Molecular insights into host adaptation against coinfection. Tribolium castaneum

In this project, we performed RNA sequencing to gain mechanistic insights into divergent immune responses evolving in Tribolium castaneum beetle populations selected against either a gram-positive bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), or a gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas entomophila (Pe), or a mixed infection dose of both (Mx). We collected 10-day-old virgin females from each of the selection regimes; infected them with their respective pathogens and infection types and compared the response with their control unselected populations (i.e., never exposed to infections) at 8 hours, 16 hours and 24 hours after infection with Bt, Pe and Mx, respectively.