Department of Biology & Biochemistry, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
BB30059 Insect-microbe interactions |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: ES 20%, EX 80% |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take BB20029 |
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Aims & Learning Objectives: Aims: To provide an insight into the nature of symbioses between insects and their microbial flora - from commensal through parasitic to mutualistic association; to provide an understanding of the nature of the diseases in insects caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses; to explore the basis of immunity and host defence against microbial pathogens; to demonstrate some of the complexity of the mutualistic associations that have evolved between insects and their flora. After taking this course the student should be able to: *discuss the concepts of pathogenesis, virulence and specificity as they relate to microbial pathogens of insects *compare and contrast the strategies used by different types of microbial pathogen of insects *define the strengths and weaknesses of insect immune systems *compare and contrast insect and vertebrate immune systems *define criteria for establishing a mutualistic role for a micro-organism. Content: Concepts of symbiosis; ice nucleating agents and insect cold hardiness; mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis in insects - host recognition, host invasion, role of toxins, molecular approaches to the study of virulence; entomopathogenic bacteria; endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus; entomopathogenic viruses - overview, baculoviruses, polyDNA viruses, host immunity - cuticle and gut barriers, cellular defence, humoral defence, immune proteins, comparison with vertebrate systems; mutualism - exogenous mutualists, cellulose digestion, intracellular mutualists. |