Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression of a C-type lectin from Scylla paramamosain, which might be involved in the innate immune response.

C-type lectins (CTLs) have characteristic carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) and play important roles in the immune system. In the present study, a new CTL, Sp CTL5, was identified from the hepatopancreas of the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. The open reading frame of Sp CTL5 comprised 762 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 253 amino acids with a putative signaling peptide of 20 amino acids. The predicted Sp CTL5 protein contained a single CRD. Sp CTL5 transcripts were distributed in all examined tissues, with the highest level being detected in the hepatopancreas. Upon challenging with Vibrio alginolyticus , the mRNA levels of Sp CTL5 in the hepatopancreas were up-regulated. The recombinant protein of Sp CTL5 could agglutinate three Gram-positive bacteria and three Gram-negative bacteria in the presence of Ca2+. Furthermore, hemagglutination analysis showed that the recombinant protein of Sp CTL5 can agglutinate rabbit erythrocytes. This study indicated that Sp CTL5 acts as a pattern recognition receptor for the innate immune response which protects S. paramamosain from bacterial infection. Moreover, these findings also provide information to further our understanding of the innate immunology of invertebrates. • Sp CTL5 might be involved in the innate immune response. • Sp CTL5 can agglutinate Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. • Sp CTL5 acts as a pattern recognition receptor with Ca2+ dependently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]