Drosophila:: a polyvalent model to decipher host-pathogen interactions

In the past few years, several genetically amenable organisms have been used as models for the analysis of host-pathogen interactions. Among them, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been useful in elucidating signaling pathways and mechanisms that are used by the host to prevent and combat microbial infections. In addition, this model has also been used to identify virulence factors of opportunistic pathogens. Finally, the characterization of naturally infectious pathogens for Drosophila has illustrated its ability to activate immune responses that are adapted to its aggressors and highlights the potential of these flies to disseminate bacterial pathogens. Altogether, these approaches will allow the mechanisms involved in microbial infection and host defense responses to be dissected using genetic and genomic approaches.