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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #249450
Title: Anti-viral Responses in Insects

Author
item CLEM, ROLLIE - Kansas State University
item Popham, Holly
item Shelby, Kent

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/2010
Publication Date: 9/1/2010
Citation: Clem, R.J., Popham, H.J., Shelby, K. 2010. Anti-viral responses in insects. In: Asgori, S., Johnson, K., editors. Insect Virology. Norfolk, UK: Caistor Academic Press. p. 383-404.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Although the study of anti-viral responses in insects has lagged behind studies of responses to other types of pathogens, progress has begun to rapidly accelerate over the past few years. Insects are subject to infection by many different kinds of DNA and RNA viruses. These include viruses that are pathogenic to insects, as well as vertebrate pathogens that are vectored by insects. Anti-viral responses in insects include each of the three traditionally defined types of innate immunity (physical barriers, cellular immunity, and humoral immunity). In addition to these, we propose a fourth type, which we call intracellular immunity. Intracellular immunity is particularly relevant to virus infection, and includes responses, such as apoptosis and RNA interference, that operate within the infected cell. In this chapter, we discuss the current understanding of anti-viral responses in insects, focusing mainly on two of the best understood types, apoptosis and humoral immunity.