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Wang H, Chen W, Lei L, Zhang W, Liu Z, Wang Y, Xu B. Queen bee gut microbiota extends honeybee lifespan by inhibiting insulin signaling. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0179923. [PMID: 38470148 PMCID: PMC11022582 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01799-23] [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: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Queen and worker bees are natural models for aging research, as their lifespans vary considerably independent of genetic variation. Investigating the reasons why queens live longer than workers is of great significance for research on the universal processes of aging in animals. The gut microbiome has received attention as a vital regulator of host health, while its precise role in honeybee aging needs further investigation. The effects and mechanisms behind the relationship between gut microbiota and worker lifespan were measured by transplanting queen bee gut bacteria (QG) and worker bee gut bacteria (WG) into microbiota-free (MF) workers. The transplantation of QG to MF bees significantly extended the workers' lifespans compared with MF and WG bees. Untargeted metabolomics identified 49 lifespan-related differential metabolites, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis of these revealed three lifespan-related metabolic pathways: insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling, immune, and ketone body metabolism pathways. Further verification showed that QG inhibited the expression of insulin-like peptides (ILPs), and the expression of ILPs was lower in natural queens than in natural workers. QG transplantation also stimulated the expression of antioxidant genes and lowered oxidative damage products in natural queen bees. However, gut microbiota transplantation failed to mimic the immune properties and ketone body metabolism profiles of natural queens and workers. Concisely, QG could increase the antioxidant capacity to extend lifespan by inhibiting insulin signaling. These findings may help determine the mechanisms behind queen longevity and provide further insights into the role of gut symbionts. IMPORTANCE Queen and worker bees share the same genetic background but have vastly different lifespans. The gut microbiome regulates host health, suggesting that differences in lifespan between queen and worker bees could be related to gut bacteria. Herein, we used an innovative method to transplant gut microbiota from adult queen or worker bees to microbiota-free bees. The transplantation of queen gut microbiota to microbiota-free bees extended their lifespan. Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling, a highly conserved metabolic pathway related to lifespan, displayed identical expression profiles in natural queen bees and microbiota-free bees transplanted with queen microbiota. This finding significantly expands our understanding of the relationships between intestinal bacteria, host health, and the biology of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Wenfeng Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Li Lei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong, China
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Orbán-Bakk K, Witek M, Dubiec A, Heinze J, Markó B, Csata E. Infection with a non-lethal fungal parasite is associated with increased immune investment in the ant Myrmica scabrinodis. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 202:108027. [PMID: 38042446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108027] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Social insects, such as ants, are preferred host organisms of pathogens and parasites because colonies are densely populated, and the number of potential hosts is high in the same place and time. Within a colony, individuals are exposed differentially to risks according to their function and age. Thus, older individuals forage and are therefore the most exposed to infection, predation, or physical stress, while young workers mostly stay inside the sheltered nest being less exposed. Immune investment is considered to be dependent on an individual's age and pathogen pressure. Long-term exposure to a parasite could affect the immune activity of individuals in an intriguing way that interferes with the age-dependent decline in immunocompetence. However, there are only few cases in which such interferences can be studied. The myrmecopathogenic fungus Rickia wasmannii, which infects entire colonies without killing the workers, is a suitable candidate for such studies. We investigated the general immunocompetence of Myrmica scabrinodis ant workers associated with non-lethal fungal infection by measuring the levels of active phenoloxidase (PO) and total PO (PPO) (reflecting the amount of both active and inactive forms of the enzyme) in two age classes. The level of PO proved to be higher in infected workers than in uninfected ones, while the level of PPO increased with age but was not affected by infection. Overall, these results indicate that a long-term infection could go hand in hand with increased immune activity of ant workers, conferring them higher level of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kincső Orbán-Bakk
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Center for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Sociobiology and Insect Ecology Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania.
| | - Magdalena Witek
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Anna Dubiec
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Bálint Markó
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Applied Natural Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Enikő Csata
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
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Zhang L, Goodman CL, Ringbauer JA, Jiang X, Lv W, Xie D, Reall T, Stanley D. Trade-Offs among Immune Mechanisms: Bacterial-Challenged Spodoptera frugiperda Larvae Reduce Nodulation Reactions during Behavioral Fever. INSECTS 2023; 14:864. [PMID: 37999063 PMCID: PMC10671956 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Insect innate immunity is composed of cellular and humoral reactions, the former acting via circulating hemocytes and the latter via immune signaling that lead to the production of antimicrobial peptides and phenol oxidase-driven melanization. Cellular immunity involves direct interactions between circulating hemocytes and invaders; it includes internalization and killing microbes (phagocytosis) and formation of bacterial-laden microaggregates which coalesce into nodules that are melanized and attached to body walls or organs. Nodulation can entail investing millions of hemocytes which must be replaced. We hypothesized that biologically costly hemocyte-based immunity is traded off for behavioral fevers in infected larvae of fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda, that were allowed to fever. We tested our hypothesis by infecting larvae with the Gram-negative bacterium, Serratia marcescens, placing them in thermal gradients (TGs) and recording their selected body temperatures. While control larvae selected about 30 °C, the experimental larvae selected up 41 °C. We found that 4 h fevers, but not 2, 6 or 24 h fevers, led to increased larval survival. Co-injections of S. marcescens with the prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis inhibitor indomethacin (INDO) blocked the fevers, which was reversed after co-injections of SM+INDO+Arachidonic acid, a precursor to PG biosynthesis, confirming that PGs mediate fever reactions. These and other experimental outcomes support our hypothesis that costly hemocyte-based immunity is traded off for behavioral fevers in infected larvae under appropriate conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (W.L.); (D.X.)
| | - Cynthia L. Goodman
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO 65203, USA; (C.L.G.); (J.A.R.J.)
| | - Joseph A. Ringbauer
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO 65203, USA; (C.L.G.); (J.A.R.J.)
| | - Xingfu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (W.L.); (D.X.)
| | - Weixiang Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (W.L.); (D.X.)
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, China
| | - Dianjie Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (L.Z.); (W.L.); (D.X.)
| | - Tamra Reall
- MU Extension, University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO 64014, USA;
| | - David Stanley
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO 65203, USA; (C.L.G.); (J.A.R.J.)
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Sagona S, Coppola F, Tafi E, Orlando C, D’Onofrio C, Boni CB, Casini L, Palego L, Betti L, Giannaccini G, Felicioli A. Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil-Enriched Diet on Immune and Antioxidant Enzymatic Activity, Fat and Vitellogenin Contents in Newly Emerged and Forager Bees ( Apis mellifera L.) Reared in Cages. INSECTS 2023; 14:856. [PMID: 37999055 PMCID: PMC10671777 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Searching for artificial diets positively affecting the survival, immune and antioxidant systems of honey bees is one of main challenges occurring in beekeeping. Among nutrients, lipids play a significant role in insect nutrition as structural components in cell membranes, energy sources and reserves, and are involved in many physiological processes. In this context, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of 0.5% and 1% coconut oil-enriched diet administration on newly emerged and forager bees survival rate, feed intake, immune system, antioxidant system and both fat and vitellogenin content. In newly emerged bees, supplementation with 1% coconut oil determined a decrease in feed consumption, an increase in survival rate from the 3rd to 14th day of feeding, a short-term decrease in phenoloxidase activity, an increase in body fat and no differences in vitellogenin content. Conversely, supplementation with 0.5% coconut oil determined an increase in survival rate from the 3rd to 15th day of feeding and an increase in fat content in the long term (i.e., 20 days). Regarding the forager bee diet, enrichment with 0.5% and 1% coconut oil only determined an increase in fat content. Therefore, supplementation with coconut oil in honey bee diets at low percentages (0.5 and 1%) determines fat gain. Further investigations to evaluate the use of such supplement foods to prevent the fat loss of weak families during winter are desirable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Sagona
- Department of Pharmacy, Pisa University, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.O.); (L.B.); (G.G.)
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Pisa University, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.B.); (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Francesca Coppola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Pisa University, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.B.); (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Elena Tafi
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Corticella 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Caterina Orlando
- Department of Pharmacy, Pisa University, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.O.); (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Chiara D’Onofrio
- Biosensor Technologies, Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Konrad-Lorenz Straße, 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria;
| | - Chiara Benedetta Boni
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Pisa University, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.B.); (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Lucia Casini
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Pisa University, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.B.); (L.C.); (A.F.)
| | - Lionella Palego
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa University, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Laura Betti
- Department of Pharmacy, Pisa University, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.O.); (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Gino Giannaccini
- Department of Pharmacy, Pisa University, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (C.O.); (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Pisa University, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (F.C.); (C.B.B.); (L.C.); (A.F.)
