Atypical Membrane-Anchored Cytokine MIF in a Marine Dinoflagellate

• Published in: Microorganisms (Basel) Vol. 8; no. 9; p. 1263
• Main Authors: Jaouannet, Maëlle, Pavaux, Anne-Sophie, Pagnotta, Sophie, Pierre, Olivier, Michelet, Claire, Marro, Sophie, Keller, Harald, Lemée, Rodolphe, Coustau, Christine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 20.08.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Cell signaling; Chemokines; Communication; Cytokines; Design; dinoflagellate; Dinoflagellates; Gene expression; Immune system; Laboratories; Leukocyte migration; Life Sciences; Lingulodinium polyedra; Macrophage migration inhibitory factor; Macrophages; Mass spectrometry; Membranes; Microbiology and Parasitology; Microorganisms; MIF; Peptides; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Polyclonal antibodies; Proteins; Protistology; Salinity; Scientific imaging; secretion; Secretory vesicles; stress response; transmembrane protein; Vertebrates; Vesicles; Netherlands; Belgium; United States > US; Germany; secretion; stress response; transmembrane protein; MIF; dinoflagellate; Lingulodinium polyedra
• ISSN: 2076-2607; 2076-2607
• DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091263

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factors (MIF) are pivotal cytokines/chemokines for vertebrate immune systems. MIFs are typically soluble single-domain proteins that are conserved across plant, fungal, protist, and metazoan kingdoms, but their functions have not been determined in most phylogenetic groups. Here, we describe an atypical multidomain MIF protein. The marine dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedra produces a transmembrane protein with an extra-cytoplasmic MIF domain, which localizes to cell-wall-associated membranes and vesicular bodies. This protein is also present in the membranes of extracellular vesicles accumulating at the secretory pores of the cells. Upon exposure to biotic stress, L. polyedra exhibits reduced expression of the MIF gene and reduced abundance of the surface-associated protein. The presence of LpMIF in the membranes of secreted extracellular vesicles evokes the fascinating possibility that LpMIF may participate in intercellular communication and/or interactions between free-living organisms in multispecies planktonic communities.