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Rana A, Adams ME, Libersat F. Parasitoid wasp venom re-programs host behavior through downmodulation of brain central complex activity and motor output. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286758. [PMID: 36700409 PMCID: PMC10088415 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa hunts down its host, the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), and envenomates its brain to make it a behaviorally compliant food supply for its offspring. The primary target of the wasp sting is a locomotory command center called the central complex (CX). In the present study, we employ, for the first time, chronic recordings of patterned cockroach CX activity in real time as the brain is infused with wasp venom. CX envenomation is followed by sequential changes in the pattern of neuronal firing that can be divided into three distinct temporal phases during the 2 h interval after venom injection: (1) reduction in neuronal activity for roughly 10 min immediately after venom injection; (2) rebound of activity lasting up to 25 min; (3) reduction of ongoing activity for up to 2 h. Long-term reduction of CX activity after venom injection is accompanied by decreased activity of both descending interneurons projecting to thoracic locomotory circuitry (DINs) and motor output. Thus, in this study, we provide a plausible chain of events starting in the CX that leads to decreased host locomotion following brain envenomation. We propose that these events account for the onset and maintenance of the prolonged hypokinetic state observed in stung cockroaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Rana
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael E Adams
- Departments of Entomology and Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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2
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Rana A, Emanuel S, Adams ME, Libersat F. Suppression of host nocifensive behavior by parasitoid wasp venom. Front Physiol 2022; 13:907041. [PMID: 36035493 PMCID: PMC9411936 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.907041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasitoid wasp Ampulex compressa envenomates the brain of its host the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), thereby making it a behaviorally compliant food supply for its offspring. The target of venom injection is a locomotory command center in the brain called the central complex. In this study, we investigate why stung cockroaches do not respond to injuries incurred during the manipulation process by the wasp. In particular, we examine how envenomation compromises nociceptive signaling pathways in the host. Noxious stimuli applied to the cuticle of stung cockroaches fail to evoke escape responses, even though nociceptive interneurons projecting to the brain respond normally. Hence, while nociceptive signals are carried forward to the brain, they fail to trigger robust nocifensive behavior. Electrophysiological recordings from the central complex of stung animals demonstrate decreases in peak firing rate, total firing, and duration of noxious-evoked activity. The single parameter best correlated with altered noxious-evoked behavioral responses of stung cockroaches is reduced duration of the evoked response in the central complex. Our findings demonstrate how the reproductive strategy of a parasitoid wasp is served by venom-mediated elimination of aversive, nocifensive behavior in its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Rana
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
| | - Stav Emanuel
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael E. Adams
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva, Israel
- *Correspondence: Frederic Libersat,
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3
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Nordio S, Kaiser M, Adams ME, Libersat F. Parasitoid wasp venom manipulates host innate behavior via subtype-specific dopamine receptor activation. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274808. [PMID: 35320357 PMCID: PMC8996814 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The subjugation strategy employed by the jewel wasp is unique in that it manipulates the behavior of its host, the American cockroach, rather than inducing outright paralysis. Upon envenomation directly into the central complex (CX), a command center in the brain for motor behavior, the stung cockroach initially engages in intense grooming behavior, then falls into a lethargic sleep-like state referred to as hypokinesia. Behavioral changes evoked by the sting are due at least in part to the presence of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the venom. In insects, dopamine receptors are classified as two families, the D1-like and the D2-like receptors. However, specific roles played by dopamine receptor subtypes in venom-induced behavioral manipulation by the jewel wasp remain largely unknown. In the present study, we used a pharmacological approach to investigate roles of D1-like and D2-like receptors in behaviors exhibited by stung cockroaches, focusing on grooming. Specifically, we assessed behavioral outcomes of focal CX injections of dopamine receptor agonists and antagonists. Both specific and non-specific compounds were used. Our results strongly implicate D1-like dopamine receptors in venom-induced grooming. Regarding induction of hypokinesia, our findings demonstrate that dopamine signaling is necessary for induction of long-lasting hypokinesia caused by brain envenomation. Highlighted Article: Subtype-specific dopamine receptors are involved in the manipulation of host behavior by the parasitoid jewel wasp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Nordio
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Maayan Kaiser
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
| | - Michael E Adams
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel.,Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
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4
