Vlisidou, Isabella, Dowling, Andrea J., Evans, Iwan R., Waterfield, Nicholas R., ffrench-Constant, Richard H. and Wood, W. (Will) (2009) Drosophila embryos as model systems for monitoring bacterial infection in real time. PLoS Pathogens, Volume 5 (Number 7). Article number e1000518. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000518 ISSN 1553-7374.

Preview

Text WRAP_journal.ppat.1000518.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (3741Kb) | Preview

Request Changes to record.

Abstract

Drosophila embryos are well studied developmental microcosms that have been used extensively as models for early development and more recently wound repair. Here we extend this work by looking at embryos as model systems for following bacterial infection in real time. We examine the behaviour of injected pathogenic (Photorhabdus asymbiotica) and non-pathogenic (Escherichia coli) bacteria and their interaction with embryonic hemocytes using time-lapse confocal microscopy. We find that embryonic hemocytes both recognise and phagocytose injected wild type, non-pathogenic E. coli in a Dscam independent manner, proving that embryonic hemocytes are phagocytically competent. In contrast, injection of bacterial cells of the insect pathogen Photorhabdus leads to a rapid ‘freezing’ phenotype of the hemocytes associated with significant rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. This freezing phenotype can be phenocopied by either injection of the purified insecticidal toxin Makes Caterpillars Floppy 1 (Mcf1) or by recombinant E. coli expressing the mcf1 gene. Mcf1 mediated hemocyte freezing is shibire dependent, suggesting that endocytosis is required for Mcf1 toxicity and can be modulated by dominant negative or constitutively active Rac expression, suggesting early and unexpected effects of Mcf1 on the actin cytoskeleton. Together these data show how Drosophila embryos can be used to track bacterial infection in real time and how mutant analysis can be used to genetically dissect the effects of specific bacterial virulence factors.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Biomedical Sciences > Microbiology & Infection Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Drosophila, Insects -- Pathogens, Bacterial genetics
Journal or Publication Title:	PLoS Pathogens
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
ISSN:	1553-7374
Official Date:	2009
Dates:	Date Event 2009 Published
Volume:	Volume 5
Number:	Number 7
Page Range:	Article number e1000518
DOI:	10.1371/journal.ppat.1000518
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	26 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access:	26 December 2015
Funder:	Wellcome Trust (London, England), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Great Britain) (BBSRC)
Grant number:	078400/Z/05/Z (WT) ; BB/E021328/1 (BBSRC)

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads