Genome Sequence of the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum

Previously sequenced insect genomes (fly, mosquitoes, honeybee, red flour beetle) have indicated that the immune signaling pathways, including IMD and Toll pathways shown here, are conserved across insects. In Drosophila, response to many Gram-negative bacteria and some Gram-positive bacteria and fungi relies on the IMD pathway. In aphids, missing IMD pathway genes (dashed lines) include those involved in recognition (PGRPs) and signaling (IMD, dFADD, Dredd, REL). Genes encoding antimicrobial peptides common in other insects, including defensins and cecropins, are also missing. In contrast, we found putative homologs for all genes central to the Toll signaling pathway, which is key to response to bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in Drosophila.

Publication

Genome Sequence of the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum . (2010) . PLoS Biol. 2010 Feb;8(2):e1000313. Figure: F10. All organisms Homo sapiens Drosophila melanogaster

Disease mentions