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Liu X, Tian Z, Cai L, Shen Z, Michaud JP, Zhu L, Yan S, Ros VID, Hoover K, Li Z, Zhang S, Liu X. Baculoviruses hijack the visual perception of their caterpillar hosts to induce climbing behavior, thus promoting virus dispersal. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2752-2765. [PMID: 35258140 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Baculoviruses can induce climbing behavior in their caterpillar hosts to ensure they die at elevated positions to enhance virus transmission, providing an excellent model to study parasitic manipulation of host behavior. Here, we demonstrate that climbing behavior occurred mostly during daylight hours, and that the height at death of Helicoverpa armigera single nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV)-infected larvae increases with the height of the light source. Phototaxic and electroretinogram (ERG) responses were enhanced after HearNPV-infection in host larvae, and ablation of stemmata in infected larvae prevented both phototaxis and climbing behavior. Through transcriptome and quantitative PCR, we confirmed that two opsin genes (a blue light-sensitive gene, HaBL; and a long wave-sensitive gene, HaLW) as well as the TRPL (transient receptor potential-like channel protein) gene, all integral to the host's visual perception pathway, were significantly up-regulated after HearNPV infection. Knockout of HaBL, HaLW, or TRPL genes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system resulted in significantly reduced ERG responses, phototaxis, and climbing behavior in HearNPV-infected larvae. These results reveal that HearNPV alters the expression of specific genes to hijack host visual perception at fundamental levels - photoreception and phototransduction - in order to induce climbing behavior in host larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China.,College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Tian
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Limei Cai
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Zhongjian Shen
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - J P Michaud
- Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Agricultural Research Station-Hays, Hays, KS, 67601, USA
| | - Lin Zhu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Shuo Yan
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Vera I D Ros
- Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kelli Hoover
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA16802, USA
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Songdou Zhang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
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An agent-based model shows zombie ants exhibit search behavior. J Theor Biol 2021; 526:110789. [PMID: 34087265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parasites can alter the behavior of animals. Such alterations could be a byproduct of infection or actively controlled and directed by the parasite. Ants infected with zombie ant fungi (Ophiocordyceps sp.) show behavioral changes culminating in the ant dying while biting into vegetation. To investigate the influence of the parasite on behavioral changes, we created an agent-based model that provides a prediction of how fungal infected ants move before death. The model shows how alterations in movement, such as an increased turning rate, within the normal range of ant behavior, can lead a host from the nest to the underside of a leaf. This demonstrates the simplicity in how such behavioral changes could evolve, as the fungal parasite could benefit from the natural behavior of the host, contesting a hypothesis of highly directed manipulation.
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Naniwa K, Aonuma H. Descending and Ascending Signals That Maintain Rhythmic Walking Pattern in Crickets. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:625094. [PMID: 33855051 PMCID: PMC8039156 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.625094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The cricket is one of the model animals used to investigate the neuronal mechanisms underlying adaptive locomotion. An intact cricket walks mostly with a tripod gait, similar to other insects. The motor control center of the leg movements is located in the thoracic ganglia. In this study, we investigated the walking gait patterns of the crickets whose ventral nerve cords were surgically cut to gain an understanding of how the descending signals from the head ganglia and ascending signals from the abdominal nervous system into the thoracic ganglia mediate the initiation and coordination of the walking gait pattern. Crickets whose paired connectives between the brain and subesophageal ganglion (SEG) (circumesophageal connectives) were cut exhibited a tripod gait pattern. However, when one side of the circumesophageal connectives was cut, the crickets continued to turn in the opposite direction to the connective cut. Crickets whose paired connectives between the SEG and prothoracic ganglion were cut did not walk, whereas the crickets exhibited an ordinal tripod gait pattern when one side of the connectives was intact. Crickets whose paired connectives between the metathoracic ganglion and abdominal ganglia were cut initiated walking, although the gait was not a coordinated tripod pattern, whereas the crickets exhibited a tripod gait when one side of the connectives was intact. These results suggest that the brain plays an inhibitory role in initiating leg movements and that both the descending signals from the head ganglia and the ascending signals from the abdominal nervous system are important in initiating and coordinating insect walking gait patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Naniwa
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Aonuma
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Benamú M, García LF, Viera C, Lacava M, Korenko S. Koinobint life style of the spider wasp Minagenia (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae) and its consequences for host selection and sex allocation. ZOOLOGY 2020; 140:125797. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Bioinformatic analysis suggests potential mechanisms underlying parasitoid venom evolution and function. Genomics 2019; 112:1096-1104. [PMID: 31247332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hymenopteran parasitoid wasps are a diverse collection of species that infect arthropod hosts and use factors found in their venoms to manipulate host immune responses, physiology, and behaviour. Whole parasitoid venoms have been profiled using proteomic approaches, and here we present a bioinformatic characterization of the venom protein content from Ganaspis sp. 1, a parasitoid that infects flies of the genus Drosophila. We find evidence that diverse evolutionary processes including multifunctionalization, co-option, gene duplication, and horizontal gene transfer may be acting in concert to drive venom gene evolution in Ganaspis sp.1. One major role of parasitoid wasp venom is host immune evasion. We previously demonstrated that Ganaspis sp. 1 venom inhibits immune cell activation in infected Drosophila melanogaster hosts, and our current analysis has uncovered additional predicted virulence functions. Overall, this analysis represents an important step towards understanding the composition and activity of parasitoid wasp venoms.
