Characterization of a hemocyte homeostasis-associated-like protein (HHAP) in the freshwater crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus

• Hemocyte homeostasis-associated-like protein (HHAP) in the freshwater crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus has a distinct role from that of its homolog PmHHAP in the shrimp Penaeus monodon. Knockdown of PIHHAP in vitro using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) had no effect on the cell morphology of hematopoietic tissue (HPT) cells. The total hemocyte number and caspase activity were unchanged after PIHHAP knockdown in vivo, in contrast to the results found in shrimp. Moreover, suppression of PIHHAP both in vitro and in vivo did not change the mRNA levels of some genes involved in hematopoiesis and hemocyte homeostasis. Interestingly, bacterial count and scanning electron microscope revealed that depletion of PIHHAP in intestine by RNAi resulted in higher number of bacteria in the crayfish intestine. Together, these results suggest that PIHHAP is not involved in hemocyte homeostasis in the crayfish P. leniusculus but appears to affect the bacterial number in the intestine through an unknown mechanism. Since PIHHAP has different functions from PmHHAP, we therefore named it HHAP-like protein.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Immunologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Immunology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Pacifastacus leniusculus

Hemocyte homeostasis

RNA interference

Intestine

Aeromonas hydrophila

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)