English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

The common fruit fly,  Drosophila melanogaster , is an outstanding model to study the molecular basis of anti-pathogen immunity. The parasitic nematode  Heterorhabditis gerrardi,  together with its mutualistic bacteria  Photorhabdus asymbiotica,  infects a wide range of insects, including  D. melanogaster . Recently, we have shown that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß) signaling in  D. melanogaster  is regulated in response to parasitic nematode infection. In the current study, we investigated the contribution of two TGF-ß signaling branches, the activin and the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), to  D. melanogaster  immune function against  H. gerrardi . We used  D. melanogaster  larvae carrying mutations in the genes coding for the TGF-ß extracellular ligands  daw  and  dpp . We have demonstrated that the number of circulating hemocytes in uninfected  daw  and  dpp  mutants decreases twofold compared to background controls, yet no significant changes in hemocyte numbers and survival of the TGF-ß mutants are observed upon nematode infection. However, we have shown that nematode-infected  daw  mutants express  Dual oxidase  at higher levels and phenoloxidase activity at lower levels compared to their background controls. To elucidate the contribution of TGF-ß signaling in the metabolic response of  D. melanogaster  to parasitic nematodes, we estimated lipid and carbohydrate levels in  daw  and  dpp  mutant larvae infected with  H. gerrardi . We have found that both nematode-infected mutants contain lipid droplets of larger size, with  daw  mutant larvae also containing elevated glycogen levels. Overall, our findings indicate that the regulation of activin and BMP branches of TGF-ß signaling can alter the immune and metabolic processes in  D. melanogaster  during response to parasitic nematode infection. Results from this study shed light on the molecular signaling pathways insects activate to regulate mechanisms for fighting potent nematode parasites, which could lead to the identification of novel management strategies for the control of damaging pests.

TGF-β Signaling Interferes With the Drosophila Innate Immune and Metabolic Response to Parasitic Nematode Infection