Drosophila melanogaster is susceptible to Vibrio cholerae infection.
Infection of Drosophila melanogaster adults with 6 Vibrio species revealed that V. cholerae was lethal (100% mortality) within 20 h as a result of systemic infection. Avirulent infection by V. vulnificus restricted the subsequent virulent infection by V. cholerae. The immediate transcription of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), most notably Attacin A, was delayed in V. cholerae infection compared to V. vulnificus infection. Ectopic expression of Attacin A and Metchnikowin enhanced the survival of D. melanogaster upon V. cholerae infection. These results suggest that AMPs are important in the response to infections by Vibrio species and that the signaling pathways governing their expression may be targeted by V. cholerae virulence factors to elude the innate immunity of Drosophila.
Park
Shin-Young
SY
Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 121-742, Korea.
Heo
Yun-Jeong
YJ
Kim
Kun-Soo
KS
Cho
You-Hee
YH
D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; C488990:AttA protein, Drosophila; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C091227:DRS protein, Drosophila; C096696:Mtk protein, Drosophila