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Dos Santos DS, Rosa ME, Zanatta AP, Oliveira RS, de Almeida CGM, Leal AP, Sanz M, Fernandes KA, de Souza VQ, de Assis DR, Pinto E, Belo CAD. Neurotoxic effects of sublethal concentrations of cyanobacterial extract containing anatoxin-a(s) on Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 171:138-145. [PMID: 30599431 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.12.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The detection of cyanotoxins, such as the anatoxin-a(s), is essential to ensure the biological safety of water environments. Here, we propose the use of Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches as an alternative biological model for the biomonitoring of the activity of anatoxin-a(s) in aquatic systems. In order to validate our proposed model, we compared the effects of a cyanobacterial extract containing anatoxin-a(s) (CECA) with those of the organophosphate trichlorfon (Tn) on biochemical and physiological parameters of the nervous system of Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches. In brain homogenates from cockroaches, CECA (5 and 50 μg/g) inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity by 53 ± 2% and 51 ± 7%, respectively, while Tn (5 and 50 μg/g) inhibited AChE activity by 35 ± 4% and 80 ± 9%, respectively (p < 0.05; n = 6). Moreover, CECA at concentrations of 5, 25, and 50 µg/g decreased the locomotor activity of the cockroaches, diminishing the distance travelled and increasing the frequency and duration of immobile episodes similarly to Tn (0.3 μg/g) (p < 0.05, n = 40, respectively). CECA (5, 25 and 50 μg/g) induced an increase in the leg grooming behavior, but not in the movement of antennae, similarly to the effect of Tn (0.3 μg/g). In addition, both CECA (50 µg/200 μl) and Tn (0.3 µg/200 μl) induced a negative chronotropism in the insect heart (37 ± 1 and 47 ± 8 beats/min in 30 min, respectively) (n = 9, p > 0.05). Finally, CECA (50 µg/g), Tn (0.3 µg/g) and neostigmine (50 µg/g) caused significant neuromuscular failure, as indicated by the monitoring of the in vivo neuromuscular function of the cockroaches, during 100 min (n = 6, p < 0.05, respectively). In conclusion, sublethal doses of CECA provoked entomotoxicity. The Tn-like effects of CECA on Nauphoeta cinerea cockroaches encompass both the central and peripheral nervous systems in our insect model. The inhibitory activity of CECA on AChE boosts a cascade of signaling events involving octopaminergic/dopaminergic neurotransmission. Therefore, this study indicates that this insect model could potentially be used as a powerful, practical, and inexpensive tool to understand the impacts of eutrophication and for orientating decontamination processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Silva Dos Santos
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, (PPGBTox), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Instituto do Cérebro (INSCER), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Eduarda Rosa
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Zanatta
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Raquel Soares Oliveira
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Gabriel Moreira de Almeida
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Instituto do Cérebro (INSCER), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Allan Pinto Leal
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Miriam Sanz
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | | | - Velci Queiroz de Souza
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Denis Reis de Assis
- Inserm U1253 "Imaging and Brain", Team Neurogenomics and Neuronal physiopathology, University of Tours, Faculty of Medicine, 10 Bd Tonnellé, 37032 Tours Cedex 1, France
| | - Ernani Pinto
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Brazil
| | - Cháriston André Dal Belo
- LANETOX, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Av. Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, (PPGBTox), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Instituto do Cérebro (INSCER), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6690, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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11
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Kaiser M, Arvidson R, Zarivach R, Adams ME, Libersat F. Molecular cross-talk in a unique parasitoid manipulation strategy. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 106:64-78. [PMID: 30508629 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Envenomation of cockroach cerebral ganglia by the parasitoid Jewel wasp, Ampulex compressa, induces specific, long-lasting behavioural changes. We hypothesized that this prolonged action results from venom-induced changes in brain neurochemistry. Here, we address this issue by first identifying molecular targets of the venom, i.e., proteins to which venom components bind and interact with to mediate altered behaviour. Our results show that venom components bind to synaptic proteins and likely interfere with both pre- and postsynaptic processes. Since behavioural changes induced by the sting are long-lasting and reversible, we hypothesized further that long-term effects of the venom must be mediated by up or down regulation of cerebral ganglia proteins. We therefore characterize changes in cerebral ganglia protein abundance of stung cockroaches at different time points after the sting by quantitative mass spectrometry. Our findings indicate that numerous proteins are differentially expressed in cerebral ganglia of stung cockroaches, many of which are involved in signal transduction, such as the Rho GTPase pathway, which is implicated in synaptic plasticity. Altogether, our data suggest that the Jewel wasp commandeers cockroach behaviour through molecular cross-talk between venom components and molecular targets in the cockroach central nervous system, leading to broad-based alteration of synaptic efficacy and behavioural changes that promote successful development of wasp progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Kaiser
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel; Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Ryan Arvidson
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA; Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Raz Zarivach
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Michael E Adams
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA; Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA; Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel; Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel.
