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Aglagane A, Ravaioli V, Er-Rguibi O, Lavazza A, Carra E, Rabitti A, El Mouden EH, Aourir M, Frasnelli M. Molecular investigation and infection patterns of seven viruses of honey bee (Apis mellifera L, 1758) populations from southeastern Morocco. Acta Trop 2024; 257:107316. [PMID: 38971572 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107316] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
An epidemiological survey of honey bee viruses was conducted on 87 clinically healthy beehives located in southeastern Morocco. The sampled colonies were analyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR / Real Time RT-qPCR with the aim of detecting and / or quantifying the following viruses: acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), deformed wing virus (DWV), sacbrood virus (SBV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV) and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV). With the exception of the last two of these viruses, all the other five were detected with different prevalence rates. DWV showed the highest prevalence rate (89.65 %), followed by BQCV (17.24 %), ABPV (8.04 %), CBPV (4.59 %), and SBV (2.29 %). This study represents the first molecular detection of BQCV in the country. Among all investigated colonies, only eight were virus free (9.2 %). By contrast, single infection was detected in 64.37 % of colonies, 21.8 % showed mixed infection with two viruses, while 4.6 % showed three. Nucleotide sequences of a portion of the DWV polyprotein gene obtained for six honey bee samples showed the greatest nucleotide identity with sequences of DWV from Sweden and Ireland. The negative effect of migratory beekeeping as opposed to stationary beekeeping was highlighted given that stationary beehives showed infection with up to three viruses only, while migratory beehives showed up to five viruses. The results of this study are of crucial importance as they shed light on the current status of honey bee health in southeastern Morocco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdessamad Aglagane
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning, Faculty of Science, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Valentina Ravaioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, Brescia 25124, Italy
| | - Omar Er-Rguibi
- Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Faculty of Science, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Antonio Lavazza
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, Brescia 25124, Italy
| | - Elena Carra
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, Brescia 25124, Italy
| | - Alice Rabitti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, Brescia 25124, Italy
| | - El Hassan El Mouden
- Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Faculty of Science, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Aourir
- Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning, Faculty of Science, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Matteo Frasnelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, via A. Bianchi 9, Brescia 25124, Italy
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Ullah S, Huyop F, Wahab RA, Huda N, Oyewusi HA, Sujana IGA, Saloko S, Andriani AASPR, Mohamad MAN, Abdul Hamid AA, Mohd Nasir MH, Antara NS, Gunam IBW. The first ITS1 profiling of honey samples from the Southeast Asian region Lombok, Bali and Banggi Island. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14122. [PMID: 38898099 PMCID: PMC11187073 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64838-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Southern Asian flowers offer honeybees a diversity of nectar. Based on its geographical origin, honey quality varies. Traditional methods are less authentic than DNA-based identification. The origin of honey is determined by pollen, polyphenolic, and macro-microorganisms. In this study, amplicon sequencing targets macro-microorganisms in eDNA using the ITS1 region to explore honey's geographical location and authentication. The variety of honey samples was investigated using ITS1 with Illumina sequencing. For all four honey samples, raw sequence reads showed 979,380 raw ITS1 amplicon reads and 375 ASVs up to the phylum level. The highest total number of 202 ASVs up to phylum level identified Bali honey with 211,189 reads, followed by Banggi honey with 309,207 a total number of 111 ASVs, and Lombok represents only 63 ASVs up to phylum level with several read 458,984. Based on Shannon and Chao1, honey samples from Bali (B2) and (B3) exhibited higher diversity than honey from Lombok (B1) and green honey from Sabah (B4), while the Simpson index showed that Banggi honey (B4) had higher diversity. Honey samples had significant variance in mycobiome taxonomic composition and abundance. Zygosaccharomyces and Aspergillus were the main genera found in Lombok honey, with percentages of 68.81% and 29.76% respectively. Bali honey samples (B2 and B3) were identified as having a significant amount of the genus Aureobasidium, accounting for 40.81% and 25% of the readings, respectively. The microbiome composition of Banggi honey (B4) showed a high presence of Zygosaccharomyces 45.17% and Aureobasidium 35.24%. The ITS1 analysis effectively distinguishes between honey samples of different origins and its potential as a discriminatory tool for honey origin and authentication purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Ullah
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | - Fahrul Huyop
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
- Bioindustry Laboratory, Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Udayana University, Denpasar, Indonesia.
| | - Roswanira Ab Wahab
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Huda
- Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90509, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Habeebat Adekilekun Oyewusi
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
- Biochemistry Unit, Department of Science Technology, The Federal Polytechnic, P. M. B 5351, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
| | - I Gede Arya Sujana
- Bioindustry Laboratory, Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Udayana University, Denpasar, Indonesia
| | - Satrijo Saloko
- Faculty of Food Technology and Agro Industry, University of Mataram, Mataram, Nusa Tenggara Barat, 83126, Indonesia
| | | | - Mohd Azrul Naim Mohamad
- Research Unit for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Azzmer Azzar Abdul Hamid
- Research Unit for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Hamzah Mohd Nasir
- Research Unit for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Bandar Indera Mahkota, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Nyoman Semadi Antara
- Bioindustry Laboratory, Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Udayana University, Denpasar, Indonesia
| | - Ida Bagus Wayan Gunam
- Bioindustry Laboratory, Department of Agro-Industrial Technology, Udayana University, Denpasar, Indonesia.
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Liu J, Liao C, Li Z, Shi X, Wu X. Synergistic resistance of honeybee (Apis mellifera) and their gut microorganisms to fluvalinate stress. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 201:105865. [PMID: 38685241 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Fluvalinate is widely used in the control of Varroa destructor, but its residues in colonies threaten honeybees. The effect of fluvalinate-induced dysbiosis on honeybee-related gene expression and the gut microenvironment of honeybees has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, two-day-old larvae to seven-day-old adult worker bees were continuously fed different amounts of fluvalinate-sucrose solutions (0, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg), after which the expression levels of two immune-related genes (Hymenoptaecin and Defensin1) and three detoxication-related genes (GSTS3, CAT, and CYP450) in worker bees (1, 7, and 20 days old) were measured. The effect of fluvalinate on the gut microbes of worker bees at seven days old also was explored using 16S rRNA Illumina deep sequencing. The results showed that exposure of honeybees to the insecticide fluvalinate affected their gene expression and gut microbial composition. As the age of honeybees increased, the effect of fluvalinate on the expression of Hymenoptaecin, CYP450, and CAT decreased, and the abundance of honeybee gut bacteria was affected by increasing the fluvalinate concentration. These findings provide insights into the synergistic defense of honeybee hosts against exogenous stresses in conjunction with honeybee gut microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhui Liu
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Chunhua Liao
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Zhen Li
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Xinxin Shi
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China
| | - Xiaobo Wu
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, PR China.
