Innate immune homeostasis by the homeobox gene caudal and commensal-gut mutualism in Drosophila - PubMed (original) (raw)
. 2008 Feb 8;319(5864):777-82.
doi: 10.1126/science.1149357. Epub 2008 Jan 24.
Affiliations
- PMID: 18218863
- DOI: 10.1126/science.1149357
Innate immune homeostasis by the homeobox gene caudal and commensal-gut mutualism in Drosophila
Ji-Hwan Ryu et al. Science. 2008.
Abstract
Although commensalism with gut microbiota exists in all metazoans, the host factors that maintain this homeostatic relationship remain largely unknown. We show that the intestinal homeobox gene Caudal regulates the commensal-gut mutualism by repressing nuclear factor kappa B-dependent antimicrobial peptide genes. Inhibition of Caudal expression in flies via RNA interference led to overexpression of antimicrobial peptides, which in turn altered the commensal population within the intestine. In particular, the dominance of one gut microbe, Gluconobacter sp. strain EW707, eventually led to gut cell apoptosis and host mortality. However, restoration of a healthy microbiota community and normal host survival in the Caudal-RNAi flies was achieved by reintroduction of the Caudal gene. These results reveal that a specific genetic deficiency within a host can profoundly influence the gut commensal microbial community and host physiology.
Comment in
- Immunology. The right resident bugs.
Silverman N, Paquette N. Silverman N, et al. Science. 2008 Feb 8;319(5864):734-5. doi: 10.1126/science.1154209. Epub 2008 Jan 24. Science. 2008. PMID: 18218861 No abstract available.
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