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Łukasik P, Kolasa MR. With a little help from my friends: the roles of microbial symbionts in insect populations and communities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230122. [PMID: 38705185 PMCID: PMC11070262 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
To understand insect abundance, distribution and dynamics, we need to understand the relevant drivers of their populations and communities. While microbial symbionts are known to strongly affect many aspects of insect biology, we lack data on their effects on populations or community processes, or on insects' evolutionary responses at different timescales. How these effects change as the anthropogenic effects on ecosystems intensify is an area of intense research. Recent developments in sequencing and bioinformatics permit cost-effective microbial diversity surveys, tracking symbiont transmission, and identification of functions across insect populations and multi-species communities. In this review, we explore how different functional categories of symbionts can influence insect life-history traits, how these effects could affect insect populations and their interactions with other species, and how they may affect processes and patterns at the level of entire communities. We argue that insect-associated microbes should be considered important drivers of insect response and adaptation to environmental challenges and opportunities. We also outline the emerging approaches for surveying and characterizing insect-associated microbiota at population and community scales. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Łukasik
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Michał R. Kolasa
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
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2
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Leybourne DJ, Whitehead MA, Will T. Genetic diversity in vector populations influences the transmission efficiency of an important plant virus. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20240095. [PMID: 38774968 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The transmission efficiency of aphid-vectored plant viruses can differ between aphid populations. Intra-species diversity (genetic variation, endosymbionts) is a key determinant of aphid phenotype; however, the extent to which intra-species diversity contributes towards variation in virus transmission efficiency is unclear. Here, we use multiple populations of two key aphid species that vector barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) strain PAV (BYDV-PAV), the grain aphid (Sitobion avenae) and the bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi), and examine how diversity in vector populations influences virus transmission efficiency. We use Illumina sequencing to characterize genetic and endosymbiont variation in multiple Si. avenae and Rh. padi populations and conduct BYDV-PAV transmission experiments to identify links between intra-species diversity in the vector and virus transmission efficiency. We observe limited variation in the transmission efficiency of Si. avenae, with transmission efficiency consistently low for this species. However, for Rh. padi, we observe a range of transmission efficiencies and show that BYDV transmission efficiency is influenced by genetic diversity within the vector, identifying 542 single nucleotide polymorphisms that potentially contribute towards variable transmission efficiency in Rh. padi. Our results represent an important advancement in our understanding of the relationship between genetic diversity, vector-virus interactions, and virus transmission efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Leybourne
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour. Institute of Infection Veterinary and Ecological Science, University of Liverpool , Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Mark A Whitehead
- Centre for Genomics Research. Institute of Infection Veterinary and Ecological Science, University of Liverpool , Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Torsten Will
- Institute for Resistance Research and Stress Tolerance, Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants , Quedlinburg 06484, Germany
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3
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Giorgini M, Formisano G, García-García R, Bernat-Ponce S, Beitia F. The Susceptibility of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED) Species to Attack by a Parasitoid Wasp Changes between Two Whitefly Strains with Different Facultative Endosymbiotic Bacteria. INSECTS 2023; 14:808. [PMID: 37887820 PMCID: PMC10607859 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
In this study, two strains of the mitochondrial lineage Q1 of Bemisia tabaci MED species, characterized by a different complement of facultative bacterial endosymbionts, were tested for their susceptibility to be attacked by the parasitoid wasp Eretmocerus mundus, a widespread natural enemy of B. tabaci. Notably, the BtHC strain infected with Hamiltonella and Cardinium was more resistant to parasitization than the BtHR strain infected with Hamiltonella and Rickettsia. The resistant phenotype consisted of fewer nymphs successfully parasitized (containing the parasitoid mature larva or pupa) and in a lower percentage of adult wasps emerging from parasitized nymphs. Interestingly, the resistance traits were not evident when E. mundus parasitism was compared between BtHC and BtHR using parasitoids originating from a colony maintained on BtHC. However, when we moved the parasitoid colony on BtHR and tested E. mundus after it was reared on BtHR for four and seven generations, we saw then that BtHC was less susceptible to parasitization than BtHR. On the other hand, we did not detect any difference in the parasitization of the BtHR strain between the three generations of E. mundus tested. Our findings showed that host strain is a factor affecting the ability of E. mundus to parasitize B. tabaci and lay the basis for further studies aimed at disentangling the role of the facultative endosymbiont Cardinium and of the genetic background in the resistance of B. tabaci MED to parasitoid attack. Furthermore, they highlight that counteradaptations to the variation of B. tabaci defence mechanisms may be rapidly selected in E. mundus to maximize the parasitoid fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Giorgini
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy (IPSP-CNR), 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Formisano
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy (IPSP-CNR), 80055 Portici, Italy;
| | - Rosalía García-García
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (S.B.-P.); (F.B.)
| | - Saúl Bernat-Ponce
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (S.B.-P.); (F.B.)
| | - Francisco Beitia
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (R.G.-G.); (S.B.-P.); (F.B.)
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4
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Giordano R, Weber EP, Mitacek R, Flores A, Ledesma A, De AK, Herman TK, Soto-Adames FN, Nguyen MQ, Hill CB, Hartman GL. Patterns of asexual reproduction of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Matsumura), with and without the secondary symbionts Wolbachia and Arsenophonus, on susceptible and resistant soybean genotypes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1209595. [PMID: 37720159 PMCID: PMC10501154 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1209595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant breeding is used to develop crops with host resistance to aphids, however, virulent biotypes often develop that overcome host resistance genes. We tested whether the symbionts, Arsenophonus (A) and Wolbachia (W), affect virulence and fecundity in soybean aphid biotypes Bt1 and Bt3 cultured on whole plants and detached leaves of three resistant, Rag1, Rag2 and Rag1 + 2, and one susceptible, W82, soybean genotypes. Whole plants and individual aphid experiments of A. glycines with and without Arsenophonus and Wolbachia did not show differences in overall fecundity. Differences were observed in peak fecundity, first day of deposition, and day of maximum nymph deposition of individual aphids on detached leaves. Bt3 had higher fecundity than Bt1 on detached leaves of all plant genotypes regardless of bacterial profile. Symbionts did not affect peak fecundity of Bt1 but increased it in Bt3 (A+W+) and all Bt3 strains began to deposit nymphs earlier than the Bt1 (A+W-). Arsenophonus in Bt1 delayed the first day of nymph deposition in comparison to aposymbiotic Bt1 except when reared on Rag1 + 2. For the Bt1 and Bt3 strains, symbionts did not result in a significant difference in the day they deposited the maximum number of nymphs nor was there a difference in survival or variability in number of nymphs deposited. Variability of number of aphids deposited was higher in aphids feeding on resistant plant genotypes. The impact of Arsenophonus on soybean aphid patterns of fecundity was dependent on the aphid biotype and plant genotype. Wolbachia alone had no detectable impact but may have contributed to the increased fecundity of Bt3 (A+W+). An individual based model, using data from the detached leaves experiment and with intraspecific competition removed, found patterns similar to those observed in the greenhouse and growth chamber experiments including a significant interaction between soybean genotype and aphid strain. Combining individual data with the individual based model of population growth isolated the impact of fecundity and host resistance from intraspecific competition and host health. Changes to patterns of fecundity, influenced by the composition and concentration of symbionts, may contribute to competitive interactions among aphid genotypes and influence selection on virulent aphid populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Giordano
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
- Puerto Rico Science Technology and Research Trust, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Everett P. Weber
- Office of Institutional Research, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Ryan Mitacek
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Alejandra Flores
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Alonso Ledesma
- College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Arun K. De
- Animal Sciences Division, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, India
| | | | - Felipe N. Soto-Adames
- Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Minh Q. Nguyen
- Neochromosome, Inc., Long Island City, NY, United States
| | - Curtis B. Hill
- Neochromosome, Inc., Long Island City, NY, United States
| | - Glen L. Hartman
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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Zytynska SE, Sturm S, Hawes C, Weisser WW, Karley A. Floral presence and flower identity alter cereal aphid endosymbiont communities on adjacent crops. J Appl Ecol 2023; 60:1409-1423. [PMID: 38601947 PMCID: PMC11005096 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Floral plantings adjacent to crops fields can recruit populations of natural enemies by providing flower nectar and non-crop prey to increase natural pest regulation. Observed variation in success rates might be due to changes in the unseen community of endosymbionts hosted by many herbivorous insects, of which some can confer resistance to natural enemies, for example, parasitoid wasps. Reduced insect control may occur if highly protective symbiont combinations increase in frequency via selection effects, and this is expected to be stronger in lower diversity systems.We used a large-scale field trial to analyse the bacterial endosymbiont communities hosted by cereal aphids Sitobion avenae collected along transects into strip plots of barley plants managed by either conventional or integrated (including floral field margins and reduced inputs) methods. In addition, we conducted an outdoor pot experiment to analyse endosymbionts in S. avenae aphids collected on barley plants that were either grown alone or alongside one of three flowering plants, across three time points.In the field, aphids hosted up to four symbionts. The abundance of aphids and parasitoid wasps was reduced towards the middle of all fields while aphid symbiont species richness and diversity decreased into the field in conventional, but not integrated, field-strips. The proportion of aphids hosting different symbiont combinations varied across cropping systems, with distances into the fields, and were correlated with parasitoid wasp abundances.In the pot experiment, aphids hosted up to six symbionts. Flower presence increased natural enemy abundance and diversity, and decreased aphid abundance. The proportion of aphids hosting different symbiont combinations varied across the flower treatment and time, and were correlated with varying abundances of the different specialist parasitoid wasp species recruited by different flowers. Synthesis and applications. Floral plantings and flower identity had community-wide impacts on the combinations of bacterial endosymbionts hosted by herbivorous insects, which correlated with natural enemy diversity and abundance. We recommend that integrated management practices incorporate floral resources within field areas to support a more functionally diverse and resilient natural enemy community to mitigate selection for symbiont-mediated pest resistance throughout the cropping area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E. Zytynska
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Sarah Sturm
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Cathy Hawes
- Ecological Sciences DepartmentThe James Hutton InstituteDundeeUK
| | - Wolfgang W. Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Life Science Systems, School of Life SciencesTechnical University of MunichFreisingGermany
| | - Alison Karley
- Ecological Sciences DepartmentThe James Hutton InstituteDundeeUK
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6
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Frago E, Zytynska S. Impact of herbivore symbionts on parasitoid foraging behaviour. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 57:101027. [PMID: 36990151 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Parasitoids are insects that lay eggs in other insects, but before this, they have the remarkable task of locating and successfully attacking a suitable individual. Once an egg is laid, many herbivorous hosts carry defensive symbionts that prevent parasitoid development. Some symbioses can act ahead of these defences by reducing parasitoid foraging efficiency, while others may betray their hosts by producing chemical cues that attract parasitoids. In this review, we provide examples of symbionts altering the different steps that adult parasitoids need to take to achieve egg laying. We also discuss how interactions between habitat complexity, plants and herbivores modulate the way symbionts affect parasitoid foraging, and parasitoid evaluation of patch quality based on risk cues derived from parasitoid antagonists such as competing parasitoids and predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enric Frago
- CIRAD, UMR CBGP, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Université Montpellier, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
| | - Sharon Zytynska
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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7
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Xu W, Liu W, Li J, Zhu X, Wang L, Li D, Zhang K, Ji J, Gao X, Luo J, Cui J. Buchnera breaks the specialization of the cotton-specialized aphid ( Aphis gossypii) by providing nutrition through zucchini. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1128272. [PMID: 37025616 PMCID: PMC10071829 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1128272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, is a species of polyphagous aphid with many biotypes, and its host transfer has always been the focus of research on the control of cotton aphid. An important factor affecting aphid specialization is the nutritional association with microbial symbionts that provide the host with nutrients lacking in the diet. We analyzed the microbial composition and biodiversity of reared on zucchini for 10 generations (T1-T10) and cotton as a control (CK), by high-throughput Illumina sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes. The findings showed that the change in plant hosts decreased the richness and variety of microbial species. Regardless of whether the plant host is altered or not, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes are the predominate phyla in cotton-specialized aphid. Additionally, cotton-specialized aphids that live in zucchini had considerably lower relative abundances of non-dominant phyla (Bacteroidetes) than cotton hosts. At the genus level the dominant communities were Buchnera, Acinetobacter, and Arsenophonus. The relative abundance of Buchnera was significantly higher in aphids reared on zucchini than those on cotton, whereas the opposite was observed for Acinetobacter, as well as for some non-dominant communities (Stenotrophomonas, Pseudomons, Flavobacterium, Novosphingobium). Collectively, this study clarifies the dynamic changes of symbiotic bacteria in cotton-specialized aphids reared on zucchini for multiple generations. Among them, Buchnera is crucial for the cotton-specialized aphid to get nutrients during the transfer of the host and has a favorable impact on the colonization of cotton-specialized aphid populations on zucchini hosts. It not only enriches our understanding of the relationship between the bacterial microbiota of aphids and their adaptability to new hosts, zucchini, but also expands the current body of research on the mechanisms underlying the host shifting ability of cotton-specialized aphids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weili Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Weijiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Jinming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Xiangzhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Dongyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Kaixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Jichao Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Xueke Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Junyu Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
