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Fruitflies derived from a wild population vary in their resistance to infection with the bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. A survey of nucleotide diversity in 21 genes involved in innate immunity concluded that 16 genes had polymorphisms associated with resistance to this specific pathogen. However, the effects of individual polymorphisms on the resistance phenotype were modest, and epistatic interactions appeared to be common. What might these findings tell us about genetic resistance to infection in humans?

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.tig.2005.02.002

Type

Journal article

Journal

Trends Genet

Publication Date

04/2005

Volume

21

Pages

197 - 199

Keywords

Animals, Drosophila, Evolution, Molecular, Immunity, Innate, Polymorphism, Genetic, Serratia marcescens