Diversification of MIF immune regulators in aphids: link with agonistic and antagonistic interactions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The widespread use of genome sequencing provided evidences for the high degree of conservation in innate immunity signalling pathways across animal phyla. However, the functioning and evolutionary history of immune-related genes remains unknown for most invertebrate species. A striking observation coming from the analysis of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum genome is the absence of important conserved genes known to be involved in the antimicrobial responses of other insects. This reduction in antibacterial immune defences is thought to be related to their long-term association with beneficial symbiotic bacteria and to facilitate symbiont maintenance. An additional possibility to avoid elimination of mutualistic symbionts is a fine-tuning of the host immune response. To

SUBMITTER: Dubreuil G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4169804 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature