Dorsal switch protein 1 activates toll immune signaling pathway via modular serine protease in Tenebrio molitor

) activity were also induced upon immune challenge. Injection of recombinant DSP1 (rDSP1) also showed the same phenomenon of immune challenge. Loss of function with RNAi of Tm-MSP indicated its involvement in mediating immune responses induced by DSP1. Additionally, RNAi of Tm-MSP significantly increased the susceptibility of T. molitor larvae upon immune challenge with Gram-positive E. mundtii but not with Gram-negative X. hominickii. But injection of rDSP1 attenuated the increased mortality in double stranded RNA control (dsCON) treated larvae but not in dsMSP-treated larvae. These results justified the role of Tm-MSP in activating the DSP1-induced Toll pathway.