Pathogen Binding and Entry: Molecular Interactions with the Insect Gut

The point of entry for the majority of arthropod pathogens and arthropod-vectored pathogens of plant, animal, and human health importance is the arthropod midgut. Pathogen interaction with the midgut therefore represents a primary target for intervention to prevent pathogen infection and transmission. Despite this key role in pathogen invasion, relatively little is known of the specific molecular interactions between pathogens and the surface of the arthropod gut epithelium, with few pathogen receptors having been definitively identified. This article provides an overview of pathogen molecular interactions in the arthropod midgut, with a focus on gut surface proteins that mediate pathogen entry, and highlights recent methodological advances that facilitate the identification of pathogen receptor proteins.