| | - Jinjie Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, Henan, China
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Western Agricultural Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji, China
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Liu S, Liu X, Zhang T, Bai S, He K, Zhang Y, Francis F, Wang Z. Secondary symbionts affect aphid fitness and the titer of primary symbiont. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1096750. [PMID: 36818877 PMCID: PMC9933779 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1096750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial symbionts associated with aphids are important for their ecological fitness. The corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), is one of the most damaging aphid pests on maize and has been reported to harbor Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola while the effects of the secondary symbionts (S-symbionts) on host ecology and primary symbiont Buchnera aphidicola remain unclear. Here, four aphid strains were established, two of which were collected from Langfang - Hebei Province, China, with similar symbiont pattern except for the presence of H. defensa. Two other aphid strains were collected from Nanning - Guangxi Province, China, with the same symbiont infection except for the presence of R. insecticola. Phylogenetic analysis and aphid genotyping indicated that the S-symbiont-infected and free aphid strains from the same location had identical genetic backgrounds. Aphid fitness measurement showed that aphid strain infected with H. defensa performed shortened developmental duration for 1st instar and total nymph stages, reduced aphid survival rate, offspring, and longevity. While the developmental duration of H-infected strains was accelerated, and the adult weight was significantly higher compared to the H-free strain. Infection with R. insecticola did not affect the aphid's entire nymph stage duration and survival rate. As the H-strain does, aphids infected with R. insecticola also underwent a drop in offspring, along with marginally lower longevity. Unlike the H-infected strain, the R-infected strain performed delayed developmental duration and lower adult weight. The B. aphidicola titers of the H-infected strains showed a steep drop during the aphid 1st to 3rd instar stages, while the augmentation of B. aphidicola titers was found in the R-infected strain during the aphid 1st to 3rd instar. Our study investigated for the first time the effect of the S-symbionts on the ecology fitness and primary symbiont in R. maidis, indicating that infection with secondary symbionts leads to the modulation of aphid primary symbiont abundance, together inducing significant fitness costs on aphids with further impact on environmental adaptation and trophic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Xiaobei Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tiantao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuxiong Bai
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kanglai He
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Zhenying Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Fan ZY, Liu Y, He ZQ, Wen Q, Chen XY, Khan MM, Osman M, Mandour NS, Qiu BL. Rickettsia Infection Benefits Its Whitefly Hosts by Manipulating Their Nutrition and Defense. INSECTS 2022; 13:1161. [PMID: 36555070 PMCID: PMC9785894 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Endosymbionts play an essential role in the biology, physiology and immunity of insects. Many insects, including the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, are infected with the facultative endosymbiont Rickettsia. However, the mutualism between Rickettsia and its whitefly host remains unclear. This study investigated the biological and physiological benefits of Rickettsia infection to B. tabaci. Results revealed that infection of Rickettsia increased the fertility, the survival rate from nymph to adult and the number of female whiteflies. In addition, this facilitation caused a significant reduction in nymphal developmental duration but did not affect percentage rate of egg hatching. Rickettsia infected B. tabaci had significantly higher glycogen, soluble sugar and trehalose contents than Rickettsia negative B. tabaci individuals. Rickettsia also improved the immunity of its whitefly hosts. Rickettsia infested B. tabaci had lower mortality rates and higher semi-lethal concentrations (LC50) when exposed to the fungus Akanthomyces attenuatus and the insecticides imidacloprid and spirotetramat. The percentage of parasitism by Encarsia formosa was also reduced by Rickettsia infection. Overall, Rickettsia infection benefits B. tabaci by improving the nutritional composition of its host, and also protects B. tabaci by enhancing its resistance towards insecticides (imidacloprid and spirotetramat), entomopathogenic fungi (A. attenuatus) and its main parasitoid (E. formosa); all of which could significantly impact on current management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Yun Fan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zi-Qi He
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qin Wen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xin-Yi Chen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Muhammad Musa Khan
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Mohamed Osman
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Nasser Said Mandour
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
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10
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Tomanović Ž, Kavallieratos NG, Ye Z, Nika EP, Petrović A, Vollhardt IMG, Vorburger C. Cereal Aphid Parasitoids in Europe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae): Taxonomy, Biodiversity, and Ecology. INSECTS 2022; 13:1142. [PMID: 36555052 PMCID: PMC9785021 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cereals are very common and widespread crops in Europe. Aphids are a diverse group of herbivorous pests on cereals and one of the most important limiting factors of cereal production. Here, we present an overview of knowledge about the taxonomy, biodiversity, and ecology of cereal aphid parasitoids in Europe, an important group of natural enemies contributing to cereal aphid control. We review the knowledge obtained from the integrative taxonomy of 26 cereal aphid primary parasitoid species, including two allochthonous species (Lysiphlebus testaceipes and Trioxys sunnysidensis) and two recently described species (Lipolexis labialis and Paralipsis brachycaudi). We further review 28 hyperparasitoid species belonging to three hymenopteran superfamilies and four families (Ceraphronoidea: Megaspillidae; Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae, Encyrtidae; Cynipoidea: Figitidae). We also compile knowledge on the presence of secondary endosymbionts in cereal aphids, as these are expected to influence the community composition and biocontrol efficiency of cereal aphid parasitoids. To study aphid-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid food webs more effectively, we present two kinds of DNA-based approach: (i) diagnostic PCR (mainly multiplex PCR), and (ii) DNA sequence-based methods. Finally, we also review the effects of landscape complexity on the different trophic levels in the food webs of cereal aphids and their associated parasitoids, as well as the impacts of agricultural practices and environmental variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Željko Tomanović
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade, 16 Studentski trg, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Knez Mihailova 35, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nickolas G. Kavallieratos
- Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Zhengpei Ye
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Xueyuan Road 4, Haikou 571101, China
| | - Erifili P. Nika
- Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Andjeljko Petrović
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade, 16 Studentski trg, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ines M. G. Vollhardt
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Science, Georg-August University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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11
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Garcia-Vozmediano A, Tomassone L, Fonville M, Bertolotti L, Heylen D, Fabri ND, Medlock JM, Nijhof AM, Hansford KM, Sprong H, Krawczyk AI. The Genetic Diversity of Rickettsiella Symbionts in Ixodes ricinus Throughout Europe. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:613-626. [PMID: 34580739 PMCID: PMC9436858 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01869-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Rickettsiella species are bacterial symbionts that are present in a great variety of arthropod species, including ixodid ticks. However, little is known about their genetic diversity and distribution in Ixodes ricinus, as well as their relationship with other tick-associated bacteria. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and the genetic diversity of Rickettsiella spp. in I. ricinus throughout Europe and evaluated any preferential and antagonistic associations with Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii and the pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Borrelia miyamotoi. Rickettsiella spp. were detected in most I. ricinus populations investigated, encompassing a wide array of climate types and environments. The infection prevalence significantly differed between geographic locations and was significantly higher in adults than in immature life stages. Phylogenetic investigations and protein characterization disclosed four Rickettsiella clades (I-IV). Close phylogenetic relations were observed between Rickettsiella strains of I. ricinus and other arthropod species. Isolation patterns were detected for Clades II and IV, which were restricted to specific geographic areas. Lastly, although coinfections occurred, we did not detect significant associations between Rickettsiella spp. and the other tick-associated bacteria investigated. Our results suggest that Rickettsiella spp. are a genetically and biologically diverse facultative symbiont of I. ricinus and that their distribution among tick populations could be influenced by environmental components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, L.go Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO Italy
| | - Laura Tomassone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, L.go Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO Italy
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Luigi Bertolotti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, L.go Braccini, 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO Italy
| | - Dieter Heylen
- Eco-Epidemiology Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Nannet D. Fabri
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jolyon M. Medlock
- Infections Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology, Public Health England, Porton Down, UK
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kayleigh M. Hansford
- Infections Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology, Public Health England, Porton Down, UK
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Aleksandra I. Krawczyk
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Sochard C, Bellec L, Simon JC, Outreman Y. Influence of "protective" symbionts throughout the different steps of an aphid-parasitoid interaction. Curr Zool 2021; 67:441-453. [PMID: 34616941 PMCID: PMC8489026 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial associates are widespread in insects, some conferring a protection to their hosts against natural enemies like parasitoids. These protective symbionts may affect the infection success of the parasitoid by modifying behavioral defenses of their hosts, the development success of the parasitoid by conferring a resistance against it or by altering life-history traits of the emerging parasitoids. Here, we assessed the effects of different protective bacterial symbionts on the entire sequence of the host-parasitoid interaction (i.e., from parasitoid attack to offspring emergence) between the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and its main parasitoid, Aphidius ervi and their impacts on the life-history traits of the emerging parasitoids. To test whether symbiont-mediated phenotypes were general or specific to particular aphid–symbiont associations, we considered several aphid lineages, each harboring a different strain of either Hamiltonella defensa or Regiella insecticola, two protective symbionts commonly found in aphids. We found that symbiont species and strains had a weak effect on the ability of aphids to defend themselves against the parasitic wasps during the attack and a strong effect on aphid resistance against parasitoid development. While parasitism resistance was mainly determined by symbionts, their effects on host defensive behaviors varied largely from one aphid–symbiont association to another. Also, the symbiotic status of the aphid individuals had no impact on the attack rate of the parasitic wasps, the parasitoid emergence rate from parasitized aphids nor the life-history traits of the emerging parasitoids. Overall, no correlations between symbiont effects on the different stages of the host–parasitoid interaction was observed, suggesting no trade-offs or positive associations between symbiont-mediated phenotypes. Our study highlights the need to consider various sequences of the host-parasitoid interaction to better assess the outcomes of protective symbioses and understand the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of insect–symbiont associations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Bellec
- IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ Rennes, 35000, Rennes, France
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13
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Aphids harbouring different endosymbionts exhibit differences in cuticular hydrocarbon profiles that can be recognized by ant mutualists. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19559. [PMID: 34599211 PMCID: PMC8486828 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98098-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have important communicative functions for ants, which use CHC profiles to recognize mutualistic aphid partners. Aphid endosymbionts can influence the quality of their hosts as ant mutualists, via effects on honeydew composition, and might also affect CHC profiles, suggesting that ants could potentially use CHC cues to discriminate among aphid lines harbouring different endosymbionts. We explored how several strains of Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola influence the CHC profiles of host aphids (Aphis fabae) and the ability of aphid-tending ants (Lasius niger) to distinguish the profiles of aphids hosting different endosymbionts. We found significant compositional differences between the CHCs of aphids with different infections. Some endosymbionts changed the proportions of odd-chain linear alkanes, while others changed primarily methyl-branched compounds, which may be particularly important for communication. Behavioural assays, in which we trained ants to associate CHC profiles of endosymbiont infected or uninfected aphids with food rewards, revealed that ants readily learned to distinguish differences in aphid CHC profiles associated with variation in endosymbiont strains. While previous work has documented endosymbiont effects on aphid interactions with antagonists, the current findings support the hypothesis that endosymbionts also alter traits that influence communicative interactions with ant mutualists.