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Aguado-López D, Urbieta Magro A, Higes M, Rodríguez JM, Martín-Hernández R. Influence of Age of Infection on the Gut Microbiota in Worker Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera iberiensis) Experimentally Infected with Nosema ceranae. Microorganisms 2024; 12:635. [PMID: 38674580 PMCID: PMC11051791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota of honey bees has received increasing interest in the past decades due to its crucial role in their health, and can be disrupted by pathogen infection. Nosema ceranae is an intracellular parasite that affects the epithelial cells of the midgut, altering gut homeostasis and representing a major threat to honey bees. Previous studies indicated that younger worker bees are more susceptible to experimental infection by this parasite, although the impact of infection and of age on the gut bacterial communities remains unclear. To address this, honey bees were experimentally infected with a consistent number of N. ceranae spores at various ages post-emergence (p.e.) and the gut bacteria 7 days post-infection (p.i.) were analysed using real-time quantitative PCR, with the results compared to non-infected controls. Infected bees had a significantly higher proportion and load of Gilliamella apicola. In respect to the age of infection, the bees infected just after emergence had elevated loads of G. apicola, Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bartonella apis, and Bombella apis. Moreover, the G. apicola load was higher in bees infected at nearly all ages, whereas older non-infected bees had higher loads of Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Ba. apis, and Bo apis. These findings suggest that N. ceranae infection and, in particular, the age of bees at infection modulate the gut bacterial community, with G. apicola being the most severely affected species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Aguado-López
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Almudena Urbieta Magro
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Juan Miguel Rodríguez
- Departamento de Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
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Huang Q, Evans JD. Host switch by honey bee parasitic mites leads to symbiont diversification. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 203:108068. [PMID: 38272108 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108068] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Host-parasite co-evolution is a reciprocal genetic change; however, the parasite may switch to a novel host, deviating from conventional co-evolution. Varroa destructor is a native parasite of the honey bee Apis cerana, and the mite has established infestation in another honey bee, Apis mellifera, causing colony failure. When mites switched to the novel host, they formed a distinct population from mites that remained on the native host. Consequently, this led to divergence in the microbiota associated with mites in two host populations. The microbes were conserved at the species level reflected by alpha diversity, with substantial relative abundance variance. Microbes found in mites were distinct from the bee microbiota. They mainly were pathogenic with antibiotic resistance, while a few bacterial taxa were previously found in honey bees, including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomanas aeruginosa. These symbionts may transfer between the mites and honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Huang
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Zhimin Ave. 1101, Nanchang 330045, China.
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, BARC-East Building 306, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
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6
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Smutin D, Taldaev A, Lebedev E, Adonin L. Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals Minor Micro" bee"omes Diversity Defining Differences between Larvae and Pupae Brood Combs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:741. [PMID: 38255816 PMCID: PMC10815634 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bees represent not only a valuable asset in agriculture, but also serve as a model organism within contemporary microbiology. The metagenomic composition of the bee superorganism has been substantially characterized. Nevertheless, traditional cultural methods served as the approach to studying brood combs in the past. Indeed, the comb microbiome may contribute to determining larval caste differentiation and hive immunity. To further this understanding, we conducted a shotgun sequencing analysis of the brood comb microbiome. While we found certain similarities regarding species diversity, it exhibits significant differentiation from all previously described hive metagenomes. Many microbiome members maintain a relatively constant ratio, yet taxa with the highest abundance level tend to be ephemeral. More than 90% of classified metagenomes were Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria genetic signatures. Jaccard dissimilarity between samples based on bacteria genus classifications hesitate from 0.63 to 0.77, which for shotgun sequencing indicates a high consistency in bacterial composition. Concurrently, we identified antagonistic relationships between certain bacterial clusters. The presence of genes related to antibiotic synthesis and antibiotic resistance suggests potential mechanisms underlying the stability of comb microbiomes. Differences between pupal and larval combs emerge in the total metagenome, while taxa with the highest abundance remained consistent. All this suggests that a key role in the functioning of the comb microbiome is played by minor biodiversity, the function of which remains to be established experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniil Smutin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Faculty of Information Technology and Programming, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Amir Taldaev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | - Egor Lebedev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Leonid Adonin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
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7
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Durand T, Bonjour-Dalmon A, Dubois E. Viral Co-Infections and Antiviral Immunity in Honey Bees. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051217. [PMID: 37243302 DOI: 10.3390/v15051217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, honey bees have been facing an increasing number of stressors. Beyond individual stress factors, the synergies between them have been identified as a key factor in the observed increase in colony mortality. However, these interactions are numerous and complex and call for further research. Here, in line with our need for a systemic understanding of the threats that they pose to bee health, we review the interactions between honey bee viruses. As viruses are obligate parasites, the interactions between them not only depend on the viruses themselves but also on the immune responses of honey bees. Thus, we first summarise our current knowledge of the antiviral immunity of honey bees. We then review the interactions between specific pathogenic viruses and their interactions with their host. Finally, we draw hypotheses from the current literature and suggest directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Durand
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Anne Bonjour-Dalmon
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Eric Dubois
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
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8
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Anderson KE, Mott BM. Ecology of Pollen Storage in Honey Bees: Sugar Tolerant Yeast and the Aerobic Social Microbiota. INSECTS 2023; 14:265. [PMID: 36975950 PMCID: PMC10058632 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Honey bee colonies are resource rich and densely populated, generating a constant battle to control microbial growth. Honey is relatively sterile in comparison with beebread: a food storage medium comprising pollen mixed with honey and worker head-gland secretions. Within colonies, the microbes that dominate aerobic niches are abundant throughout social resource space including stored pollen, honey, royal jelly, and the anterior gut segments and mouthparts of both queens and workers. Here, we identify and discuss the microbial load in stored pollen associated with non-Nosema fungi (primarily yeast) and bacteria. We also measured abiotic changes associated with pollen storage and used culturing and qPCR of both fungi and bacteria to investigate changes in stored pollen microbiology by both storage time and season. Over the first week of pollen storage, pH and water availability decreased significantly. Following an initial drop in microbial abundance at day one, both yeasts and bacteria multiply rapidly during day two. Both types of microbes then decline at 3-7 days, but the highly osmotolerant yeasts persist longer than the bacteria. Based on measures of absolute abundance, bacteria and yeast are controlled by similar factors during pollen storage. This work contributes to our understanding of host-microbial interactions in the honey bee gut and colony and the effect of pollen storage on microbial growth, nutrition, and bee health.
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The promise of probiotics in honeybee health and disease management. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:73. [PMID: 36705763 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03416-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades, losses of bee populations have been observed worldwide. A panoply of biotic and abiotic factors, as well as the interplay among them, has been suggested to be responsible for bee declines, but definitive causes have not yet been identified. Among pollinators, the honeybee Apis mellifera is threatened by various diseases and environmental stresses, which have been shown to impact the insect gut microbiota that is known to be fundamental for host metabolism, development and immunity. Aimed at preserving the gut homeostasis, many researches are currently focusing on improving the honeybee health through the administration of probiotics e.g., by boosting the innate immune response against microbial infections. Here, we review the knowledge available on the characterization of the microbial diversity associated to honeybees and the use of probiotic symbionts as a promising approach to maintain honeybee fitness, sustaining a healthy gut microbiota and enhancing its crucial relationship with the host immune system.
