title: Gut immunity in Lepidopteran insects.
abstract: Lepidopteran insects constitute one of the largest fractions of animals on earth, but are considered pests in their relationship with man. Key to the success of this order of insects is its ability to digest food and absorb nutrition, which takes place in the midgut. Because environmental microorganisms can easily enter Lepidopteran guts during feeding, the innate immune response guards against pathogenic bacteria, virus and microsporidia that can be devoured with food. Gut immune responses are complicated by both resident gut microbiota and the surrounding peritrophic membrane and are distinct from immune responses in the body cavity, which depend on the function of the fat body and hemocytes. Due to their relevance to agricultural production, studies of Lepidopteran insect midgut and immunity are receiving more attention, and here we summarize gut structures and functions, and discuss how these confer immunity against different microorganisms. It is expected that increased knowledge of Lepidopteran gut immunity may be utilized for pest biological control in the future.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, Hainan 571101, China.
authors.forename: Wuren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5007 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dobens
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. Electronic address: hssong@staff.shu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hongsheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: erjunling@sippe.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Erjun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000276:immunology*; D064307:Microbiota; D016881:Microsporidiosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010571:Pest Control; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Bacteria; Gut; Immunity; Lepidoptera; Microsporidia; Virus