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14
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Smith AH, O'Connor MP, Deal B, Kotzer C, Lee A, Wagner B, Joffe J, Woloszynek S, Oliver KM, Russell JA. Does getting defensive get you anywhere?-Seasonal balancing selection, temperature, and parasitoids shape real-world, protective endosymbiont dynamics in the pea aphid. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2449-2472. [PMID: 33876478 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Facultative, heritable endosymbionts are found at intermediate prevalence within most insect species, playing frequent roles in their hosts' defence against environmental pressures. Focusing on Hamiltonella defensa, a common bacterial endosymbiont of aphids, we tested the hypothesis that such pressures impose seasonal balancing selection, shaping a widespread infection polymorphism. In our studied pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) population, Hamiltonella frequencies ranged from 23.2% to 68.1% across a six-month longitudinal survey. Rapid spikes and declines were often consistent across fields, and we estimated that selection coefficients for Hamiltonella-infected aphids changed sign within this field season. Prior laboratory research suggested antiparasitoid defence as the major Hamiltonella benefit, and costs under parasitoid absence. While a prior field study suggested these forces can sometimes act as counter-weights in a regime of seasonal balancing selection, our present survey showed no significant relationship between parasitoid wasps and Hamiltonella prevalence. Field cage experiments provided some explanation: parasitoids drove modest ~10% boosts to Hamiltonella frequencies that would be hard to detect under less controlled conditions. They also showed that Hamiltonella was not always costly under parasitoid exclusion, contradicting another prediction. Instead, our longitudinal survey - and two overwintering studies - showed temperature to be the strongest predictor of Hamiltonella prevalence. Matching some prior lab discoveries, this suggested that thermally sensitive costs and benefits, unrelated to parasitism, can shape Hamiltonella dynamics. These results add to a growing body of evidence for rapid, seasonal adaptation in multivoltine organisms, suggesting that such adaptation can be mediated through the diverse impacts of heritable bacterial endosymbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Smith
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael P O'Connor
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Brooke Deal
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Coleman Kotzer
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amanda Lee
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Barrett Wagner
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonah Joffe
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Kerry M Oliver
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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15
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Effect of the Genotypic Variation of an Aphid Host on the Endosymbiont Associations in Natural Host Populations. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12030217. [PMID: 33806260 PMCID: PMC8001399 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The host–endosymbiont complex could be a key determinant in spread and maintenance of the infection polymorphism of endosymbionts. Variation among host–endosymbiont complexes can contribute to genetic variation of a host species and then provide the necessary material for the operating coevolutionary dynamics. We studied the seasonal dynamic of facultative endosymbiont infections among different host clones of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae and whether their presence affects the total hymenopteran parasitism of aphid hosts at the field level. We observed that aphid infections in the field with endosymbionts increase over time, by favoring particular aphid clones closely associated with endosymbionts, but without an effect of endosymbionts on parasitism rate in the host populations. Our results highlight the importance of host–endosymbiont couples in shaping the prevalence and distributions of symbionts throughout nature and the success of their hosts as pests. Abstract Understanding the role of facultative endosymbionts on the host’s ecology has been the main aim of the research in symbiont–host systems. However, current research on host–endosymbiont dynamics has failed to examine the genetic background of the hosts and its effect on host–endosymbiont associations in real populations. We have addressed the seasonal dynamic of facultative endosymbiont infections among different host clones of the grain aphid Sitobion avenae, on two cereal crops (wheat and oat) and whether their presence affects the total hymenopteran parasitism of aphid hosts at the field level. We present evidence of rapid seasonal shifts in the endosymbiont frequency, suggesting a positive selection of endosymbionts at the host-level (aphids) through an agricultural growing season, by two mechanisms; (1) an increase of aphid infections with endosymbionts over time, and (2) the seasonal replacement of host clones within natural populations by increasing the prevalence of aphid clones closely associated to endosymbionts. Our results highlight how genotypic variation of hosts can affect the endosymbiont prevalence in the field, being an important factor for understanding the magnitude and direction of the adaptive and/or maladaptive responses of hosts to the environment.
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16
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Dennis AB, Ballesteros GI, Robin S, Schrader L, Bast J, Berghöfer J, Beukeboom LW, Belghazi M, Bretaudeau A, Buellesbach J, Cash E, Colinet D, Dumas Z, Errbii M, Falabella P, Gatti JL, Geuverink E, Gibson JD, Hertaeg C, Hartmann S, Jacquin-Joly E, Lammers M, Lavandero BI, Lindenbaum I, Massardier-Galata L, Meslin C, Montagné N, Pak N, Poirié M, Salvia R, Smith CR, Tagu D, Tares S, Vogel H, Schwander T, Simon JC, Figueroa CC, Vorburger C, Legeai F, Gadau J. Functional insights from the GC-poor genomes of two aphid parasitoids, Aphidius ervi and Lysiphlebus fabarum. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:376. [PMID: 32471448 PMCID: PMC7257214 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6764-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasitoid wasps have fascinating life cycles and play an important role in trophic networks, yet little is known about their genome content and function. Parasitoids that infect aphids are an important group with the potential for biological control. Their success depends on adapting to develop inside aphids and overcoming both host aphid defenses and their protective endosymbionts. RESULTS We present the de novo genome assemblies, detailed annotation, and comparative analysis of two closely related parasitoid wasps that target pest aphids: Aphidius ervi and Lysiphlebus fabarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae). The genomes are small (139 and 141 Mbp) and the most AT-rich reported thus far for any arthropod (GC content: 25.8 and 23.8%). This nucleotide bias is accompanied by skewed codon usage and is stronger in genes with adult-biased expression. AT-richness may be the consequence of reduced genome size, a near absence of DNA methylation, and energy efficiency. We identify missing desaturase genes, whose absence may underlie mimicry in the cuticular hydrocarbon profile of L. fabarum. We highlight key gene groups including those underlying venom composition, chemosensory perception, and sex determination, as well as potential losses in immune pathway genes. CONCLUSIONS These findings are of fundamental interest for insect evolution and biological control applications. They provide a strong foundation for further functional studies into coevolution between parasitoids and their hosts. Both genomes are available at https://bipaa.genouest.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice B Dennis
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Gabriel I Ballesteros
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centre for Molecular and Functional Ecology in Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Stéphanie Robin
- IGEPP, Agrocampus Ouest, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650, Le Rheu, France
- Université de Rennes 1, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Lukas Schrader
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Bast
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Université de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Zoology, Universität zu Köln, 50674, Köln, Germany
| | - Jan Berghöfer
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maya Belghazi
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, PINT, PFNT, Marseille, France
| | - Anthony Bretaudeau
- IGEPP, Agrocampus Ouest, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650, Le Rheu, France
- Université de Rennes 1, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Elizabeth Cash
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | | | - Zoé Dumas
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Université de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed Errbii
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Jean-Luc Gatti
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, ISA, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Elzemiek Geuverink
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua D Gibson
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA
| | - Corinne Hertaeg
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Sciences, D-USYS, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Hartmann
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Diderot, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, F-78000, Versailles, France
| | - Mark Lammers
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Blas I Lavandero
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Ina Lindenbaum
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Camille Meslin
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Diderot, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, F-78000, Versailles, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Diderot, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES-Paris, F-78000, Versailles, France
| | - Nina Pak
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Marylène Poirié
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, ISA, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Rosanna Salvia
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - Chris R Smith
- Department of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, IN, 47374, USA
| | - Denis Tagu
- IGEPP, Agrocampus Ouest, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650, Le Rheu, France
| | - Sophie Tares
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, ISA, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Department of Entomology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Tanja Schwander
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Université de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Christian C Figueroa
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Centre for Molecular and Functional Ecology in Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fabrice Legeai
- IGEPP, Agrocampus Ouest, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650, Le Rheu, France
- Université de Rennes 1, INRIA, CNRS, IRISA, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany.
