MdSVWC1 regulates the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes in the Musca domestica

RNA-Seq was employed for the differential expression analysis between wild-type and MdSVWC1-/- or MdSPN16-/- flies. The adult flies of different strains were treated with a mixture of bacteria (E. coli and S. aureus) for 6 h by injection into the thorax. Three biological replicate samples were collected for each strain. The results demonstrated that antimicrobial peptide genes exhibited significant differences in expression levels between wild-type and mutant strains. These findings suggest that the loss of MdSVWC1 results in an impairment of antimicrobial peptide genes induction by bacterial infection. Conversely, the deletion of MdSPN16 resulted in the over-induction of several antimicrobial peptide genes following challenge by a mix of bacteria compared to the wild-type strain.