昆虫酚氧化酶原激活酶研究

The prophenoloxidase activating proteinase in insects

昆虫酚氧化酶原激活酶(Prophenoloxidase activating proteinase,PAP)是酚氧化酶原激活过程中的一个关键酶,是昆虫先天性体液免疫体系的重要组成部分。外界的免疫刺激能够诱导级联反应上游的蛋白对酚氧化酶原激活酶的前体进行剪切激活,而激活后的酚氧化酶原激活酶能够将无活性的酚氧化酶原剪切激活为有活性的酚氧化酶并最终生成细胞毒素物质来消灭外源物。本文综述了昆虫酚氧化酶原激活酶的结构与特性及其在酚氧化酶原级联激活系统中的作用机制,并探讨了寄生蜂对寄主昆虫酚氧化酶原激活酶的调控。

Prophenoloxidase activating proteinase （PAP） is a key proteinase in the process of activation of prophenoloxidase in several insect defense mechanisms. An immune challenge can induce proteins at the start of the prophenoloxidase activation cascade to activate the precursor of PAPs by proteolytic cleavage. The activated PAPs cause inactive prophenoloxidase to form active phenoloxidase （PO） and ultimately to produce toxic substances in order to kill foreign organisms, such as pathogens and parasites. This paper reviews the characteristics and structure of PAPs in insects, as well as their role in the prophenoloxidase-activating system, and discusses the regulation of PAPs in host insects by parasitoid wasps.