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17
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Leybourne DJ, Bos JIB, Valentine TA, Karley AJ. The price of protection: a defensive endosymbiont impairs nymph growth in the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi. INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 27:69-85. [PMID: 29797656 PMCID: PMC7379937 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts have enabled aphids to adapt to a range of stressors, but their effects in many aphid species remain to be established. The bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus), is an important pest of cereals worldwide and has been reported to form symbiotic associations with Serratia symbiotica and Sitobion miscanthi L-type symbiont endobacteria, although the resulting aphid phenotype has not been described. This study presents the first report of R. padi infection with the facultative bacterial endosymbiont Hamiltonella defensa. Individuals of R. padi were sampled from populations in Eastern Scotland, UK, and shown to represent seven R. padi genotypes based on the size of polymorphic microsatellite markers; two of these genotypes harbored H. defensa. In parasitism assays, survival of H. defensa-infected nymphs following attack by the parasitoid wasp Aphidius colemani (Viereck) was 5 fold higher than for uninfected nymphs. Aphid genotype was a major determinant of aphid performance on two Hordeum species, a modern cultivar of barley H. vulgare and a wild relative H. spontaneum, although aphids infected with H. defensa showed 16% lower nymph mass gain on the partially resistant wild relative compared with uninfected individuals. These findings suggest that deploying resistance traits in barley will favor the fittest R. padi genotypes, but symbiont-infected individuals will be favored when parasitoids are abundant, although these aphids will not achieve optimal performance on a poor quality host plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Leybourne
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
- Cell and Molecular Sciencesthe James Hutton InstituteInvergowrieDundeeUK
- Ecological Sciencesthe James Hutton InstituteInvergowrieDundeeUK
| | - Jorunn I. B. Bos
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
- Cell and Molecular Sciencesthe James Hutton InstituteInvergowrieDundeeUK
| | | | - Alison J. Karley
- Ecological Sciencesthe James Hutton InstituteInvergowrieDundeeUK
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18
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Leybourne DJ, Valentine TA, Bos JIB, Karley AJ. A fitness cost resulting from Hamiltonella defensa infection is associated with altered probing and feeding behaviour in Rhopalosiphum padi. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:jeb.207936. [PMID: 31822555 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.207936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many herbivorous arthropods, including aphids, frequently associate with facultative endosymbiotic bacteria, which influence arthropod physiology and fitness. In aphids, endosymbionts can increase resistance against natural enemies, enhance aphid virulence and alter aphid fitness. Here, we used the electrical penetration graph technique to uncover physiological processes at the insect-plant interface affected by endosymbiont infection. We monitored the feeding and probing behaviour of four independent clonal lines of the cereal-feeding aphid Rhopalosiphum padi derived from the same multilocus genotype containing differential infection (+/-) with a common facultative endosymbiont, Hamiltonella defensa Aphid feeding was examined on a partially resistant wild relative of barley known to impair aphid fitness and a susceptible commercial barley cultivar. Compared with uninfected aphids, endosymbiont-infected aphids on both plant species exhibited a twofold increase in the number of plant cell punctures, a 50% reduction in the duration of each cellular puncture and a twofold higher probability of achieving sustained phloem ingestion. Feeding behaviour was also altered by host plant identity: endosymbiont-infected aphids spent less time probing plant tissue, required twice as many probes to reach the phloem and showed a 44% reduction in phloem ingestion when feeding on the wild barley relative compared with the susceptible commercial cultivar. Reduced feeding success could explain the 22% reduction in growth of H. defensa-infected aphids measured on the wild barley relative. This study provides the first demonstration of mechanisms at the aphid-plant interface contributing to physiological effects of endosymbiont infection on aphid fitness, through altered feeding processes on different quality host plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Leybourne
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK.,Cell and Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK.,Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Tracy A Valentine
- Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Jorunn I B Bos
- Division of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK.,Cell and Molecular Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Alison J Karley
- Ecological Sciences, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
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19
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Guidolin AS, Cônsoli FL. No fitness costs are induced by Spiroplasma infections of Aphis citricidus reared on two different host plants. BRAZ J BIOL 2019; 80:311-318. [PMID: 31291403 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.201210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aphids can harbor several secondary symbionts that alter important aphid-related ecological traits, such as defense against natural enemies, heat tolerance and host plant utilization. One of these secondary symbionts, Spiroplasma, is well known in Drosophila as a sex modulator and by interacting with the host immune system. However, little is known on the effects of Spiroplasma on aphids, such as its influence on the host immune defense against fungi and on host plant utilization. Aphid infections by Spiroplasma are known to be low and few aphid species were reported to be infected with this secondary symbiont, however aphids belonging to the genus Aphis in neotropical regions show high infection rates by Spiroplasma. Thus, we investigated the association of Spiroplasma with the tropical aphid Aphis citricidus through comparative biology experiments on two host plants with different nutritional value to the aphid. We demonstrate Spiroplasma induced no significant fitness costs to A. citricidus on either host plant as no changes in the fitness traits we assessed were observed. Spiroplasma infection only induced sutle changes on host longevity and fecundity. Therefore, we concluded Spiroplasma established a neutral interaction with A. citricidus under the selection pressure we tested, and argue on stress conditions that could better demonstrate the role of Spiroplasma in A. citricidus bioecology and associated costs involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Guidolin
- Laboratório de Interações em Insetos, Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" - ESALQ, Univerisdade de São Paulo - USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP , Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - F L Cônsoli
- Laboratório de Interações em Insetos, Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" - ESALQ, Univerisdade de São Paulo - USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP , Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
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20
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Eilenberg J, Saussure S, Ben Fekih I, Jensen AB, Klingen I. Factors driving susceptibility and resistance in aphids that share specialist fungal pathogens. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 33:91-98. [PMID: 31358202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Pandora neoaphidis and Entomophthora planchoniana are widespread and important specialist fungal pathogens of aphids in cereals (Sitobion avenae and Rhopalosiphum padi). The two aphid species share these pathogens and we compare factors influencing susceptibility and resistance. Among factors that may influence susceptibility and resistance are aphid behavior, conspecific versus heterospecific host, aphid morph, life cycle, and presence of protective endosymbionts. It seems that the conspecific host is more susceptible (less resistant) than the heterospecific host, and alates are more susceptible than apterae. We conceptualize the findings in a diagram showing possible transmission in field situations and we pinpoint where there are knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jørgen Eilenberg
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
| | - Stéphanie Saussure
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health, P.O. Box 115, NO-1431 Ås, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Plant Science, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Ibtissem Ben Fekih
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Annette Bruun Jensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Ingeborg Klingen
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health, P.O. Box 115, NO-1431 Ås, Norway
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21
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Monticelli LS, Outreman Y, Frago E, Desneux N. Impact of host endosymbionts on parasitoid host range - from mechanisms to communities. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 32:77-82. [PMID: 31113635 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In insects, bacterial endosymbionts are known to influence the ecology of their hosts by modifying interactions with natural enemies such as parasitoids. Symbionts can modulate both parasitoid behavioral and/or physiological traits as well as host behaviors and life-history traits. Together these suggest that endosymbionts may impact the host range of parasitoids. For example, endosymbionts may narrow parasitoid host range through first, reducing parasitoid ability to locate hosts and/or larval survival, second, affecting fitness traits of the emerging adult parasitoid and/or third, modulating the outcome of interference and exploitative competition between parasitoid species. From both a fundamental and applied point of view, these symbiotic effects would influence the ecology and evolution of parasitoids and associated population-level processes and ecosystem services (e.g. biocontrol).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie S Monticelli
- INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research), Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR1355-7254, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Yannick Outreman
- Agrocampus Ouest, INRA, Université de Rennes 1, Université Bretagne-Loire, UMR IGEPP, 35000, Rennes, France
| | - Enric Frago
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), UMR Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical, Saint-Pierre, Reunion, France
| | - Nicolas Desneux
- INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research), Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR1355-7254, Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France.
