Pm-cpi) over time. Thus, these genes likely have important roles contributing to the infection of pine species by B. xylophilus. The results of this study may be relevant for future investigations of the functions of Bx-tlp-1, Bx-tlp-2 and Bx-cpi, which may provide a point to explore the relationship between B. xylophilus and host pines.

Keywords: molecular mimicry proteins; pine wood nematode; α-pinene.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
RT-PCR gel electrophoresis detection of Bx-tlp-2 and Bx-cpi. M—DNA ladder.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The picture of three-dimensional structure of (A) Bx-TLP-2 and (B) Bx-CPI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Evaluation of the three-dimensional structure by MolProbity: (A) Bx-TLP-2 and (B) Bx-CPI.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Signal peptide prediction analysis of (A) Bx-TLP-2 and (B) Bx-CPI.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The phylogenetic tree of (A) Bx-TLP-2 and (B) Bx-CPI. The phylogenetic tree was reconstructed by MEGA-X software with the neighbor-joining (N-J) method, and the bootstrap value was set for 500 replicates. Species have identical colors: green indicates herbs, blue indicates woody plants, orange indicates nematodes and black indicates insects.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Gene expressions of Bx-tlp-1, Bx-tlp-2, Bx-cpi and Bx-cpl-1. CK—controls; 12 h—soaked for 12 h; 24 h—soaked for 24 h; 36 h—soaked for 36 h; 48 h—soaked for 48 h. There were three biological replications for each experiment. The error line means standard deviation of the mean.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Expression analysis of the potential molecular mimicry proteins from B. xylophilus and P. massoniana. There were three biological replications for each experiment. The error line means standard deviation of the mean. Bars with different letters indicate significant differences among the treatments, as defined by Duncan’s test (p < 0.05).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Expression analysis of the potential molecular mimicry proteins from B. xylophilus and P. massoniana. There were three biological replications for each experiment. The error line means standard deviation of the mean. Bars with different letters indicate significant differences among the treatments, as defined by Duncan’s test (p < 0.05).
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