RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Insect immune specificity in a host-parasite model JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 002709 DO 10.1101/002709 A1 C. E. Riddell A1 J. D. Lobaton Garces A1 S. Adams A1 D. Twell A1 E. B. Mallon YR 2014 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2014/03/12/002709.abstract AB Ecological studies routinely show host-parasite genotype-genotype interactions in insect systems. The mechanisms behind these interactions are not clearly understood. Using the bumblebee Bombus terrestris / trypanosome Crithidia bombi model system, we have carried out a transcriptome-wide analysis of gene expression in bees during C. bombi infection. We have performed three analyses, comparing expression in infected and non-infected bees 24 hours after infection by Crithidia bombi, expression at 24 and 48 hours after C.bombi infection and most importantly searching for differential gene expression associated with the host-parasite genotype-genotype interaction at 24 hours after infection. We found a large number of genes differentially regulated related to numerous canonical immune pathways. These genes include receptors, signaling pathways and effectors. We discovered a possible interaction between the peritrophic membrane and the insect immune system in defense against Crithidia. Most interestingly we found differential expression of Dscam depending on the genotype-genotype interactions of the given bumblebee colony and Crithidia strain.