Research into phagocytosis and host-pathogen interactions in the lower eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum has flourished in recent years. This chapter presents a glimpse of where this research stands, with emphasis on the cell biology of the phagocytic process and on the wealth of molecular genetic data that have been gathered. The basic mechanistic machinery and most of the underlying genes appear to be evolutionarily conserved, reflecting the fact that phagocytosis arose as an efficient way to ingest food in single protozoan cells devoid of a rigid cell wall. In spite of some differences, the signal transduction pathways regulating phagosome biogenesis are also emerging as ultimately similar between Dictyostelium and macrophages. Both cell types are hosts for many pathogenic invasive bacteria, which exploit phagocytosis to grow intracellularly. We present an overwiew, based on the analysis of mutants, on how Dictyostelium contributes as a genetic model system to decipher the complexity of host-pathogen interactions.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1937-6448(08)01206-9 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
The Role of Gut Microbiota in Shaping Immune Responses in Tephritidae Fruit Fly and Prospective Implications for Management.
Neotrop Entomol
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Laboratory of Bio Pesticide and Chemical Biology, MOE, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry Univ, Fuzhou, China.
The interaction of microbial communities with host immunity has become one of the most explored research areas with significant implications for pest control strategies. It has been found that the gut microbiota plays substantial roles in immune response regulation and host-gut microbiome symbiosis, as well as in pathogen resistance and overall fitness in Tephritidae fruit flies that are major pests of agricultural importance. In this review, we discuss the modulation of immune responses of Tephritidae fruit flies by the gut microbiota with particular emphasis on the general interactions between microbiota and the immune system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFour Neurotoxic Insecticides Impair Partner and Host Finding in the Parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma and Bioactive Doses Can Be Taken up Via the Host.
J Chem Ecol
January 2025
Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
In modern agriculture, control of insect pests is achieved by using insecticides that can also have lethal and sublethal effects on beneficial non-target organisms. Here, we investigate acute toxicity and sublethal effects of four insecticides on the males' sex pheromone response and the female host finding ability of the Drosophila parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists acetamiprid, flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor, as well as the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor dimethoate were applied topically as acetone solutions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA phytoplasma effector suppresses insect melanization immune response to promote pathogen persistent transmission.
Sci Adv
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Insect melanization triggered by the conversion of prophenoloxidase to active phenoloxidase via serine proteases (SPs) is an important immediate immune response. However, how phytoplasmas evade this immune response to promote their propagation in insect vectors remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that infection of leafhopper vectors with rice orange leaf phytoplasma (ROLP) activates the mild melanization response in hemolymph.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParasitoid wasp venoms degrade imaginal discs for successful parasitism.
Sci Adv
January 2025
Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan.
Article Synopsis
- Parasitoid wasps, a highly diverse group of animals, use their venoms to manipulate the physiology of host larvae for their benefit.
- Researchers discovered that a specific wasp can cause the death and dysfunction of its host's tissue precursors, a process called imaginal disc degradation (IDD).
- The study identified two venom proteins crucial for IDD, showing how the wasp's venom strategically ensures the host grows but inhibits its transformation into adulthood.
Characterization of the host specificity of the SH3 cell wall binding domain of the staphylococcal phage 88 endolysin.
Arch Microbiol
January 2025
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, 43400, Malaysia.
Bacteriophages produce endolysins at the end of the lytic cycle, which are crucial for lysing the host cells and releasing virion progeny. This lytic feature allows endolysins to act as effective antimicrobial alternatives when applied exogenously. Staphylococcal endolysins typically possess a modular structure with one or two enzymatically active N-terminal domains (EADs) and a C-terminal cell wall binding domain (CBD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!