An activating transcription factor of Litopenaeus vannamei involved in WSSV genes Wsv059 and Wsv166 regulation

• We cloned an activating transcription factor in Litopenaeus vannamei designated as LvATFβ.
• White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection would upregulate LvATFβ expression.
• LvATFβ could upregulate the expression of wsv059 and wsv166.
• Knocked down expression of wsv059 and wsv166 inhibited the replication of WSSV.
• RNA interference wsv059 and wsv166 reduced the mortality of L. vannamei during WSSV challenge.

Members of activating transcription factor/cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate response element binding protein (ATF/CREB) family are induced by various stress signals and function as effector molecules. Consequently, cellular changes occur in response to discrete sets of instructions. In this work, we found an ATF transcription factor in Litopenaeus vannamei designated as LvATFβ. The full-length cDNA of LvATFβ was 1388 bp long with an open reading frame of 939 bp that encoded a putative 313 amino acid protein. The protein contained a basic region-leucine zipper (bZip) domain that was a common feature among ATF/CREB transcription factors. LvATFβ was highly expressed in intestines, gills, and heart. LvATFβ expression was dramatically upregulated by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Pull-down assay revealed that LvATFβ had strong affinity to promoters of WSSV genes, namely, wsv059 and wsv166. Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that LvATFβ could upregulate the expression of wsv059 and wsv166. Knocked down LvATFβ resulted in decreased expression of wsv059 and wsv166 in WSSV-challenged L. vannamei. Knocked down expression of wsv059 and wsv166 by RNA interference inhibited the replication and reduce the mortality of L. vannamei during WSSV challenge inoculation. The copy numbers of WSSV in wsv059 and wsv166 knocked down group were significant lower than in the control. These results suggested that LvATFβ may be involved in WSSV replication by regulating the expression of wsv059 and wsv166.