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Marieshwari BN, Prithi C, Nivetha R, Bhuvaragavan S, Sundaram J. Detection and substrate portrayal on the serum phenoloxidase activity from the grub of rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 113:626-636. [PMID: 37519263 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Phenoloxidase (PO) is a significant biomolecule involved in humoral defence mechanism of invertebrates. Spontaneous melanization of insect haemolymph is the major hinderance for studying PO activity, as haemolymph was collected devoid of phenylthiourea. In the study, no visible melanization was observed in crude serum from the grub of Oryctes rhinoceros up to 30 min of incubation amongst crude haemolymph, diluted haemolymph, crude serum and diluted serum that were subjected to visual observation for spontaneous melanization reaction. Accordingly, crude serum was taken for evaluating PO activity. At the same time, as PO substrates tend to auto-oxidize and provide false optical density value, tris-buffered saline devoid of any substrates were used as blank for PO assays. The ideal wavelength at which maximum PO activity occurred for each substrate, namely, tyrosine, tyramine, dopamine, L-dopa, DL-dopa, catechol, protocatechuic acid and pyrogallol was determined as 407, 410, 429, 465, 403, 466, 428 and 400 nm, respectively. Additionally, time course of oxidation for each phenolic substrate by the serum PO were examined and DL-dopa was identified as the specific substrate for serum PO in the grub of O. rhinoceros. Furthermore, maximum PO activity was observed at 5 min of incubation for 10 mM of DL-dopa that was considered as optimum concentration. The ideal pH and temperature for serum PO activity was observed as 7.5 and 20°C, respectively. These results suggested that standardizing a suitable substrate is an essential prerequisite to evaluate the real PO activity of serum which might significantly fluctuate in each insect model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chandran Prithi
- Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India
| | - Ramanathan Nivetha
- Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India
| | | | - Janarthanan Sundaram
- Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, India
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Hüftlein F, Seidenath D, Mittereder A, Hillenbrand T, Brüggemann D, Otti O, Feldhaar H, Laforsch C, Schott M. Effects of diesel exhaust particles on the health and survival of the buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris after acute and chronic oral exposure. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131905. [PMID: 37421857 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The diesel-powered transportation sector is a major producer of environmental pollution in the form of micro- and nanoscale diesel exhaust particles (DEP). Pollinators, such as wild bees, may inhale DEP or ingest it orally through plant nectar. However, if these insects are adversely affected by DEP is largely unknown. To investigate potential health threats of DEP to pollinators, we exposed individuals of Bombus terrestris to different concentrations of DEP. We analysed the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content of DEP since these are known to elicit adverse effects on invertebrates. We investigated the dose-dependent effects of those well-characterized DEP on survival and fat body content, as a proxy for the insects' health condition, in acute and chronic oral exposure experiments. Acute oral exposure to DEP showed no dose-dependent effects on survival or fat body content of B. terrestris. However, we could show dose-dependent effects after chronic oral exposure with high doses of DEP where significantly increased mortality was observed. Further, there was no dose-dependent effect of DEP on the fat body content after exposure. Our results give insights into how the accumulation of high concentrations of DEP e.g., near heavily trafficked sites, can influence insect pollinators' health and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dimitri Seidenath
- Department of Animal Population Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Andreas Mittereder
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thomas Hillenbrand
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Dieter Brüggemann
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Oliver Otti
- Department of Animal Population Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Germany; BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Department of Animal Population Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Germany; BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christian Laforsch
- Department of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Germany; BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Matthias Schott
- Department of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth, Germany; BayCEER, University of Bayreuth, Germany.
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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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Copeland DC, Maes PW, Mott BM, Anderson KE. Changes in gut microbiota and metabolism associated with phenotypic plasticity in the honey bee Apis mellifera. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1059001. [PMID: 36569094 PMCID: PMC9788138 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1059001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees exhibit an elaborate social structure based in part on an age-related division of labor. Young workers perform tasks inside the hive, while older workers forage outside the hive, tasks associated with distinct diets and metabolism. Critical to colony fitness, the work force can respond rapidly to changes in the environment or colony demography and assume emergency tasks, resulting in young foragers or old nurses. We hypothesized that both task and age affect the gut microbiota consistent with changes to host diet and physiology. We performed two experiments inducing precocious foragers and reverted nurses, then quantified tissue-specific gut microbiota and host metabolic state associated with nutrition, immunity and oxidative stress. In the precocious forager experiment, both age and ontogeny explained differences in midgut and ileum microbiota, but host gene expression was best explained by an interaction of these factors. Precocious foragers were nutritionally deficient, and incurred higher levels of oxidative damage relative to age-matched nurses. In the oldest workers, reverted nurses, the oxidative damage associated with age and past foraging was compensated by high Vitellogenin expression, which exceeded that of young nurses. Host-microbial interactions were evident throughout the dataset, highlighted by an age-based increase of Gilliamella abundance and diversity concurrent with increased carbonyl accumulation and CuZnSOD expression. The results in general contribute to an understanding of ecological succession of the worker gut microbiota, defining the species-level transition from nurse to forager.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duan C. Copeland
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, United States,Department of Microbiology, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States,*Correspondence: Duan C. Copeland,
| | - Patrick W. Maes
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, United States,Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Brendon M. Mott
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Kirk E. Anderson
- USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, Tucson, AZ, United States,*Correspondence: Duan C. Copeland,
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Senescence of the immune defences and reproductive trade-offs in females of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19747. [PMID: 36396809 PMCID: PMC9671880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24334-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the theory of ageing, it has been assumed that ageing is associated with a decline in somatic defences, including the immune system, as a consequence of a trade-off with reproduction. While overall immunity suffers from age-related deterioration (immune senescence), the different components of the immune response appear to age differently. It is also likely that investment among the many arms of the immune system and reproduction with age is finely adjusted to the organisms' reproductive strategy. We investigated this possibility in females of Tenebrio molitor, a species of long-lived insect with reproductive strategies similar to those of long-lived mammals. We specifically tested the effects of immunological challenges imposed early or late in adult life on immune pathway activation as well as fertility early and late in life. We found complex patterns of changes in immune defences with age and age-specific immune challenges with contrasted relationships with female reproduction. While cellular and enzymatic defences showed signs of ageing, they did not trade-off with reproduction. By contrast, the induced antibacterial immune response was found to be unaffected by age and to be highly connected to female fecundity. These findings suggest that these immunological pathways have different functions with regard to female ageing in this insect species.
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Wang H, Lei L, Chen W, Chi X, Han K, Wang Y, Ma L, Liu Z, Xu B. The Comparison of Antioxidant Performance, Immune Performance, IIS Activity and Gut Microbiota Composition between Queen and Worker Bees Revealed the Mechanism of Different Lifespan of Female Casts in the Honeybee. INSECTS 2022; 13:772. [PMID: 36135473 PMCID: PMC9506344 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Queen bees and worker bees both develop from fertilized eggs, whereas queens live longer than workers. The mechanism of this phenomenon is worth exploring. Antioxidant capacity, immune and IIS are the conserved mechanisms of aging. The importance of gut bacteria for health prompted us to connect with bee aging. Therefore, the differences of antioxidant, immune, IIS and gut microflora between queen and worker bees were compared to find potential mechanisms of queens' longevity. The results showed queens had stronger antioxidant capacity and lower immune pathway and IIS activity than workers. The higher expression level of catalase and SOD1/2 in queens resulted in the stronger ROS scavenging ability, which leads to the lower ROS level and the reduced accumulation of oxidative damage products in queens. The lower IMD expression and higher antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) expressions in queens suggested that queens maintain lower immune pathway activity and stronger immune capacity than workers. Gut bacteria composition analysis indicated that queens had supernal Acetobacteraceae (notably Commensalibacter and Bombella), Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium over workers. In conclusion, antioxidant, immune, IIS, and gut symbiotic bacteria all contribute to the longevity of queens. This study provides more insights into revealing the mechanisms of queens' longevity.
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11
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Frizzera D, Ray AM, Seffin E, Zanni V, Annoscia D, Grozinger CM, Nazzi F. The Beneficial Effect of Pollen on Varroa Infested Bees Depends on Its Influence on Behavioral Maturation Genes. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:864238. [PMID: 38468781 PMCID: PMC10926424 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.864238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Honey bees collect nectar and pollen to fulfill their nutritional demands. In particular, pollen can influence longevity, the development of hypopharyngeal glands, and immune-competence of bees. Pollen can also mitigate the deleterious effects caused by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor and related deformed wing virus (DWV) infections. It has been shown that V. destructor accelerates the physiological and behavioral maturation of honey bees by influencing the interaction between two core physiological factors, Vitellogenin and juvenile hormone. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of pollen on Varroa-infested bees are related to the hormonal control underpinning behavioral maturation. By analyzing the expression of genes associated to behavioral maturation in pollen-fed mite-infested bees, we show that treatment with pollen increases the lifespan of mite-infested bees by reversing the faster maturation induced by the parasite at the gene expression level. As expected, from the different immune-competence of nurse and forager bees, the lifespan extension triggered by pollen is also correlated with a positive influence of antimicrobial peptide gene expression and DWV load, further reinforcing the beneficial effect of pollen. This study lay the groundwork for future analyses of the underlying evolutionary processes and applications to improve bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Frizzera
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Allyson M. Ray
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Elisa Seffin
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Virginia Zanni
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Desiderato Annoscia
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Christina M. Grozinger
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Francesco Nazzi
- Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences (DI4A), University of Udine, Udine, Italy
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12
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Activities of Antioxidant and Proteolytic Systems and Biomarkers in the Fat Body and Hemolymph of Young Apis mellifera Females. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091121. [PMID: 35565549 PMCID: PMC9103435 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The proteolytic system consists of compounds that, similar to “scissors”, cut proteins found in bee cells (e.g., to activate these proteins) or released by pathogens. During these reactions, reactive oxygen species are created and then removed by antioxidants. The actions of the proteolytic and antioxidant systems are enhanced by biomarkers. These compounds are produced mainly in the fat body and then released into the hemolymph. We determined the activities of these compounds in various localizations/segments of the fat body and in the hemolymph in females with increased reproductive potential, i.e., queens and rebels, and in normal (sterile non-rebel) workers. Rebels are workers who resemble the queen in terms of anatomical, behavioural, and physiological features. It was revealed that the activities of these compounds in the rebels were between those of queens and normal workers. Normal workers had higher activities of the proteolytic and antioxidant systems in the fat body and hemolymph than the other females. These results are important for understanding the functioning of the fat body, the stress ecology, and the formation of the different castes of Apis mellifera females. Abstract The proteolytic and antioxidant systems are important components of humoral immunity, and these biomarkers indicate the immune status. These compounds are synthesized in the bees’ fat body and released into the hemolymph. Their functions maintain the organism’s homeostasis and protect it against adverse environmental factors (including pathogens). We determined the activities of acidic, neutral, and alkaline proteases and their inhibitors, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and the level of total antioxidant potential (TAC). These compounds were investigated in the fat body and hemolymph in the females with increased reproductive potential, i.e., queens and rebels, and in normal (non-reproductive sterile non-rebel) workers. The phenoloxidase (PO) activities were determined in the hemolymph. The normal workers had higher activities of proteases and their inhibitors, SOD and CAT, in the fat body and hemolymph, compared to the queens and rebels. The protease inhibitors were not usually active in the queens. As we predicted, the rebels revealed values between those of the queens and normal workers. The highest activities of proteases and antioxidants were identified in the fat body from the third tergite in comparison with the sternite and the fifth tergite. These results are important for oxidative stress ecology and give a better understanding of the functioning of the fat body and the division of labor in social insects.
