A peroxidase/dual oxidase system modulates midgut epithelial immunity in Anopheles gambiae

Mosquito Double Act Peroxidase/dual oxidase (duox) systems act in concert to catalyze the nonspecific formation of dityrosine bonds, which cross-link a variety of proteins. Knowing that these reactions are involved in fine-tuning insect immune responses, Kumar et al. (p. 1644 , published online 11 March) investigated how the peroxidase/duox system in malaria-vector mosquitoes protects the gut flora by modulating midgut antibacterial responses. Generating immune reactions resulted in a loss of mosquito egg viability, but modulating host responses allowed malaria parasites to persist among the surviving commensal flora. The peroxidase/duox system appears to promote dityrosine bond formation between proteins across the surface of midgut epithelial cells to form a layer that inhibits immune recognition and mediator release. Interference with the formation of this layer might provide a target for mosquito and malaria control.