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12
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Arvidson R, Kaiser M, Lee SS, Urenda JP, Dail C, Mohammed H, Nolan C, Pan S, Stajich JE, Libersat F, Adams ME. Parasitoid Jewel Wasp Mounts Multipronged Neurochemical Attack to Hijack a Host Brain. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:99-114. [PMID: 30293061 PMCID: PMC6317478 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.000908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasitoid emerald jewel wasp Ampulex compressa induces a compliant state of hypokinesia in its host, the American cockroach Periplaneta americana through direct envenomation of the central nervous system (CNS). To elucidate the biochemical strategy underlying venom-induced hypokinesia, we subjected the venom apparatus and milked venom to RNAseq and proteomics analyses to construct a comprehensive "venome," consisting of 264 proteins. Abundant in the venome are enzymes endogenous to the host brain, including M13 family metalloproteases, phospholipases, adenosine deaminase, hyaluronidase, and neuropeptide precursors. The amphipathic, alpha-helical ampulexins are among the most abundant venom components. Also prominent are members of the Toll/NF-κB signaling pathway, including proteases Persephone, Snake, Easter, and the Toll receptor ligand Spätzle. We find evidence that venom components are processed following envenomation. The acidic (pH∼4) venom contains unprocessed neuropeptide tachykinin and corazonin precursors and is conspicuously devoid of the corresponding processed, biologically active peptides. Neutralization of venom leads to appearance of mature tachykinin and corazonin, suggesting that the wasp employs precursors as a prolonged time-release strategy within the host brain post-envenomation. Injection of fully processed tachykinin into host cephalic ganglia elicits short-term hypokinesia. Ion channel modifiers and cytolytic toxins are absent in A. compressa venom, which appears to hijack control of the host brain by introducing a "storm" of its own neurochemicals. Our findings deepen understanding of the chemical warfare underlying host-parasitoid interactions and in particular neuromodulatory mechanisms that enable manipulation of host behavior to suit the nutritional needs of opportunistic parasitoid progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Arvidson
- From the ‡Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Maayan Kaiser
- §Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Sang Soo Lee
- ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ‖Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Jean-Paul Urenda
- ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Christopher Dail
- ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Haroun Mohammed
- ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Cebrina Nolan
- **Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Songqin Pan
- ‡‡Institute for Integrated Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Jason E Stajich
- §§Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Frederic Libersat
- §Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael E Adams
- From the ‡Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ‖Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; **Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ‡‡Institute for Integrated Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;; ¶Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521;.
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13
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Arthropod venoms: Biochemistry, ecology and evolution. Toxicon 2018; 158:84-103. [PMID: 30529476 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.11.433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Comprising of over a million described species of highly diverse invertebrates, Arthropoda is amongst the most successful animal lineages to have colonized aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic domains. Venom, one of the many fascinating traits to have evolved in various members of this phylum, has underpinned their adaptation to diverse habitats. Over millions of years of evolution, arthropods have evolved ingenious ways of delivering venom in their targets for self-defence and predation. The morphological diversity of venom delivery apparatus in arthropods is astounding, and includes extensively modified pedipalps, tail (telson), mouth parts (hypostome), fangs, appendages (maxillulae), proboscis, ovipositor (stinger), and hair (urticating bristles). Recent investigations have also unravelled an astonishing venom biocomplexity with molecular scaffolds being recruited from a multitude of protein families. Venoms are a remarkable bioresource for discovering lead compounds in targeted therapeutics. Several components with prospective applications in the development of advanced lifesaving drugs and environment friendly bio-insecticides have been discovered from arthropod venoms. Despite these fascinating features, the composition, bioactivity, and molecular evolution of venom in several arthropod lineages remains largely understudied. This review highlights the prevalence of venom, its mode of toxic action, and the evolutionary dynamics of venom in Arthropoda, the most speciose phylum in the animal kingdom.
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Catania KC. How Not to Be Turned into a Zombie. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2018; 92:32-46. [PMID: 30380540 DOI: 10.1159/000490341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The emerald jewel wasp (Ampulex compressa) is renowned for its ability to zombify the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) with a sting to the brain. When the venom takes effect, the cockroach becomes passive and can be led by its antenna into a hole, where the wasp deposits an egg and then seals the exit with debris. The cockroach has the ability to walk, run, or fly if properly stimulated, but it does not try to escape as it is slowly eaten alive by the developing wasp larva. Although the composition and effects of the wasp's venom have been investigated, no studies have detailed how cockroaches might prevent this grim fate. Here it is shown that many cockroaches deter wasps with a vigorous defense. Successful cockroaches elevated their bodies, bringing their neck out of reach, and kicked at the wasp with their spiny hind legs, often striking the wasp's head multiple times. Failing this, the elevated, "on-guard" position allowed cockroaches to detect and evade the wasp's lunging attack. If grasped, the cockroaches parried the stinger with their legs, used a "stiff-arm" defense to hold back the stinger, and could stab at, and dislodge, the wasp with tibial spines. Lastly, cockroaches bit at the abdomen of wasps delivering the brain sting. An aggressive defense from the outset was most successful. Thus, for a cockroach not to become a zombie, the best strategy is: be vigilant, protect your throat, and strike repeatedly at the head of the attacker.
