Identification of the minimal AcMNPV P143 protein region responsible for triggering apoptosis and rRNA degradation of Bombyx mori cells

•AcMNPV P143 (Ac-P143) protein induces apoptosis and rRNA degradation in B. mori cells.•Ac-P143 C-terminal aa 600-1221 are dispensable for apoptosis and rRNA degradation.•Ac-P143 N-terminal aa 1-324 are dispensable for apoptosis and rRNA degradation.•Ac-P143 aa 325-599 are the minimal region for inducing apoptosis and rRNA degradation.•Ac-P143 aa 325-599 are located outside the region of DNA helicase motifs. Bombyx mori cells induce antiviral responses including global protein synthesis shutdown, rRNA degradation, and apoptosis upon infection with Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). We previously demonstrated that five and six amino acid residues located at positions between 514 and 599 of AcMNPV P143 (Ac-P143) protein are important for induction of apoptosis and rRNA degradation, respectively. However, it remains unexplored whether other residues of Ac-P143 protein also participate in antiviral immune responses. Here, we conducted transient expression analysis using a number of Ac-P143 protein deletion and truncation mutants and found that some of the N-terminal 413 residues (amino acids 1–413), besides previously identified residues between amino acids 514 and 599, are indispensable, whereas C-terminal 622 residues (amino acids 600–1221) are dispensable, for Ac-P143 protein to induce apoptosis or rRNA degradation. In addition, we found that the N-terminal 413 sequence (amino acids 1-413) of Ac-P143 protein can be substituted with corresponding BmNPV P143 (Bm-P143) protein sequence. Further analysis demonstrated that mutant Ac-P143 protein consisting of 275 residues (amino acids 325-599), but not 274 residues (amino acids 326-599) lacking glutamine residue at position 325 (Q325), is sufficient for triggering apoptosis and rRNA degradation of B. mori cells. These 275 residues are located outside the region of DNA helicase motifs of Ac-P143 protein, indicating that induction of apoptosis or rRNA degradation occurs independently of viral DNA replication-related function of the Ac-P143 protein. Moreover, Ac-P143(325–599/Q325A) and Ac-P143(1–599/Q325A) proteins harboring Q325A substitution retain the ability to induce apoptosis and rRNA degradation in B. mori cells. These findings suggest that the Ac-P143 protein needs minimal sequence length starting from the Q325 residue that contains a specific effector domain to induce apoptosis and rRNA degradation.