Vers nématodes adultes infectés par le champignon "Drechmeria coniospora"

Adult nematode worms, caenorhabditis elegans, infected with drechmeria coniospora fungus, observed using fluorescence and a differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope. The worms trigger the expression of antimicrobial peptides (shown by green fluorescent protein (GFP) in their epidermis (shown by red fluorescent protein (RFP). Upon detecting an infection or injury, the organism coordinates antimicrobial defence mechanisms with the healing process. Researchers have identified a ligand-receptor pair that is activated by injury and infection in nematode worms. They postulate an unprecedented role as a sentinel for derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine, and reveal the role of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in defending the host.