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Xiong ZR, Sogin JH, Worobo RW. Microbiome analysis of raw honey reveals important factors influencing the bacterial and fungal communities. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1099522. [PMID: 36713191 PMCID: PMC9877413 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1099522] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Raw honeys contain diverse microbial communities. Previous studies have focused on isolating bacteria and fungi that are culturable, while missing a large proportion of the microbial community due to culture-based constraints. This study utilized next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze the composition of microorganisms in raw honey; these data can reveal environmental and physicochemical variables that are associated with different microbial communities. To examine the microbial composition (bacteria and fungi) of raw honey and analyze its association with physicochemical properties, four types of honey (monofloral, wildflower, manuka, and feral; n total = 36) were analyzed via amplicon metagenomics. The analyzed honey samples had relatively similar bacterial communities but more distinct and diverse fungal communities. Honey type was determined as a significant factor influencing alpha and beta diversity metrics of bacterial and fungal communities. For the bacterial communities, titratable acidity (TA) was associated with community richness and diversity. For the fungal communities, Brix, TA, and color were associated with community richness, while water activity and color were associated with community diversity. Additionally, important bacterial and fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) that influenced the overall community were identified. Results from this study provide important insights into the microbial communities associated with different types of raw honey, which could improve our understanding of microbial dynamics in beehives, improve honey production, and prevent honeybee disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirui Ray Xiong
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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11
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Micro"bee"ota: Honey Bee Normal Microbiota as a Part of Superorganism. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122359. [PMID: 36557612 PMCID: PMC9785237 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees are model organisms for microbiota research. Gut microbiomes are very interesting for surveys due to their simple structure and relationship with hive production. Long-term studies reveal the gut microbiota patterns of various hive members, as well as the functions, sources, and interactions of the majority of its bacteria. But the fungal non-pathogenic part of gut microbiota is almost unexplored, likewise some other related microbiota. Honey bees, as superorganisms, interact with their own microorganisms, the microbial communities of food stores, hive surfaces, and other environments. Understanding microbiota diversity, its transition ways, and hive niche colonization control are necessary for understanding any separate microbiota niche because of their interplay. The long coevolution of bees with the microorganisms populating these niches makes these systems co-dependent, integrated, and stable. Interaction with the environment, hive, and other bees determines caste lifestyle as well as individual microbiota. In this article, we bring together studies on the microbiota of the western honey bee. We show a possible relationship between caste determination and microbiota composition. And what is primary: caste differentiation or microbiota composition?
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12
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Becchimanzi A, Nicoletti R. Aspergillus-bees: A dynamic symbiotic association. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:968963. [PMID: 36160228 PMCID: PMC9489833 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.968963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides representing one of the most relevant threats of fungal origin to human and animal health, the genus Aspergillus includes opportunistic pathogens which may infect bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) in all developmental stages. At least 30 different species of Aspergillus have been isolated from managed and wild bees. Some efficient behavioral responses (e.g., diseased brood removal) exerted by bees negatively affect the chance to diagnose the pathology, and may contribute to the underestimation of aspergillosis importance in beekeeping. On the other hand, bee immune responses may be affected by biotic and abiotic stresses and suffer from the loose co-evolutionary relationships with Aspergillus pathogenic strains. However, if not pathogenic, these hive mycobiota components can prove to be beneficial to bees, by affecting the interaction with other pathogens and parasites and by detoxifying xenobiotics. The pathogenic aptitude of Aspergillus spp. likely derives from the combined action of toxins and hydrolytic enzymes, whose effects on bees have been largely overlooked until recently. Variation in the production of these virulence factors has been observed among strains, even belonging to the same species. Toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains/species may co-exist in a homeostatic equilibrium which is susceptible to be perturbed by several external factors, leading to mutualistic/antagonistic switch in the relationships between Aspergillus and bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Becchimanzi
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- *Correspondence: Andrea Becchimanzi,
| | - Rosario Nicoletti
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Portici, Italy
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops, Caserta, Italy
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Social microbiota and social gland gene expression of worker honey bees by age and climate. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10690. [PMID: 35739206 PMCID: PMC9226125 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14442-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Winter forage dearth is a major contributor to honey bee colony loss and can influence disease susceptibility. Honey bees possess a secretory head gland that interfaces with the social environment on many levels. During winter or forage dearth, colonies produce a long-lived (diutinus) worker phenotype that survives until environmental conditions improve. We used a known-age worker cohort to investigate microbiome integrity and social gene expression of workers in early and late winter. We provide additional context by contrasting host-microbial interactions from warm outdoor and cold indoor environments. Our results provide novel evidence that social immune gene expression is associated with worker longevity, and highlight the midgut as a target of opportunistic disease during winter. Host microbial interactions suggest opportunistic disease progression and resistance in long-lived workers, but susceptibility to opportunistic disease in younger workers that emerged during the winter, including increases in Enterobacteriaceae, fungal load and non-core bacterial abundance. The results are consistent with increased social immunity, including host associations with the social microbiota, and a social immune response by long-lived workers to combat microbial opportunism. The cost/benefit ratio associated with limited expression of the diutinus phenotype may be a strong determinant of colony survival during winter forage dearth.
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Mild chronic exposure to pesticides alters physiological markers of honey bee health without perturbing the core gut microbiota. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4281. [PMID: 35277551 PMCID: PMC8917129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08009-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies highlighted that exposure to glyphosate can affect specific members of the core gut microbiota of honey bee workers. However, in this study, bees were exposed to relatively high glyphosate concentrations. Here, we chronically exposed newly emerged honey bees to imidacloprid, glyphosate and difenoconazole, individually and in a ternary mixture, at an environmental concentration of 0.1 µg/L. We studied the effects of these exposures on the establishment of the gut microbiota, the physiological status, the longevity, and food consumption of the host. The core bacterial species were not affected by the exposure to the three pesticides. Negative effects were observed but they were restricted to few transient non-core bacterial species. However, in the absence of the core microbiota, the pesticides induced physiological disruption by directly altering the detoxification system, the antioxidant defenses, and the metabolism of the host. Our study indicates that even mild exposure to pesticides can directly alter the physiological homeostasis of newly emerged honey bees and particularly if the individuals exhibit a dysbiosis (i.e. mostly lack the core microbiota). This highlights the importance of an early establishment of a healthy gut bacterial community to strengthen the natural defenses of the honey bee against xenobiotic stressors.
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15
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Zhao K, Wu H, Hou R, Wu J, Wang Y, Huang S, Cheng D, Xu H, Zhang Z. Effects of sublethal azadirachtin on the immune response and midgut microbiome of Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 229:113089. [PMID: 34929506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.113089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As a wildly used plant-derived insecticide, azadirachtin (AZA) is commonly reported as harmless to a range of beneficial insects. However, with the research on the effect of AZA against pollinators in recent years, various negative physiological effects on other Apidae species have been demonstrated. Thus to explore the safety of azadirachtin to Apis cerana cerana, the different physiological effects of sublethal concentration of azadirachtin on worker bees A.c.cerana has been studied. With the exposure of 5 mg·L-1 and 10 mg·L-1 azadirachtin for 5 d, the relative expression of Apidaecin, Abaecin and Lysosome genes in workers has decreased significantly at 1, 2,3 and 5 d, and the mRNA levels of Defensin 2 and Hymenoptaecin were also significantly inhibited by 10 mg·L-1 azadirachtin at each check point. Besides, the activity of midgut antioxidant enzymes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) which are the first line of defence in antioxidant systems was not affected by AZA, the activity of Peroxidase (POD) showed a fluctuating pattern at 24 h and 48 h, while the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) has significantly inhibited by AZA. However, through 16sRNA analysis it was observed that 5 mg·L-1 AZA did not affect the midgut microbiome colony composition and relative abundance, as well as its main function. Therefore, to a certain extent, azadirachtin is safe for workers, but we should pay more attention to the sublethal effect of AZA that also detrimental to the healthy development of the honeybee colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunyu Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Ruiquan Hou
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Jiyingzi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yongqing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Suqing Huang
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Dongmei Cheng
- Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
| | - Hanhong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| | - Zhixiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
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16