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22
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Oliver KM, Higashi CH. Variations on a protective theme: Hamiltonella defensa infections in aphids variably impact parasitoid success. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 32:1-7. [PMID: 31113620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Protective mutualisms are common in nature and include insect infections with cryptic symbionts that defend against pathogens and parasites. An archetypal defensive symbiont, Hamiltonella defensa protects aphids against parasitoids by disabling wasp development. Successful defense requires H. defensa infection with bacteriophages (APSEs), which play other key roles in mutualism maintenance. Genomes of H. defensa strains are highly similar in gene inventories, varying primarily in mobile element content. Protective phenotypes are highly variable across aphid models depending on H. defensa/APSE, aphid and wasp genotypes. Infection frequencies of H. defensa are highly dynamic in field populations, influenced by a variety of selective and non-selective factors confounding biological control implications. Overall, H. defensa infections likely represent a global aphid protection network with effects radiating outward from focal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry M Oliver
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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23
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Reyes ML, Laughton AM, Parker BJ, Wichmann H, Fan M, Sok D, Hrček J, Acevedo T, Gerardo NM. The influence of symbiotic bacteria on reproductive strategies and wing polyphenism in pea aphids responding to stress. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:601-611. [PMID: 30629747 PMCID: PMC6453707 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Environmental stressors can be key drivers of phenotypes, including reproductive strategies and morphological traits. The response to stress may be altered by the presence of microbial associates. For example, in aphids, facultative (secondary) bacterial symbionts can provide protection against natural enemies and stress induced by elevated temperatures. Furthermore, aphids exhibit phenotypic plasticity, producing winged (rather than wingless) progeny that may be better able to escape danger, and the combination of these factors improves the response to stress. How symbionts and phenotypic plasticity, both of which shape aphids' stress response, influence one another, and together influence host fitness, remains unclear. In this study, we investigate how environmental stressors drive shifts in fecundity and winged/wingless offspring production, and how secondary symbionts influence the process. We induced production of winged offspring through distinct environmental stressors, including exposure to aphid alarm pheromone and crowding, and, in one experiment, we assessed whether the aphid response is influenced by host plant. In the winged morph, energy needed for wing maintenance may lead to trade-offs with other traits, such as reproduction or symbiont maintenance. Potential trade-offs between symbiont maintenance and fitness have been proposed but have not been tested. Thus, beyond studying the production of offspring of alternative morphs, we also explore the influence of symbionts across wing/wingless polyphenism as well as symbiont interaction with cross-generational impacts of environmental stress on reproductive output. All environmental stressors resulted in increased production of winged offspring and shifts in fecundity rates. Additionally, in some cases, aphid host-by-symbiont interactions influenced fecundity. Stress on first-generation aphids had cross-generational impacts on second-generation adults, and the impact on fecundity was further influenced by the presence of secondary symbionts and presence/absence of wings. Our study suggests a complex interaction between beneficial symbionts and environmental stressors. Winged aphids have the advantage of being able to migrate out of danger with more ease, but energy needed for wing production and maintenance may come with reproductive costs for their mothers and for themselves, where in certain cases, these costs are altered by secondary symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel L. Reyes
- Clayton State University, Department of Biology, Morrow, GA, 30260
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Alice M. Laughton
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Benjamin J. Parker
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
- University of Rochester, Department of Biology, Rochester, NY, 14627
| | - Hannah Wichmann
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Maretta Fan
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Daniel Sok
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Jan Hrček
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, The Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, Ceske Budejovice 37005, Czech Republic
| | - Tarik Acevedo
- Pennsylvania State University, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Nicole M. Gerardo
- Emory University, Department of Biology, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Atlanta, GA 30322
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24
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Guo J, Liu X, Poncelet N, He K, Francis F, Wang Z. Detection and geographic distribution of seven facultative endosymbionts in two Rhopalosiphum aphid species. Microbiologyopen 2019; 8:e00817. [PMID: 30912316 PMCID: PMC6692527 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Study of the mutualistic associations between facultative symbionts and aphids are developed only in a few models. That survey on the situation and distribution of the symbionts in a certain area is helpful to obtain clues for the acquisition and spread of them as well as their roles played in host evolution. To understand the infection patterns of seven facultative symbionts (Serratia symbiotica, Hamiltonella defensa, Regiella insecticola, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, Wolbachia, and Arsenophonus) in Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus) and Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), we collected 882 R. maidis samples (37 geographical populations) from China and 585 R. padi samples (32 geographical populations) from China and Europe. Results showed that both species were widely infected with various symbionts and totally 50.8% of R. maidis and 50.1% of R. padi were multi‐infected with targeted symbionts. However, very few Rhopalosiphum aphids were infected with S. symbiotica. The infection frequencies of some symbionts were related to the latitude of collecting sites, suggesting the importance of environmental factors in shaping the geographic distribution of facultative symbionts. Also, R. maidis and R. padi were infected with different H. defensa strains based on phylogenetic analysis which may be determined by host ×symbiont genotype interactions. According to our results, the ubiquitous symbionts may play important roles in the evolution of their host aphid and their impacts on adaptation of R. padi and R. maidis were discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqing Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium.,College of Agriculture and Forestry, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Xuewei Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Nicolas Poncelet
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Kanglai He
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Frédéric Francis
- Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Zhenying Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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25
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Infection pattern and negative effects of a facultative endosymbiont on its insect host are environment-dependent. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4013. [PMID: 30850675 PMCID: PMC6408509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40607-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Regiella insecticola is a bacterial endosymbiont in insects that exhibits a negative effect on the fitness of hosts. Thus, it is not clear why this costly endosymbiont can persist in host populations. Here, we tested a hypothesis that the infection pattern and negative roles of the endosymbiont were not constant but environmentally dependent. The grain aphids Sitobion avenae, belonging to different genotypes and infected with Regiella or not, were used in this study. We found that S. avenae populations were infected with Regiella, Hamiltonella defensa, Serratia symbiotica and Rickettsia. The predominant endosymbionts in the aphid populations varied with season. Serratia and Rickettsia were predominant from December to February while Regiella predominated from March to May. The vertical transmission of Regiella was poorer at high temperature, but following conditioning for seven generations, the transmission rate improved. Regiella inhibited the production of winged aphids at 25 °C, but it did not affect winged morph production at the higher temperatures of 28 °C and 31 °C. Regiella infection decreased the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of aphids at 25 °C and 28 °C. However, at 31 °C, the effect of Regiella on the rm varied depending on the aphid genotype and density. Thus, the negative effects of this endosymbiont on its host were environmentally dependent.
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26
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Fakhour S, Ambroise J, Renoz F, Foray V, Gala JL, Hance T. A large-scale field study of bacterial communities in cereal aphid populations across Morocco. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2019; 94:4810747. [PMID: 29346623 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are frequently associated with bacteria that can have significant ecological and evolutionary impacts on their hosts. To date, few studies have examined the influence of environmental factors to microbiome composition of aphids. The current work assessed the diversity of bacterial communities of five cereal aphid species (Sitobion avenae, Rhopalosiphum padi, R. maidis, Sipha maydis and Diuraphis noxia) collected across Morocco, covering a wide range of environmental conditions. We aimed to test whether symbiont combinations are host or environment specific. Deep 16S rRNA sequencing enabled us to identify 17 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The obligate symbiont Buchnera aphidicola was represented by five OTUs with multiple haplotypes in many single samples. Facultative endosymbionts were presented by a high prevalence of Regiella insecticola and Serratia symbiotica in S. avenae and Si. maydis, respectively. In addition to these symbiotic partners, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Pantoea, Erwinia and Staphyloccocus were also identified in aphids, suggesting that the aphid microbiome is not limited to the presence of endosymbiotic bacteria. Beside a significant association between host species and bacterial communities, an inverse correlation was also found between altitude and α-diversity. Overall, our results support that symbiont combinations are mainly host specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Fakhour
- National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), Km 18, 23000 Béni-Mellal, Morocco.,Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jérôme Ambroise
- Center for Applied Molecular Technologies (CTMA), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium
| | - François Renoz
- Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Vincent Foray
- Centre de Recherche de Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier, (CRBM), UMR 5237 CNRS, Université Montpellier, 1919 Route de Mende, Cedex 5, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Jean-Luc Gala
- Center for Applied Molecular Technologies (CTMA), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université catholique de Louvain, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium
| | - Thierry Hance
- Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
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27
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Li Q, Fan J, Sun J, Wang MQ, Chen J. Plant-Mediated Horizontal Transmission of Hamiltonella defensa in the Wheat Aphid Sitobion miscanthi. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2018; 66:13367-13377. [PMID: 30516997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Hamiltonella defensa is mainly vertically transmitted, but evidence suggests that horizontal transmission may occur. Here, the first case of plant-mediated horizontal transmission of H. defensa between wheat aphids, Sitobion miscanthi, was reported. H. defensa was harbored in sheath cells, secondary bacteriocytes, and hemolymph. After Hamiltonella-infected aphids fed on wheat leaves, H. defensa was observed in aphid stylets and plant phloem. H. defensa persisted in wheat leaves for at least 10 days. Most Hamiltonella-uninfected aphids became infected with H. defensa after sustained feeding on infected plant leaves and showed almost 100% stable vertical transmission over the next five generations. These horizontal transmission experiments were replicated using two other plants, rice and corn, and two different wheat aphid species, Rhopalosiphum padi and Schizaphis graminum. Surprisingly, aphid feeding induced plant infection only locally rather than systemically in leaves. Our findings indicate that plants may act as horizontal transmission intermediaries, contributing to the ubiquity of the otherwise maternally inherited H. defensa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100193 , People's Republic of China
- College of Plant Science and Technology , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan , Hubei 430070 , People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100193 , People's Republic of China
| | - Jingxuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100193 , People's Republic of China
| | - Man-Qun Wang
- College of Plant Science and Technology , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan , Hubei 430070 , People's Republic of China
| | - Julian Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection , Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100193 , People's Republic of China
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28
