Insects cope with environmental threats using a broad array of strategies. A key strategy, widespread among insects but unappreciated until recently, is the use of molecular defenses from symbiotic microbes. Insect-microbe defensive symbioses span the diversity of insect lineages and microbial partners and use molecules ranging from reactive oxygen species to small molecules to protein toxins to defend against predators, parasites, and microbial pathogens. These systems have a strong initial track record as sources of novel biologically active compounds with therapeutic potential. This review surveys the molecular basis for insect-microbe defensive symbioses with a focus on the ecological contexts for defense and on emerging lessons about molecular diversity from bacterial genomes.

中文翻译：

---

国防合同：昆虫-微生物共生中的分子保护

昆虫使用多种策略应对环境威胁。一种关键策略是利用共生微生物的分子防御技术，这种策略在昆虫中广泛存在，但直到最近才被人们所认识。昆虫-微生物防御共生体跨越昆虫谱系和微生物伴侣，并使用从活性氧到小分子再到蛋白质毒素的各种分子来防御天敌，寄生虫和微生物病原体。这些系统作为具有治疗潜力的新型生物活性化合物的来源，具有很强的初始记录。这篇综述调查了昆虫-微生物防御共生的分子基础，重点是防御的生态环境和细菌基因组中有关分子多样性的新兴课程。