Insect immunity after invasion of entomopathogenic nematodes

HYRŠL, Pavel, Pavel DOBEŠ, Badrul AREFIN, Lucie KUČEROVÁ, Robert MARKUS, Wang ZHI, Michal ŽUROVEC and Ulrich THEOPOLD. Insect immunity after invasion of entomopathogenic nematodes. In 32nd Symposium of European Society of Nematology. 2016.

Basic information

• Original name: Insect immunity after invasion of entomopathogenic nematodes
• Name in Czech: Insect immunity after invasion of entomopathogenic nematodes
• Authors: HYRŠL, Pavel, Pavel DOBEŠ, Badrul AREFIN, Lucie KUČEROVÁ, Robert MARKUS, Wang ZHI, Michal ŽUROVEC and Ulrich THEOPOLD.
• Edition: 32nd Symposium of European Society of Nematology, 2016.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Conference abstract
• Field of Study: 30102 Immunology
• Country of publisher: Portugal
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• Keywords (in Czech): imunita hmyzu; entomopatogenní hlístice
• Keywords in English: insect immunity; entomopathogenic nematodes

Abstract

Entomopathogenic nematodes and their associated bacteria comprise together a highly pathogenic complex which is able to invade and kill insect host within two days. Both bacteria and nematodes produce a variety of factors interacting with the insect immune system and help to overcome host defences. The tripartite model (Drosophila, nematodes, bacteria) was established and used to show an immune function for candidate genes using different Drosophila mutants or RNAi lines with defects in clotting or other branches of the immune system. Microarray analysis was used to compare gene expression of Drosophila larvae infected by the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens with non-infected larvae. The role of candidate genes, selected based on genomic comparison, in response towards nematobacterial complex was further evaluated by in vivo infection assays. We demonstrated an immune function during nematode infection for known clotting enzymes and substrates, recognition molecules and eicosanoids. In conclusion, we show that the Heterorhabditis/Photorhabdus infection model is suitable to identify regulators of innate immunity in insects. Our research is supported by research grants from the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT), by grant from Ministry of Agriculture of Czech Republic (NAZV-KUS QJ1210047) and The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA04020318).

Abstract (in Czech)

Entomopathogenic nematodes and their associated bacteria comprise together a highly pathogenic complex which is able to invade and kill insect host within two days. Both bacteria and nematodes produce a variety of factors interacting with the insect immune system and help to overcome host defences. The tripartite model (Drosophila, nematodes, bacteria) was established and used to show an immune function for candidate genes using different Drosophila mutants or RNAi lines with defects in clotting or other branches of the immune system. Microarray analysis was used to compare gene expression of Drosophila larvae infected by the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens with non-infected larvae. The role of candidate genes, selected based on genomic comparison, in response towards nematobacterial complex was further evaluated by in vivo infection assays. We demonstrated an immune function during nematode infection for known clotting enzymes and substrates, recognition molecules and eicosanoids. In conclusion, we show that the Heterorhabditis/Photorhabdus infection model is suitable to identify regulators of innate immunity in insects. Our research is supported by research grants from the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT), by grant from Ministry of Agriculture of Czech Republic (NAZV-KUS QJ1210047) and The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA04020318).

Links

• QJ1210047, research and development project: Name: Vývoj nových prostředků pro podporu imunity včel, prevenci a léčbu včelích onemocnění (Acronym: Probiotika - imunita včel)

Investor: Ministry of Agriculture of the CR

• TA04020318, research and development project: Name: Polymerní a nanočásticové technologie pro moderní udržitelné včelařství

Investor: Technology Agency of the Czech Republic