Functional Genomics of Drosphila Innate Immunity

本研究旨在对黑腹果蝇先天免疫防御效能的变异进行功能基因组分析，以加深对先天免疫遗传基础的认识。昆虫先天免疫是研究脊椎动物预适应免疫的良好模型。在这项研究中进行的研究将实现两个关键的健康相关目标：鉴定具有抗生素设计潜力的新型抗菌蛋白，以及重要的是，鉴定负责个体之间免疫防御变异的宿主基因作为潜在的治疗靶点。本研究的具体目的是：首先，量化免疫防御基因在自然病原体感染后的表达动力学，这些基因在果蝇菌株中具有不同的防御感染能力。其次，将DNA芯片分析应用于这些菌株，以确定新的防御基因调控靶点，量化感染期间全基因组表达动力学的变化，并确定有助于已知免疫数量性状位点的序列差异。

This study aims to conduct a functional genomic analysis of variation in the efficacy of innate immune defense in Drosophila melanogaster, to enhance the understanding of the genetic bases of innate immunity. Insect innate immunity is an excellent model for vertebrate preadaptive immunity. The research conducted in this study will accomplish two key health-related goals: the identification of novel antimicrobial proteins of antibiotic-design potential, and importantly, the identification of host genes responsible for variation among individuals in immune defense as potential therapeutic targets. The specific aims of the study are: First, to quantify the expression kinetics of immune defense genes after infection with a natural pathogen in Drosophila strains that vary in their ability to defend against infection. Second, to apply DNA microarray analysis to these strains, in order to identify novel defense-gene regulatory targets, quantify variation in the kinetics of genome-wide expression during infection, and to identify sequence divergence contributing to known immunity quantitative trait loci.