Epigenetic Regulation in Insect-Microbe Interactions

Abstract

Insects have evolved diverse interactions with a variety of microbes, such as pathogenic fungi, bacteria, and viruses. The immune responses of insect hosts, along with the dynamic infection process of microbes in response to the changing host environment and defenses, require rapid and fine-tuned regulation of gene expression programs. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNA regulation, play important roles in regulating the expression of genes involved in insect immunity and microbial pathogenicity. This review highlights recent discoveries and insights into epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that modulate insect-microbe interactions. A deeper understanding of these regulatory mechanisms underlying insect-microbe interactions holds promise for the development of novel strategies for biological control of insect pests and mitigation of vector-borne diseases.

Keywords: DNA methylation; histone modifications; insect immunity; insect–microbe interactions; microbial pathogenicity; small RNAs.