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Li S, Liu D, Zhang R, Zhai Y, Huang X, Wang D, Shi X. Effects of a presumably protective endosymbiont on life-history characters and their plasticity for its host aphid on three plants. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:13004-13013. [PMID: 30619600 PMCID: PMC6308870 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hamiltonella defensa is well known for its protective roles against parasitoids for its aphid hosts, but its functional roles in insect-plant interactions are less understood. Thus, the impact of H. defensa infections on life-history characters and the underlying genetic variation for the grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), was explored on three plants (i.e., wheat, oat, and rye). Compared to cured lines, H. defensa infected lines of S. avenae had lower fecundity on wheat and oat, but not on rye, suggesting an infection cost for the aphid on susceptible host plants. However, when tested on rye, the infected lines showed a shorter developmental time for the nymphal stage than corresponding cured lines, showing some benefit for S. avenae carrying the endosymbiont on resistant host plants. The infection of H. defensa altered genetic variation underlying its host S. avenea's life-history characters, which was shown by differences in heritabilities and genetic correlations of life-history characters between S. avenae lines infected and cured of the endosymbiont. This was further substantiated by disparity in G-matrices of their life-history characters for the two types of aphid lines. The G-matrices for life-history characters of aphid lines infected with and cured of H. defensa were significantly different from each other on rye, but not on oat, suggesting strong plant-dependent effects. The developmental durations of infected S. avenae lines showed a lower plasticity compared with those of corresponding cured lines, and this could mean higher adaptability for the infected lines.Overall, our results showed novel functional roles of a common secondary endosymbiont (i.e., H. defensa) in plant-insect interactions, and its infections could have significant consequences for the evolutionary ecology of its host insect populations in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Deguang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Rongfang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Yingting Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Xianliang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Da Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
| | - Xiaoqin Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas (Northwest A&F University)YanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
- College of Plant ProtectionNorthwest A&F UniversityYanglingShaanxi ProvinceChina
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Tan WH, Reyes ML, Hoang KL, Acevedo T, Leon F, Barbosa JD, Gerardo NM. How symbiosis and ecological context influence the variable expression of transgenerational wing induction upon fungal infection of aphids. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201865. [PMID: 30365488 PMCID: PMC6203258 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aphids, like most animals, mount a diverse set of defenses against pathogens. For aphids, two of the best studied defenses are symbiont-conferred protection and transgenerational wing induction. Aphids can harbor bacterial symbionts that provide protection against pathogens, parasitoids and predators, as well as against other environmental stressors. In response to signals of danger, aphids also protect not themselves but their offspring by producing more winged than unwinged offspring as a way to ensure that their progeny may be able to escape deteriorating conditions. Such transgenerational wing induction has been studied most commonly as a response to overcrowding of host plants and presence of predators, but recent evidence suggests that pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) may also begin to produce a greater proportion of winged offspring when infected with fungal pathogens. Here, we explore this phenomenon further by asking how protective symbionts, pathogen dosage and environmental conditions influence this response. Overall, while we find some evidence that protective symbionts can modulate transgenerational wing induction in response to fungal pathogens, we observe that transgenerational wing induction in response to fungal infection is highly variable. That variability cannot be explained entirely by symbiont association, by pathogen load or by environmental stress, leaving the possibility that a complex interplay of genotypic and environmental factors may together influence this trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Tan
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Miguel L. Reyes
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kim L. Hoang
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tarik Acevedo
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Fredrick Leon
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Joshua D. Barbosa
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nicole M. Gerardo
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Ye Z, Vollhardt IMG, Parth N, Rubbmark O, Traugott M. Facultative bacterial endosymbionts shape parasitoid food webs in natural host populations: A correlative analysis. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1440-1451. [PMID: 29928757 PMCID: PMC6099228 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Facultative bacterial endosymbionts can protect their aphid hosts from natural enemies such as hymenopteran parasitoids. As such, they have the capability to modulate interactions between aphids, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. However, the magnitude of these effects in natural aphid populations and their associated parasitoid communities is currently unknown. Moreover, environmental factors such as plant fertilization and landscape complexity are known to affect aphid–parasitoid interactions but it remains unclear how such environmental factors affect the interplay between aphids, parasitoids and endosymbionts. Here, we tested whether facultative endosymbionts confer protection to parasitoids in natural populations of the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, and if this is affected by plant fertilization and landscape complexity. Furthermore, we examined whether the effects of facultative endosymbionts can cascade up to the hyperparasitoid level and increase primary‐hyperparasitoid food web specialization. Living aphids and mummies were collected in fertilized and unfertilized plots within 13 wheat fields in Central Germany. We assessed the occurrence of primary parasitoid, hyperparasitoid and endosymbiont species in aphids and mummies using a newly established molecular approach. Facultative endosymbiont infection rates were high across fields (~80%), independent of whether aphids were parasitized or unparasitized. Aphid mummies exhibited a significantly lower share of facultative endosymbiont infection (~38%). These findings suggest that facultative endosymbionts do not affect parasitoid oviposition behaviour, but decrease parasitoid survival in the host. Facultative endosymbiont infection rates were lower in mummies collected from fertilized compared to unfertilized plants, indicating that plant fertilization boosts the facultative endosymbiont protective effect. Furthermore, we found strong evidence for species‐specific and negative cascading effects of facultative endosymbionts on primary and hyperparasitoids, respectively. Facultative endosymbionts impacted parasitoid assemblages and increased the specialization of primary‐hyperparasitoid food webs: these effects were independent from and much stronger than other environmental factors. The current findings strongly suggest that facultative endosymbionts act as a driving force in aphid–parasitoid–hyperparasitoid networks: they shape insect community composition at different trophic levels and modulate, directly and indirectly, the interactions between aphids, parasitoids and their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengpei Ye
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ines M G Vollhardt
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nadia Parth
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Oskar Rubbmark
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Michael Traugott
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Zepeda-Paulo F, Ortiz-Martínez S, Silva AX, Lavandero B. Low bacterial community diversity in two introduced aphid pests revealed with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. PeerJ 2018; 6:e4725. [PMID: 29761046 PMCID: PMC5944429 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts that produce important phenotypic effects on their hosts are common among plant sap-sucking insects. Aphids have become a model system of insect-symbiont interactions. However, endosymbiont research has focused on a few aphid species, making it necessary to make greater efforts to other aphid species through different regions, in order to have a better understanding of the role of endosymbionts in aphids as a group. Aphid endosymbionts have frequently been studied by PCR-based techniques, using species-specific primers, nevertheless this approach may omit other non-target bacteria cohabiting a particular host species. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies are complementing our knowledge of microbial communities by allowing us the study of whole microbiome of different organisms. We used a 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing approach to study the microbiome of aphids in order to describe the bacterial community diversity in introduced populations of the cereal aphids, Sitobion avenae and Rhopalosiphum padi in Chile (South America). An absence of secondary endosymbionts and two common secondary endosymbionts of aphids were found in the aphids R. padi and S. avenae, respectively. Of those endosymbionts, Regiella insecticola was the dominant secondary endosymbiont among the aphid samples. In addition, the presence of a previously unidentified bacterial species closely related to a phytopathogenic Pseudomonad species was detected. We discuss these results in relation to the bacterial endosymbiont diversity found in other regions of the native and introduced range of S. avenae and R. padi. A similar endosymbiont diversity has been reported for both aphid species in their native range. However, variation in the secondary endosymbiont infection could be observed among the introduced and native populations of the aphid S. avenae, indicating that aphid-endosymbiont associations can vary across the geographic range of an aphid species. In addition, we discuss the potential role of aphids as vectors and/or alternative hosts of phytopathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Zepeda-Paulo
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico/Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Sebastían Ortiz-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico/Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Andrea X Silva
- AUSTRAL-omics Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Blas Lavandero
- Laboratorio de Control Biológico/Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
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Qian L, Jia F, Jingxuan S, Manqun W, Julian C. Effect of the Secondary Symbiont Hamiltonella defensa on Fitness and Relative Abundance of Buchnera aphidicola of Wheat Aphid, Sitobion miscanthi. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:582. [PMID: 29651279 PMCID: PMC5884939 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial symbionts associated with insects are often involved in host development and ecological fitness. In aphids, the role of these symbionts is variable and not fully understood across different host species. Here, we investigated the symbiont diversity of the grain aphid, Sitobion miscanthi (Takahashi), from 17 different geographical areas. Of these, two strains with the same symbiont profile, except for the presence of Hamiltonella defensa, were selected using PCR. The Hamiltonella-infected strain, YX, was collected from a Yuxi wheat field in Yunnan Province, China. The Hamiltonella-free strain, DZ, was collected from a Dezhou wheat field in Shandong Province, China. Using artificial infection with H. defensa and antibiotic treatment, a Hamiltonella-re-infected strain (DZ-H) and Hamiltonella-significantly decreased strain (DZ-HT) were established and compared to the Hamiltonella-free DZ strain in terms of ecological fitness. Infection with the DZ-H strain increased the fitness of S. miscanthi, which led to increases in adult weight, percent of wingless individuals, and number of offspring. Meanwhile, decreased abundance of H. defensa (DZ-HT strain) resulted in a lower adult weight and wingless aphid rate compared to the DZ-H strain. However, the indices of longevity in both the DZ-H and DZ-HT strains decreased slightly, but were not significantly different, compared to the DZ strain. Furthermore, quantitative PCR showed that the relative abundance of the primary symbiont Buchnera aphidicola in the DZ-H strain was significantly higher than in the DZ strain in all but the first developmental stage. These results indicate that H. defensa may indirectly improve the fitness of S. miscanthi by stimulating the proliferation of B. aphidicola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Qian
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan Jia
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sun Jingxuan
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wang Manqun
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chen Julian
- The State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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Ali H, Muhammad A, Islam SU, Islam W, Hou Y. A novel bacterial symbiont association in the hispid beetle, Octodonta nipae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), their dynamics and phylogeny. Microb Pathog 2018; 118:378-386. [PMID: 29596879 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The hispid leaf beetle, Octodonta nipae (Maulik), (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a devastating pest of palm cultivation worldwide. Endosymbiotic bacteria in the genus Wolbachia are arguably one of the most abundant bacterial group associated with arthropods. Owing to its critical effects on host reproduction, Wolbachia has garnered much attention as a prospective future tool for insect pest management. However, their association, infection dynamics, and functionality remain unknown in this insect pest. Here, we diagnosis for the first time, the infection prevalence, and occurrence of Wolbachia in O. nipae. Experimental evidence by the exploration of wsp gene vindicate that O. nipae is naturally infected with bacterial symbiont of genus Wolbachia, showing a complete maternal inheritance with shared a common Wolbachia strain (wNip). Moreover, MLST (gatB, fbpA, coxA, ftsZ, and hcpA) analysis enabled the detections of new sequence type (ST-484), suggesting a particular genotypic association of O. nipae and Wolbachia. Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay demonstrated variable infection density across different life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae and adult male and female), body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), and tissues (ovaries, testes, and guts). Infection density was higher in egg and female adult stage, as well as abdomen and reproductive tissues as compared to other samples. Interestingly, Wolbachia harbored dominantly in a female than the male adult, while, no significant differences were observed between male and female body parts and tissues. Phylogeny of Wolbachia infection associated with O. nipae rectified from all tested life stages were unique and fall within the same monophyletic supergroup-A of Wolbachia clades. The infection density of symbiont is among the valuable tool to understand their biological influence on hosts, and this latest discovery would facilitate the future investigations to understand the host-symbiont complications and its prospective role as a microbiological agent to reduce pest populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habib Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Abrar Muhammad
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Saif Ul Islam
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Waqar Islam
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Youming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China.