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13
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Effects of Two Commercial Protein Diets on the Health of Two Imago Ages of Apis mellifera L. Reared in Laboratory. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12080968. [PMID: 35454215 PMCID: PMC9032503 DOI: 10.3390/ani12080968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Beekeepers often feed their bees with supplemented artificial diets. The formulation of an integrative diet for honey bee colonies able to prevent nutritional deficiencies is yet to be found. In this work, the effects of pollen diet substitution with commercial protein diets in newly emerged bees (that still feed a little on pollen) and in forager bees (that usually do not feed on pollen) were tested. Results obtained suggest that commercial protein diets do not compensate pollen diets in newly emerged bees and do not determine an increase in life span or immunity in forager bees. Further investigations on the effect of concentration and quality of proteins are desirable in order to provide beekeepers with scientific evidence on protein-based feeding. Abstract Protein-supplemented artificial diets are widely used by beekeepers during winter and whenever food availability is low, yet no data are available concerning their effects on bees’ health. In this work, the effects of two commercial diets enriched with 1.7% and 7.7% protein concentration on feed intake, survival rate, glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase and glutathione S-transferase in newly emerged and forager bees were tested. Administration of a 7.7% protein-enriched diet significantly reduced the lifespan of both newly emerged and forager bees, while only in foragers a significantly higher feed intake was recorded. In newly emerged bees, administration of a high-protein-enriched diet stimulated glucose oxidase production at the 10th day of feeding, determined a reduction of phenoloxidase and did not affect glutathione S-transferase activity. In forager bees, a high level of protein inclusion did not determine any significant variation in either glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase or glutathione S-transferase activity. Therefore, the results obtained in this investigation suggest that administration of commercial protein diets negatively affect honey bee health, determining an increase in mortality. Further investigations on the effect of concentration and quality of proteins are desirable to provide beekeepers with scientific evidence on protein feeding.
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14
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Ruiz-González MX, Kelly M, Moret Y, Brown MJF. Parasite resistance and immunity across female castes in a social insect. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03162-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Living in a social group increases the risks of parasitism, especially in highly-related groups. In homogenous groups, with no reproductive division of labour, the impact of parasitism is unlikely to vary with host identity. Many social systems, however, do exhibit division of reproductive labour, most famously in social insects with their reproductive queens and generally infertile workers. In such systems, the impact of parasitism will differ for each group. Consequently, we predict that susceptibility to parasites will vary to reflect such differential impact. We tested this prediction using a trypanosome-bumble bee system, where Crithidia bombi infects both gynes and workers of Bombus terrestris. We studied both susceptibility to the parasite and relevant measures of the immune function. As predicted, gynes were significantly less susceptible to the parasite than workers, but while gynes and workers expressed different immune profiles, how these link to differential susceptibility remains unclear. In conclusion, our results suggest that differential selection pressures exerted by parasites may produce multiple phenotypes from a single genotype in order to maximise fitness in a social group context.
Significance statement
Social insect colonies dominate terrestrial ecology, and as such are targets for parasites. How they defend themselves against such threats is a key question. Here, we show that bumble bee gynes — the reproductive individuals that overwinter and found colonies in this annual social system — are more resistant to a parasite that disproportionately affects reproductive fitness than their sister workers. Differential patterns of susceptibility may help to explain the success of these social insects.
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15
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Lin YW, Chen CH, Hsu CY. Middle-Aged Worker Bees Express Higher Innate Immunity than Young Worker Bees in the Abdomen without the Digestive Tract of Worker Bees Reared in an Incubator. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020209. [PMID: 35206781 PMCID: PMC8875513 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Middle-aged worker bees express higher innate immunity than young worker bees in the whole body of worker bees reared in field hives, the whole body of worker bees reared in a 34 °C incubator, and the abdomen without the digestive tract of worker bees reared in a 34 °C incubator. Worker bees raised in an incubator avoid the infection of pathogens and parasites in field hives. The abdomen without the digestive tract is a simplified sample, preventing RNA from the head, thorax, and digestive tract. The abdomen without the digestive tract of worker bees reared in an incubator can be used in studying the relationship between immunity, aging and longevity. Abstract Honey bees (Apis mellifera) can be reared in an incubator to study the mechanisms of aging and longevity; however, whether breeding in an incubator and using the abdomen without the digestive tract influences the expression of immune genes is unclear. In this study, we assayed the immune genes including abaecin, hymenoptaecin, defensin-2, glucose dehydrogenase, phenoloxidase, and lysozyme from the whole body of young and middle-aged worker bees reared in field hives, the whole body of young and middle-aged worker bees reared in a 34 °C incubator, and the abdomen without the digestive tract of young and middle-aged worker bees reared in a 34 °C incubator. The results showed that three groups of middle-aged worker bees have higher immunity than young worker bees. Furthermore, the similarity of immune genes expression in three groups indicated that the abdomen without the digestive tract of honey bees reared in an incubator can be used to study the relationship between immunity and aging and longevity to avoid the interference of pathogens and parasites from field hives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Wen Lin
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-W.L.); (C.-H.C.)
| | - Chia-Hsiang Chen
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-W.L.); (C.-H.C.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Yuan Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan; (Y.-W.L.); (C.-H.C.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-3-211-8800 (ext. 3402); Fax: +886-3-211-8418
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16
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Butolo NP, Azevedo P, Alencar LD, Malaspina O, Nocelli RCF. Impact of low temperatures on the immune system of honeybees. J Therm Biol 2021; 101:103082. [PMID: 34879910 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103082] [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: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Changes in temperature resulting from climate change can impact the distribution and survival of species, including bees, where temperature may also affect their immune system. Evaluation of immune system activity is often performed by the total count of circulating hemocytes in the hemolymph. However, there are few studies on bees examining the relationship between the amount of circulating hemocytes and temperature. This study evaluated changes of circulating hemocytes in Apis mellifera hemolymph at different temperatures and development stages. Total hemocytes of bees were determined at - 8, 16, 24, and 32 °C - and at different development stages - in vivo larvae, in vitro larvae, newly emerged, and forager bees. A. mellifera larvae had a greater number of circulating hemocytes compared to the other development stages (newly emerged and foragers). Additionally, temperature was an important factor explaining variation of circulating hemocytes in the hemolymph, according to principal component analyses (PCA), as the number of circulating hemocytes was greater at higher temperatures. Therefore, extreme events arising from climate change, such as variation in temperature, can directly impact the immune system of bees, both individually and at the colony level, threatening the distribution and survival of several species.
