New to Galleria mellonella

EditoriAL Pathogens and their respective hosts interact closely leading to the host–pathogen framework response that could result in different outcomes that range from pathogen elimination to death of the host. To improve our ability to propose new measures that promote pathogen elimination and prevent host death, we need to have a comprehensive understanding of this interaction. Generally , most hosts respond to molecular signs of a microbe invasion by initiating local defense mechanisms comprised of innate and acquired immune surveillance systems. Traditionally, established infection models such as mice, rats, hamsters, and cultured cells have been utilized for interrogating the host–pathogen relationship and identifying potential virulence factors. However, while whole animals are preferred over in vitro assessments and offer the possibility of studying both innate and adaptive immune responses, the use of members of the rodent family has its inherent problems such as costs, space requirements, and animal ethics policies. Since the introduction of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host for pathogenic bacteria 1 and fungi, 2 both Dro-sophila melanogaster and the wax moth Galleria mellonella have also been exploited as suitable models (Table 1). To date, the fruit fly is probably the most versatile infection model as it is able to be infected by all classes of human pathogens, including virus 3 and parasites 4 which cannot be modeled in C. elegans. In addition , D. melanogaster can be utilized in low to medium through-put drug screens for potential anti-fungal compounds. 5 Only a limited number of studies utilizing G. mellonella as a model organism have been reported off due to a lack of sufficient tools and available information such as annotated genome sequences, microarrays, mutant, or reporter strains as well as the ability to generate knockdowns or knockouts that are already readily available for mice, nematodes, and fruit flies. Nevertheless, over the last few years G. mellonella has been utilized to study the patho-genic mechanisms of several key bacterial and fungal pathogens of humans which have produced results that correlate closely with those obtained from similar investigations using mamma-lian host models. 6 In contrast to the limitations listed above in using the wax moth as a model host, the insect antimicrobial defense system is much more advanced compared with worms and flies whereby hemolymph cells can phagocytose microbes and also induce the production of antimicrobial peptides and lysozyme. 7,8 Furthermore, insect larval midgut epithelial cells share similar …