Drosophilagenescutandminiatureare associated with the susceptibility to infection bySerratia marcescens

Abstract

SummaryA mutant strain ofDrosophila melanogasterwith five markers on theX-chromosome was found to be more sensitive than the wild type when infected with an insect-pathogenic strain ofSerratia marcescens. Two of the five mutations in this fly strain,cutandminiature, were found to be responsible for this sensitivity. A double-mutant, with bothcutandminiature, was as sensitive toSerratiainfection as was the original sensitiveDrosophilastrain with all five mutations. Recombinant flies with other alleles ofcutandminiaturewere also sensitive. A revertant ofcutwas found to be less sensitive than the parental flies. Our insect pathogenic strain ofSerratiaproduces several proteases and a chitinase. A bacterial mutant, lacking proteases and chitinase, was found to be less virulent than wild-type bacteria. When pupal shells from resistant andcut-miniatureflies were incubated with a mixture of protease and chitinase there was a release ofN-acetyl glucosamine, and 50% more material was liberated from pupal shells of sensitive flies. Sensitive flies reared on sucrose infected withSerratiashowed bacteria in their hemolymph earlier than wild-type flies. We conclude thatDrosophilagenes forcutandminiatureare associated with the sensitivity toSerratiainfection, presumably because the gut peritrophic membrane is more susceptible to bacterial proteases and chitinase.