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Knebel D, Assaf Y, Ayali A. The use of MEMRI for monitoring central nervous system activity during intact insect walking. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 108:48-53. [PMID: 29758239 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monitoring neuronal activity in the intact behaving animal is most desired in neuroethological research, yet it is rarely straightforward or even feasible. Here we present the use of manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI), a technique allowing monitoring the activity of an animal's nervous system during specific behavioral patterns. Using MEMRI we were able to show activity in different ganglia of the central nervous system of intact locusts during walking. RESULTS We injected two groups of locusts with manganese, which serves as a magnetic contrast agent. One group was forced to walk on a treadmill for two hours, while the other was immobilized and served as a control. Subsequently, all animals were scanned in a T1 MRI protocol, and the accumulation of manganese in the neuronal tissues that were active during walking was demonstrated by comparing the scans of the two groups. Two neuronal sites showed significantly higher T1 signal in the walking locusts compared to the immobilized ones: the prothoracic ganglion, which locally controls the front legs, and the subesophageal ganglion, a head ganglion which takes part in initiation and maintenance of walking. CONCLUSION MEMRI is a potent, non-invasive technique for monitoring neuronal activity in intact locusts, and arthropods in general. Specifically, it provides a promising way for revealing the role of central and high-order neuronal structures in motor behaviors such as walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Knebel
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yaniv Assaf
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Amir Ayali
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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16
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Libersat F, Kaiser M, Emanuel S. Mind Control: How Parasites Manipulate Cognitive Functions in Their Insect Hosts. Front Psychol 2018; 9:572. [PMID: 29765342 PMCID: PMC5938628 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuro-parasitology is an emerging branch of science that deals with parasites that can control the nervous system of the host. It offers the possibility of discovering how one species (the parasite) modifies a particular neural network, and thus particular behaviors, of another species (the host). Such parasite-host interactions, developed over millions of years of evolution, provide unique tools by which one can determine how neuromodulation up-or-down regulates specific behaviors. In some of the most fascinating manipulations, the parasite taps into the host brain neuronal circuities to manipulate hosts cognitive functions. To name just a few examples, some worms induce crickets and other terrestrial insects to commit suicide in water, enabling the exit of the parasite into an aquatic environment favorable to its reproduction. In another example of behavioral manipulation, ants that consumed the secretions of a caterpillar containing dopamine are less likely to move away from the caterpillar and more likely to be aggressive. This benefits the caterpillar for without its ant bodyguards, it is more likely to be predated upon or attacked by parasitic insects that would lay eggs inside its body. Another example is the parasitic wasp, which induces a guarding behavior in its ladybug host in collaboration with a viral mutualist. To exert long-term behavioral manipulation of the host, parasite must secrete compounds that act through secondary messengers and/or directly on genes often modifying gene expression to produce long-lasting effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Maayan Kaiser
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Stav Emanuel
- Department of Life Sciences and Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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17
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Knebel D, Wörner J, Rillich J, Nadler L, Ayali A, Couzin-Fuchs E. The subesophageal ganglion modulates locust inter-leg sensory-motor interactions via contralateral pathways. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 107:116-124. [PMID: 29577874 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The neural control of insect locomotion is distributed among various body segments. Local pattern-generating circuits at the thoracic ganglia interact with incoming sensory signals and central descending commands from the head ganglia. The evidence from different insect preparations suggests that the subesophageal ganglion (SEG) may play an important role in locomotion-related tasks. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the locust SEG modulates the coupling pattern between segmental leg CPGs in the absence of sensory feedback. Here, we investigated its role in processing and transmitting sensory information to the leg motor centers and mapped the major related neural pathways. Specifically, the intra- and inter-segmental transfer of leg-feedback were studied by simultaneously monitoring motor responses and descending signals from the SEG. Our findings reveal a crucial role of the SEG in the transfer of intersegmental, but not intrasegmental, signals. Additional lesion experiments, in which the intersegmental connectives were cut at different locations, together with double nerve staining, indicated that sensory signals are mainly transferred to the SEG via the connective contralateral to the stimulated leg. We therefore suggest that, similar to data reported for vertebrates, insect leg sensory-motor loops comprise contralateral ascending pathways to the head and ipsilateral descending ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Knebel
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Johanna Wörner
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jan Rillich
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Institute for Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Leonard Nadler
- Institut für Biologie, Neurobiologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amir Ayali
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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18
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Moore EL, Arvidson R, Banks C, Urenda JP, Duong E, Mohammed H, Adams ME. Ampulexins: A New Family of Peptides in Venom of the Emerald Jewel Wasp, Ampulex compressa. Biochemistry 2018; 57:1907-1916. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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19
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Ferris BD, Green J, Maimon G. Abolishment of Spontaneous Flight Turns in Visually Responsive Drosophila. Curr Biol 2018; 28:170-180.e5. [PMID: 29337081 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Animals react rapidly to external stimuli, such as an approaching predator, but in other circumstances, they seem to act spontaneously, without any obvious external trigger. How do the neural processes mediating the execution of reflexive and spontaneous actions differ? We studied this question in tethered, flying Drosophila. We found that silencing a large but genetically defined set of non-motor neurons virtually eliminates spontaneous flight turns while preserving the tethered flies' ability to perform two types of visually evoked turns, demonstrating that, at least in flies, these two modes of action are almost completely dissociable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bennett Drew Ferris
