Identification and characterization of a cathepsin D homologue from lampreys (Lampetra japonica)

•This report describes the identification and characterization of a cathepsin D homologue from lampreys (Lampetra japonica) for the first time. And it confirms that lamprey cathepsin D was related to the digestive process and immune response of lampreys. This report provides new insights into the parasitic mechanisms of lampreys.

Cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5) is a lysosomal aspartic proteinase of the pepsin superfamily which participates in various digestive processes within the cell. In the present study, the full length cDNA of a novel cathepsin D homologue was cloned from the buccal glands of lampreys (Lampetra japonica) for the first time, including a 124-bp 5′ terminal untranslated region (5′-UTR), a 1194-bp open reading frame encoding 397 amino acids, and a 472-bp 3′-UTR. Lamprey cathepsin D is composed of a signal peptide (Met 1-Ala 20), a propeptide domain (Leu 21-Ala 48) and a mature domain (Glu 76-Val 397), and has a conserved bilobal structure. Cathepsin D was widely distributed in the buccal glands, immune bodies, hearts, intestines, kidneys, livers, and gills of lampreys. After challenging with Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus aureus, the expression level of lamprey cathepsin D in the buccal gland was 8.5-fold or 6.5-fold higher than that in the PBS group. In addition, lamprey cathepsin D stimulated with Escherichia coli was also up-regulated in the hearts, kidneys, and intestines. As for the Staphylococcus aureus challenged group, the expression level of lamprey cathepsin D was found increased in the intestines. The above results revealed that lamprey cathepsin D may play key roles in immune response to exogenous pathogen and could serve as a potential antibacterial agent in the near future. In addition, lamprey cathepsin D was subcloned into pcDNA 3.1 vector and expressed in the human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The recombinant lamprey cathepsin D could degrade hemoglobin, fibrinogen, and serum albumin which are the major components in the blood, suggested that lamprey cathepsin D may also act as a digestive enzyme during the adaptation to a blood-feeding lifestyle.