Abstract
To gain an in-depth grasp of infectious processes one has to know the specific interactions between the virulence factors of the pathogen and the host defense mechanisms. A thorough understanding is crucial for identifying potential new drug targets and designing drugs against which the pathogens might not develop resistance easily. Model organisms are a useful tool for this endeavor, thanks to the power of their genetics. Drosophila melanogaster is widely used to study host-pathogen interactions. Its basal immune response is well understood and is briefly reviewed here. Considerations relevant to choosing an adequate infection model are discussed. This review then focuses mainly on infections with two categories of pathogens, the well-studied Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and infections by fungi of medical interest. These examples provide an overview over the current knowledge on Drosophilapathogen interactions and illustrate the approaches that can be used to study those interactions. We also discuss the usefulness and limits of Drosophila infection models for studying specific host-pathogen interactions and high-throughput drug screening.
Keywords: Candida albicans, Drosophila immunity, endurance/tolerance, host-pathogen interactions, model organism, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, virulence, genetic, microbes, antibiotic
Current Drug Targets
Title: Virulence on the Fly: Drosophila melanogaster as a Model Genetic Organism to Decipher Host-Pathogen Interactions
Volume: 12 Issue: 7
Author(s): Stefanie Limmer, Jessica Quintin, Charles Hetru and Dominique Ferrandon
Affiliation:
Keywords: Candida albicans, Drosophila immunity, endurance/tolerance, host-pathogen interactions, model organism, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, virulence, genetic, microbes, antibiotic
Abstract: To gain an in-depth grasp of infectious processes one has to know the specific interactions between the virulence factors of the pathogen and the host defense mechanisms. A thorough understanding is crucial for identifying potential new drug targets and designing drugs against which the pathogens might not develop resistance easily. Model organisms are a useful tool for this endeavor, thanks to the power of their genetics. Drosophila melanogaster is widely used to study host-pathogen interactions. Its basal immune response is well understood and is briefly reviewed here. Considerations relevant to choosing an adequate infection model are discussed. This review then focuses mainly on infections with two categories of pathogens, the well-studied Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and infections by fungi of medical interest. These examples provide an overview over the current knowledge on Drosophilapathogen interactions and illustrate the approaches that can be used to study those interactions. We also discuss the usefulness and limits of Drosophila infection models for studying specific host-pathogen interactions and high-throughput drug screening.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Limmer Stefanie, Quintin Jessica, Hetru Charles and Ferrandon Dominique, Virulence on the Fly: Drosophila melanogaster as a Model Genetic Organism to Decipher Host-Pathogen Interactions, Current Drug Targets 2011; 12 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945011795677818
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945011795677818 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New drug therapy for eye diseases
Eyesight is one of the most critical senses, accounting for over 80% of our perceptions. Our quality of life might be significantly affected by eye disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, etc. Although the development of microinvasive ocular surgery reduces surgical complications and improves overall outcomes, medication therapy is ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Experimental and Clinical Application of Plasmid DNA in the Field of Central Nervous Diseases
Current Gene Therapy Potential Control of Multiple Sclerosis by Cannabis and the Endocannabinoid System
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Targeting Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha for Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Drugs Targeting Parasite Lysosomes
Current Pharmaceutical Design Brain Insulin Resistance and Deficiency as Therapeutic Targets in Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research A Review on Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacogenomics of Natalizumab: A Humanized Anti-α4 Integrin Monoclonal Antibody
Current Drug Metabolism SRLVs: A Genetic Continuum of Lentiviral Species in Sheep and Goats with Cumulative Evidence of Cross Species Transmission
Current HIV Research Inflammation and Innate Immune Response Against Viral Infections in Marine Fish
Current Pharmaceutical Design Recent Advances and Approaches in Targeting Apoptosis Signaling Pathways for Anti-Cancer Therapeutics
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Circulating Biochemical Markers of Brain Damage in Infants Complicated by Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Response of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) to Tipranavir May Provide New Clues for Development of Broad-Based Inhibitors of Retroviral Proteases Acting on Drug-Resistant HIV-1
Current HIV Research The Changing Face of Cytokines in the Brain: Perspectives From EAE
Current Pharmaceutical Design Optic Neuritis: A Model for the Immuno-pathogenesis of Central Nervous System Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases
Current Immunology Reviews (Discontinued) Stem Cells in Brain Tumorigenesis and their Impact on Therapy
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Toll-Like Receptors and Inflammation in the CNS
Current Drug Targets - Inflammation & Allergy Taking Advantage of Viral Immune Evasion: Virus-Derived Proteins Represent Novel Biopharmaceuticals
Current Medicinal Chemistry Influenza and Stroke Risk: A Key Target Not to be Missed?
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets Protein Conformational Pathology in Alzheimers and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases; New Targets for Therapy
Current Alzheimer Research Therapeutic Indications and Action Mechanisms of Bilirubin: Suggestions from Natural Calculus Bovis
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Metallic Colloid Nanotechnology, Applications in Diagnosis and Therapeutics
Current Pharmaceutical Design