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Feldhaar H, Otti O. Pollutants and Their Interaction with Diseases of Social Hymenoptera. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11030153. [PMID: 32121502 PMCID: PMC7142568 DOI: 10.3390/insects11030153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Many insect species, including social insects, are currently declining in abundance and diversity. Pollutants such as pesticides, heavy metals, or airborne fine particulate matter from agricultural and industrial sources are among the factors driving this decline. While these pollutants can have direct detrimental effects, they can also result in negative interactive effects when social insects are simultaneously exposed to multiple stressors. For example, sublethal effects of pollutants can increase the disease susceptibility of social insects, and thereby jeopardize their survival. Here we review how pesticides, heavy metals, or airborne fine particulate matter interact with social insect physiology and especially the insects’ immune system. We then give an overview of the current knowledge of the interactive effects of these pollutants with pathogens or parasites. While the effects of pesticide exposure on social insects and their interactions with pathogens have been relatively well studied, the effects of other pollutants, such as heavy metals in soil or fine particulate matter from combustion, vehicular transport, agriculture, and coal mining are still largely unknown. We therefore provide an overview of urgently needed knowledge in order to mitigate the decline of social insects.
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Gruber MAM, Cooling M, Baty JW, Buckley K, Friedlander A, Quinn O, Russell JFEJ, Sébastien A, Lester PJ. Single-stranded RNA viruses infecting the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3304. [PMID: 28607437 PMCID: PMC5468335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03508-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insects host a diversity of viruses. We examined New Zealand populations of the globally widely distributed invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) for RNA viruses. We used metatranscriptomic analysis, which identified six potential novel viruses in the Dicistroviridae family. Of these, three contigs were confirmed by Sanger sequencing as Linepithema humile virus-1 (LHUV-1), a novel strain of Kashmir bee virus (KBV) and Black queen cell virus (BQCV), while the others were chimeric or misassembled sequences. We extended the known sequence of LHUV-1 to confirm its placement in the Dicistroviridae and categorised its relationship to closest relatives, which were all viruses infecting Hymenoptera. We examined further for known viruses by mapping our metatranscriptomic sequences to all viral genomes, and confirmed KBV, BQCV, LHUV-1 and Deformed wing virus (DWV) presence using qRT-PCR. Viral replication was confirmed for DWV, KBV and LHUV-1. Viral titers in ants were higher in the presence of honey bee hives. Argentine ants appear to host a range of' honey bee' pathogens in addition to a virus currently described only from this invasive ant. The role of these viruses in the population dynamics of the ant remain to be determined, but offer potential targets for biocontrol approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica A M Gruber
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Meghan Cooling
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Buckley
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anna Friedlander
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Oliver Quinn
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jessica F E J Russell
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Alexandra Sébastien
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand
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Powell CM, Hanson JD, Bextine BR. Bacterial community survey of Solenopsis invicta Buren (red imported fire ant) colonies in the presence and absence of Solenopsis invicta virus (SINV). Curr Microbiol 2014; 69:580-5. [PMID: 24934994 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-014-0626-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Insect bacterial symbionts contribute to many essential biological functions of their hosts and can also influence host fecundity and fitness. The physiological contribution symbionts provide can aid in immune response and xenobiotic detoxification. Both of these immune factors can directly impact strategies aimed at managing insect populations. One biological control strategy that shows promise in insects is the use of single-stranded RNA viruses within the group Dicistroviridae. The Solenopsis invicta Virus (SINV; Dicistroviridae), a ssRNA virus, has been proposed as a potential biological control agent for the urban pest S. invicta Buren or red imported fire ant (RIFA). SINV has been shown to be prevalent in RIFA populations of Texas and Florida; however, mortality is associated with high viral load. In other insect microbe systems, presence of particular bacteria induced resistance against Dicistrovirus. If this type of relationship is present in the RIFA-SINV system, their bacterial community could reduce the effectiveness of SINV as a biological control system. The advantage of 454 pyro-sequencing is that it enables classification of unculturable bacteria. This study examines the bacterial community in brood, workers, and reproductive cast members from colonies with and without SINV infection. Manipulation of the bacterial community may alter virus infection and replication within the mid-gut. Understanding the differences in the microbial community of ant colonies may provide insights that will refine current efforts designing control strategies for this important urban pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Powell
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Blvd, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA,
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Valles SM, Bextine B. Examination of host genome for the presence of integrated fragments of Solenopsis invicta virus 1. J Invertebr Pathol 2011; 107:212-5. [PMID: 21536046 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2011] [Revised: 04/12/2011] [Accepted: 04/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A series of oligonucleotide primer pairs covering the entire genome of Solenopsis invicta virus 1 (SINV-1) were used to probe the genome of its host, S. invicta, for integrated fragments of the viral genome. All of the oligonucleotide primer sets yielded amplicons of anticipated size from cDNA created from an RNA template from SINV-1. However, no corresponding amplification was observed when genomic DNA (from 32 colonies of S. invicta) was used as template for the PCR amplifications. Host DNA integrity was verified by amplification of an ant-specific gene, SiGSTS1. The representation of fire ant colonies included both social forms, monogyne and polygyne, and those infected and uninfected with SINV-1. Furthermore, no amplification was observed from genomic DNA from ant samples collected from Argentina or the US. Thus, it appears that SINV-1 genome integration, or a portion therein, has not likely occurred within the S. invicta host genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Valles
- Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 1600 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
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