scholarly journals Galleria mellonella as an infection model: an in-depth look at why it works and practical considerations for successful application

2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monalessa Fábia Pereira ◽  
Ciro César Rossi ◽  
Giarlã Cunha da Silva ◽  
Jéssica Nogueira Rosa ◽  
Denise Mara Soares Bazzolli
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Larval Rearing ◽  
Greater Wax Moth ◽  
Infection Models ◽  
Interlaboratory Reproducibility ◽  
Practical Recommendations ◽  
Wax Moth

ABSTRACT The larva of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella is an increasingly popular model for assessing the virulence of bacterial pathogens and the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents. In this review, we discuss details of the components of the G. mellonella larval immune system that underpin its use as an alternative infection model, and provide an updated overview of the state of the art of research with G. mellonella infection models to study bacterial virulence, and in the evaluation of antimicrobial efficacy. Emphasis is given to virulence studies with relevant human and veterinary pathogens, especially Escherichia coli and bacteria of the ESKAPE group. In addition, we make practical recommendations for larval rearing and testing, and overcoming potential limitations of the use of the model, which facilitate intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility.

scholarly journals Galleria mellonella as an alternative infection model for Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Microbiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 155 (5) ◽  
pp. 1516-1522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia L. Champion ◽  
Ian A. M. Cooper ◽  
Sarah L. James ◽  
Donna Ford ◽  
Andrey Karlyshev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Phenotypic Properties ◽  
Infection Models ◽  
Insect Haemocytes ◽  
Increased Susceptibility ◽  
Wax Moth

We report that larvae of the wax moth (Galleria mellonella) are susceptible to infection with the human enteropathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis at 37 °C. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that in the initial stages of infection the bacteria were taken up into haemocytes. To evaluate the utility of this model for screening Y. pseudotuberculosis mutants we constructed and tested a superoxide dismutase C (sodC) mutant. This mutant showed increased susceptibility to superoxide, a key mechanism of killing in insect haemocytes and mammalian phagocytes. It showed reduced virulence in the murine yersiniosis infection model and in contrast to the wild-type strain IP32953 was unable to kill G. mellonella. The complemented mutant regained all phenotypic properties associated with SodC, confirming the important role of this metalloenzyme in two Y. pseudotuberculosis infection models.

scholarly journals Methods and Challenges of Using the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) as a Model Organism in Antimicrobial Compound Discovery

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athina Andrea ◽  
Karen Krogfelt ◽  
Håvard Jenssen
Keyword(s):  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Liquid Volume ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Greater Wax Moth ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Mammalian Infection ◽  
Wax Moth

Among non-mammalian infection model organisms, the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella have seen increasing popularity in recent years. Unlike other invertebrate models, these larvae can be incubated at 37 °C and can be dosed relatively precisely. Despite the increasing number of publications describing the use of this model organism, there is a high variability with regard to how the model is produced in different laboratories, with respect to larva size, age, origin, storage, and rest periods, as well as dosing for infection and treatment. Here, we provide suggestions regarding how some of these factors can be approached, to facilitate the comparability of studies between different laboratories. We introduce a linear regression curve correlating the total larva weight to the liquid volume in order to estimate the in vivo concentration of pathogens and the administered drug concentration. Finally, we discuss several other aspects, including in vivo antibiotic stability in larvae, the infection doses for different pathogens and suggest guidelines for larvae selection.

scholarly journals Establishing an invertebrate Galleria mellonella greater wax moth larval model of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection

Virulence ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1900-1920
Author(s):  
Aiste Dijokaite ◽  
Maria Victoria Humbert ◽  
Emma Borkowski ◽  
Roberto M La Ragione ◽  
Myron Christodoulides
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Greater Wax Moth ◽  
Wax Moth

Transgenic expression of gallerimycin, a novel antifungal insect defensin from the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella, confers resistance to pathogenic fungi in tobacco

2006 ◽  
Vol 387 (5) ◽  
pp. 549-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor Langen ◽  
Jafargholi Imani ◽  
Boran Altincicek ◽  
Gernot Kieseritzky ◽  
Karl-Heinz Kogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transgenic Tobacco ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Transgenic Expression ◽  
Greater Wax Moth ◽  
Insect Defensin ◽  
Wax Moth

Abstract A cDNA encoding gallerimycin, a novel antifungal peptide from the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella, was isolated from a cDNA library of genes expressed during innate immune response in the caterpillars. Upon ectopic expression of gallerimycin in tobacco, using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a vector, gallerimycin conferred resistance to the fungal pathogens Erysiphe cichoracearum and Sclerotinia minor. Quantification of gallerimycin mRNA in transgenic tobacco by real-time PCR confirmed transgenic expression under control of the inducible mannopine synthase promoter. Leaf sap and intercellular washing fluid from transgenic tobacco inhibited in vitro germination and growth of the fungal pathogens, demonstrating that gallerimycin is secreted into intercellular spaces. The feasibility of the use of gallerimycin to counteract fungal diseases in crop plants is discussed.

Greater wax moth Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as a resistant model host for Nosema pyrausta (Microsporidia: Nosematidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri S. Tokarev ◽  
Ekaterina V. Grizanova ◽  
Anastasia N. Ignatieva ◽  
Ivan M. Dubovskiy
Keyword(s):  
Galleria Mellonella ◽  
Greater Wax Moth ◽  
Lepidoptera Pyralidae ◽  
Wax Moth
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