Functional Genomics of Drosphila Innate Immunity

本研究旨在对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。昆虫先天免疫是脊椎动物适应前免疫的优秀模型。这项研究将完成两个与健康相关的关键目标：识别具有抗生素设计潜力的新的抗菌蛋白，以及重要的是，识别导致免疫防御个体差异的宿主基因作为潜在的治疗靶点。这项研究的具体目的是：首先，量化免疫防御基因在感染自然病原体后在果蝇品系中的表达动力学，这些品系的防御能力不同。其次，对这些菌株进行DNA微阵列分析，以确定新的防御基因调控靶点，量化感染过程中全基因组表达动力学的变化，并识别与已知免疫数量性状基因座有关的序列差异。

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.