Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System

Innate immunity is critical for insects to adjust to complicated environments. Studying the insect immune system can aid in identifying novel insecticide targets and provide insights for developing novel pest control strategies. Insects recognize environmental pathogens through pattern recognition r...

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Main Authors: Shan Zhang, Zhengyan Wang, Qiong Luo, Lizhen Zhou, Xin Du, Yonglin Ren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/1/82
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author Shan Zhang
Zhengyan Wang
Qiong Luo
Lizhen Zhou
Xin Du
Yonglin Ren
author_facet Shan Zhang
Zhengyan Wang
Qiong Luo
Lizhen Zhou
Xin Du
Yonglin Ren
author_sort Shan Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Innate immunity is critical for insects to adjust to complicated environments. Studying the insect immune system can aid in identifying novel insecticide targets and provide insights for developing novel pest control strategies. Insects recognize environmental pathogens through pattern recognition receptors, thus activating the innate immune system to eliminate pathogens. The innate immune system of insects primarily comprises cellular immunity and humoral immunity. Toll, immune deficiency, and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription are the main signaling pathways regulating insect humoral immunity. Nevertheless, increasing research has revealed that immune signaling activated by microbes also performs non-immune roles while exerting immune roles, and insulin signaling performs a key role in mediating the connection between the immune system and non-immune physiological activities. Therefore, this paper first briefly reviews the main innate immune signaling and insulin signaling of insects, then summarizes the relationship between immune signaling activated by microbes and insect growth and development, reproduction, pesticide resistance, chemical communication, cell turnover, lifespan, sleep, energy generation pathways and their possible underlying mechanisms. Future research directions and methodologies are also proposed, aiming to provide insights into further study on the physiological mechanism linking microbes and insect hosts.
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series Insects
spelling doaj-art-77e8351dc51b4b1fb3d8c17cf26fdeb02025-01-24T13:35:50ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502025-01-011618210.3390/insects16010082Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune SystemShan Zhang0Zhengyan Wang1Qiong Luo2Lizhen Zhou3Xin Du4Yonglin Ren5School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaSchool of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaSchool of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaSchool of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaCollege of Environmental and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaCollege of Environmental and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, AustraliaInnate immunity is critical for insects to adjust to complicated environments. Studying the insect immune system can aid in identifying novel insecticide targets and provide insights for developing novel pest control strategies. Insects recognize environmental pathogens through pattern recognition receptors, thus activating the innate immune system to eliminate pathogens. The innate immune system of insects primarily comprises cellular immunity and humoral immunity. Toll, immune deficiency, and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription are the main signaling pathways regulating insect humoral immunity. Nevertheless, increasing research has revealed that immune signaling activated by microbes also performs non-immune roles while exerting immune roles, and insulin signaling performs a key role in mediating the connection between the immune system and non-immune physiological activities. Therefore, this paper first briefly reviews the main innate immune signaling and insulin signaling of insects, then summarizes the relationship between immune signaling activated by microbes and insect growth and development, reproduction, pesticide resistance, chemical communication, cell turnover, lifespan, sleep, energy generation pathways and their possible underlying mechanisms. Future research directions and methodologies are also proposed, aiming to provide insights into further study on the physiological mechanism linking microbes and insect hosts.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/1/82microbeimmune systemgrowth and developmentreproductionpesticide resistancechemical communication
spellingShingle Shan Zhang
Zhengyan Wang
Qiong Luo
Lizhen Zhou
Xin Du
Yonglin Ren
Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
Insects
microbe
immune system
growth and development
reproduction
pesticide resistance
chemical communication
title Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
title_full Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
title_fullStr Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
title_short Effects of Microbes on Insect Host Physiology and Behavior Mediated by the Host Immune System
title_sort effects of microbes on insect host physiology and behavior mediated by the host immune system
topic microbe
immune system
growth and development
reproduction
pesticide resistance
chemical communication
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16/1/82
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