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Affiliation(s)
- N P Butolo
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais - CEIS, Instituto de Biociências - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Júlio de Mesquita Filho' (UNESP-SP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - P Azevedo
- Grupo de Genética e Genômica da Conservação, Instituto de Biologia - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP-SP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - L D Alencar
- Grupo de Genética e Genômica da Conservação, Instituto de Biologia - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP-SP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - O Malaspina
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais - CEIS, Instituto de Biociências - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Estadual Paulista 'Júlio de Mesquita Filho' (UNESP-SP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - R C F Nocelli
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Matemática e Educação, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar-SP), Araras, SP, Brazil
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17
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Canché-Collí C, Estrella-Maldonado H, Medina-Medina LA, Moo-Valle H, Calvo-Irabien LM, Chan-Vivas E, Rodríguez R, Canto A. Effect of yeast and essential oil-enriched diets on critical determinants of health and immune function in Africanized Apis mellifera. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12164. [PMID: 34721958 PMCID: PMC8522645 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrition is vital for health and immune function in honey bees (Apis mellifera). The effect of diets enriched with bee-associated yeasts and essential oils of Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) was tested on survival, food intake, accumulated fat body tissue, and gene expression of vitellogenin (Vg), prophenoloxidase (proPO) and glucose oxidase (GOx) in newly emerged worker bees. The enriched diets were provided to bees under the premise that supplementation with yeasts or essential oils can enhance health variables and the expression of genes related to immune function in worker bees. Based on a standard pollen substitute, used as a control diet, enriched diets were formulated, five with added bee-associated yeasts (Starmerella bombicola, Starmerella etchellsii, Starmerella bombicola 2, Zygosaccharomyces mellis, and the brewers’ yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and three with added essential oils from L. graveolens (carvacrol, thymol, and sesquiterpenes). Groups of bees were fed one of the diets for 9 or 12 days. Survival probability was similar in the yeast and essential oils treatments in relation to the control, but median survival was lower in the carvacrol and sesquiterpenes treatments. Food intake was higher in all the yeast treatments than in the control. Fat body percentage in individual bees was slightly lower in all treatments than in the control, with significant decreases in the thymol and carvacrol treatments. Expression of the genes Vg, proPO, and GOx was minimally affected by the yeast treatments but was adversely affected by the carvacrol and thymol treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Canché-Collí
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | | | - Luis A Medina-Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Humberto Moo-Valle
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biologicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Luz Maria Calvo-Irabien
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Elisa Chan-Vivas
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Rosalina Rodríguez
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
| | - Azucena Canto
- Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan, A.C., Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
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18
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Martin N, Hulbert AJ, Bicudo JEPW, Mitchell TW, Else PL. The adult lifespan of the female honey bee (Apis mellifera): Metabolic rate, AGE pigment and the effect of dietary fatty acids. Mech Ageing Dev 2021; 199:111562. [PMID: 34425137 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2021.111562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Female honey bees can be queens or workers and although genetically identical, workers have an adult lifespan of weeks while queens can live for years. The mechanisms underlying this extraordinary difference remain unknown. This study examines three potential explanations of the queen-worker lifespan difference. Metabolic rates were similar in age-matched queens and workers and thus are not an explanation. The accumulation of fluorescent AGE pigment has been successfully used as a good measure of cellular senescence in many species. Unlike other animals, AGE pigment level reduced during adult life of queens and workers. This unusual finding suggests female honey bees can either modify, or remove from their body, AGE pigment. Another queen-worker difference is that, as adults, workers eat pollen but queens do not. Pollen is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Its consumption explains the queen-worker difference in membrane fat composition of female adult honey bees which has previously been suggested as a cause of the lifespan difference. We were able to produce "queen-worker" membrane differences in workers by manipulation of diet that did not change worker lifespan and we can, thus, also rule out pollen consumption by workers as an explanation of the dramatic queen-worker lifespan difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Martin
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - A J Hulbert
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - J E P W Bicudo
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - T W Mitchell
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - P L Else
- School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
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19
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Sagona S, Fronte B, Coppola F, Tafi E, Giusti M, Palego L, Betti L, Giannaccini G, Guglielminetti L, Felicioli A. Effect of Honey and Syrup Diets Enriched with 1,3-1,6 β-Glucans on Honeybee Survival Rate and Phenoloxidase Activity ( Apis mellifera L. 1758). Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8070130. [PMID: 34357922 PMCID: PMC8310323 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8070130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
β-glucans can activate the animal innate immune system by acting as immune-modulators and inducing various stimulatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans administered orally for 96 h on Apis mellifera workers (newly emerged and nurse bees). β-glucans were included in honey and syrup. Survival rate and phenoloxidase activity were measured. In both newly emerged and nurse bees, β-glucans supplementation did not affect survival rate (p > 0.05). Conversely, phenoloxidase activity was higher in both newly emerged bees (p = 0.048) and nurse bees (p = 0.014) fed with a honey diet enriched with β-glucans compared to those fed with only honey. In both the newly emerged and nurse bees, no statistical differences in phenoloxidase activity were recorded between the group fed with a syrup-based diet enriched with β-glucans and the control group (p > 0.05). The absence of significant variation in survival suggests that the potential negative effect of β-glucans in healthy bees could be mitigated by their metabolism. Conversely, the inclusion of β-glucans in a honey-based diet determined an increase of phenoloxidase activity, suggesting that the effect of β-glucan inclusion in the diet of healthy bees on phenoloxidase activity could be linked to the type of base-diet. Further investigations on β-glucans metabolism in bees, on molecular mechanism of phenoloxidase activation by 1,3-1,6 β-glucans, and relative thresholds are desirable. Moreover, investigation on the combined action of honey and β-glucans on phenoloxidase activity are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Sagona
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Baldassare Fronte
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
| | - Francesca Coppola
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
| | - Elena Tafi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
- Department of Science, University of the Study of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Matteo Giusti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
| | - Lionella Palego
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Savi 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Laura Betti
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Gino Giannaccini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (L.B.); (G.G.)
| | - Lorenzo Guglielminetti
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (S.S.); (B.F.); (F.C.); (E.T.); (M.G.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Bartling MT, Thümecke S, Russert JH, Vilcinskas A, Lee KZ. Exposure to low doses of pesticides induces an immune response and the production of nitric oxide in honeybees. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6819. [PMID: 33767272 PMCID: PMC7994568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86293-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Honeybees are essential pollinators of many agricultural crops and wild plants. However, the number of managed bee colonies has declined in some regions of the world over the last few decades, probably caused by a combination of factors including parasites, pathogens and pesticides. Exposure to these diverse biotic and abiotic stressors is likely to trigger immune responses and stress pathways that affect the health of individual honeybees and hence their contribution to colony survival. We therefore investigated the effects of an orally administered bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas entomophila) and low-dose xenobiotic pesticides on honeybee survival and intestinal immune responses. We observed stressor-dependent effects on the mean lifespan, along with the induction of genes encoding the antimicrobial peptide abaecin and the detoxification factor cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP9E2. The pesticides also triggered the immediate induction of a nitric oxide synthase gene followed by the delayed upregulation of catalase, which was not observed in response to the pathogen. Honeybees therefore appear to produce nitric oxide as a specific defense response when exposed to xenobiotic stimuli. The immunity-related and stress-response genes we tested may provide useful stressor-dependent markers for ecotoxicological assessment in honeybee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merle T Bartling
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Susanne Thümecke
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - José Herrera Russert
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich Buff Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35394, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kwang-Zin Lee
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35394, Giessen, Germany.
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21
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Shih SR, Huntsman EM, Flores ME, Snow JW. Reproductive potential does not cause loss of heat shock response performance in honey bees. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19610. [PMID: 33184302 PMCID: PMC7661715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74456-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In other species characterized to date, aging, as a function of reproductive potential, results in the breakdown of proteaostasis and a decreased capacity to mount responses by the heat shock response (HSR) and other proteostatic network pathways. Our understanding of the maintenance of stress pathways, such as the HSR, in honey bees, and in the reproductive queen in particular, is incomplete. Based on the findings in other species showing an inverse relationship between reproductive potential and HSR function, one might predict that that HSR function would be lost in the reproductive queens. However, as queens possess an atypical uncoupling of the reproduction-maintenance trade-off typically found in solitary organisms, HSR maintenance might also be expected. Here we demonstrate that reproductive potential does not cause loss of HSR performance in honey bees as queens induce target gene expression to levels comparable to those induced in attendant worker bees. Maintenance of HSR function with advent of reproductive potential is unique among invertebrates studied to date and provides a potential model for examining the molecular mechanisms regulating the uncoupling of the reproduction-maintenance trade-off in queen bees, with important consequences for understanding how stresses impact different types of individuals in honey bee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Shih
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - E M Huntsman
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - M E Flores
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - J W Snow
- Biology Department, Barnard College, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
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22
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Donkersley P, Elsner-Adams E, Maderson S. A One-Health Model for Reversing Honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) Decline. Vet Sci 2020; 7:E119. [PMID: 32867044 PMCID: PMC7560035 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7030119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Global insect decline impacts ecosystem resilience; pollinators such as honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) have suffered extensive losses over the last decade, threatening food security. Research has focused discretely on in-hive threats (e.g., Nosema and Varroa destructor) and broader external causes of decline (e.g., agrochemicals, habitat loss). This has notably failed to translate into successful reversal of bee declines. Working at the interdisciplinary nexus of entomological, social and ecological research, we posit that veterinary research needs to adopt a "One-Health" approach to address the scope of crises facing pollinators. We demonstrate that reversing declines will require integration of hive-specific solutions, a reappraisal of engagement with the many stakeholders whose actions affect bee health, and recontextualising both of these within landscape scale efforts. Other publications within this special issue explore novel technologies, emergent diseases and management approaches; our aim is to place these within the "One-Health" context as a pathway to securing honeybee health. Governmental policy reform offers a particularly timely pathway to achieving this goal. Acknowledging that healthy honeybees need an interdisciplinary approach to their management will enhance the contributions of veterinary research in delivering systemic improvements in bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Donkersley
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA14YQ, UK
| | | | - Siobhan Maderson
- Department of Geography & Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY233FL, UK;
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The Effect of Foraging on Bumble Bees, Bombus terrestris, Reared under Laboratory Conditions. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11050321. [PMID: 32456127 PMCID: PMC7290516 DOI: 10.3390/insects11050321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bumble bees are important pollinators broadly used by farmers in greenhouses and under conditions in which honeybee pollination is limited. As such, bumble bees are increasingly being reared for commercial purposes, which brings into question whether individuals reared under laboratory conditions are fully capable of physiological adaptation to field conditions. To understand the changes in bumble bee organism caused by foraging, we compared the fundamental physiological and immunological parameters of Bombus terrestris workers reared under constant optimal laboratory conditions with workers from sister colonies that were allowed to forage for two weeks in the field. Nutritional status and immune response were further determined in wild foragers of B.terrestris that lived under the constant influence of natural stressors. Both wild and laboratory-reared workers subjected to the field conditions had a lower protein concentration in the hemolymph and increased antimicrobial activity, the detection of which was limited in the non-foragers. However, in most of the tested parameters, specifically the level of carbohydrates, antioxidants, total hemocyte concentration in the hemolymph and melanization response, we did not observe any significant differences between bumble bee workers produced in the laboratory and wild animals, nor between foragers and non-foragers. Our results show that bumble bees reared under laboratory conditions can mount a sufficient immune response to potential pathogens and cope with differential food availability in the field, similarly to the wild bumble bee workers.