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Dostálková S, Dobeš P, Kunc M, Hurychová J, Škrabišová M, Petřivalský M, Titěra D, Havlík J, Hyršl P, Danihlík J. Winter honeybee ( Apis mellifera) populations show greater potential to induce immune responses than summer populations after immune stimuli. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb232595. [PMID: 33288532 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.232595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In the temperate climates of central Europe and North America, two distinct honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations are found in colonies: short-living summer bees emerge in spring and survive until summer, whereas long-living winter bees emerge in late August and overwinter. Besides the difference in their life spans, each of these populations fulfils a different role in the colonies and individual bees have distinct physiological and immunological adaptations depending on their roles. For instance, winter worker bees have higher vitellogenin levels and larger reserves of nutrients in the fat body than summer bees. The differences between the immune systems of both populations are well described at the constitutive level; however, our knowledge of its inducibility is still very limited. In this study, we focus on the response of 10-day-old honeybee workers to immune challenges triggered in vivo by injecting heat-killed bacteria, with particular focus on honeybees that emerge and live under hive conditions. Responses to bacterial injections differed between summer and winter bees. Winter bees exhibited a more intense response, including higher expression of antimicrobial genes and antimicrobial activity, as well as a significant decrease in vitellogenin gene expression and its concentration in the hemolymph. The intense immune response observed in winter honeybees may contribute to our understanding of the relationships between colony fitness and infection with pathogens, as well as its association with successful overwintering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvie Dostálková
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Dobeš
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kunc
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Hurychová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Mária Škrabišová
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Petřivalský
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
| | - Dalibor Titěra
- Bee Research Institute, Libčice nad Vltavou 252 66, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Havlík
- Department of Food Quality and Safety, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, Prague 252 63, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Hyršl
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Danihlík
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic
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17
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Tauber JP, Tozkar CÖ, Schwarz RS, Lopez D, Irwin RE, Adler LS, Evans JD. Colony-Level Effects of Amygdalin on Honeybees and Their Microbes. INSECTS 2020; 11:E783. [PMID: 33187240 PMCID: PMC7698215 DOI: 10.3390/insects11110783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside, is found in the nectar and pollen of almond trees, as well as in a variety of other crops, such as cherries, nectarines, apples and others. It is inevitable that western honeybees (Apis mellifera) consistently consume amygdalin during almond pollination season because almond crops are almost exclusively pollinated by honeybees. This study tests the effects of a field-relevant concentration of amygdalin on honeybee microbes and the activities of key honeybee genes. We executed a two-month field trial providing sucrose solutions with or without amygdalin ad libitum to free-flying honeybee colonies. We collected adult worker bees at four time points and used RNA sequencing technology and our HoloBee database to assess global changes in microbes and honeybee transcripts. Our hypothesis was that amygdalin will negatively affect bee microbes and possibly immune gene regulation. Using a log2 fold-change cutoff at two and intraday comparisons, we show no large change of bacterial counts, fungal counts or key bee immune gene transcripts, due to amygdalin treatment in relation to the control. However, relatively large titer decreases in the amygdalin treatment relative to the control were found for several viruses. Chronic bee paralysis virus levels had a sharp decrease (-14.4) with titers then remaining less than the control, Black queen cell virus titers were lower at three time points (<-2) and Deformed wing virus titers were lower at two time points (<-6) in amygdalin-fed compared to sucrose-fed colonies. Titers of Lotmaria passim were lower in the treatment group at three of the four dates (<-4). In contrast, Sacbrood virus had two dates with relative increases in its titers (>2). Overall, viral titers appeared to fluctuate more so than bacteria, as observed by highly inconstant patterns between treatment and control and throughout the season. Our results suggest that amygdalin consumption may reduce several honeybee viruses without affecting other microbes or colony-level expression of immune genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Tauber
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (C.Ö.T.); (R.S.S.); (D.L.)
| | - Cansu Ö. Tozkar
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (C.Ö.T.); (R.S.S.); (D.L.)
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van 65000, Turkey
| | - Ryan S. Schwarz
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (C.Ö.T.); (R.S.S.); (D.L.)
- Department of Biology, Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301, USA
| | - Dawn Lopez
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (C.Ö.T.); (R.S.S.); (D.L.)
| | - Rebecca E. Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA;
| | - Jay D. Evans
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA; (C.Ö.T.); (R.S.S.); (D.L.)
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18
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Huang Q, Evans JD. Targeting the honey bee gut parasite Nosema ceranae with siRNA positively affects gut bacteria. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:258. [PMID: 32807095 PMCID: PMC7433167 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01939-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gut microbial communities can contribute positively and negatively to host health. So far, eight core bacterial taxonomic clusters have been reported in honey bees. These bacteria are involved in host metabolism and defenses. Nosema ceranae is a gut intracellular parasite of honey bees which destroys epithelial cells and gut tissue integrity. Studies have shown protective impacts of honey bee gut microbiota towards N. ceranae infection. However, the impacts of N. ceranae on the relative abundance of honey bee gut microbiota remains unclear, and has been confounded during prior infection assays which resulted in the co-inoculation of bacteria during Nosema challenges. We used a novel method, the suppression of N. ceranae with specific siRNAs, to measure the impacts of Nosema on the gut microbiome. RESULTS Suppressing N. ceranae led to significant positive effects on microbial abundance. Nevertheless, 15 bacterial taxa, including three core taxa, were negatively correlated with N. ceranae levels. In particular, one co-regulated group of 7 bacteria was significantly negatively correlated with N. ceranae levels. CONCLUSIONS N. ceranae are negatively correlated with the abundance of 15 identified bacteria. Our results provide insights into interactions between gut microbes and N. ceranae during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Huang
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Zhimin Avenue 1101, Nanchang, 330045, China.
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, BARC-East Building 306, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
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19
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Iwanowicz DD, Wu-Smart JY, Olgun T, Smart AH, Otto CRV, Lopez D, Evans JD, Cornman R. An updated genetic marker for detection of Lake Sinai Virus and metagenetic applications. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9424. [PMID: 32742773 PMCID: PMC7370930 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lake Sinai Viruses (LSV) are common RNA viruses of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that frequently reach high abundance but are not linked to overt disease. LSVs are genetically heterogeneous and collectively widespread, but despite frequent detection in surveys, the ecological and geographic factors structuring their distribution in A. mellifera are not understood. Even less is known about their distribution in other species. Better understanding of LSV prevalence and ecology have been hampered by high sequence diversity within the LSV clade. Methods Here we report a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that is compatible with currently known lineages with minimal primer degeneracy, producing an expected 365 bp amplicon suitable for end-point PCR and metagenetic sequencing. Using the Illumina MiSeq platform, we performed pilot metagenetic assessments of three sample sets, each representing a distinct variable that might structure LSV diversity (geography, tissue, and species). Results The first sample set in our pilot assessment compared cDNA pools from managed A. mellifera hives in California (n = 8) and Maryland (n = 6) that had previously been evaluated for LSV2, confirming that the primers co-amplify divergent lineages in real-world samples. The second sample set included cDNA pools derived from different tissues (thorax vs. abdomen, n = 24 paired samples), collected from managed A. mellifera hives in North Dakota. End-point detection of LSV frequently differed between the two tissue types; LSV metagenetic composition was similar in one pair of sequenced samples but divergent in a second pair. Overall, LSV1 and intermediate lineages were common in these samples whereas variants clustering with LSV2 were rare. The third sample set included cDNA from individual pollinator specimens collected from diverse landscapes in the vicinity of Lincoln, Nebraska. We detected LSV in the bee Halictus ligatus (four of 63 specimens tested, 6.3%) at a similar rate as A. mellifera (nine of 115 specimens, 7.8%), but only one H. ligatus sequencing library yielded sufficient data for compositional analysis. Sequenced samples often contained multiple divergent LSV lineages, including individual specimens. While these studies were exploratory rather than statistically powerful tests of hypotheses, they illustrate the utility of high-throughput sequencing for understanding LSV transmission within and among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah D Iwanowicz
- Leetown Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Kearneysville, WV, United States of America
| | - Judy Y Wu-Smart
- Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Tugce Olgun
- Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Autumn H Smart
- Entomology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States of America
| | - Clint R V Otto
- Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Jamestown, ND, United States of America
| | - Dawn Lopez
- Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Jay D Evans
- Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Robert Cornman
- Fort Collins Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
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20
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Shotgun sequencing of honey DNA can describe honey bee derived environmental signatures and the honey bee hologenome complexity. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9279. [PMID: 32518251 PMCID: PMC7283317 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66127-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees are large-scale monitoring tools due to their extensive environmental exploration. In their activities and from the hive ecosystem complex, they get in close contact with many organisms whose traces can be transferred into the honey, which can represent an interesting reservoir of environmental DNA (eDNA) signatures and information useful to analyse the honey bee hologenome complexity. In this study, we tested a deep shotgun sequencing approach of honey DNA coupled with a specifically adapted bioinformatic pipeline. This methodology was applied to a few honey samples pointing out DNA sequences from 191 organisms spanning different kingdoms or phyla (viruses, bacteria, plants, fungi, protozoans, arthropods, mammals). Bacteria included the largest number of species. These multi-kingdom signatures listed common hive and honey bee gut microorganisms, honey bee pathogens, parasites and pests, which resembled a complex interplay that might provide a general picture of the honey bee pathosphere. Based on the Apis mellifera filamentous virus genome diversity (the most abundant detected DNA source) we obtained information that could define the origin of the honey at the apiary level. Mining Apis mellifera sequences made it possible to identify the honey bee subspecies both at the mitochondrial and nuclear genome levels.
