Molecular evolution of antimicrobial peptides in Drosophila

HANDLE Web Site Open Access

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • ショウジョウバエにおける抗菌ペプチドの分子進化
  • ショウジョウバエ ニ オケル コウキン ペプチド ノ ブンシ シンカ

Search this article

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components for Drosophila innate immune systems against microorganisms. Seven antimicrobial peptides have been identified in D. melanogaster, in which some AMPs show strong anti-bacterial activity, but others show anti-fungal activity. Repertoire of AMPs and their expression patterns are important for individual fly to survive under infection of Gram-negative, Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Many molecular evolutionary analyses show different AMP genes have evolved in different manner. Cecropin and Drosomycin genes, for example, have evolved under frequent gene duplication and deletion event, so-called birth-and-death evolution, while Metchnikwin and Drosocin genes have kept only one copy in their host genome through Drosophila evolution. Ecologically, Drosophila is distributed among various environments from Tropical to Polar Zone, and some species have more resistance to bacteria or fungi than others have. However, the molecular-based mechanisms which affect a resistance to microorganisms still have not been elucidated clearly. In this paper, we introduce functions of Drosophila AMPs and their molecular evolution, and then discuss evolutionary relationship between them.

Journal

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top