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Function, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jonathan Green
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Function, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Gaby Maimon
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Function, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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20
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Abstract
Insect behavior can be manipulated by parasites, and in many cases, such manipulation involves the central and peripheral nervous system. Neuroparasitology is an emerging branch of biology that deals with parasites that can control the nervous system of their host. The diversity of parasites that can manipulate insect behavior ranges from viruses to macroscopic worms and also includes other insects that have evolved to become parasites (notably, parasitic wasps). It is remarkable that the precise manipulation observed does not require direct entry into the insect brain and can even occur when the parasite is outside the body. We suggest that a spatial view of manipulation provides a holistic approach to examining such interactions. Integration across approaches from natural history to advanced imaging techniques, omics, and experiments will provide new vistas in neuroparasitology. We also suggest that for researchers interested in the proximate mechanisms of insect behaviors, studies of parasites that have evolved to control such behavior is of significant value.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Hughes
- Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA;
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel;
- Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
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21
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Glupov VV, Kryukova NA. Physiological and biochemical aspects of interactions between insect parasitoids and their hosts. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s0013873816050018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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22
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Kaiser M, Libersat F. The role of the cerebral ganglia in the venom-induced behavioral manipulation of cockroaches stung by the parasitoid jewel wasp. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:1022-7. [PMID: 25687435 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.116491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The jewel wasp stings cockroaches and injects venom into their cerebral ganglia, namely the subesophageal ganglion (SOG) and supraesophageal ganglion (SupOG). The venom induces a long-term hypokinetic state, during which the stung cockroach shows little or no spontaneous walking. It was shown that venom injection to the SOG reduces neuronal activity, thereby suggesting a similar effect of venom injection in the SupOG. Paradoxically, SupOG-ablated cockroaches show increased spontaneous walking in comparison with control. Yet most of the venom in the SupOG of cockroaches is primarily concentrated in and around the central complex (CX). Thus the venom could chiefly decrease activity in the CX to contribute to the hypokinetic state. Our first aim was to resolve this discrepancy by using a combination of behavioral and neuropharmacological tools. Our results show that the CX is necessary for the initiation of spontaneous walking, and that focal injection of procaine to the CX is sufficient to induce the decrease in spontaneous walking. Furthermore, it was shown that artificial venom injection to the SOG decreases walking. Hence our second aim was to test the interactions between the SupOG and SOG in the venom-induced behavioral manipulation. We show that, in the absence of the inhibitory control of the SupOG on walking initiation, injection of venom in the SOG alone by the wasp is sufficient to induce the hypokinetic state. To summarize, we show that venom injection to either the SOG or the CX of the SupOG is, by itself, sufficient to decrease walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maayan Kaiser
- Department of Life Sciences and the Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences and the Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
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23
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Stürmer GD, de Freitas TC, Heberle MDA, de Assis DR, Vinadé L, Pereira AB, Franco JL, Dal Belo CA. Modulation of dopaminergic neurotransmission induced by sublethal doses of the organophosphate trichlorfon in cockroaches. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2014; 109:56-62. [PMID: 25164203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Organophosphate (OP) insecticides have been used indiscriminately, based on their high dissipation rates and low residual levels in the environment. Despite the toxicity of OPs to beneficial insects is principally devoted to the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, the physiological mechanisms underlying this activity remain poorly understood. Here we showed the pharmacological pathways that might be involved in severe alterations in the insect locomotion and grooming behaviors following sublethal administration of the OP Trichlorfon (Tn) (0.25, 0.5 and 1 µM) in Phoetalia pallida. Tn inhibited the acetylcholinesterase activity (46±6, 38±3 and 24±6 nmol NADPH/min/mg protein, n=3, p<0.05), respectively. Tn (1 µM) also increased the walking maintenance of animals (46±5 s; n=27; p<0.05). Tn caused a high increase in the time spent for this behavior (344±18 s/30 min, 388±18 s/30 min and 228±12 s/30 min, n=29-30, p<0.05, respectively). The previous treatment of the animals with different cholinergic modulators showed that pirenzepine>atropine>oxotremorine>d-tubocurarine>tropicamide>methoctramine induced a decrease on Tn (0.5 µM)-induced grooming increase, respectively in order of potency. Metoclopramide (0.4 µM), a DA-D2 selective inhibitor decreased the Tn-induced grooming activity (158±12 s/30 min; n=29; p<0.05). Nevertheless, the effect of the selective DA-D1 receptor blocker SCH 23390 (1.85 µM) on the Tn (0.5 µM)-induced grooming increase was significative and more intense than that of metoclopramide (54±6 s/30 min; n=30; p<0.05). Taken together the results suggest that a cross-talking between cholinergic M1/M3 and dopaminergic D1 receptors at the insect nervous system may play a role in the OP-mediated behavioral alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziele Daiane Stürmer
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Thiago Carrazoni de Freitas
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Marines de Avila Heberle
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Dênis Reis de Assis
- Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifícia Universidade, Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Lúcia Vinadé
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Antônio Batista Pereira
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Jeferson Luis Franco
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Cháriston André Dal Belo
- CIPBiotec, Universidade Federal do Pampa, (UNIPAMPA), Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, Centro, CEP 97300-000, São Gabriel, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
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24
