Investigation of the role of endosymbionts in mediating the Drosophila antibacterial immune response

The relationship of microbial endosymbionts and their arthropod hosts indicates that endosymbionts play a critical role in altering the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of the insects they inhabit. In Drosophila the endosymbionts Wolbachia and Spiroplasma can induce physiological changes in the fly, including the ability to survive against infection with insect pathogens, such as the entomopathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus luminescens. In this study, the role of these endosymbionts in mediating insect innate immunity was evaluated at cellular and molecular levels to discover how they alter survivability. Compared to germ-free flies, the melanization, phagocytosis, and AMP expression responses of flies containing endosymbionts do not appear to be mediated by Wolbachia or Spiroplasma. It is likely that the protective effect of these endosymbionts lies within their interaction with other innate defense mechanisms.

Author

• Atri, Jaishri

Language

• en

Keyword

• Drosophila
• Spiroplasma
• Endosymbiont
• Wolbachia

Date created

• 2015

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Biological Sciences

Degree

• M.S.

Advisor

• Eleftherianos, Ioannis `

Committee Member(s)

• Manier, Mollie
• Doebel, Hartmut

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/sq87bt69n