In recent decades, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) have emerged as a model system to explore experimental aspects of fungal pathogenesis. The benefits of the G. mellonella model include being faster, cheaper, higher throughput and easier compared with vertebrate models. Additionally, as invertebrates, their use is subject to fewer ethical and regulatory issues. However, for G. mellonella models to provide meaningful insight into fungal pathogenesis, the G. mellonella–fungal interactions must be comparable to mammalian–fungal interactions. Indeed, as discussed in the review, studies suggest that G. mellonella and mammalian immune systems share many similarities, and fungal virulence factors show conserved functions in both hosts. While the moth model has opened novel research areas, many comparisons are superficial and leave large gaps of knowledge that need to be addressed concerning specific mechanisms underlying G. mellonella–fungal interactions. Closing these gaps in understanding will strengthen G. mellonella as a model for fungal virulence in the upcoming years. In this review, we provide comprehensive comparisons between fungal pathogenesis in mammals and G. mellonella from immunological and virulence perspectives. When information on an antifungal immune component is unknown in G. mellonella, we include findings from other well-studied Lepidoptera. We hope that by outlining this information available in related species, we highlight areas of needed research and provide a framework for understanding G. mellonella immunity and fungal interactions.

中文翻译：

---

哺乳动物与无脊椎动物模式生物 Galleria mellonella 的真菌免疫和发病机制

近几十年来，Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) 已成为探索真菌发病机制实验方面的模型系统。与脊椎动物模型相比，G. mellonella 模型的好处包括更快、更便宜、更高的吞吐量和更容易。此外，作为无脊椎动物，它们的使用受到较少的伦理和监管问题的影响。然而，为了让 G. mellonella 模型对真菌发病机制提供有意义的见解，G. mellonella-真菌相互作用必须与哺乳动物-真菌相互作用相当。事实上，正如评论中所讨论的，研究表明 G. mellonella 和哺乳动物免疫系统有许多相似之处，并且真菌毒力因子在两种宿主中都显示出保守的功能。虽然飞蛾模型开辟了新的研究领域，许多比较是肤浅的，并留下了需要解决有关 G. mellonella - 真菌相互作用的具体机制的巨大知识空白。弥合这些理解上的差距将加强 G. mellonella 作为未来几年真菌毒力的模型。在这篇综述中，我们从免疫学和毒力的角度提供了哺乳动物真菌发病机制与 G. mellonella 之间的全面比较。当 G. mellonella 中抗真菌免疫成分的信息未知时，我们会纳入其他经过充分研究的鳞翅目昆虫的发现。我们希望通过概述相关物种中可用的这些信息，我们突出需要研究的领域，并为理解 G. mellonella 免疫和真菌相互作用提供一个框架。