Document Detail


Larval food quality affects adult (but not larval) immune gene expression independent of effects on general condition.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20196811     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The potential effect of larval condition on adult immunity in holometabolous insects is rarely considered. We show here that larval food composition can impact adult immunity independent from effects on general condition of the animal. Rather, our data indicate a plastic allocation of resources to immunity in high-protein environments. Specifically, we found that increasing the nutritional yeast (protein) available to larval Drosophila melanogaster increased the adult's constitutive transcription of two genes encoding defensive antimicrobial peptides. Adult dry weight was not significantly affected by larval food composition, while adult fat content decreased when larval yeast increased. Larval immune activity was unaffected by alterations of larval diet, indicating a lack of covariation in this trait across life-stages. We conclude that the nutritional environment of insect larvae can affect adult immunity by influencing plastic allocation of resources. These influences are less predictable than constraints linked to general condition would be.
Authors:
Simon Fellous; Brian P Lazzaro
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural     Date:  2010-02-24
Journal Detail:
Title:  Molecular ecology     Volume:  19     ISSN:  1365-294X     ISO Abbreviation:  Mol. Ecol.     Publication Date:  2010 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-05-11     Completed Date:  2010-06-18     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9214478     Medline TA:  Mol Ecol     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1462-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. simonfellous@free.fr
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena*
Animals
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / genetics,  immunology
Body Weight
Drosophila Proteins / genetics,  immunology
Drosophila melanogaster / genetics*,  immunology*
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
Larva / genetics,  immunology
Models, Statistical
Nutritive Value
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
AI062995/AI/NIAID NIH HHS; AI083932/AI/NIAID NIH HHS; R01 AI062995-05/AI/NIAID NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; 0/Drosophila Proteins

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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