In nature, insects face a constant threat of infection by numerous exogeneous viruses, and
their intestinal tracts are the predominant ports of entry. Insects can acquire these viruses …

Lack of an adaptive strategy to combat infection creates opportunities for the innate immune
system to guide invertebrate defense mechanisms. The innate immunity signaling cascades …

The gut is a crucial organ in insect defense against various pathogens and harmful
substances in their environment and diet. Distinct insect gut compartments possess unique …

Research in the last decade has convincingly demonstrated that the microbiota is crucial in
order to prime and orchestrate innate and adaptive immune responses of their host and …

A trade-off hypothesis pertains to the biased allocation of limited resources between two of
the most important fitness traits, reproduction and survival to infection. This quid pro quo …

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is a donor which provides the methyl groups for histone or
nucleic acid modification and phosphatidylcholine production. SAM is hypothesized to link …

Defensins are a major family of antimicrobial peptides that serve as the innate immune
defense of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Due to their antimicrobial, chemotactic, and …

Innate immunity shields all metazoans against infections. Its main features, including
sensing, signaling, and effector mechanisms, are conserved from invertebrates to …

Modification of cell wall components is a prominent mean for pathogens to hinder host
immune defenses. Here, using the Drosophila model, we aimed at characterizing the role of …

A trade-off hypothesis pertains to the biased allocation of limited resources between two of
the most important fitness traits, reproduction and survival to infection. This quid pro quo …