Diptericin
Diptericin is a 9 kDa antimicrobial peptide (AMP) of flies first isolated from the blowfly '' Phormia terranova''. It is primarily active against Gram-negative bacteria, disrupting bacterial membrane integrity. The structure of this protein includes a proline-rich domain with similarities to the AMPs drosocin, pyrrhocoricin, and abaecin, and a glycine-rich domain with similarity to attacin. Diptericin is an iconic readout of immune system activity in flies, used ubiquitously in studies of ''Drosophila'' immunity. Diptericin is named after the insect order Diptera. Structure and function Diptericins are found throughout Diptera, but are most extensively characterized in ''Drosophila'' fruit flies. The mature structures of diptericins are unknown, though previous efforts to synthesize Diptericin have suggested Diptericin in ''Protophormia terraenovae'' is one linear peptide. Yet ''Drosophila melanogaster's'' Diptericin B peptide is likely cleaved into two separate peptides. ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Phormia Terranova
''Protophormia terraenovae'' is commonly called northern blowfly, blue-bottle fly or blue-assed fly (blue-arsed fly in British English). It is distinguished by its deep blue coloration and large size and is an important species throughout the Northern Hemisphere. This fly is notable for its economic effect as a myiasis pest of livestock and its antibiotic benefits in maggot therapy. Also of interest is ''P. terraenovae''’s importance in forensic investigations: because of their temperature-dependent development and their prominent presence on corpses, the larvae of this species are useful in minimum post-mortem interval (mPMI) determination. Taxonomy ''Protophormia terraenovae'', of the family Calliphoridae, was named and first described by French entomologist André Jean Baptiste Robineau-Desvoidy in his 1830 “Essai sur les myodaires.” Its genus is shared by one other fly, ''Protophormia atriceps''. Both flies are a dark, undusted, metallic blue-green-black. ''P. terraenov ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Attacin
Attacin is a glycine-rich protein of about 20 kDa belonging to the group of antimicrobial peptides (AMP). It is active against Gram-negative bacteria. Attacin was first discovered in '' Hyalophora cecropia'', but is widely conserved in different insects from butterflies to fruit flies. See also *Diptericin Diptericin is a 9 kDa antimicrobial peptide (AMP) of flies first isolated from the blowfly '' Phormia terranova''. It is primarily active against Gram-negative bacteria, disrupting bacterial membrane integrity. The structure of this protein incl ..., a structurally related antimicrobial peptide References {{Reflist Insect immunity Antimicrobial peptides ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Antimicrobial Peptides
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also called host defence peptides (HDPs) are part of the innate immune response found among all classes of life. Fundamental differences exist between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells that may represent targets for antimicrobial peptides. These peptides are potent, broad spectrum antibiotics which demonstrate potential as novel therapeutic agents. Antimicrobial peptides have been demonstrated to kill Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, enveloped viruses, fungi and even transformed or cancerous cells. Unlike the majority of conventional antibiotics it appears that antimicrobial peptides frequently destabilize biological membranes, can form transmembrane channels, and may also have the ability to enhance immunity by functioning as immunomodulators. Structure Antimicrobial peptides are a unique and diverse group of molecules, which are divided into subgroups on the basis of their amino acid composition and structure. Antimicrobial peptides a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Antimicrobial Peptide
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), also called host defence peptides (HDPs) are part of the innate immune response found among all classes of life. Fundamental differences exist between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells that may represent targets for antimicrobial peptides. These peptides are potent, broad spectrum antibiotics which demonstrate potential as novel therapeutic agents. Antimicrobial peptides have been demonstrated to kill Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, enveloped viruses, fungi and even transformed or cancerous cells. Unlike the majority of conventional antibiotics it appears that antimicrobial peptides frequently destabilize biological membranes, can form transmembrane channels, and may also have the ability to enhance immunity by functioning as immunomodulators. Structure Antimicrobial peptides are a unique and diverse group of molecules, which are divided into subgroups on the basis of their amino acid composition and structure. Antimicrobial peptides are ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Protophormia Terraenovae
''Protophormia terraenovae'' is commonly called northern blowfly, blue-bottle fly or blue-assed fly (blue-arsed fly in British English). It is distinguished by its deep blue coloration and large size and is an important species throughout the Northern Hemisphere. This fly is notable for its economic effect as a myiasis pest of livestock and its antibiotic benefits in maggot therapy. Also of interest is ''P. terraenovae''’s importance in forensic investigations: because of their temperature-dependent development and their prominent presence on corpses, the larvae of this species are useful in minimum post-mortem interval (mPMI) determination. Taxonomy ''Protophormia terraenovae'', of the family Calliphoridae, was named and first described by French entomologist André Jean Baptiste Robineau-Desvoidy in his 1830 “Essai sur les myodaires.” Its genus is shared by one other fly, ''Protophormia atriceps''. Both flies are a dark, undusted, metallic blue-green-black. ''P. te ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Drosocin
