Transcriptional profiling of RNA in Galleria mellonella larvae during infection and at death by different entomopathogenic nematode species

Entomopathogenic nematodes are soil-inhabiting worms which in association with obligate symbiotic bacteria primarily infect and cause mortality to life stages of several insect species. They cause insect mortality in 24 to 72 hours depending on the inoculum dose, nematode-bacterium complex involved, taxonomic order and life stages of insect hosts, etc. The virulence in terms of insect mortality is an outcome of molecular and biochemical interactions between virulence factors, host immunity, mutualism, antibiosis, etc. Some insect hosts are highly susceptible and others are equipped with immunity to counter the virulence. These factors are directly useful to work out pest management strategies in terms of dose, time, and methods of application in the field. However, the events that decide the fate of an insect to be a good host or nonhost are manifested presumably at the molecular level as early as at infection and subsequently with the progression of infection. This project intends to provide the plausible gene expression in Galleria mellonella at two stages i.e., just at death/morbid and after death due to infection by different nematode species in combination with their respective obligate bacterial associates.