Figure 1.

Induction of the diptericin gene in Drosophila adults infected by various microorganisms. (A) Drosophila adults (3–5 days old) carrying the Dipt-lacZ reporter gene (14) were pricked with a sterile needle dipped into culture pellets of distinct bacterial strains (OD of the pellet = 100), fungal spores (10¹⁰ spores per ml), or hyphae from various fungi. β-Galactosidase activity was measured 6 h after challenge at 25°C. Each bar represents the mean of several independent measurements with confidence interval (P < 5%). (B) Northern blot of total RNA extracted from one and six bacteria- or fungi-challenged wild-type (Oregon^R) male adults. The blot was successively hybridized with diptericin (Dipt) and ribosomal protein rp49 (Rp49) cDNA. Rp49 was used as an internal control for quantification of RNA. Conditions were as in A. C (control), unchallenged flies; Inj, simple injury; En.c., Enterobacter cloacae (−); S.t., Salmonella typhimurium (−); S.m., Serratia marcescens (Db1140 strain); P.a., Pseudomonas aeruginosas (−); Er.c., Erwinia carotovora; Es. c., E. coli (−); A.v., Aerococcus viridans (+); M.l., M. luteus (+); S.f., Streptococcus faecalis (+); S.a., Staphylococcus aureus (+); B.s., Bacillus subtilis (+); B.t., Bacillus thuringiensis (+) B.m., Bacillus megaterium (+); Fh, hyphal bodies; Fs, fungal spores from a mixture of Fusarium oxysporum, Neurospora crassa, and Botrytis cinerea.