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Libersat F, Gal R. Wasp Voodoo Rituals, Venom-Cocktails, and the Zombification of Cockroach Hosts. Integr Comp Biol 2014; 54:129-42. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icu006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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25
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van Houte S, Ros VID, van Oers MM. Walking with insects: molecular mechanisms behind parasitic manipulation of host behaviour. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3458-75. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2011] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stineke van Houte
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Vera I. D. Ros
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Monique M. van Oers
- Laboratory of Virology; Wageningen University; Droevendaalsesteeg 1 6708 PB Wageningen The Netherlands
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26
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Abstract
Summary
For millions of years, parasites have altered the behaviour of their hosts. Parasites can affect host behaviour by: (1) interfering with the host’s normal immune–neural communication, (2) secreting substances that directly alter neuronal activity via non-genomic mechanisms and (3) inducing genomic- and/or proteomic-based changes in the brain of the host. Changes in host behaviour are often restricted to particular behaviours, with many other behaviours remaining unaffected. Neuroscientists can produce this degree of selectivity by targeting specific brain areas. Parasites, however, do not selectively attack discrete brain areas. Parasites typically induce a variety of effects in several parts of the brain. Parasitic manipulation of host behaviour evolved within the context of the manipulation of other host physiological systems (especially the immune system) that was required for a parasite’s survival. This starting point, coupled with the fortuitous nature of evolutionary innovation and evolutionary pressures to minimize the costs of parasitic manipulation, likely contributed to the complex and indirect nature of the mechanisms involved in host behavioural control. Because parasites and neuroscientists use different tactics to control behaviour, studying the methods used by parasites can provide novel insights into how nervous systems generate and regulate behaviour. Studying how parasites influence host behaviour will also help us integrate genomic, proteomic and neurophysiological perspectives on behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley Anne Adamo
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
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27
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Libersat F, Gal R. What can parasitoid wasps teach us about decision-making in insects? J Exp Biol 2013; 216:47-55. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.073999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Millions of years of co-evolution have driven parasites to display very complex and exquisite strategies to manipulate the behaviour of their hosts. However, although parasite-induced behavioural manipulation is a widespread phenomenon, the underlying neuronal mechanisms are only now beginning to be deciphered. Here, we review recent advancements in the study of the mechanisms by which parasitoid wasps use chemical warfare to manipulate the behaviour of their insect hosts. We focus on a particular case study in which a parasitoid wasp (the jewel wasp Ampulex compressa) performs a delicate brain surgery on its prey (the American cockroach Periplaneta americana) to take away its motivation to initiate locomotion. Following a brief background account of parasitoid wasps that manipulate host behaviour, we survey specific aspects of the unique effects of the A. compressa venom on the regulation of spontaneous and evoked behaviour in the cockroach host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Be’er Sheva, 84105Israel
| | - Ram Gal
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Be’er Sheva, 84105Israel
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28
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Wosnitza A, Bockemühl T, Dübbert M, Scholz H, Büschges A. Inter-leg coordination in the control of walking speed in Drosophila. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 216:480-91. [PMID: 23038731 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.078139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Legged locomotion is the most common behavior of terrestrial animals and it is assumed to have become highly optimized during evolution. Quadrupeds, for instance, use distinct gaits that are optimal with regard to metabolic cost and have characteristic kinematic features and patterns of inter-leg coordination. In insects, the situation is not as clear. In general, insects are able to alter inter-leg coordination systematically with locomotion speed, producing a continuum of movement patterns. This notion, however, is based on the study of several insect species, which differ greatly in size and mass. Each of these species tends to walk at a rather narrow range of speeds. We have addressed these issues by examining four strains of Drosophila, which are similar in size and mass, but tend to walk at different speed ranges. Our data suggest that Drosophila controls its walking speed almost exclusively via step frequency. At high walking speeds, we invariably found tripod coordination patterns, the quality of which increased with speed as indicated by a simple measure of tripod coordination strength (TCS). At low speeds, we also observed tetrapod coordination and wave gait-like walking patterns. These findings not only suggest a systematic speed dependence of inter-leg movement patterns but also imply that inter-leg coordination is flexible. This was further supported by amputation experiments in which we examined walking behavior in animals after the removal of a hindleg. These animals show immediate adaptations in body posture, leg kinematics and inter-leg coordination, thereby maintaining their ability to walk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Wosnitza
- Biocenter Cologne, Zoological Institute, Department for Animal Physiology, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, 50674 Cologne, Germany
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29
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Biogenic amines in the nervous system of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana following envenomation by the jewel wasp, Ampulex compressa. Toxicon 2012; 59:320-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2011.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2011] [Revised: 10/13/2011] [Accepted: 10/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Gal R, Libersat F. On predatory wasps and zombie cockroaches: Investigations of "free will" and spontaneous behavior in insects. Commun Integr Biol 2011; 3:458-61. [PMID: 21057640 DOI: 10.4161/cib.3.5.12472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2010] [Accepted: 05/25/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggest that nonhuman organisms, including invertebrates, possess the ability to make non-random choices based purely on ongoing and endogenously-created neuronal processes. We study this precursor of spontaneity in cockroaches stung by A. compressa, a parasitoid wasp that employs cockroaches as a live food supply for its offspring. This wasp uses a neurotoxic venom cocktail to 'hijack' the nervous system of its cockroach prey and manipulate specific features of its decision making process, thereby turning the cockroach into a submissive 'zombie' unable to self-initiate locomotion. We discuss different behavioral and physiological aspects of this venom-induced 'zombified state' and highlight at least one neuronal substrate involved in the regulation of spontaneous behavior in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Gal