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Medina RG, Paxton RJ, Hernández-Sotomayor SMT, Pech-Jiménez C, Medina-Medina LA, Quezada-Euán JJG. Heat stress during development affects immunocompetence in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102541. [PMID: 32364969 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Though social insects generally seem to have a reduced individual immunoresponse compared to solitary species, the impact of heat stress on that response has not been studied. In the honey bee, the effect of heat stress on reproductives (queens and males/drones) may also vary compared to workers, but this is currently unknown. Here, we quantified the activity of an enzyme linked to the immune response in insects and known to be affected by heat stress in solitary species: phenoloxidase (PO), in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (AHBs) experimentally subjected to elevated temperatures during the pupal stage. Additionally, we evaluated this marker in individuals experimentally infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Differences in PO activity were found between sexes and castes, with PO activity generally higher in workers and lower in reproductives. Such differences are associated with the likelihood of exposure to infection and the role of different individuals in the colony. Contrary to our expectation, heat stress did not cause an increase in PO activity equally in all classes of individual. Heat stress during the pupal stage significantly decreased the PO activity of AHB queens, but not that of workers or drones, which more frequently engage in extranidal activity. Experimental infection with Metarhizium anisopliae reduced PO activity in queens and workers, but increased it in drones. Notably, heat stressed workers lived significantly shorter after infection despite exhibiting greater PO activity than queens or drones. We suggest that this discrepancy may be related to trade-offs among immune response cascades in honey bees such as between heat shock proteins and defensin peptides used in microbial defence. Our results provide evidence for complex relationships among humoral immune responses in AHBs and suggest that heat stress could result in a reduced life expectancy of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén G Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico; Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Campo Experimental Edzna, Campeche, Mexico.
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - S M Teresa Hernández-Sotomayor
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Cristina Pech-Jiménez
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Luis A Medina-Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - José Javier G Quezada-Euán
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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Felicioli A, Forzan M, Sagona S, D’Agostino P, Baido D, Fronte B, Mazzei M. Effect of Oral Administration of 1,3-1,6 β-Glucans in DWV Naturally Infected Newly Emerged Bees ( Apis mellifera L.). Vet Sci 2020; 7:vetsci7020052. [PMID: 32344871 PMCID: PMC7355867 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci7020052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee pathogens have an important role in honeybee colony mortality and colony losses; most of them are widely spread and necessitate worldwide solutions to contrast honeybee's decline. Possible accepted solutions to cope with the spread of honeybee's pathogens are focused on the study of experimental protocols to enhance the insect's immune defenses. Honeybee's artificial diet capable to stimulate the immune system is a promising field of investigation as ascertained by the introduction of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans as a dietary supplement. In this work, by collecting faecal samples of honeybees exposed to different dietary conditions of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans (0.5% and 2% w/w), it has been possible to investigate the Deformed wing virus (DWV) viral load kinetic without harming the insects. Virological data obtained by a one-step TaqMan RT-PCR highlighted the ability of 1,3-1,6 β-glucans to reduce the viral load at the 24th day of rearing. The results indicated that the diet supplemented with 1,3-1,6 β-glucans was associated with a dose-dependent activation of phenoloxidase. The control group showed a higher survival rate than the experimental groups. This research confirmed 1,3-1,6 β-glucans as molecules able to modulate honeybees' defense pathways, and this is the first report in which the kinetic of DWV infection in honeybee faeces has been monitored by a RT-qPCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
- Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Mario Forzan
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
| | - Simona Sagona
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola D’Agostino
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
| | - Diego Baido
- Independent Researcher, 37019 Peschiera del Garda (Verona), Italy;
| | - Baldassare Fronte
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
| | - Maurizio Mazzei
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56100 Pisa, Italy; (A.F.); (M.F.); (S.S.); (P.D.); (B.F.)
- Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Duarte JP, Silva CE, Ribeiro PB, Cárcamo MC. Do dietary stresses affect the immune system of Periplaneta americana (Blattaria: Blattidae)? BRAZ J BIOL 2020; 80:73-80. [PMID: 31017234 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.190035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Stresses can be caused by multiple biotic and abiotic factors and their effects can affect both the biology and the immune system of insects. American cockroach - Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Blattaria: Blattidae) -besides being an excellent model species, has great medical importance because it can act as a mechanical vector of several pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of starvation, dehydration and both stresses on weight, and total and differential haemocyte count in P. americana adults. Each specimen was isolated in glass flasks containing or not food and/or water. They were weighed periodically. Another group received water for 24 h after the end of stress period. In the immunologic bioassay, we counted their haemocytes after the final weighing. All stresses reduced the insect weight, especially when the stresses were combined. Females of the control group gained weight and males had it unaltered. Different stress conditions and time did not influence on total haemocyte count. Insects without food and water had the proportion of prohaemocytes increased and plasmatocytes decreased. This study can serve as a basis of further studies of bioecology, behaviour and the ability of resisting insecticides, besides serving as a model to studies in other insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Duarte
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, CEP 96010-900, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - C E Silva
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia, Immunologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, CEP 90035-190, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - P B Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, CEP 96010-900, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
| | - M C Cárcamo
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas - UFPel, CEP 96010-900, Pelotas, RS, Brasil
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Negri P, Villalobos E, Szawarski N, Damiani N, Gende L, Garrido M, Maggi M, Quintana S, Lamattina L, Eguaras M. Towards Precision Nutrition: A Novel Concept Linking Phytochemicals, Immune Response and Honey Bee Health. INSECTS 2019; 10:E401. [PMID: 31726686 PMCID: PMC6920938 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The high annual losses of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) has attracted intensive attention, and scientists have dedicated much effort trying to identify the stresses affecting bees. There are, however, no simple answers; rather, research suggests multifactorial effects. Several works have been reported highlighting the relationship between bees' immunosuppression and the effects of malnutrition, parasites, pathogens, agrochemical and beekeeping pesticides exposure, forage dearth and cold stress. Here we analyze a possible connection between immunity-related signaling pathways that could be involved in the response to the stress resulted from Varroa-virus association and cold stress during winter. The analysis was made understanding the honey bee as a superorganism, where individuals are integrated and interacting within the colony, going from social to individual immune responses. We propose the term "Precision Nutrition" as a way to think and study bees' nutrition in the search for key molecules which would be able to strengthen colonies' responses to any or all of those stresses combined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Negri
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Ethel Villalobos
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 3050 Maile Way, 310 Gilmore Hall, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA;
| | - Nicolás Szawarski
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Natalia Damiani
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Liesel Gende
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Melisa Garrido
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Matías Maggi
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Silvina Quintana
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
| | - Lorenzo Lamattina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas (IIB-CONICET), UNMdP, Dean Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina
| | - Martin Eguaras
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Deán Funes 3350, Mar del Plata CP 7600, Argentina; (N.S.); (N.D.); (L.G.); (M.G.); (M.M.); (S.Q.); (M.E.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina;
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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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Walderdorff L, Laval-Gilly P, Wechtler L, Bonnefoy A, Falla-Angel J. Phagocytic activity of human macrophages and Drosophila hemocytes after exposure to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 160:95-101. [PMID: 31519262 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2019.07.007] [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: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides are increasingly used in modern pest control and in conventional agriculture. Their residues are frequently found in our environment and in our food leading to chronic exposure of pollinating insects and humans. Indeed, evidence has become stronger that chronic exposure to neonicotinoids might have a direct impact on the immune response of invertebrates and vertebrates. Therefore, we compared the cellular immune response of human macrophages (THP-1) and Drosophila melanogaster hemocytes (Schneider 2 cells) after exposure to four different concentrations of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. Cells were immune activated with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) of Escherichia coli to compare the phagocytic activity of immune activated and non-activated cells during pesticide exposure. Drosophila cells were more strongly affected by the insecticide than human macrophages. Even though imidacloprid showed an adverse effect on phagocytosis on both cells while immune activated, it decreased phagocytosis in Drosophila cells at shorter exposure time and without immune activation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Laura Wechtler
- Université de Lorraine, Inra, LSE, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Antoine Bonnefoy
- Université de Lorraine, IUT de Thionville-Yutz, F-57970, Yutz, France
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Lucas
- Department of Vector Biology Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Liverpool UK
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
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The Year of the Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera L.) with Respect to Its Physiology and Immunity: A Search for Biochemical Markers of Longevity. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10080244. [PMID: 31394797 PMCID: PMC6723739 DOI: 10.3390/insects10080244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It has been known for many years that in temperate climates the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, exists in the form of two distinct populations within the year, short-living summer bees and long-living winter bees. However, there is only limited knowledge about the basic biochemical markers of winter and summer populations as yet. Nevertheless, the distinction between these two kinds of bees is becoming increasingly important as it can help beekeepers to estimate proportion of long-living bees in hives and therefore in part predict success of overwintering. To identify markers of winter generations, we employed the continuous long-term monitoring of a single honey bee colony for almost two years, which included measurements of physiological and immunological parameters. The results showed that the total concentration of proteins, the level of vitellogenin, and the antibacterial activity of haemolymph are the best three of all followed parameters that are related to honey bee longevity and can therefore be used as its markers.
