Working Paper Communication Version 1 This version is not peer-reviewed

Atypical Membrane-Anchored Cytokine MIF in a Marine Dinoflagellate

Version 1 : Received: 10 July 2020 / Approved: 11 July 2020 / Online: 11 July 2020 (17:23:36 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Jaouannet, M.; Pavaux, A.-S.; Pagnotta, S.; Pierre, O.; Michelet, C.; Marro, S.; Keller, H.; Lemée, R.; Coustau, C. Atypical Membrane-Anchored Cytokine MIF in a Marine Dinoflagellate. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1263. Jaouannet, M.; Pavaux, A.-S.; Pagnotta, S.; Pierre, O.; Michelet, C.; Marro, S.; Keller, H.; Lemée, R.; Coustau, C. Atypical Membrane-Anchored Cytokine MIF in a Marine Dinoflagellate. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1263.

Abstract

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factors (MIF) are pivotal cytokines/chemokines for vertebrate immune systems. MIFs are typically soluble single-domain proteins that are conserved across plant, fungal, protist, and metazoan kingdoms but their functions have not been determined in most phylogenetic groups. Here we describe an atypical multidomain MIF protein. The marine dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedra produces a transmembrane protein with an extra-cytoplasmic MIF domain, which localizes to cell wall-associated membranes and vesicular bodies. This protein is also present in the membranes of extracellular vesicles accumulating at the secretory pores of the cells. Upon exposure to biotic stress, L. polyedra exhibits reduced expression of the MIF gene and reduced abundance of the surface-associated protein. These findings indicate that the transmembrane MIF may contribute to intercellular communication and/or interactions between free-living organisms in multispecies planktonic communities and raise the question of possible analogies in MIF functions between cells of metazoan organisms and protist communities.

Keywords

MIF; Lingulodinium polyedra; transmembrane protein; dinoflagellate; stress response; secretion

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Immunology and Microbiology

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