Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction
The interactions between <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> and the parasitoid wasps that infect <i>Drosophila</i> species provide an important model for understanding host–parasite relationships. Following parasitoid infection, <i>D. melanogaster</i> larvae mount a r...
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doaj-93b53b66414b446384e79ee4646077282021-01-09T00:00:23ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-01-0110494910.3390/pathogens10010049Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp InteractionJordann E. Trainor0Pooja KR1Nathan T. Mortimer2School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USASchool of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USASchool of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USAThe interactions between <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> and the parasitoid wasps that infect <i>Drosophila</i> species provide an important model for understanding host–parasite relationships. Following parasitoid infection, <i>D. melanogaster</i> larvae mount a response in which immune cells (hemocytes) form a capsule around the wasp egg, which then melanizes, leading to death of the parasitoid. Previous studies have found that host hemocyte load; the number of hemocytes available for the encapsulation response; and the production of lamellocytes, an infection induced hemocyte type, are major determinants of host resistance. Parasitoids have evolved various virulence mechanisms to overcome the immune response of the <i>D. melanogaster</i> host, including both active immune suppression by venom proteins and passive immune evasive mechanisms. We identified a previously undescribed parasitoid species, <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i>, which utilizes an active virulence mechanism to infect <i>D. melanogaster</i> hosts. <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection inhibits host hemocyte expression of <i>msn</i>, a member of the JNK signaling pathway, which plays a role in lamellocyte production. <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection restricts the production of lamellocytes as assayed by hemocyte cell morphology and altered <i>msn</i> expression. Our findings suggest that <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection alters host signaling to suppress immunity.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/1/49parasitoid waspvirulence strategyvenomimmune cell<i>Drosophila</i> |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jordann E. Trainor Pooja KR Nathan T. Mortimer |
spellingShingle |
Jordann E. Trainor Pooja KR Nathan T. Mortimer Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction Pathogens parasitoid wasp virulence strategy venom immune cell <i>Drosophila</i> |
author_facet |
Jordann E. Trainor Pooja KR Nathan T. Mortimer |
author_sort |
Jordann E. Trainor |
title |
Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction |
title_short |
Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction |
title_full |
Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction |
title_fullStr |
Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction |
title_full_unstemmed |
Immune Cell Production Is Targeted by Parasitoid Wasp Virulence in a <i>Drosophila</i>–Parasitoid Wasp Interaction |
title_sort |
immune cell production is targeted by parasitoid wasp virulence in a <i>drosophila</i>–parasitoid wasp interaction |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Pathogens |
issn |
2076-0817 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
The interactions between <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> and the parasitoid wasps that infect <i>Drosophila</i> species provide an important model for understanding host–parasite relationships. Following parasitoid infection, <i>D. melanogaster</i> larvae mount a response in which immune cells (hemocytes) form a capsule around the wasp egg, which then melanizes, leading to death of the parasitoid. Previous studies have found that host hemocyte load; the number of hemocytes available for the encapsulation response; and the production of lamellocytes, an infection induced hemocyte type, are major determinants of host resistance. Parasitoids have evolved various virulence mechanisms to overcome the immune response of the <i>D. melanogaster</i> host, including both active immune suppression by venom proteins and passive immune evasive mechanisms. We identified a previously undescribed parasitoid species, <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i>, which utilizes an active virulence mechanism to infect <i>D. melanogaster</i> hosts. <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection inhibits host hemocyte expression of <i>msn</i>, a member of the JNK signaling pathway, which plays a role in lamellocyte production. <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection restricts the production of lamellocytes as assayed by hemocyte cell morphology and altered <i>msn</i> expression. Our findings suggest that <i>Asobara</i> sp. <i>AsDen</i> infection alters host signaling to suppress immunity. |
topic |
parasitoid wasp virulence strategy venom immune cell <i>Drosophila</i> |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/1/49 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jordannetrainor immunecellproductionistargetedbyparasitoidwaspvirulenceinaidrosophilaiparasitoidwaspinteraction AT poojakr immunecellproductionistargetedbyparasitoidwaspvirulenceinaidrosophilaiparasitoidwaspinteraction AT nathantmortimer immunecellproductionistargetedbyparasitoidwaspvirulenceinaidrosophilaiparasitoidwaspinteraction |
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1724344328109686784 |