title: Immune-deficient Drosophila melanogaster: a model for the innate immune response to human fungal pathogens.
abstract: We explored the host-pathogen interactions of the human opportunistic fungus Candida albicans using Drosophila melanogaster. We established that a Drosophila strain devoid of functional Toll receptor is highly susceptible to the human pathogen C. albicans. Using this sensitive strain, we have been able to show that a set of specific C. albicans mutants of different virulence in mammalian infection models are also impaired in virulence in Drosophila and remarkably display the same rank order of virulence. This immunodeficient insect model also revealed virulence properties undetected in an immunocompetent murine model of infection. The genetic systems available in both host and pathogen will enable the identification of host-specific components and C. albicans genes involved in the host-fungal interplay.
authors.affiliation: Genetics Group, Biotechnology Research Institute/National Research Council, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. anne-marie.alarco@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Alarco
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcil
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whiteway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009154:Mutation; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C068721:Tl protein, Drosophila; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; C091227:DRS protein, Drosophila