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21
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Natural Product Medicines for Honey Bees: Perspective and Protocols. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10100356. [PMID: 31635365 PMCID: PMC6835950 DOI: 10.3390/insects10100356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The western honey bee remains the most important pollinator for agricultural crops. Disease and stressors threaten honey bee populations and productivity during winter- and summertime, creating costs for beekeepers and negative impacts on agriculture. To combat diseases and improve overall bee health, researchers are constantly developing honey bee medicines using the tools of microbiology, molecular biology and chemistry. Below, we present a manifesto alongside standardized protocols that outline the development and a systematic approach to test natural products as ‘bee medicines’. These will be accomplished in both artificial rearing conditions and in colonies situated in the field. Output will be scored by gene expression data of host immunity, bee survivorship, reduction in pathogen titers, and more subjective merits of the compound in question. Natural products, some of which are already encountered by bees in the form of plant resins and nectar compounds, provide promising low-cost candidates for safe prophylaxis or treatment of bee diseases.
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22
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López-Uribe MM, Ricigliano VA, Simone-Finstrom M. Defining Pollinator Health: A Holistic Approach Based on Ecological, Genetic, and Physiological Factors. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2019; 8:269-294. [PMID: 31618045 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-020518-115045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Evidence for global bee population declines has catalyzed a rapidly evolving area of research that aims to identify the causal factors and to effectively assess the status of pollinator populations. The term pollinator health emerged through efforts to understand causes of bee decline and colony losses, but it lacks a formal definition. In this review, we propose a definition for pollinator health and synthesize the available literature on the application of standardized biomarkers to assess health at the individual, colony, and population levels. We focus on biomarkers in honey bees, a model species, but extrapolate the potential application of these approaches to monitor the health status of wild bee populations. Biomarker-guided health measures can inform beekeeper management decisions, wild bee conservation efforts, and environmental policies. We conclude by addressing challenges to pollinator health from a One Health perspective that emphasizes the interplay between environmental quality and human, animal, and bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita M López-Uribe
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA;
| | - Vincent A Ricigliano
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820, USA; ,
| | - Michael Simone-Finstrom
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820, USA; ,
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23
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Voulgari-Kokota A, McFrederick QS, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Drivers, Diversity, and Functions of the Solitary-Bee Microbiota. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:1034-1044. [PMID: 31451346 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating reports of global bee declines have drawn much attention to the bee microbiota and its importance. Most research has focused on social bees, while solitary species have received scant attention despite their enormous biodiversity, ecological importance, and agroeconomic value. We review insights from several recent studies on diversity, function, and drivers of the solitary-bee microbiota, and compare these factors with those relevant to the social-bee microbiota. Despite basic similarities, the social-bee model, with host-specific core microbiota and social transmission, is not representative of the vast majority of bee species. The solitary-bee microbiota exhibits greater variability and biodiversity, with a strong impact of environmental acquisition routes. Our synthesis identifies outstanding questions that will build understanding of these interactions, responses to environmental threats, and consequences for health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Voulgari-Kokota
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, Emil-Fischer Straße, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, Emil-Fischer Straße, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
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24
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Lester PJ, Buick KH, Baty JW, Felden A, Haywood J. Different bacterial and viral pathogens trigger distinct immune responses in a globally invasive ant. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5780. [PMID: 30962470 PMCID: PMC6453929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species populations periodically collapse from high to low abundance, sometimes even to extinction. Pathogens and the burden they place on invader immune systems have been hypothesised as a mechanism for these collapses. We examined the association of the bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas spp.) and the viral community with immune gene expression in the globally invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile (Mayr)). RNA-seq analysis found evidence for 17 different viruses in Argentine ants from New Zealand, including three bacteriophages with one (Pseudomonas phage PS-1) likely to be attacking the bacterial host. Pathogen loads and prevalence varied immensely. Transcriptomic data showed that immune gene expression was consistent with respect to the viral classification of negative-sense, positive-sense and double-stranded RNA viruses. Genes that were the most strongly associated with the positive-sense RNA viruses such as the Linepithema humile virus 1 (LHUV-1) and the Deformed wing virus (DWV) were peptide recognition proteins assigned to the Toll and Imd pathways. We then used principal components analysis and regression modelling to determine how RT-qPCR derived immune gene expression levels were associated with viral and bacterial loads. Argentine ants mounted a substantial immune response to both Pseudomonas and LHUV-1 infections, involving almost all immune pathways. Other viruses including DWV and the Kashmir bee virus appeared to have much less immunological influence. Different pathogens were associated with varying immunological responses, which we hypothesize to interact with and influence the invasion dynamics of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
| | - Kaitlin H Buick
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington, 6242, New Zealand
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Antoine Felden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - John Haywood
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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25
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Abstract
Abstract
Colony losses, including those induced by the colony collapse disorder, are an urgent problem of contemporary apiculture which has been capturing the attention of both apiculturists and the research community. CCD is characterized by the absence of adult dead bees in the hive in which few workers and a queen remain, the ratio between the brood quantity and the number of workers is heavily disturbed in favor of the former, and more than enough food is present. Robbing behavior and pests usually attacking the weakened colony do not occur. In the present paper, the causes of the emergence of this problem are discussed, as well as the measures of its prevention.
The following factors, which lead to colony losses, are analyzed: shortage of high-quality food (pollen and honey); infestation with parasites, primarily with Varroa destructor, and mixed virus infections; bacterial infections (American and European foulbrood), fungal infections (nosemosis and ascosphaerosis) and trypanosomal infections (lotmariosis); and, finally, general management of the apiary.
Certain preventive measures are proposed: (1) providing ample high-quality forage and clean water, (2) avoiding sugarisation, i.e. superfluous use of sugar syrup, (3) meeting the nutritional needs of the colony, (4) when feeding bees, taking care of the timing and the composition of diet, avoiding pure sugar syrup which in excessive quantities may induce energetic and oxidative stress, (5) when there is a shortage of natural feed – honey in the brood chamber – use sugar syrup with natural/artificial supplements to avoid protein starvation, (6) organized control of V. destructor in the colonies is obligatory due to its vector role, and (7) compliance with hygienic and sanitary measures and principles of good apiculture practice and management in apiaries. To conclude, all preventive measures are feasible in compliance with rules and regulations concerning regular spring and autumn bee health monitoring by licensed veterinarians, who can propose adequate treatments if necessary.