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32
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Lourenço AP, Martins JR, Torres FAS, Mackert A, Aguiar LR, Hartfelder K, Bitondi MMG, Simões ZLP. Immunosenescence in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) is caused by intrinsic senescence and behavioral physiology. Exp Gerontol 2019; 119:174-183. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Putative Drone Copulation Factors Regulating Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera) Queen Reproduction and Health: A Review. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10010008. [PMID: 30626022 PMCID: PMC6358756 DOI: 10.3390/insects10010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees are major pollinators of agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes. In recent years, honey bee colonies have exhibited high annual losses and commercial beekeepers frequently report poor queen quality and queen failure as the primary causes. Honey bee colonies are highly vulnerable to compromised queen fertility, as each hive is headed by one reproductive queen. Queens mate with multiple drones (male bees) during a single mating period early in life in which they obtain enough spermatozoa to fertilize their eggs for the rest of their reproductive life span. The process of mating initiates numerous behavioral, physiological, and molecular changes that shape the fertility of the queen and her influence on the colony. For example, receipt of drone semen can modulate queen ovary activation, pheromone production, and subsequent worker retinue behavior. In addition, seminal fluid is a major component of semen that is primarily derived from drone accessory glands. It also contains a complex mixture of proteins such as proteases, antioxidants, and antimicrobial proteins. Seminal fluid proteins are essential for inducing post-mating changes in other insects such as Drosophila and thus they may also impact honey bee queen fertility and health. However, the specific molecules in semen and seminal fluid that initiate post-mating changes in queens are still unidentified. Herein, we summarize the mating biology of honey bees, the changes queens undergo during and after copulation, and the role of drone semen and seminal fluid in post-mating changes in queens. We then review the effects of seminal fluid proteins in insect reproduction and potential roles for honey bee drone seminal fluid proteins in queen reproduction and health. We finish by proposing future avenues of research. Further elucidating the role of drone fertility in queen reproductive health may contribute towards reducing colony losses and advancing honey bee stock development.
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Ptaszyńska AA, Gancarz M, Hurd PJ, Borsuk G, Wiącek D, Nawrocka A, Strachecka A, Załuski D, Paleolog J. Changes in the bioelement content of summer and winter western honeybees (Apis mellifera) induced by Nosema ceranae infection. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200410. [PMID: 30044811 PMCID: PMC6060561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper bioelement content is crucial for the health and wellness of all
organisms, including honeybees. However, the situation is more complicated in
these important pollinators due to the fact that they change their physiology
during winter in order to survive the relatively harsh climatic conditions.
Additionally, honeybees are susceptible to many diseases such as
nosemosis, which during winter can depopulate an entire
colony. Here we show that summer bees have a markedly higher content of
important bioelements such as: Al, Cu, P, V, (physiologically essential); Ca, K,
Mg, (electrolytic); Cr, Se, Zn, (enzymatic); As, Hg, (toxic). In contrast, a
markedly higher content of: Fe (physiologically essential); Mn, Ni, (enzymatic);
Cd (exclusively toxic) were present in winter bees. Importantly,
N. ceranae infection resulted in an
increased honeybee bioelement content of: S, Sr (physiologically essential) and
Pb (exclusively toxic), whereas the Nosema-free worker-bees had
higher amounts of B and Si (physiologically essential). We propose that the
shortages of Fe, Mn, Ni, and Na observed in Nosema-infected
bees, could be the reason for the higher mortality of
Nosema-infected bees throughout overwintering. In addition, a
shortage of bioelements such as B and Si may be a reason for accelerated aging
in foragers that is observed following N.
ceranae infection. Therefore, in winter, bioelement content
was more strongly affected by N. ceranae
infection than during summer. We found a strong correlation between the
bioelement content of bees and seasons (summer or winter) and also with
Nosema infection. We conclude that the balance of
bioelements in the honeybee is altered by both seasonal affects and by
Nosema infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta A. Ptaszyńska
- Department of Botany and Mycology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry,
Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin,
Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Marek Gancarz
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin,
Poland
| | - Paul J. Hurd
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of
London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grzegorz Borsuk
- Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Apidologie, Institute of
Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and
Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin,
Poland
| | - Dariusz Wiącek
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin,
Poland
| | | | - Aneta Strachecka
- Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Apidologie, Institute of
Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and
Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin,
Poland
| | - Daniel Załuski
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus
Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Zoology, Ecology and Wildlife Management, Life Science
University in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Ravaiano SV, Barbosa WF, Campos LA, Martins GF. Variations in circulating hemocytes are affected by age and caste in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Naturwissenschaften 2018; 105:48. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-018-1573-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Martín-Hernández R, Bartolomé C, Chejanovsky N, Le Conte Y, Dalmon A, Dussaubat C, García-Palencia P, Meana A, Pinto MA, Soroker V, Higes M. Nosema ceranaeinApis mellifera: a 12 years postdetectionperspective. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1302-1329. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla - La Mancha; Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos Humanos, IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela; Galicia Spain
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | | | | | - Aranzazu Meana
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Spain
| | - M. Alice Pinto
- Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança; 5300-253 Bragança Portugal
| | - Victoria Soroker
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
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37
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Lucas ER, Keller L. Elevated expression of ageing and immunity genes in queens of the black garden ant. Exp Gerontol 2018; 108:92-98. [PMID: 29625209 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Studies in model organisms have identified a variety of genes whose expression can be experimentally modulated to produce changes in longevity, but whether these genes are the same as those involved in natural variation in lifespan remains unclear. Social insects boast some of the largest lifespan differences known between plastic phenotypes, with queen and worker lifespans differing by an order of magnitude despite no systematic nucleotide sequence differences between them. The contrasting lifespans of queens and workers are thus the result of differences in gene expression. We used RNA sequencing of brains and legs in 1-day-old and 2-month-old individuals of the ant Lasius niger to determine whether genes with queen-biased expression are enriched for genes linked to ageing in model organisms. Because the great longevity of queens may require investment into immune processes, we also investigated whether queen-biased genes are enriched for genes with known roles in immunity. Queen-biased genes in legs were enriched for ageing genes and for genes associated with increasing rather than decreasing lifespan. Queen-biased genes in legs were also enriched for immune genes, but only in 1-day-old individuals, perhaps linked to the changing roles of workers with age. Intriguingly, the single most differentially expressed gene between 1-day-old queen and worker brains was an extra-cellular form of CuZn Superoxide Dismutase (SOD3), raising the possibility of an important role of anti-oxidant genes in modulating lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Lucas
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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38
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Traver BE, Feazel-Orr HK, Catalfamo KM, Brewster CC, Fell RD. Seasonal Effects and the Impact of In-Hive Pesticide Treatments on Parasite, Pathogens, and Health of Honey Bees. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 111:517-527. [PMID: 29471479 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toy026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Honey bee, Apis mellifera (L.; Hymenoptera: Apidae), populations are in decline and their losses pose a serious threat for crop pollination and food production. The specific causes of these losses are believed to be multifactorial. Pesticides, parasites and pathogens, and nutritional deficiencies have been implicated in the losses due to their ability to exert energetic stress on bees. While our understanding of the role of these factors in honey bee colony losses has improved, there is still a lack of knowledge of how they impact the immune system of the honey bee. In this study, honey bee colonies were exposed to Fumagilin-B, Apistan (tau-fluvalinate), and chlorothalonil at field realistic levels. No significant effects of the antibiotic and two pesticides were observed on the levels of varroa mite, Nosema ceranae (Fries; Microsporidia: Nosematidae), black queen cell virus, deformed wing virus, or immunity as measured by phenoloxidase and glucose oxidase activity. Any effects on the parasites, pathogens, and immunity we observed appear to be due mainly to seasonal changes within the honey bee colonies. The results suggest that Fumagilin-B, Apistan, and chlorothalonil do not significantly impact the health of honey bee colonies, based on the factors analyzed and the concentration of chemicals tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna E Traver
- Department of Biology, Penn State Schuylkill, Schuylkill Haven, PA
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Zhang L, Ringbauer JA, Goodman CL, Reall T, Jiang XF, Stanley D. Prostaglandin-mediated recovery from bacteremia delays larval development in fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 97. [PMID: 29377226 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Insect immunity includes a surveillance system that detects and signals infections, coupled with hemocytic and humoral immune functions. These functions are signaled and coordinated by several biochemicals, including biogenic amines, insect cytokines, peptides, and prostaglandins (PGs). The actions of these mediators are coordinated within cells by various forms of cross-talk among the signaling systems and they result in effective reactions to infection. While this is well understood, we lack information on how immune-mediated recovery influences subsequent juvenile development in surviving insects. We investigated this point by posing the hypothesis that PG signaling is necessary for larval recovery, although the recovery imposes biological costs, registered in developmental delays and failures in surviving individuals. Here, we report that nodulation responses to infections by the bacterium, Serratia marcescens, increased over time up to 5 h postinfection, with no further nodulation; it increased in a linear manner with increasing bacterial dosages. Larval survivorship decreased with increasing bacterial doses. Treating larvae with the PG-biosynthesis inhibitor, indomethacin, led to sharply decreased nodulation reactions to infection, which were rescued in larvae cotreated with indomethacin and the PG-precursor, arachidonic acid. Although nodulation was fully rescued, all bacterial challenged larvae suffered reduced survivorship compared to controls. Bacterial infection led to reduced developmental rates in larvae, but not pupae. Adult emergence from pupae that developed from experimental larvae was also decreased. Taken together, our data potently bolster our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Joseph A Ringbauer