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Dennis AB, Patel V, Oliver KM, Vorburger C. Parasitoid gene expression changes after adaptation to symbiont-protected hosts. Evolution 2017; 71:2599-2617. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice B. Dennis
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH Zürich; Zürich Switzerland
- EAWAG; Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology; Dübendorf Switzerland
- Current address: Unit of Evolutionary Biology and Systematic Zoology, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology; University of Potsdam; Potsdam Germany
| | - Vilas Patel
- Department of Entomology; University of Georgia; Athens Georgia 30602
| | - Kerry M. Oliver
- Department of Entomology; University of Georgia; Athens Georgia 30602
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH Zürich; Zürich Switzerland
- EAWAG; Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology; Dübendorf Switzerland
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Kovacs JL, Wolf C, Voisin D, Wolf S. Evidence of indirect symbiont conferred protection against the predatory lady beetle Harmonia axyridis in the pea aphid. BMC Ecol 2017; 17:26. [PMID: 28693550 PMCID: PMC5504669 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-017-0136-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Defensive symbionts can provide significant fitness advantages to their hosts. Facultative symbionts can protect several species of aphid from fungal pathogens, heat shock, and parasitism by parasitoid wasps. Previous work found that two of these facultative symbionts can also indirectly protect pea aphids from predation by the lady beetle Hippocampus convergens. When aphids reproduce asexually, there is extremely high relatedness among aphid clone-mates and often very limited dispersal. Under these conditions, symbionts may indirectly protect aphid clone-mates from predation by negatively affecting the survival of a predator after the consumption of aphids harboring the same vertically transmitted facultative symbionts. In this study, we wanted to determine whether this indirect protection extended to another lady beetle species, Harmonia axyridis. Results We fed Ha. axyridis larvae aphids from one of four aphid sub-clonal symbiont lines which all originated from the same naturally symbiont free clonal aphid lineage. Three of the sub-clonal lines harbor different facultative symbionts that were introduced to the lines via microinjection. Therefore these sub-clonal lineages vary primarily in their symbiont composition, not their genetic background. We found that aphid facultative symbionts affected larval survival as well as pupal survival in their predator Ha. axyridis. Additionally, Ha. axyridis larvae fed aphids with the Regiella symbiont had significantly longer larval developmental times than beetle larvae fed other aphids, and females fed aphids with the Regiella symbiont as larvae weighed less as adults. These fitness effects were different from those previously found in another aphid predator Hi. convergens suggesting that the fitness effects may not be the same in different aphid predators. Conclusions Overall, our findings suggest that some aphid symbionts may indirectly benefit their clonal aphid hosts by negatively impacting the development and survival of a lady beetle aphid predator Ha. axyridis. By directly affecting the survival of predatory lady beetles, aphid facultative symbionts may increase the survival of their clone-mates that are clustered nearby and have significant impacts across multiple trophic levels. We have now found evidence for multiple aphid facultative symbionts negatively impacting the survival of a second species of aphid predatory lady beetle. These same symbionts also protect their hosts from parasitism and fungal infections, though these fitness effects seem to depend on the aphid species, predator or parasitoid species, and symbiont type. This work further demonstrates that beneficial mutualisms depend upon complex interactions between a variety of players and should be studied in multiple ecologically relevant contexts. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12898-017-0136-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Candice Wolf
- University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Dené Voisin
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Petit Science Center, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Seth Wolf
- University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
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Ye Z, Vollhardt IMG, Girtler S, Wallinger C, Tomanovic Z, Traugott M. An effective molecular approach for assessing cereal aphid-parasitoid-endosymbiont networks. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3138. [PMID: 28600542 PMCID: PMC5466676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02226-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular approaches are increasingly being used to analyse host-parasitoid food webs as they overcome several hurdles inherent to conventional approaches. However, such studies have focused primarily on the detection and identification of aphids and their aphidiid primary parasitoids, largely ignoring primary parasitoid-hyperparasitoid interactions or limiting these to a few common species within a small geographical area. Furthermore, the detection of bacterial secondary endosymbionts has not been considered in such assays despite the fact that endosymbionts may alter aphid-parasitoid interactions, as they can confer protection against parasitoids. Here we present a novel two-step multiplex PCR (MP-PCR) protocol to assess cereal aphid-primary parasitoid-hyperparasitoid-endosymbiont interactions. The first step of the assay allows detection of parasitoid DNA at a general level (24 primary and 16 hyperparasitoid species) as well as the species-specific detection of endosymbionts (3 species) and cereal aphids (3 species). The second step of the MP-PCR assay targets seven primary and six hyperparasitoid species that commonly occur in Central Europe. Additional parasitoid species not covered by the second-step of the assay can be identified via sequencing 16S rRNA amplicons generated in the first step of the assay. The approach presented here provides an efficient, highly sensitive, and cost-effective (~consumable costs of 1.3 € per sample) tool for assessing cereal aphid-parasitoid-endosymbiont interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengpei Ye
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Ines M G Vollhardt
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Girtler
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Corinna Wallinger
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Zeljko Tomanovic
- Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Michael Traugott
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Sepúlveda DA, Zepeda-Paulo F, Ramírez CC, Lavandero B, Figueroa CC. Diversity, frequency, and geographic distribution of facultative bacterial endosymbionts in introduced aphid pests. INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:511-521. [PMID: 26773849 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Facultative bacterial endosymbionts in insects have been under intense study during the last years. Endosymbionts can modify the insect's phenotype, conferring adaptive advantages under environmental stress. This seems particularly relevant for a group of worldwide agricultural aphid pests, because endosymbionts modify key fitness-related traits, including host plant use, protection against natural enemies and heat tolerance. Aimed to understand the role of facultative endosymbionts on the success of introduced aphid pests, the distribution and abundance of 5 facultative endosymbionts (Hamiltonella defensa, Regiella insecticola, Serratia symbiotica, Rickettsia and Spiroplasma) were studied and compared in 4 cereal aphids (Sitobion avenae, Diuraphis noxia, Metopolophium dirhodum and Schizaphis graminium) and in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum complex from 2 agroclimatic zones in Chile. Overall, infections with facultative endosymbionts exhibited a highly variable and characteristic pattern depending on the aphid species/host race and geographic zone, which could explain the success of aphid pest populations after their introduction. While S. symbiotica and H. defensa were the most frequent endosymbionts carried by the A. pisum pea-race and A. pisum alfalfa-race aphids, respectively, the most frequent facultative endosymbiont carried by all cereal aphids was R. insecticola. Interestingly, a highly variable composition of endosymbionts carried by S. avenae was also observed between agroclimatic zones, suggesting that endosymbionts are responding differentially to abiotic variables (temperature and precipitations). In addition, our findings constitute the first report of bacterial endosymbionts in cereal aphid species not screened before, and also the first report of aphid endosymbionts in Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Sepúlveda
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | | | - Claudio C Ramírez
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - Blas Lavandero
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
| | - Christian C Figueroa
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus Centre in Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Applications in the Agroecosystems, Universidad de Talca, 2 Norte 685, Talca, Chile
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38
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Duron O, Binetruy F, Noël V, Cremaschi J, McCoy KD, Arnathau C, Plantard O, Goolsby J, Pérez de León AA, Heylen DJA, Van Oosten AR, Gottlieb Y, Baneth G, Guglielmone AA, Estrada‐Peña A, Opara MN, Zenner L, Vavre F, Chevillon C. Evolutionary changes in symbiont community structure in ticks. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:2905-2921. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Duron
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Florian Binetruy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Valérie Noël
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Julie Cremaschi
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Karen D. McCoy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Céline Arnathau
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
| | | | - John Goolsby
- Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory USDA‐ARS Edinburg TX USA
| | - Adalberto A. Pérez de León
- Knipling‐Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory Veterinary Pest Genomics Center Kerrville TX USA
| | - Dieter J. A. Heylen
- Evolutionary Ecology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 Antwerp Belgium
| | - A. Raoul Van Oosten
- Evolutionary Ecology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 Antwerp Belgium
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Rehovot Israel
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Rehovot Israel
| | - Alberto A. Guglielmone
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Agustin Estrada‐Peña
- Department of Animal Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zaragoza Zaragoza Spain
| | - Maxwell N. Opara
- Ticks and Tick‐borne Pathogens Research Unit (TTbPRU) Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology University of Abuja Abuja Nigeria
| | - Lionel Zenner
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5558) – Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Villeurbanne France
| | - Fabrice Vavre
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive (LBBE) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5558) – Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 Villeurbanne France
| | - Christine Chevillon
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle) Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (UMR5290) – Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (UR224) – Université de Montpellier Montpellier France
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39
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Luo C, Luo K, Meng L, Wan B, Zhao H, Hu Z. Ecological impact of a secondary bacterial symbiont on the clones of Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Sci Rep 2017; 7:40754. [PMID: 28094341 PMCID: PMC5240142 DOI: 10.1038/srep40754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many insects harbor heritable endosymbionts, whether obligatory or facultative, and the role of facultative endosymbionts in shaping the phenotype of these species has become increasingly important. However, little is known about whether micro-injected endosymbionts can have any effects on aphid clones, which was measured using various ecological parameters. We examined the effects between symbiotic treatments and the vital life history traits generated by Regiella insecticola on the life table parameters of Sitobion avenae. The results showed that R. insecticola can decrease the intrinsic rate of increase (r), the finite rate of increase (λ) and birth rate and can increase the mean generation times (T) of S. avenae clones, suggesting that R. insecticola may decelerate the normal development of the hosts. No significant differences of these parameters were observed between the examined Sitobion avenae clones, and the symbiont treatment by genotype interaction affected only the net reproduction rate R0, pre-adult duration and total longevity but not the other parameters. Additionally, a population projection showed that R. insecticola decelerated the growth of the S. avenae clones. The evocable effects of R. insecticola on the S. avenae clones may have significant ramifications for the control of S. avenae populations under field/natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China.,INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research), Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Kun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
| | - Linqin Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
| | - Bin Wan
- INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research), Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Huiyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
| | - Zuqing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, China
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40
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Vorburger C, Rouchet R. Are aphid parasitoids locally adapted to the prevalence of defensive symbionts in their hosts? BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:271. [PMID: 27955622 PMCID: PMC5153875 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0811-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insect parasitoids are under strong selection to overcome their hosts' defences. In aphids, resistance to parasitoids is largely determined by the presence or absence of protective endosymbionts such as Hamiltonella defensa. Hence, parasitoids may become locally adapted to the prevalence of this endosymbiont in their host populations. To address this, we collected isofemale lines of the aphid parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum from 17 sites in Switzerland and France, at which we also estimated the frequency of infection with H. defensa as well as other bacterial endosymbionts in five important aphid host species. The parasitoids' ability to overcome H. defensa-mediated resistance was then quantified by estimating their parasitism success on a single aphid clone (Aphis fabae fabae) that was either uninfected or experimentally infected with one of three different isolates of H. defensa. RESULTS The five aphid species (Aphis fabae fabae, A. f. cirsiiacanthoides, A. hederae, A. ruborum, A. urticata) differed strongly in the relative frequencies of infection with different bacterial endosymbionts, but there was also geographic variation in symbiont prevalence. Specifically, the frequency of infection with H. defensa ranged from 22 to 47 % when averaged across species. Parasitoids from sites with a high prevalence of H. defensa tended to be more infective on aphids possessing H. defensa, but this relationship was not significant, thus providing no conclusive evidence that L. fabarum is locally adapted to the occurrence of H. defensa. On the other hand, we observed a strong interaction between parasitoid line and H. defensa isolate on parasitism success, indicative of a high specificity of symbiont-conferred resistance. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first, to our knowledge, to test for local adaptation of parasitoids to the frequency of defensive symbionts in their hosts. While it yielded useful information on the occurrence of facultative endosymbionts in several important host species of L. fabarum, it provided no clear evidence that parasitoids from sites with a high prevalence of H. defensa are better able to overcome H. defensa-conferred resistance. The strong genetic specificity in their interaction suggests that it may be more important for parasitoids to adapt to the particular strains of H. defensa in their host populations than to the general prevalence of this symbiont, and it highlights the important role symbionts can play in mediating host-parasitoid coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Vorburger
