Drosophila as a Model Organism in Host–Pathogen Interaction Studies
Salma Younes, Asma Al-Sulaiti, Elham Abdulwahab Ahmed Nasser, Hoda Najjar, Layla Kamareddine
Abstract
Owing to the genetic similarities and conserved pathways between a fruit fly and mammals, the use of the Drosophila model as a platform to unveil novel mechanisms of infection and disease progression has been justified and widely instigated. Gaining proper insight into host-pathogen interactions and identifying chief factors involved in host defense and pathogen virulence in Drosophila serves as a foundation to establish novel strategies for infectious disease prevention and control in higher organisms, including humans.
Topics & Concepts
PathogenVirulenceBiologyDrosophila (subgenus)Model organismHost (biology)OrganismGenetic modelDrosophila melanogasterHost factorsGenetic screenDiseaseGeneticsGenePhenotypeMedicineVirusPathologyInvertebrate Immune Response MechanismsInsect symbiosis and bacterial influencesMosquito-borne diseases and control