Immunogenetics and Functional Genomics of Insects
A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editors
Interests: antimicrobial peptide; innate immune response; host–parasite interaction; immune gene evolution
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Insects, the most diverse and adaptable group of organisms on Earth, have evolved sophisticated innate immune systems over hundreds of millions of years. From model organisms like Drosophila melanogaster to disease vectors such as the malaria mosquito (Anopheles gambiae), research on insect immunity has uncovered the molecular basis of immune components, including gene regulatory networks, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), complement-like pathways, and antimicrobial peptides. To date, advances in functional genomics—such as transcriptomics, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and evolutionary genomics—have provided tools to dissect immune gene function, regulatory mechanisms, and evolutionary dynamics (e.g., expansion, contraction, and positive selection in immune-related gene families).
This Special Issue aims to advance interdisciplinary research at the intersection of insect immunogenetics and functional genomics, with a focus on evolutionary dynamics of immune genes, molecular mechanisms of immune signaling, discovery of novel immune effectors, etc. Themes of interest include, but are not limited to, host-microbe interactions, functional constraints and evolutionary innovations, immune memory and epigenetic regulation, and the application of cutting-edge technologies such as multi-omics and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in insect immunology. We particularly encourage submissions that provide new insights into host-microbe interactions and the crosstalk of immune response with nutritional and developmental signals. These discoveries would not only deepen our understanding of insect immunity but also offer potential targets for pest control and disease management.
Dr. Zhizhi Wang
Dr. Fei Wang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- host–microbe interaction
- microbial infection
- insect immunity
- immune gene evolution
- innmue response
- crosstalk
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