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory (BCIRL), USDA/Agricultural Research Service, DC, USA
| | - Cynthia L Goodman
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory (BCIRL), USDA/Agricultural Research Service, DC, USA
| | - Tamra Reall
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory (BCIRL), USDA/Agricultural Research Service, DC, USA
| | - Xing-Fu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - David Stanley
- Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory (BCIRL), USDA/Agricultural Research Service, DC, USA
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40
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Gábor E, Cinege G, Csordás G, Török T, Folkl-Medzihradszky K, Darula Z, Andó I, Kurucz É. Hemolectin expression reveals functional heterogeneity in honey bee (Apis mellifera) hemocytes. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 76:403-411. [PMID: 28713010 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The identification of molecular markers considerably facilitated the classification and functional analysis of blood cell types. Apis mellifera hemocytes have been classified by morphological criteria and lectin binding properties; however, the use of molecular markers has been minimal. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody to a non-phagocytic subpopulation of A. mellifera hemocytes and to a constituent of the hemolymph clot. We demonstrate that the antibody identifies the A. mellifera hemolectin, a protein carrying human von Willebrand factor homology domains, characteristic of proteins involved in blood coagulation and platelet aggregation in mammals. Hemolectin expressing A. mellifera hemocytes contain the protein as cytoplasmic granules and contribute to the formation of a protein matrix, building up around foreign particles. Consequently, hemolectin as a marker molecule reveals a clear functional heterogeneity of hemocytes, allowing for the analytical separation of hemocyte classes, and could promote the molecular identification of hemocyte lineages in A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Gábor
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Gyöngyi Cinege
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Csordás
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Török
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Katalin Folkl-Medzihradszky
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Darula
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - István Andó
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Éva Kurucz
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
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41
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Hystad EM, Salmela H, Amdam GV, Münch D. Hemocyte-mediated phagocytosis differs between honey bee (Apis mellifera) worker castes. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184108. [PMID: 28877227 PMCID: PMC5587260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees as other insects rely on the innate immune system for protection against diseases. The innate immune system includes the circulating hemocytes (immune cells) that clear pathogens from hemolymph (blood) by phagocytosis, nodulation or encapsulation. Honey bee hemocyte numbers have been linked to hemolymph levels of vitellogenin. Vitellogenin is a multifunctional protein with immune-supportive functions identified in a range of species, including the honey bee. Hemocyte numbers can increase via mitosis, and this recruitment process can be important for immune system function and maintenance. Here, we tested if hemocyte mediated phagocytosis differs among the physiologically different honey bee worker castes (nurses, foragers and winter bees), and study possible interactions with vitellogenin and hemocyte recruitment. To this end, we adapted phagocytosis assays, which—together with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry—allow qualitative and quantitative assessment of hemocyte performance. We found that nurses are more efficient in phagocytic uptake than both foragers and winter bees. We detected vitellogenin within the hemocytes, and found that winter bees have the highest numbers of vitellogenin-positive hemocytes. Connections between phagocytosis, hemocyte-vitellogenin and mitosis were worker caste dependent. Our results demonstrate that the phagocytic performance of immune cells differs significantly between honey bee worker castes, and support increased immune competence in nurses as compared to forager bees. Our data, moreover, provides support for roles of vitellogenin in hemocyte activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Marit Hystad
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Heli Salmela
- Department of Biosciences, Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gro Vang Amdam
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Daniel Münch
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
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42
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Kubiak M, Tinsley MC. Sex-Specific Routes To Immune Senescence In Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10417. [PMID: 28874758 PMCID: PMC5585412 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11021-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal immune systems change dramatically during the ageing process, often accompanied by major increases in pathogen susceptibility. However, the extent to which senescent elevations in infection mortality are causally driven by deteriorations in canonical systemic immune processes is unclear. We studied Drosophila melanogaster and compared the relative contributions of impaired systemic immune defences and deteriorating barrier defences to increased pathogen susceptibility in aged flies. To assess senescent changes in systemic immune response efficacy we injected one and four-week old flies with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and studied subsequent mortality; whereas to include the role of barrier defences we infected flies by dusting the cuticle with fungal spores. We show that the processes underlying pathogen defence senescence differ between males and females. Both sexes became more susceptible to infection as they aged. However, we conclude that for males, this was principally due to deterioration in barrier defences, whereas for females systemic immune defence senescence was mainly responsible. We discuss the potential roles of sex-specific selection on the immune system and behavioural variation between males and females in driving these different senescent trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Kubiak
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom.
| | - Matthew C Tinsley
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom
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43
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Lucas ER, Romiguier J, Keller L. Gene expression is more strongly influenced by age than caste in the ant Lasius niger. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:5058-5073. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Lucas
- Department of Ecology and Evolution; Biophore, University of Lausanne; Lausanne Switzerland
- Department of Vector Biology; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; Liverpool UK
| | - Jonathan Romiguier
- Department of Ecology and Evolution; Biophore, University of Lausanne; Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Ecology and Evolution; Biophore, University of Lausanne; Lausanne Switzerland
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44
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League GP, Estévez-Lao TY, Yan Y, Garcia-Lopez VA, Hillyer JF. Anopheles gambiae larvae mount stronger immune responses against bacterial infection than adults: evidence of adaptive decoupling in mosquitoes. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:367. [PMID: 28764812 PMCID: PMC5539753 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2302-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immune system of adult mosquitoes has received significant attention because of the ability of females to vector disease-causing pathogens while ingesting blood meals. However, few studies have focused on the immune system of larvae, which, we hypothesize, is highly robust due to the high density and diversity of microorganisms that larvae encounter in their aquatic environments and the strong selection pressures at work in the larval stage to ensure survival to reproductive maturity. Here, we surveyed a broad range of cellular and humoral immune parameters in larvae of the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, and compared their potency to that of newly-emerged adults and older adults. RESULTS We found that larvae kill bacteria in their hemocoel with equal or greater efficiency compared to newly-emerged adults, and that antibacterial ability declines further with adult age, indicative of senescence. This phenotype correlates with more circulating hemocytes and a differing spatial arrangement of sessile hemocytes in larvae relative to adults, as well as with the individual hemocytes of adults carrying a greater phagocytic burden. The hemolymph of larvae also possesses markedly stronger antibacterial lytic and melanization activity than the hemolymph of adults. Finally, infection induces a stronger transcriptional upregulation of immunity genes in larvae than in adults, including differences in the immunity genes that are regulated. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that immunity is strongest in larvae and declines after metamorphosis and with adult age, and suggest that adaptive decoupling, or the independent evolution of larval and adult traits made possible by metamorphosis, has occurred in the mosquito lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett P. League
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | | | - Yan Yan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | | | - Julián F. Hillyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
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45
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Brandt A, Grikscheit K, Siede R, Grosse R, Meixner MD, Büchler R. Immunosuppression in Honeybee Queens by the Neonicotinoids Thiacloprid and Clothianidin. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4673. [PMID: 28680118 PMCID: PMC5498664 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04734-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Queen health is crucial to colony survival of honeybees, since reproduction and colony growth rely solely on the queen. Queen failure is considered a relevant cause of colony losses, yet few data exist concerning effects of environmental stressors on queens. Here we demonstrate for the first time that exposure to field-realistic concentrations of neonicotinoid pesticides can severely affect the immunocompetence of queens of western honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). In young queens exposed to thiacloprid (200 µg/l or 2000 µg/l) or clothianidin (10 µg/l or 50 µg/l), the total hemocyte number and the proportion of active, differentiated hemocytes was significantly reduced. Moreover, functional aspects of the immune defence namely the wound healing/melanisation response, as well as the antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph were impaired. Our results demonstrate that neonicotinoid insecticides can negatively affect the immunocompetence of queens, possibly leading to an impaired disease resistance capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annely Brandt
- LLH Bee Institute, Erlenstr. 9, 35274, Kirchhain, Germany.