- Department of Life Sciences; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Be'er-Sheva, Israel
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Herzner G, Ruther J, Goller S, Schulz S, Goettler W, Strohm E. Structure, chemical composition and putative function of the postpharyngeal gland of the emerald cockroach wasp, Ampulex compressa (Hymenoptera, Ampulicidae). ZOOLOGY 2011; 114:36-45. [PMID: 21256725 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2010.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2010] [Revised: 10/05/2010] [Accepted: 10/12/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The postpharyngeal gland (PPG) plays a major role in the social integration of ant colonies. It had been thought to be restricted to ants but was recently also described for a solitary wasp, the European beewolf (Philanthus triangulum). This finding posed the question whether the gland has evolved independently in the two taxa or has been inherited from a common ancestor and is hence homologous. The latter alternative would be supported if a PPG was found in more basal taxa. Therefore, we examined a species at the base of the Apoidea, the solitary ampulicid wasp Ampulex compressa, for the existence of a PPG. Both sexes of this species possess a cephalic gland that branches off the posterior part of the pharynx, is lined by a cuticular intima and surrounded by a monolayered epithelium with the epithelial cells bearing long hairs. Most of these morphological characteristics conform to those of the PPG of ants and beewolves. Chemical analysis of the gland content revealed that it contains mainly hydrocarbons and that there is a congruence of the pattern of hydrocarbons in the gland, on the cuticle, and in the hemolymph, as has also been reported for both ants and beewolves. Based on these morphological and chemical results we propose that the newly described cephalic gland is a PPG and discuss its possible function in A. compressa. The present study supports the view of a homologous origin of the PPG in the aculeate Hymenoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gudrun Herzner
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
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Gavra T, Libersat F. Involvement of the opioid system in the hypokinetic state induced in cockroaches by a parasitoid wasp. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2010; 197:279-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-010-0610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2010] [Revised: 11/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Gal R, Libersat F. A wasp manipulates neuronal activity in the sub-esophageal ganglion to decrease the drive for walking in its cockroach prey. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10019. [PMID: 20383324 PMCID: PMC2850919 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2010] [Accepted: 03/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The parasitoid Jewel Wasp hunts cockroaches to serve as a live food supply for its offspring. The wasp stings the cockroach in the head and delivers a cocktail of neurotoxins directly inside the prey's cerebral ganglia. Although not paralyzed, the stung cockroach becomes a living yet docile 'zombie', incapable of self-initiating spontaneous or evoked walking. We show here that such neuro-chemical manipulation can be attributed to decreased neuronal activity in a small region of the cockroach cerebral nervous system, the sub-esophageal ganglion (SEG). A decrease in descending permissive inputs from this ganglion to thoracic central pattern generators decreases the propensity for walking-related behaviors. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We have used behavioral, neuro-pharmacological and electrophysiological methods to show that: (1) Surgically removing the cockroach SEG prior to wasp stinging prolongs the duration of the sting 5-fold, suggesting that the wasp actively targets the SEG during the stinging sequence; (2) injecting a sodium channel blocker, procaine, into the SEG of non-stung cockroaches reversibly decreases spontaneous and evoked walking, suggesting that the SEG plays an important role in the up-regulation of locomotion; (3) artificial focal injection of crude milked venom into the SEG of non-stung cockroaches decreases spontaneous and evoked walking, as seen with naturally-stung cockroaches; and (4) spontaneous and evoked neuronal spiking activity in the SEG, recorded with an extracellular bipolar microelectrode, is markedly decreased in stung cockroaches versus non-stung controls. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE We have identified the neuronal substrate responsible for the venom-induced manipulation of the cockroach's drive for walking. Our data strongly support previous findings suggesting a critical and permissive role for the SEG in the regulation of locomotion in insects. By injecting a venom cocktail directly into the SEG, the parasitoid Jewel Wasp selectively manipulates the cockroach's motivation to initiate walking without interfering with other non-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Gal
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
- * E-mail: (RG); (FL)
| | - Frederic Libersat
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, Israel
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée INSERM U901, Université de la Méditerranée, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
- * E-mail: (RG); (FL)
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Libersat F, Delago A, Gal R. Manipulation of host behavior by parasitic insects and insect parasites. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2009; 54:189-207. [PMID: 19067631 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ento.54.110807.090556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Parasites often alter the behavior of their hosts in ways that are ultimately beneficial to the parasite or its offspring. Although the alteration of host behavior by parasites is a widespread phenomenon, the underlying neuronal mechanisms are only beginning to be understood. Here, we focus on recent advances in the study of behavioral manipulation via modulation of the host central nervous system. We elaborate on a few case studies, in which recently published data provide explanations for the neuronal basis of parasite-induced alteration of host behavior. Among these, we describe how a worm may influence the nervous system of its cricket host and manipulate the cricket into committing suicide by jumping into water. We then focus on Ampulex compressa, which uses an Alien-like strategy for the sake of its offspring. Unlike most venomous hunters, this wasp injects venom directly into specific cerebral regions of its cockroach prey. As a result of the sting, the cockroach remains alive but immobile, but not paralyzed, and serves to nourish the developing wasp larva.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Libersat
- Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée, Parc scientifique de Luminy, BP13, 13273 Marseille cedex 09, France.
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Abstract
The ability to initiate movements can be impaired in some brain injuries even though motor actions proceed normally once they are begun. The effects of venom that wasps use in preying upon cockroaches could provide insights into this problem.
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