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Changes in Galleria mellonella lysozyme level and activity during Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection

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Abstract

The level of lysozyme in fat body, hemocytes and cell-free hemolymph from Galleria mellonella larvae infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined and evaluated. In the samples of fat body and hemocytes, an increase in lysozyme content was detected 1 d after infection and then a significant decrease was observed after a prolonged infection time. In the case of cell-free hemolymph, an increase in the lysozyme level was noticeable during the first 30 h post injection and stayed at a similar level for 42 h. The smaller decrease of the lysozyme level after 42 h might be associated with the development of bacteremia of P. aeruginosa in insects. In addition, the gradual increase in the content of lysozyme correlated with the increase of its activity in the hemolymph of the infected larvae as a response to injection with P. aeruginosa. The G. mellonella lysozyme appeared to be insensitive to extracellular proteinases produced in vivo by P. aeruginosa.

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Abbreviations

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

CFH:

cell-free hemolymph

CHAPS:

3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate

DTT:

1,4-dithiothreitol

EDTA:

ethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid

EWL:

egg-white lysozyme

IEF:

isoelectric focusing

IPG:

immobilized pH gradient

IPS:

insect physiological saline

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

PMSF:

phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride

PTU:

N-phenylthiourea

SDS-PAGE:

sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Invertebrate Immunology, Marie Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-033, Lublin, Poland

    M. Andrejko, M. Mizerska-Dudka & T. Jakubowicz

Authors
  1. M. Andrejko
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  2. M. Mizerska-Dudka
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  3. T. Jakubowicz
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Correspondence to M. Andrejko.

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Andrejko, M., Mizerska-Dudka, M. & Jakubowicz, T. Changes in Galleria mellonella lysozyme level and activity during Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Folia Microbiol 53, 147–151 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0021-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-008-0021-2

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