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology & Institute of Integrative Biology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Romain Rouchet
- Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology & Institute of Integrative Biology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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41
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Heyworth ER, Ferrari J. Heat Stress Affects Facultative Symbiont-Mediated Protection from a Parasitoid Wasp. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167180. [PMID: 27875577 PMCID: PMC5119854 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many insects carry facultative bacterial symbionts, which provide benefits including resistance to natural enemies and abiotic stresses. Little is known about how these beneficial phenotypes are affected when biotic or abiotic threats occur simultaneously. The pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) can host several well-characterized symbiont species. The symbiont known as X-type can protect against both parasitoid wasps and heat stress. Here, we used three pea aphid genotypes that were naturally infected with X-type and the symbiont Spiroplasma sp. We compared aphids coinfected with these two symbionts with those cured from X-type and infected with only Spiroplasma to investigate the ability of X-type to confer benefits to the host when two threats are experienced simultaneously. Our aim is to explore how robust symbiont protection may be outside a benign laboratory environment. Aphids were subjected to heat shock either before or after attack by parasitoid wasps. Under a benign temperature regime, the aphids carrying X-type tended to be better protected from the parasitoid than those cured. When the aphids experienced a heat shock before being parasitized aphids carrying X-type were more susceptible than those cured. Regardless of infection with the symbiont, the aphids benefitted from being heat shocked after parasitization. The results demonstrate how resistance to parasitoid wasps can be strongly environment-dependent and that a beneficial phenotype conferred by a symbiont under controlled conditions in the laboratory does not necessarily equate to a consistently useful effect in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia Ferrari
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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42
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McLean AHC, Godfray HCJ. The outcome of competition between two parasitoid species is influenced by a facultative symbiont of their aphid host. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ailsa H. C. McLean
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS UK
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43
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Rothacher L, Ferrer-Suay M, Vorburger C. Bacterial endosymbionts protect aphids in the field and alter parasitoid community composition. Ecology 2016; 97:1712-1723. [DOI: 10.1890/15-2022.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Rothacher
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH Zürich; Universitätsstrasse 16 Zürich 8092 Switzerland
- EAWAG; Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology; Überlandstrasse 133 Dübendorf 8600 Switzerland
| | - Mar Ferrer-Suay
- Departament de Biologia Animal; Facultat de Biologia; Universitat de Barcelona; Avenida Diagonal 645 Barcelona 08028 Spain
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- Institute of Integrative Biology; ETH Zürich; Universitätsstrasse 16 Zürich 8092 Switzerland
- EAWAG; Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology; Überlandstrasse 133 Dübendorf 8600 Switzerland
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44
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Mateos M, Winter L, Winter C, Higareda-Alvear VM, Martinez-Romero E, Xie J. Independent origins of resistance or susceptibility of parasitic wasps to a defensive symbiont. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:2679-87. [PMID: 27066241 PMCID: PMC4798148 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Revised: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect microbe associations are diverse, widespread, and influential. Among the fitness effects of microbes on their hosts, defense against natural enemies is increasingly recognized as ubiquitous, particularly among those associations involving heritable, yet facultative, bacteria. Protective mutualisms generate complex ecological and coevolutionary dynamics that are only beginning to be elucidated. These depend in part on the degree to which symbiont‐mediated protection exhibits specificity to one or more members of the natural enemy community. Recent findings in a well‐studied defensive mutualism system (i.e., aphids, bacteria, parasitoid wasps) reveal repeated instances of evolution of susceptibility or resistance to defensive bacteria by parasitoids. This study searched for similar patterns in an emerging model system for defensive mutualisms: the interaction of Drosophila, bacteria in the genus Spiroplasma, and wasps that parasitize larval stages of Drosophila. Previous work indicated that three divergent species of parasitic wasps are strongly inhibited by the presence of Spiroplasma in three divergent species of Drosophila, including D. melanogaster. The results of this study uncovered two additional wasp species that are susceptible to Spiroplasma and two that are unaffected by Spiroplasma, implying at least two instances of loss or gain of susceptibility to Spiroplasma among larval parasitoids of Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Mateos
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | - Lauryn Winter
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | - Caitlyn Winter
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
| | | | | | - Jialei Xie
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station Texas
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45
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Comparison of fitness traits and their plasticity on multiple plants for Sitobion avenae infected and cured of a secondary endosymbiont. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23177. [PMID: 26979151 PMCID: PMC4793262 DOI: 10.1038/srep23177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regiella insecticola has been found to enhance the performance of host aphids on certain plants, but its functional role in adaptation of host aphids to plants is still controversial. Here we evaluate the impacts of R. insecticola infections on vital life-history traits of Sitobion avenae (Fabricius), and their underlying genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity on three plants. It was shown that effects of R. insecticola on S. avenae’s fitness (i.e., developmental time and fecundity) were neutral on oat or wheat, but negative on rye. Infections of R. insecticola modified genetic variation that underlies S. avenae’s life-history traits. This was demonstrated by comparing life-history trait heritabilities between aphid lines with and without R. insecticola. Moreover, there were enhanced negative genetic correlations between developmental time and fecundity for R. insecticola infected lines, and structural differences in G-matrices of life-history traits for the two types of aphid lines. In R. insecticola-infected aphid lines, there were increases in plasticities for developmental times of first and second instar nymphs and for fecundity, showing novel functional roles of bacterial symbionts in plant-insect interactions. The identified effects of R. insecticola infections could have significant implications for the ecology and evolution of its host populations in natural conditions.
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46
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Alkhedir H, Karlovsky P, Mashaly AMA, Vidal S. Phylogenetic Relationships of the Symbiotic Bacteria in the Aphid Sitobion avenae (Hemiptera: Aphididae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:1358-1366. [PMID: 26314016 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aphids have developed symbiotic associations with different bacterial species, and some morphological and molecular analyses have provided evidence of the host relationship between the primary symbiotic bacteria (Buchnera aphidicola) and the aphid while the contrary with the secondary symbiotic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the bacterial endosymbionts in the aphid Sitobion avenae (F.). We characterized all bacterial endosymbionts in 10 genetically defined S. avenae clones by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and, from these clones, sequenced the 16S rRNA genes of both the primary endosymbiont, B. aphidicola (for the first time), and the secondary endosymbionts, Regiella insecticola and Hamiltonella defensa (for the first time). The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Buchnera from Sitobion related to those in Macrosiphoni. The analysis of the secondary endosymbionts indicated that there is no host relationship between H. defensa and R. insecticola from Sitobion and those from other aphid species. In this study, therefore, we identified further evidence for the relationship between Buchnera and its host and reported a relationship within the secondary endosymbionts of S. avenae from the same country, even though there were no relationships between the secondary bacteria and their host. We also discussed the diversity within the symbiotic bacteria in S. avenae clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Alkhedir
- Agricultural Entomology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany. Molecular Phytopathology and Mycotoxin Research, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Petr Karlovsky
- Molecular Phytopathology and Mycotoxin Research, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ashraf Mohamed Ali Mashaly
- Department of Zoology, College of Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Minia University, 61519 El Minia, Egypt
| | - Stefan Vidal
- Agricultural Entomology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 6, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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47
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Łukasik P, Guo H, van Asch M, Henry LM, Godfray HCJ, Ferrari J. Horizontal transfer of facultative endosymbionts is limited by host relatedness. Evolution 2015; 69:2757-66. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2014] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Łukasik
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Huifang Guo
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
- Institute of Plant Protection; Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Zhongling Street Nanjing 210014 China
| | - Margriet van Asch
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Lee M. Henry
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - H. Charles J. Godfray
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Julia Ferrari
- Department of Zoology; University of Oxford; South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3PS United Kingdom
- Department of Biology; University of York; York YO10 5DD United Kingdom
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48
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Abstract
Ecologically important traits of insects are often affected by facultative bacterial endosymbionts. This is best studied in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, which is frequently infected by one or more of eight facultative symbiont species. Many of these symbiont species have been shown to provide one ecological benefit, but we have little understanding of the range of effects that a single strain can have. Here, we describe the phenotypes conferred by three strains of the recently discovered bacterium known as X-type (Enterobacteriaceae), each in their original aphid genotype which also carries a Spiroplasma symbiont. All comparisons are made between aphids that are coinfected with Spiroplasma and X-type and aphids of the same genotype that harbour only Spiroplasma. We show that in all cases, infection with X-type protects aphids from the lethal fungal pathogen Pandora neoaphidis, and in two cases, resistance to the parasitoid Aphidius ervi also increases. X-type can additionally affect aphid stress responses--the presence of X-type increased reproduction after the aphids were heat-stressed. Two of the three strains of X-type are able to provide all of these benefits. Under benign conditions, the aphids tended to suffer from reduced fecundity when harbouring X-type, a mechanism that might maintain intermediate frequencies in field populations. These findings highlight that a single strain of a facultative endosymbiont has the potential to provide diverse benefits to its aphid host.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Heyworth
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - J Ferrari
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
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49
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Wulff JA, White JA. The Endosymbiont Arsenophonus Provides a General Benefit to Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Regardless of Host Plant Resistance (Rag). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 44:574-81. [PMID: 26313962 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvv031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), invokes substantial chemical treatment and economic cost in North America. Resistant soybean genotypes hold promise as a low-impact control methodology, but soybean aphid "biotypes" capable of development on resistant soy cast doubt on the durability of soy resistance. We hypothesized that variation in soybean aphid ability to colonize resistant soy is partially attributable to a bacterial symbiont of soybean aphid, Arsenophonus. We used microinjection to manipulate Arsenophonus infection in both virulent and avirulent aphid biotypes, resulting in five pairs of infected versus uninfected isolines. These isolines were subjected to various population growth rate assays on resistant Rag versus susceptible soybean. We found that aphid virulence on Rag soybean was not dependent on Arsenophonus: virulent aphid biotypes performed well on Rag soybean, and avirulent aphid biotypes performed poorly on Rag soybean, regardless of whether Arsenophonus was present or not. However, we did find that Arsenophonus-infected clones on average performed significantly better than their paired uninfected isolines. This pattern was not consistently evident on every date for every clone, either in the population assays nor when we compared lifetime fecundity of individual aphids in a separate experiment. Nevertheless, this overall benefit for infected aphids may be sufficient to explain the high frequency of Arsenophonus infection in soybean aphids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Wulff
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA.
| | - Jennifer A White
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
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50
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Smith AH, Łukasik P, O'Connor MP, Lee A, Mayo G, Drott MT, Doll S, Tuttle R, Disciullo RA, Messina A, Oliver KM, Russell JA. Patterns, causes and consequences of defensive microbiome dynamics across multiple scales. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:1135-49. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H. Smith
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Piotr Łukasik
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | | | - Amanda Lee
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Garrett Mayo
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Milton T. Drott
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Steven Doll
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Robert Tuttle
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | | | - Andrea Messina
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Kerry M. Oliver
- Department of Entomology; University of Georgia; Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Jacob A. Russell
- Department of Biology; Drexel University; Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
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