biostudies-literatureBrantley SENIAID NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNational Institute of General Medical SciencesNIH HHSNIGMS NIH HHSe1012349https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11244843biostudies-literatureUnknown20(7)Innate immune responses that allow hosts to survive infection depend on the action of multiple conserved signaling pathways. Pathogens and parasites in turn have evolved virulence factors to target these immune signaling pathways in an attempt to overcome host immunity. Consequently, the interactions between host immune molecules and pathogen virulence factors play an important role in determining the outcome of an infection. The immune responses of Drosophila melanogaster provide a valuable model to understand immune signaling and host-pathogen interactions. Flies are commonly infected by parasitoid wasps and mount a coordinated cellular immune response following infection. This response is characterized by the production of specialized blood cells called lamellocytes that form a tight caPLoS pathogensHost JAK-STAT activity is a target of parasitoid wasp virulence strategies.PMC11244843R35 GM133760R01AI081879R01 AI081879P40 OD018537R35GM133760Schlenke TAKr PMortimer NTBrantley SEStouthamer CMHill JFischer MLfalseHost JAK-STAT activity is a target of parasitoid wasp virulence strategies.Innate immune responses that allow hosts to survive infection depend on the action of multiple conserved signaling pathways. Pathogens and parasites in turn have evolved virulence factors to target these immune signaling pathways in an attempt to overcome host immunity. Consequently, the interactions between host immune molecules and pathogen virulence factors play an important role in determining the outcome of an infection. The immune responses of Drosophila melanogaster provide a valuable model to understand immune signaling and host-pathogen interactions. Flies are commonly infected by parasitoid wasps and mount a coordinated cellular immune response following infection. This response is characterized by the production of specialized blood cells called lamellocytes that form a tight ca2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jul2026-06-01T07:14:32.032Z2025-04-06T18:03:16.654ZS-EPMC112448433895007610.1371/journal.ppat.1012349