State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resource and Environment, Fujian A&F University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
Genes (Basel). 2022 Jan 27;13(2):247. doi: 10.3390/genes13020247.
Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) can alter its host behaviour such that infected larvae hang at the top of trees before their death. This phenomenon was firstly described by Hofmann in 1891 and named as "tree-top disease". Subsequent studies have described effects during the infection proceedings as NPVs manipulate the host to avoid the immune response, cross defensive barriers and regulate hormones. In this study, we demonstrate that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is involved in host manipulation by Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV). Particularly at the late stage of infection, a multifunctional dephosphorylase in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is dynamically upregulated, namely, the phosphatidylinositol-3, 4, 5-trisphosphate 3-phosphatase and dual-specificity protein phosphatase () gene. The biological assays of gene knockdown showed that an increase in gene expression was necessary for the infected larvae's terminal climbing behavior, death postponement and virion production. The results imply that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and gene might play an essential role in "tree-top disease" induced by LdMNPV.
核多角体病毒 (NPV) 可以改变宿主的行为，使感染的幼虫在死亡前悬挂在树梢上。这种现象最早由 Hofmann 于 1891 年描述，并命名为“树梢病”。随后的研究表明，在感染过程中，NPV 会操纵宿主以避免免疫反应、跨越防御屏障和调节激素。在这项研究中，我们证明了磷脂酰肌醇 3-激酶 (PI3K)/蛋白激酶 B (AKT) 途径参与了舞毒蛾多核多角体病毒 (LdMNPV) 对宿主的操纵。特别是在感染后期，PI3K/AKT 信号通路中的一种多功能去磷酸化酶，即磷脂酰肌醇-3,4,5-三磷酸 3-磷酸酶和双特异性蛋白磷酸酶 () 基因，被动态地上调。基因敲低的生物学检测表明，增加基因表达对于感染幼虫的终末攀爬行为、死亡推迟和病毒粒子产生是必要的。结果表明，PI3K/AKT 信号通路和基因可能在 LdMNPV 诱导的“树梢病”中发挥重要作用。
