Insect Infection And Immunity

Under continual attack from both microbial pathogens and multicellular parasites, insects must cope with immune challenges every day of their lives. However, this has not prevented them from becoming the most successful group of animals on the planet. Insects possess highly-developed innate immune systems which have been fine-tuned by an arms race with pathogens spanning hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary history. Recent discoveries are revealing both an unexpected degree of specificity and an indication of immunological memory - the functional hallmark of vertebrate immunity. The study of insect immune systems has accelerated rapidly in recent years and is now becoming an important interdisciplinary field. Furthermore, insects are a phenomenally rich and diverse source of antimicrobial chemicals. Some of these are already being seriously considered as potential therapeutic agents to control microbes such as MRSA. Despite a burgeoning interest in the field, this is the first book to provide a coherent synthesis and is clearly structured around two broadly themed sections: mechanisms of immunity and evolutionary ecology. This novel text adopts an interdisciplinary and concept-driven approach, integrating insights from immunology, molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, parasitology, and epidemiology. It features contributions from an international team of leading experts. Insect Infection and Immunity is suitable for both graduate students and researchers interested in insect immunity from either an evolutionary, genetical, physiological or molecular perspective. Due to its interdisciplinary and concept-driven approach, it will also appeal to a broader audience of immunologists, parasitologists and evolutionary biologists requiring a concise overview.

This volume details methods and protocols necessary to further the study of insect immunity. Chapters guide readers through up-to-date genomic and transcriptomic approaches, insect samples for proteomic analysis, hemocytes in Drosophila, cellular response in Lepidoptera, insect AMPs, manipulate the composition of mosquito microbiota, viral infections in insects, infections by entomopathogenic nematodes, immune response following oral infections, and protocols to to monitor the effect of septic infections with human pathogens using B. mori as a model. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Immunity in Insects aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This volume details methods and protocols necessary to further the study of insect immunity. Chapters guide readers through up-to-date genomic and transcriptomic approaches, insect samples for proteomic analysis, hemocytes in Drosophila, cellular response in Lepidoptera, insect AMPs, manipulate the composition of mosquito microbiota, viral infections in insects, infections by entomopathogenic nematodes, immune response following oral infections, and protocols to to monitor the effect of septic infections with human pathogens using B. mori as a model. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Immunity in Insects aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This work is the first book-length publication on the topic of insect immunology since 1991, complementing earlier works by offering a fresh perspective on current research. Interactions of host immune systems with both parasites and pathogens are presented in detail, as well as the genomics and proteomics, approaches which have been lacking in other publications. Beckage provides comprehensive coverage of topics important to medical researchers, including Drosophila as a model for studying cellular and humoral immune mechanisms, biochemical mediators of immunity, and insect blood cells and their functions. Encompasses the most important topics of insect immunology including mechanisms, genes, proteins, evolution and phylogeny Provides comprehensive coverage of topics important to medical researchers including Drosophila as a model for studying cellular and humoral immune mechanisms, biochemical mediators of immunity, and insect blood cells and their functions Most up-to-date information published with contributions from international leaders in the field

It can be seen that the insects are the still attracting most research and researchers. However, an increasing interest is emerging to study new invertebrate groups, especially those where the genome is known. Even though Drosophila has been and still is an excellent model for immune studies, it is now clear that there are great differences between immune responses in Drosophila and that of several other invertebrates, which indeed calls for more research on other invertebrates

Insects are a group of abundant and diverse organisms that have successfully adapted to the most challenging conditions on earth. The success of insects in adverse environments indicates the advanced defense mechanisms employed by these organisms, but they are often targeted by specialized microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, nematodes, & fungi) and parasitoids. Insects exhibit both humoral and cellular immune responses against pathogens. The lack of an adaptive immune system has compelled insects to choose immediate non-specific but sophisticated responses that include the production of antimicrobial peptides, phenoloxidase, apoptosis, phagocytosis, encapsulation, and nodulation. In recent decades, technological advances have been made in decrypting the molecular and mechanistic basis of insect immunity. However, there is a need to understand the insect immune responses to single or mixed encounters. Future challenges include a better understanding of functional cooperation of various endosymbiotic microbes and their role in insect defenses. Post-transcriptional modulation of immune responses regulated by non-coding RNAs (microRNA & long non-coding RNAs) has become critically important to study by using modern bioinformatics and experimental tools. Therefore, investigating the dynamics of insect immune responses will substantially increase the capacity for confronting harmful agricultural and medical pests. Furthermore, most insect cellular immune activities have been conducted in a laboratory setting, therefore confirming the existing knowledge in a natural environment would provide crucial information.

Immunity in insects is different from immunity in vertebrates. Insects lack immunoglobulins even though they are capable of reacting against foreign components with effective defense mechanism. There has been a marked advancement in most of the fields of science in the past two decades. Insect immunity is also one of them. It is a developing subject which is now established as a new branch in insect study. This treatise is an attempt to compile meaningful articles of leading workers in this field, nevertheless we do not claim that leadership in insect immunity is by any means restricted to them. The idea is to provide a vibrant description of various aspects of "Insect Immunity". With the rapid development of the subject, it is difficult for any one author to discuss all the aspects of an area in a limited number of pages, even then they have done their utmost to include the entire development of the subject in their articles. The treatise deals with insect haemocytes, their population, isolation and role in defense mechanism, humoral encapsulation, inducible humoral antibacterial immunity, cellular immune reactions, role of endocrines, role of prophenol oxidase system in cellular communication, haemagglutinins and impact of parasite on insect immune system. Some topics could not be covered because experts in those area though willing could not complete their commitment within time limits.