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Quinn O, Gruber MAM, Brown RL, Baty JW, Bulgarella M, Lester PJ. A metatranscriptomic analysis of diseased social wasps (Vespula vulgaris) for pathogens, with an experimental infection of larvae and nests. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209589. [PMID: 30596703 PMCID: PMC6312278 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Social wasps are a major pest in many countries around the world. Pathogens may influence wasp populations and could provide an option for population management via biological control. We investigated the pathology of nests of apparently healthy common wasps, Vespula vulgaris, with nests apparently suffering disease. First, next-generation sequencing and metatranscriptomic analysis were used to examine pathogen presence. The transcriptome of healthy and diseased V. vulgaris showed 27 known microbial phylotypes. Four of these were observed in diseased larvae alone (Aspergillus fumigatus, Moellerella wisconsensis, Moku virus, and the microsporidian Vavraia culicis). Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) was found to be present in both healthy and diseased larvae. Moellerella wisconsensis is a human pathogen that was potentially misidentified in our wasps by the MEGAN analysis: it is more likely to be the related bacteria Hafnia alvei that is known to infect social insects. The closest identification to the putative pathogen identified as Vavraia culicis was likely to be another microsporidian Nosema vulgaris. PCR and subsequent Sanger sequencing using published or our own designed primers, confirmed the identity of Moellerella sp. (which may be Hafnia alvei), Aspergillus sp., KBV, Moku virus and Nosema. Secondly, we used an infection study by homogenising diseased wasp larvae and feeding them to entire nests of larvae in the laboratory. Three nests transinfected with diseased larvae all died within 19 days. No pathogen that we monitored, however, had a significantly higher prevalence in diseased than in healthy larvae. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that pathogen infections were significantly correlated, such as between KBV and Aspergillus sp. Social wasps clearly suffer from an array of pathogens, which may lead to the collapse of nests and larval death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Quinn
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Monica A. M. Gruber
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Robert L. Brown
- Biodiversity and Conservation, Manaaki Whenua–Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - James W. Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mariana Bulgarella
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
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Dai P, Yan Z, Ma S, Yang Y, Wang Q, Hou C, Wu Y, Liu Y, Diao Q. The Herbicide Glyphosate Negatively Affects Midgut Bacterial Communities and Survival of Honey Bee during Larvae Reared in Vitro. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2018; 66:7786-7793. [PMID: 29992812 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b02212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Effects of glyphosate on survival, developmental rate, larval weight, and midgut bacterial diversity of Apis mellifera were tested in the laboratory. Larvae were reared in vitro and fed diet containing glyphosate 0.8, 4, and 20 mg/L. The dependent variables were compared with negative control and positive control (dimethoate 45 mg/L). Brood survival decreased in 4 or 20 mg/L glyphosate treatments but not in 0.8 mg/L, and larval weight decreased in 0.8 or 4 mg/L glyphosate treatments. Exposure to three concentrations did not affect the developmental rate. Furthermore, the intestinal bacterial communities were determined using high-throughput sequencing targeting the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rDNA. All core honey bee intestinal bacterial phyla such as Proteobacteria (30.86%), Firmicutes (13.82%), and Actinobacteria (11.88%) were detected, and significant changes were found in the species diversity and richness in 20 mg/L glyphosate group. Our results suggest that high concentrations of glyphosate are deleterious to immature bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingli Dai
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Zhenxiong Yan
- Beijing University of Agriculture , Beijing 102206 , China
| | - Shilong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
- College of Bee Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
| | - Yang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Yanyan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Yongjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
| | - Qingyun Diao
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology , Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences , Beijing 100093 , China
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28
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El Khoury S, Rousseau A, Lecoeur A, Cheaib B, Bouslama S, Mercier PL, Demey V, Castex M, Giovenazzo P, Derome N. Deleterious Interaction Between Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and its Microsporidian Intracellular Parasite Nosema ceranae Was Mitigated by Administrating Either Endogenous or Allochthonous Gut Microbiota Strains. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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29
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Vejnovic B, Stevanovic J, Schwarz RS, Aleksic N, Mirilovic M, Jovanovic NM, Stanimirovic Z. Quantitative PCR assessment of Lotmaria passim in Apis mellifera colonies co-infected naturally with Nosema ceranae. J Invertebr Pathol 2018; 151:76-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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30
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Huff Hartz KE, Edwards TM, Lydy MJ. Fate and transport of furrow-applied granular tefluthrin and seed-coated clothianidin insecticides: Comparison of field-scale observations and model estimates. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2017; 26:876-888. [PMID: 28560497 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-017-1818-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The transport of agricultural insecticides to water bodies may create risk of exposure to non-target organisms. Similarly, widespread use of furrow-applied and seed-coated insecticides may increase risk of exposure, yet accessible exposure models are not easily adapted for furrow application, and only a few examples of model validation of furrow-applied insecticides exist using actual field data. The goal of the current project was to apply an exposure model, the Pesticide in Water Calculator (PWC), to estimate the concentrations of two in-furrow insecticides applied to maize: the granular pyrethroid, tefluthrin, and the seed-coated neonicotinoid, clothianidin. The concentrations of tefluthrin and clothianidin in surface runoff water, sampled from a field in central Illinois (USA), were compared to the PWC modeled pesticide concentrations in surface runoff. The tefluthrin concentrations were used to optimize the application method in the PWC, and the addition of particulate matter and guttation droplets improved the models prediction of clothianidin concentrations. Next, the tefluthrin and clothianidin concentrations were calculated for a standard farm pond using both the optimized application method and the application methods provided in PWC. Estimated concentrations in a standard farm pond varied by a factor of 100 for tefluthrin and 50 for clothianidin depending on the application method used. The addition of guttation droplets and particulate matter to the model increased the annual clothianidin concentration in a standard farm pond by a factor of 1.5, which suggested that these transport routes should also be considered when assessing neonicotinoid exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Huff Hartz
- Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Tracye M Edwards
- Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Michael J Lydy
- Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA.
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA.
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31
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Anderson KE, Ricigliano VA. Honey bee gut dysbiosis: a novel context of disease ecology. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 22:125-132. [PMID: 28805634 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee microbiota has become a hot-spot of recent research. Highly co-evolved with its host, the hindgut microbiota of a worker honey bee consists of six bacterial species shown to occur reliably in particular proportions. Altered microbiota structure is associated with host deficiencies, and a variety of bacteria found throughout the hive environment can dominate the worker gut suppressing or displacing microbiota function. The synthesis presented here suggests environmental insults alter gut bacterial balance, leading to decreased host function and disease progression. Specific functional groups of native bacteria represent a model system to investigate dysbiosis and the evolution of host tolerance/resistance traits in honey bee-microbe interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk E Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ 85719, United States; Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States.
