Cloning and expression profiling of four antibacterial peptide genes from the bumblebee Bombus ignitus.

Four antibacterial peptide genes (apidaecin, hymenoptaecin, abaecin, and defensin) were cloned from the bumblebee Bombus ignitus, and cDNAs and their genomic structures were sequenced and characterized. Comparative analysis revealed that the four antibacterial peptides of B. ignitus had similar characteristics to other bee antibacterial peptides identified to date. The transcriptional expression profiles of the four antibacterial peptide genes in the fat body of B. ignitus workers revealed that all four antibacterial peptide genes were acutely induced in a similar manner by PBS injection or LPS stimulation, indicating that antibacterial peptides from various classes are simultaneously expressed in a single insect upon infection or injury.