Pellino, a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, is known to mediate ubiquitination of phosphorylated Interleukin-1 receptor-related kinase (IRAK) homologs in Toll signaling pathway. To understand the immunological function of TmPellino, we screened the knockdown efficiency of TmPellino by injecting TmPellino-specific dsRNA into T. molitor larvae. Subsequently, we investigated the larval mortality and the tissue-specific expression patterns of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes against microbial challenges. Interestingly, the results indicate that the expression of many AMP genes was upregulated in the Malpighian tubules of TmPellino-silenced T. molitor larvae. This study may provide basic information to understand how Tmpellino regulates AMPs production in T. molitor.

• Jae Hui Kim(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University)
• Ho Am Jang(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University)
• Seo Jin Lee(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University)
• Sung Min Ku(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University)
• Dong Woo Kang(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University)
• So Yeon Choi(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University)
• Yong Seok Lee(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University, Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute (KNAR), Soonchunhyang University)
• Yeon Soo Han(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University)
• Yong Hun Jo(Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Soonchunhyang University)