Pesky Aphid Thrives Despite Weak Immune System (IMAGE)

Emory Health Sciences

Pesky Aphid Thrives Despite Weak Immune System

Caption

Pea aphids are major agricultural pests and also important biological models for studies of insect-plant interactions, symbiosis, virus vectoring and genetic plasticity. These resilient insects thrive despite a host of enemies, including parasitic wasps, lady bugs, fungal pathogens and frustrated farmers and gardeners the world over. The immune-system analysis is among a group of findings being published this month as part of the International Aphid Genomics Consortium, which recently published the full sequence of the pea aphid genome, and sponsored dozens of in-depth analyses of different areas of the sequence. Gerardo served as a project leader for the consortium, in addition to heading the immune system study.

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Nicole Gerardo: www.emory.edu/esciencecommons

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