| | - Katharina Grikscheit
- Institute of Pharmacology, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center (BPC), University of Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Reinhold Siede
- LLH Bee Institute, Erlenstr. 9, 35274, Kirchhain, Germany
| | - Robert Grosse
- Institute of Pharmacology, Biochemical-Pharmacological Center (BPC), University of Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Ralph Büchler
- LLH Bee Institute, Erlenstr. 9, 35274, Kirchhain, Germany
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46
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Feeding toxicity and impact of imidacloprid formulation and mixtures with six representative pesticides at residue concentrations on honey bee physiology (Apis mellifera). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178421. [PMID: 28591204 PMCID: PMC5462352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in agriculture. In this study, we used feeding methods to simulate in-hive exposures of formulated imidacloprid (Advise® 2FL) alone and mixtures with six representative pesticides for different classes. Advise, fed at 4.3 mg/L (equal to maximal residue detection of 912 ppb active ingredient [a.i.] in pollen) induced 36% mortality and 56% feeding suppression after 2-week feeding. Treatments with individual Bracket (acephate), Karate (λ-cyhalothrin), Vydate (oxamyl), Domark (tetraconazole), and Roundup (glyphosate) at residue level had a mortality range of 1.3–13.3%, statistically similar to that of control (P>0.05). The additive/synergistic toxicity was not detected from binary mixtures of Advise with different classes of pesticides at residue levels. The feeding of the mixture of all seven pesticides increased mortality to 53%, significantly higher than Advise only but still without synergism. Enzymatic data showed that activities of invertase, glutathione S-transferase, and acetylcholinesterase activities in imidacloprid-treated survivors were mostly similar to those found in control. Esterase activity mostly increased, but was significantly suppressed by Bracket (acephate). The immunity-related phenoloxidase activity in imidacloprid-treated survivors tended to be lower, but most treatments were statistically similar to the control. Increase of cytochrome P450 activity was correlated with Advise concentrations and reached significant difference at 56 mg/L (12 ppm a.i.). Our data demonstrated that residue levels of seven pesticide in pollens/hive may not adversely affect honey bees, but long term exclusive ingestion of the maximal residue levels of imidacloprid (912 ppb) and sulfoxaflor (3 ppm a.i.) may induce substantial bee mortality. Rotating with other insecticides is a necessary and practical way to reduce the residue level of any given pesticide.
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47
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Zhu YC, Yao J, Adamczyk J, Luttrell R. Synergistic toxicity and physiological impact of imidacloprid alone and binary mixtures with seven representative pesticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176837. [PMID: 28467462 PMCID: PMC5414993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Imidacloprid is the most widely used insecticide in the world. In this study, we used spraying methods to simulate field exposures of bees to formulated imidacloprid (Advise® 2FL) alone and binary mixtures with seven pesticides from different classes. Synergistic toxicity was detected from mixtures of Advise (58.6 mg a.i./L imidacloprid)+Domark (512.5 mg a.i. /L tetraconazole), Advise+Transform (58.5 mg a.i./L sulfoxaflor), and Advise+Vydate (68 mg a.i./L oxamyl), and mortality was significantly increased by 20%, 15%, and 26% respectively. The mixtures of Advise+Bracket (88.3 mg a.i./L acephate) and Advise+Karate (62.2 mg a.i./L L-cyhalothrin) showed additive interaction, while Advise+Belay (9.4 mg a.i./L clothianidin) and Advise+Roundup (1217.5 mg a.i./L glyphosate) had no additive/synergistic interaction. Spraying bees with the mixture of all eight pesticides increased mortality to 100%, significantly higher than all other treatments. Except Bracket which significantly suppressed esterase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, other treatments of Advise-only and mixtures with other pesticides did not suppress enzyme activities significantly, including invertase, glutathione S-transferase (GST), and esterase and AChE. Immunity-related phenoloxidase (PO) activities in survivors tended to be more variable among treatments, but mostly still statistically similar to the control. By using specific enzyme inhibitors, we demonstrated that honey bees mainly rely on cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) for detoxifying Advise, while esterases and GSTs play substantially less roles in the detoxification. This study provided valuable information for guiding pesticide selection in premixing and tank mixing in order to alleviate toxicity risk to honey bees. Our findings indicated mixtures of Advise with detoxification-enzyme-inducing pesticides may help bees to detoxify Advise, while toxicity synergists may pose further risk to bees, such as the Bracket which not only suppressed esterase and AChE activities, but also increased toxicity to bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Cheng Zhu
- USDA-ARS, Stoneville, Mississippi, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jianxiu Yao
- USDA-ARS, Stoneville, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - John Adamczyk
- USDA-ARS, Poplarville, Mississippi, United States of America
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Strachecka A, Chobotow J, Paleolog J, Łoś A, Schulz M, Teper D, Kucharczyk H, Grzybek M. Insights into the biochemical defence and methylation of the solitary bee Osmia rufa L: A foundation for examining eusociality development. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176539. [PMID: 28448564 PMCID: PMC5407852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined age-related biochemical and histological changes in the fat bodies and hemolymph of Osmia rufa males and females. We analysed solitary bees during diapause, in October and in April; as well as the flying insects following diapause, in May and June. The trophocyte sizes, as well as the numbers of lipid droplets were the greatest at the beginning of diapause. Subsequently, they decreased along with age. Triglyceride and glucose concentrations systematically decreased in fat body cells but increased in the hemolymph from October to June. Concentrations/activities of (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) antioxidant and proteolytic systems, as well as phenoloxidase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels were constant during the diapause, usually lower in the males than the females. Prior to the diapause/overwintering, the concentrations/activities of all the compounds were higher in the fat bodies than in the hemolymph. Later in the spring and in the summer, they increased in the hemolymph and on the body surfaces, while decreasing in the fat bodies. The global DNA methylation levels increased with age. Higher levels were always observed in the males than in the females. The study will promote better understanding of bee evolution and will be useful for the protection and management of solitary bees, with benefits to the environment and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jacek Chobotow
- Zoological Museum/Laboratory, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Zoology, Animal Ecology & Wildlife Management, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, Lublin, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Łoś
- Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, Lublin, Poland
| | - Michał Schulz
- Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, Lublin, Poland
| | - Dariusz Teper
- Research Institute of Horticulture, Apicultural Division in Pulawy, Kazimierska 2, Pulawy, Poland
| | - Halina Kucharczyk
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, Lublin, Poland
| | - Maciej Grzybek
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 12, Lublin, Poland
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Science in Jastrzebiec, Postepu 36A, Magdalenka, Poland
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Rueppell O, Yousefi B, Collazo J, Smith D. Early life stress affects mortality rate more than social behavior, gene expression or oxidative damage in honey bee workers. Exp Gerontol 2017; 90:19-25. [PMID: 28122251 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 01/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Early life stressors can affect aging and life expectancy in positive or negative ways. Individuals can adjust their behavior and molecular physiology based on early life experiences but relatively few studies have connected such mechanisms to demographic patterns in social organisms. Sociality buffers individuals from environmental influences and it is unclear how much early life stress affects later life history. Workers of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) were exposed to two stressors, Varroa parasitism and Paraquat exposure, early in life. Consequences were measured at the molecular, behavioral, and demographic level. While treatments did not significantly affect levels of oxidative damage, expression of select genes, and titers of the common deformed wing virus, most of these measures were affected by age. Some of the age effects, such as declining levels of deformed wing virus and oxidative damage, were opposite to our predictions but may be explained by demographic selection. Further analyses suggested some influences of worker behavior on mortality and indicated weak treatment effects on behavior. The latter effects were inconsistent among the two experiments. However, mortality rate was consistently reduced by Varroa mite stress during development. Thus, mortality was more responsive to early life stress than our other response variables. The lack of treatment effects on these measures may be due to the social organization of honey bees that buffers the individual from the impact of stressful developmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olav Rueppell
- Department of of Biology, 312 Eberhart Building, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA.
| | - Babak Yousefi
- Department of of Biology, 312 Eberhart Building, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
| | - Juan Collazo
- Department of of Biology, 312 Eberhart Building, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
| | - Daniel Smith
- Department of of Biology, 312 Eberhart Building, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
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Mazzei M, Fronte B, Sagona S, Carrozza ML, Forzan M, Pizzurro F, Bibbiani C, Miragliotta V, Abramo F, Millanta F, Bagliacca M, Poli A, Felicioli A. Effect of 1,3-1,6 β-Glucan on Natural and Experimental Deformed Wing Virus Infection in Newly Emerged Honeybees (Apis mellifera ligustica). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166297. [PMID: 27829027 PMCID: PMC5102454 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Western Honeybee is a key pollinator for natural as well as agricultural ecosystems. In the last decade massive honeybee colony losses have been observed worldwide, the result of a complex syndrome triggered by multiple stress factors, with the RNA virus Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and the mite Varroa destructor playing crucial roles. The mite supports replication of DWV to high titers, which exert an immunosuppressive action and correlate with the onset of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 1,3-1,6 β-glucan, a natural innate immune system modulator, on honeybee response to low-titer natural and high-titer experimental DWV infection. As the effects exerted by ß-glucans can be remarkably different, depending on the target organism and the dose administered, two parallel experiments were performed, where 1,3-1,6 ß-glucan at a concentration of 0.5% and 2% respectively, was added to the diet of three cohorts of newly emerged honeybees, which were sampled from a Varroa-free apiary and harboured a low endogenous DWV viral titer. Each cohort was subjected to one of the following experimental treatments: no injection, injection of a high-copy number DWV suspension into the haemocel (experimental DWV infection) or injection of PBS into the haemocoel (physical injury). Control bees fed a ß-glucan-free diet were subjected to the same treatments. Viral load, survival rate, haemocyte populations and phenoloxidase activity of each experimental group were measured and compared. The results indicated that oral administration of 0.5% ß-glucan to naturally infected honeybees was associated with a significantly decrease of the number of infected bees and viral load they carried, and with a significant increase of the survival rate, suggesting that this natural immune modulator molecule might contribute to increase honeybee resistance to viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Mazzei
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Simona Sagona
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Mario Forzan
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Bibbiani
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Abramo
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Marco Bagliacca
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Poli
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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