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Dobelmann J, Loope KJ, Wilson-Rankin E, Quinn O, Baty JW, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. Fitness in invasive social wasps: the role of variation in viral load, immune response and paternity in predicting nest size and reproductive output. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin J. Loope
- Dept of Entomology; Univ. of California-Riverside; Riverside CA USA
| | | | - Oliver Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - James W. Baty
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
- Malaghan Inst. of Medical Research; Wellington New Zealand
| | - Monica A. M. Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria Univ. of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
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Toth AL, Rehan SM. Molecular Evolution of Insect Sociality: An Eco-Evo-Devo Perspective. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 62:419-442. [PMID: 27912247 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-035601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of eusociality is a perennial issue in evolutionary biology, and genomic advances have fueled steadily growing interest in the genetic changes underlying social evolution. Along with a recent flurry of research on comparative and evolutionary genomics in different eusocial insect groups (bees, ants, wasps, and termites), several mechanistic explanations have emerged to describe the molecular evolution of eusociality from solitary behavior. These include solitary physiological ground plans, genetic toolkits of deeply conserved genes, evolutionary changes in protein-coding genes, cis regulation, and the structure of gene networks, epigenetics, and novel genes. Despite this proliferation of ideas, there has been little synthesis, even though these ideas are not mutually exclusive and may in fact be complementary. We review available data on molecular evolution of insect sociality and highlight key biotic and abiotic factors influencing social insect genomes. We then suggest both phylogenetic and ecological evolutionary developmental biology (eco-evo-devo) perspectives for a more synthetic view of molecular evolution in insect societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Toth
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011;
- Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824;
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34
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Schoonvaere K, De Smet L, Smagghe G, Vierstraete A, Braeckman BP, de Graaf DC. Unbiased RNA Shotgun Metagenomics in Social and Solitary Wild Bees Detects Associations with Eukaryote Parasites and New Viruses. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168456. [PMID: 28006002 PMCID: PMC5179009 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The diversity of eukaryote organisms and viruses associated with wild bees remains poorly characterized in contrast to the well-documented pathosphere of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Using a deliberate RNA shotgun metagenomic sequencing strategy in combination with a dedicated bioinformatics workflow, we identified the (micro-)organisms and viruses associated with two bumble bee hosts, Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum, and two solitary bee hosts, Osmia cornuta and Andrena vaga. Ion Torrent semiconductor sequencing generated approximately 3.8 million high quality reads. The most significant eukaryote associations were two protozoan, Apicystis bombi and Crithidia bombi, and one nematode parasite Sphaerularia bombi in bumble bees. The trypanosome protozoan C. bombi was also found in the solitary bee O. cornuta. Next to the identification of three honey bee viruses Black queen cell virus, Sacbrood virus and Varroa destructor virus-1 and four plant viruses, we describe two novel RNA viruses Scaldis River bee virus (SRBV) and Ganda bee virus (GABV) based on their partial genomic sequences. The novel viruses belong to the class of negative-sense RNA viruses, SRBV is related to the order Mononegavirales whereas GABV is related to the family Bunyaviridae. The potential biological role of both viruses in bees is discussed in the context of recent advances in the field of arthropod viruses. Further, fragmentary sequence evidence for other undescribed viruses is presented, among which a nudivirus in O. cornuta and an unclassified virus related to Chronic bee paralysis virus in B. terrestris. Our findings extend the current knowledge of wild bee parasites in general and addsto the growing evidence of unexplored arthropod viruses in valuable insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karel Schoonvaere
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Lina De Smet
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Andy Vierstraete
- Laboratory of Ageing Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart P. Braeckman
- Laboratory of Ageing Physiology and Molecular Evolution, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dirk C. de Graaf
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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35
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Early gut colonizers shape parasite susceptibility and microbiota composition in honey bee workers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:9345-50. [PMID: 27482088 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1606631113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial symbionts living within animal guts are largely composed of resident bacterial species, forming communities that often provide benefits to the host. Gut microbiomes of adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) include core residents such as the betaproteobacterium Snodgrassella alvi, alongside transient parasites such as the protozoan Lotmaria passim To test how these species affect microbiome composition and host physiology, we administered S alvi and/or L passim inocula to newly emerged worker bees from four genetic backgrounds (GH) and reared them in normal (within hives) or stressed (protein-deficient, asocial) conditions. Microbiota acquired by normal bees were abundant but quantitatively differed across treatments, indicating treatment-associated dysbiosis. Pretreatment with S. alvi made normal bees more susceptible to L. passim and altered developmental and detoxification gene expression. Stressed bees were more susceptible to L. passim and were depauperate in core microbiota, yet supplementation with S. alvi did not alter this susceptibility. Microbiomes were generally more variable by GH in stressed bees, which also showed opposing and comparatively reduced modulation of gene expression responses to treatments compared with normal bees. These data provide experimental support for a link between altered gut microbiota and increased parasite and pathogen prevalence, as observed from honey bee colony collapse disorder.
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36
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Stevanovic J, Schwarz RS, Vejnovic B, Evans JD, Irwin RE, Glavinic U, Stanimirovic Z. Species-specific diagnostics of Apis mellifera trypanosomatids: A nine-year survey (2007-2015) for trypanosomatids and microsporidians in Serbian honey bees. J Invertebr Pathol 2016; 139:6-11. [PMID: 27392956 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In this study, honey bees collected in Serbia over 9 consecutive years (2007-2015) were retrospectively surveyed to determine the prevalence of eukaryotic gut parasites by molecular screening of archival DNA samples. We developed species-specific primers for PCR to detect the two known honey bee trypanosomatid species, Crithidia mellificae and the recently described Lotmaria passim. These primers were validated for target specificity under single and mixed-species conditions as well as against the bumblebee trypanosomatid Crithidia bombi. Infections by Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) were also determined using PCR. Samples from 162 colonies (18 from each year) originating from 57 different localities were surveyed. L. passim was detected in every year with an overall frequency of 62.3% and annual frequencies ranging from 38.9% to 83.3%. This provides the earliest confirmed record to date for L. passim and the first report of this species in Serbia. N. ceranae was ubiquitous, occurring in every year and at 95.7% overall frequency, ranging annually from 83.3% to 100%. The majority of colonies (60.5%) were co-infected with L. passim and N. ceranae, but colony infections by each species were statistically independent of one another over the nine years. Although C. mellificae and N. apis have both been reported recently at low frequency in Europe, neither of these species was detected in Serbia. These results support the hypothesis that L. passim has predominated over C. mellificae in A. mellifera during the past decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Ryan S Schwarz
- Department of Entomology, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Branislav Vejnovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Jay D Evans
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center - East, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bldg. 306, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - Rebecca E Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, 253 David Clark Labs, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
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Abstract
The gut microbiota can have profound effects on hosts, but the study of these relationships in humans is challenging. The specialized gut microbial community of honey bees is similar to the mammalian microbiota, as both are mostly composed of host-adapted, facultatively anaerobic and microaerophilic bacteria. However, the microbial community of the bee gut is far simpler than the mammalian microbiota, being dominated by only nine bacterial species clusters that are specific to bees and that are transmitted through social interactions between individuals. Recent developments, which include the discovery of extensive strain-level variation, evidence of protective and nutritional functions, and reports of eco-physiological or disease-associated perturbations to the microbial community, have drawn attention to the role of the microbiota in bee health and its potential as a model for studying the ecology and evolution of gut symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waldan K Kwong
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
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38