Drosocin is a 19-residue long antimicrobial peptide (AMP) of flies first isolated in the fruit fly ''Drosophila melanogaster'', and later shown to be conserved throughout the genus ''Drosophila''. Drosocin is regulated by the NF-κB Imd signalling pathway in the fly. The ''Drosocin'' gene encodes two peptides: its namesake Drosocin peptide and a second peptide called Buletin. Structure and function Drosocin is primarily active against Gram-negative bacteria. The peptide is proline-rich with proline-arginine repeats, as well a critical threonine residue. This threonine is ''O''-glycosylated, which is required for antimicrobial activity. This ''O''-glycosylation can be performed either by mono- or disaccharides, which have different activity spectra. Like the antimicrobial peptides pyrrhocoricin and abaecin, drosocin binds to bacterial DnaK, inhibiting cell machinery and replication. The action of these drosocin-like peptides is potentiated by the presence of pore-forming pe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tephritidae
The Tephritidae are one of two fly families referred to as fruit flies, the other family being the Drosophilidae. The family Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus ''Drosophila ''Drosophila'' () is a genus of flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "small fruit flies" or (less frequently) pomace flies, vinegar flies, or wine flies, a reference to the characteristic of many s ...'' (in the family Drosophilidae), which is often called the "common fruit fly". Nearly 5,000 described species of tephritid fruit fly are categorized in almost 500 genera of the Tephritidae. Description, Genus, recategorization, and DNA sequencing, genetic analyses are constantly changing the taxonomy of this family. To distinguish them from the Drosophilidae, the Tephritidae are sometimes called peacock flies, in reference to their elaborate and colorful markings. The name comes from the Greek τεφρος, ''tephros'', ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps with the closely related sciences of biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology, and natural history. Ecology is a branch of biology, and it is not synonymous with environmentalism. Among other things, ecology is the study of: * The abundance, biomass, and distribution of organisms in the context of the environment * Life processes, antifragility, interactions, and adaptations * The movement of materials and energy through living communities * The successional development of ecosystems * Cooperation, competition, and predation within and between species * Patterns of biodiversity and its effect on ecosystem processes Ecology has practical applications in conservation biology, wetland management, natural resour ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Drosophila Testacea
''Drosophila testacea'' is a member of the ''testacea'' species group of ''Drosophila''. Testacea species are specialist fruit flies that breed on the fruiting bodies of mushrooms. ''Drosophila testacea'' can be found in temperate regions of Europe, extending to east Asia. ''Drosophila testacea'' and '' Drosophila orientacea'' can produce viable hybrids, though they are separated by geography and behavioural barriers. ''Drosophila testacea'' females will also readily mate with ''Drosophila neotestacea'' males, but viable hybrids are never produced. This hybrid inviability (see Haldane's rule)) may be due to selfish X chromosomes and co-evolved suppressors. Alternately, differences in sex pheromone (e.g. vaccenyl acetate) reception could underlie female readiness and male willingness to copulate. The antimicrobial peptide gene '' Diptericin B'' has been pseudogenized in ''D. testacea'' and likely its sister species ''D. neotestacea''. See also * Drosophila testacea species ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Drosophila Guttifera
''Drosophila guttifera'' is a species of vinegar fly in the Drosophila quinaria species group. Like many quinaria group species, ''D. guttifera'' feeds on rotting mushrooms. In 2015, the genome of ''Drosophila guttifera'' was sequenced by the laboratory of Sean B. Carroll providing an answer on how different wing patterns emerge in this species, relying on genetic switches called enhancers that drive the polka-dot pattern on the wings of ''D. guttifera''. These enhancers are cis-regulatory elements, which can promote new wing patterns by modifying gene expression, rather than the actual protein being expressed. Further reading * Description of background on ''D. guttifera'' use in genetic studies in the Drosophila quinaria species group article. Gallery File:CompareWings2.tif, Wing comparisons in the Drosophila quinaria species group The ''Drosophila quinaria'' species group is a speciose lineage of mushroom-feeding flies studied for their specialist ecology, the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mushroom-feeding Drosophila
Mushroom-feeding ''Drosophila'' (mycophagous ''Drosophila'') are a subset of ''Drosophila'' flies that have highly specific mushroom-breeding ecologies. Often these flies can tolerate toxic compounds from ''Amanita'' mushrooms. Species groups * ''Drosophila testacea'' species group * ''Drosophila quinaria'' species group * ''Drosophila bizonata'' species group * Some members of the ''Drosophila obscura'' species group Sequenced genomes or transcriptomes * ''Drosophila guttifera'' * ''Drosophila neotestacea'' * '' Drosophila innubila'' * '' Drosophila falleni'' * ''Drosophila phalerata'' Gallery File: Dneo f3.tif , '' D. neotestacea'' (Testacea species group) File: Dtestacea male 2-4.tif , '' D. testacea'' (Testacea species group) File: Dinnubila4.tif , '' D. innubila'' (Quinaria species group) File:Dguttifera.tif, ''Drosophila guttifera'' (Quinaria species group) Dphalerata male.tif, ''Drosophila phalerata'' (Quinaria species group) File:Drosophila falleni infected wi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Calliphoridae
The Calliphoridae (commonly known as blow flies, blow-flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, greenbottles, or cluster flies) are a family of insects in the order Diptera, with almost 1,900 known species. The maggot larvae, often used as fishing bait, are known as gentles. The family is known to be polyphyletic, but much remains disputed regarding proper treatment of the constituent taxa, some of which are occasionally accorded family status (e.g., Bengaliidae and Helicoboscidae). The name blowfly comes from an older English term for meat that had eggs laid on it, which was said to be flyblown. The first known association of the term "blow" with flies appears in the plays of William Shakespeare: '' Love's Labour's Lost'', '' The Tempest'', and ''Antony and Cleopatra''. Description Characteristics Calliphoridae adults are commonly shiny with metallic colouring, often with blue, green, or black thoraces and abdomens. Antennae are three-segmented and aristate. The aristae are pl ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |