Figure 4.

Suppression of insect immune responses. (a) Cuticular melanization of wax moth larvae. The insects were immersed in the spore suspension of each strain for 30 sec and photographed 48 h post-inoculation. (b) Hemocyte encapsulation and melanization. The wax moth larvae were injected with the spore suspensions of each strains and individual insects were bled at different time post-injection to observe insect immune responses against different strains. Fungal cells escaped from hemocyte attack are arrowed. (c) Expression of the antifungal galllerimycin (Gal) gene in wax moth larvae after infection with WT and mutant strains. The wax moth larvae injected with fungal spores for 36 h and the fat bodies were isolated for RNA extraction to determine gene expression. (d) Expression of the antifungal drosomycin (Drs) gene in Drosophila after infection with the WT and mutant strains of M. robertsii. The female adults of Drosophila were infected and used for RNA extraction 36 h post-topical infection.