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Engel P, Kwong WK, McFrederick Q, Anderson KE, Barribeau SM, Chandler JA, Cornman RS, Dainat J, de Miranda JR, Doublet V, Emery O, Evans JD, Farinelli L, Flenniken ML, Granberg F, Grasis JA, Gauthier L, Hayer J, Koch H, Kocher S, Martinson VG, Moran N, Munoz-Torres M, Newton I, Paxton RJ, Powell E, Sadd BM, Schmid-Hempel P, Schmid-Hempel R, Song SJ, Schwarz RS, vanEngelsdorp D, Dainat B. The Bee Microbiome: Impact on Bee Health and Model for Evolution and Ecology of Host-Microbe Interactions. mBio 2016; 7:e02164-15. [PMID: 27118586 PMCID: PMC4850275 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02164-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As pollinators, bees are cornerstones for terrestrial ecosystem stability and key components in agricultural productivity. All animals, including bees, are associated with a diverse community of microbes, commonly referred to as the microbiome. The bee microbiome is likely to be a crucial factor affecting host health. However, with the exception of a few pathogens, the impacts of most members of the bee microbiome on host health are poorly understood. Further, the evolutionary and ecological forces that shape and change the microbiome are unclear. Here, we discuss recent progress in our understanding of the bee microbiome, and we present challenges associated with its investigation. We conclude that global coordination of research efforts is needed to fully understand the complex and highly dynamic nature of the interplay between the bee microbiome, its host, and the environment. High-throughput sequencing technologies are ideal for exploring complex biological systems, including host-microbe interactions. To maximize their value and to improve assessment of the factors affecting bee health, sequence data should be archived, curated, and analyzed in ways that promote the synthesis of different studies. To this end, the BeeBiome consortium aims to develop an online database which would provide reference sequences, archive metadata, and host analytical resources. The goal would be to support applied and fundamental research on bees and their associated microbes and to provide a collaborative framework for sharing primary data from different research programs, thus furthering our understanding of the bee microbiome and its impact on pollinator health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Waldan K Kwong
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Quinn McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | | | | | - James Angus Chandler
- Department of Microbiology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - R Scott Cornman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jacques Dainat
- Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Life Sciences (BILS), Linköpings Universitet Victoria Westling, Linköping, Sweden, and Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joachim R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vincent Doublet
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olivier Emery
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA, ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | | | - Juris A Grasis
- Department of Biology, North Life Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Laurent Gauthier
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Hauke Koch
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Kocher
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge , Massachusetts , USA
| | | | - Nancy Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Monica Munoz-Torres
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley , California , USA
| | - Irene Newton
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eli Powell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Se Jin Song
- University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Ryan S Schwarz
- USDA, ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Dainat
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland Bee Health Extension Service, Apiservice, Bern , Switzerland
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Corby-Harris V, Snyder L, Meador CAD, Naldo R, Mott B, Anderson KE. Parasaccharibacter apium, gen. nov., sp. nov., Improves Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Resistance to Nosema. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 109:537-43. [PMID: 26875068 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tow012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is host to a variety of microorganisms. The bacterial community that occupies the adult worker gut contains a core group of approximately seven taxa, while the hive environment contains its own distribution of bacteria that is in many ways distinct from the gut. Parasaccharibacter apium, gen. nov., sp. nov., is a hive bacterium found in food stores and in larvae, worker jelly, worker hypopharyngeal glands, and queens. Parasaccharibacter apium increases larval survival under laboratory conditions. To determine if this benefit is extended to colonies in the field, we tested if P. apium 1) survives and reproduces in supplemental pollen patty, 2) is distributed throughout the hive when added to pollen patty, 3) benefits colony health, and 4) increases the ability of bees to resist Nosema. Parasaccharibacter apium survived in supplemental diet and was readily consumed by bees. It was distributed throughout the hive under field conditions, moving from the pollen patty to hive larvae. While P. apium did not significantly increase colony brood production, food stores, or foraging rates, it did increase resistance to Nosema infection. Our data suggest that P. apium may positively impact honey bee health.
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Abstract
The advent of relatively inexpensive tools for characterizing microbial communities has led to an explosion of research exploring the diversity, ecology, and evolution of microbe-host systems. Some now question whether existing conceptual frameworks are adequate to explain microbe-host systems. One popular paradigm is the "holobiont-hologenome," which argues that a host and its microbiome evolve as a single cooperative unit of selection (i.e., a superorganism). We argue that the hologenome is based on overly restrictive assumptions which render it an approach of little research utility. A host plus its microbiome is more effectively viewed as an ecological community of organisms that encompasses a broad range of interactions (parasitic to mutualistic), patterns of transmission (horizontal to vertical), and levels of fidelity among partners. The hologenome requires high partner fidelity if it is to evolve as a unit. However, even when this is achieved by particular host-microbe pairs, it is unlikely to hold for the entire host microbiome, and therefore the community is unlikely to evolve as a hologenome. Both mutualistic and antagonistic (fitness conflict) evolution can occur among constituent members of the community, not just adaptations at the "hologenome" level, and there is abundant empirical evidence for such divergence of selective interests among members of host-microbiome communities. We believe that the concepts and methods of ecology, genetics, and evolutionary biology will continue to provide a well-grounded intellectual framework for researching host-microbiome communities, without recourse to the limiting assumption that selection acts predominantly at the holobiont level.
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Poelchau MF, Coates BS, Childers CP, Peréz de León AA, Evans JD, Hackett K, Shoemaker D. Agricultural applications of insect ecological genomics. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 13:61-69. [PMID: 27436554 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural entomology is poised to benefit from the application of ecological genomics, particularly the fields of biofuels generation and pest control. Metagenomic methods can characterize microbial communities of termites, wood-boring beetles and livestock pests, and transcriptomic approaches reveal molecular bases behind wood-digesting capabilities of these insects, leading to potential mechanisms for biofuel generation. Genome sequences are being exploited to develop new pest control methods, identify candidate antigens to vaccinate livestock, and discover RNAi target sequences and potential non-target effects in other insects. Gene content analyses of pest genome sequences and their endosymbionts suggest metabolic interdependencies between organisms, exposing potential gene targets for insect control. Finally, genome-wide association studies and genotyping by high-throughput sequencing promise to improve management of pesticide resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica F Poelchau
- USDA-ARS, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States.
| | - Brad S Coates
- USDA-ARS, Corn Insects & Crop Genetics Research Unit, Ames, IA 50011, United States
| | | | - Adalberto A Peréz de León
- USDA-ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX 78028, United States
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - Kevin Hackett
- USDA-ARS, Office of National Programs, Crop Production and Protection, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - DeWayne Shoemaker
- USDA-ARS, Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research Unit, Gainesville, FL 32608, United States.
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PCR-specific detection of recently described Lotmaria passim (Trypanosomatidae) in Chilean apiaries. J Invertebr Pathol 2015; 134:1-5. [PMID: 26721451 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2015.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The recently described trypanosome Lotmaria passim is currently considered the most predominant trypanosomatid in honey bees worldwide and could be a factor in honey bee declines. For a specific and quick detection of this pathogen, we developed primers based on the SSU rRNA and gGAPDH genes for the detection of L. passim in Chilean honey beehives. PCR products amplified and sequenced for these primers shared 99-100% identity with other sequences of L. passim. The designed primers were specific and we were able to detect a high prevalence (40-90%) of L. passim in bee hives distributed throughout Chile. Our described PCR-based method offers a feasible and specific detection of L. passim in any honey bee samples.
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Grozinger CM, Evans JD. Editorial Overview: Social insects: From the lab to the landscape - translational approaches to pollinator health. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 10:vii-ix. [PMID: 29588021 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States.
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, BARC-East Bldg 306, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States.
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Grozinger CM, Robinson GE. The power and promise of applying genomics to honey bee health. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 10:124-132. [PMID: 26273565 PMCID: PMC4528376 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
New genomic tools and resources are now being used to both understand honey bee health and develop tools to better manage it. Here, we describe the use of genomic approaches to identify and characterize bee parasites and pathogens, examine interactions among these parasites and pathogens, between them and their bee hosts, and to identify genetic markers for improved breeding of more resilient bee stocks. We also discuss several new genomic techniques that can be used to more efficiently study, monitor and improve bee health. In the case of using RNAi-based technologies to mitigate diseases in bee populations, we highlight advantages, disadvantages and strategies to reduce risk. The increased use of genomic analytical tools and manipulative technologies has already led to significant advances, and holds great promise for improvements in the health of honey bees and other critical pollinator species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16803
| | - Gene E. Robinson
- Department of Entomology, Neuroscience Program, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 61801
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