Resistance to Innate Immunity Contributes to Colonization of the Insect Gut by Yersinia pestis.

ABSTRACT: Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plague, is typically a zoonotic vector-borne disease of wild rodents. Bacterial biofilm formation in the proventriculus of the flea contributes to chronic infection of fleas and facilitates efficient disease transmission. However prior to biofilm formation, ingested bacteria must survive within the flea midgut, and yet little is known about vector-pathogen interactions that are required for flea gut colonization. Here we establish a Drosophila melanogaster model system to gain insight into Y. pestis colonization of the insect vector. We show that Y. pestis establishes a stable infection in the anterior midgut of fly larvae, and we used this model system to study the roles of genes involved in biofilm production and/or resistance

SUBMITTER: Earl SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4503695 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature