Transcriptomic comparison of Lymantria dispar larvae infected with three different pathogens

This study provides transcriptomic data from Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) larvae infected with three distinct types of pathogens: Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV, a virus), Staphylococcus aureus (a bacterium), and Metarhizium anisopliae (a fungus). The research aimed to compare behavioral and molecular responses of gypsy moth larvae to different pathogenic infections, with a particular focus on the "tree-top disease" phenotype induced specifically by LdMNPV.The dataset includes RNA-seq profiles from larvae at 72 hours post-infection, along with uninfected controls. Differential gene expression analysis revealed key pathways involved in energy metabolism, immune response (e.g., Toll and IMD signaling pathways), and neural activity that are uniquely regulated during viral infection. These data contribute to understanding how baculoviruses manipulate host behavior and metabolism, and provide a comparative perspective on insect responses to viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens.These transcriptomes may be useful for studies in insect physiology, host-pathogen interactions, behavioral ecology, and biological control of forest pests.