Shoc2 recognizes bacterial flagellin and mediates antibacterial Erk/Stat signaling in an invertebrate

• Published in: PLoS pathogens Vol. 18; no. 1; p. e1010253
• Main Authors: Zhao, Bao-Rui, Wang, Xin-Xin, Wang, Xian-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 24.01.2022; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial peptides; Arthropod Proteins - immunology; Biology and Life Sciences; Cytoplasm; Effectors; Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; FlaA protein; Flagellin; Flagellin - immunology; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Immune response; Immune system; Infections; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - immunology; Invertebrates; Kinases; Leucine; MAP Kinase Signaling System - immunology; Marsupenaeus japonicus; Medicine and Health Sciences; Motility; Pathogenesis; Penaeidae - immunology; Penaeidae - microbiology; Peptides; Phosphorylation; Protein expression; Proteins; Signaling; STAT Transcription Factors - immunology; Statistical analysis; Vaccines; Vertebrates; Vibrio; Vibrio Infections - immunology; Virulence; Virulence (Microbiology); Virulence factors; Yeast; Yeasts; China
• ISSN: 1553-7374; 1553-7366; 1553-7374
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010253

Flagellin is a key bacterial virulence factor that can stimulate molecular immune signaling in both animals and plants. The detailed mechanisms of recognizing flagellin and mounting an efficient immune response have been uncovered in vertebrates; however, whether invertebrates can discriminate flagellin remains largely unknown. In the present study, the homolog of human SHOC2 leucine rich repeat scaffold protein in kuruma shrimp ( Marsupenaeus japonicus ), designated MjShoc2, was found to interact with Vibrio anguillarum flagellin A (FlaA) using yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays. MjShoc2 plays a role in antibacterial response by mediating the FlaA-induced expression of certain antibacterial effectors, including lectin and antimicrobial peptide. FlaA challenge, via MjShoc2, led to phosphorylation of extracellular regulated kinase (Erk), and the subsequent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat), ultimately inducing the expression of effectors. Therefore, by establishing the FlaA/MjShoc2/Erk/Stat signaling axis, this study revealed a new antibacterial strategy in shrimp, and provides insights into the flagellin sensing mechanism in invertebrates.