1
|
Hesketh-Best PJ, Fowler PD, Odogwu NM, Milbrath MO, Schroeder DC. Sacbrood viruses and select Lake Sinai virus variants dominated Apis mellifera colonies symptomatic for European foulbrood. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0065624. [PMID: 38980019 PMCID: PMC11302354 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00656-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
European foulbrood (EFB) is a prevalent disease in the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the United States, which can lead to colony decline and collapse. The bacterial components of EFB are well-studied, but the diversity of viral infections within infected colonies has not been explored. In this study, we use meta-transcriptomics sequencing of 12 honey bee hives, symptomatic (+, n = 6) and asymptomatic (-, n = 6) for EFB, to investigate viral infection associated with the disease. We assembled 41 viral genomes, belonging to three families (Iflaviridae, Dicistroviridae, and Sinhaliviridae), all previously reported in honey bees, including Lake Sinai virus, deformed wing virus, sacbrood virus, Black queen cell virus, and Israeli acute paralysis virus. In colonies with severe EFB, we observed a higher occurrence of viral genomes (34 genomes) in contrast to fewer recovered from healthy colonies (seven genomes) and a complete absence of Dicistroviridae genomes.We observed specific Lake Sinai virus clades associated exclusively with EFB + or EFB - colonies, in addition to EFB-afflicted colonies that exhibited an increase in relative abundance of sacbrood viruses. Multivariate analyses highlighted that a combination of site and EFB disease status influenced RNA virome composition, while EFB status alone did not significantly impact it, presenting a challenge for comparisons between colonies kept in different yards. These findings contribute to the understanding of viral dynamics in honey bee colonies compromised by EFB and underscore the need for future investigations to consider viral composition when investigating EFB.IMPORTANCEThis study on the viromes of honey bee colonies affected by European foulbrood (EFB) sheds light on the dynamics of viral populations in bee colonies in the context of a prevalent bacterial brood disease. The identification of distinct Lake Sinai virus and sacbrood virus clades associated with colonies affected by severe EFB suggests a potential connection between viral composition and disease status, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the role of viruses during EFB infection. The observed increase in sacbrood viruses during EFB infection suggests a potential viral dysbiosis, with potential implications for honey bee brood health. These findings contribute valuable insights related to beekeeping practices, offering a foundation for future research aimed at understanding and mitigating the impact of bacterial and viral infection in commercial honey bee operations and the management of EFB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Poppy J. Hesketh-Best
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Peter D. Fowler
- Department of Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Nkechi M. Odogwu
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Meghan O. Milbrath
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, Pollinator Performance Center, Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Declan C. Schroeder
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Szymański S, Baracchi D, Dingle L, Bowman AS, Manfredini F. Learning performance and GABAergic pathway link to deformed wing virus in the mushroom bodies of naturally infected honey bees. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246766. [PMID: 38894668 PMCID: PMC11418184 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246766] [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: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Viral infections can be detrimental to the foraging ability of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. The deformed wing virus (DWV) is the most common honey bee virus and has been proposed as a possible cause of learning and memory impairment. However, evidence for this phenomenon so far has come from artificially infected bees, while less is known about the implications of natural infections with the virus. Using the proboscis extension reflex (PER), we uncovered no significant association between a simple associative learning task and natural DWV load. However, when assessed through a reversal associative learning assay, bees with higher DWV load performed better in the reversal learning phase. DWV is able to replicate in the honey bee mushroom bodies, where the GABAergic signalling pathway has an antagonistic effect on associative learning but is crucial for reversal learning. Hence, we assessed the pattern of expression of several GABA-related genes in bees with different learning responses. Intriguingly, mushroom body expression of selected genes was positively correlated with DWV load, but only for bees with good reversal learning performance. We hypothesise that DWV might improve olfactory learning performance by enhancing the GABAergic inhibition of responses to unrewarded stimuli, which is consistent with the behavioural patterns that we observed. However, at higher disease burdens, which might be induced by an artificial infection or by a severe, natural Varroa infestation, this DWV-associated increase in GABA signalling could impair associative learning as previously reported by other studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Szymon Szymański
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - David Baracchi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Lauren Dingle
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Alan S. Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Fabio Manfredini
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liu W, Li Q. Single-cell transcriptomics dissecting the development and evolution of nervous system in insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 63:101201. [PMID: 38608931 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Insects can display a vast repertoire of complex and adaptive behaviors crucial for survival and reproduction. Yet, how the neural circuits underlying insect behaviors are assembled throughout development and remodeled during evolution remains largely obscure. The advent of single-cell transcriptomics has opened new paths to illuminate these historically intractable questions. Insect behavior is governed by its brain, whose functional complexity is realized through operations across multiple levels, from the molecular and cellular to the circuit and organ. Single-cell transcriptomics enables dissecting brain functions across all these levels and allows tracking regulatory dynamics throughout development and under perturbation. In this review, we mainly focus on the achievements of single-cell transcriptomics in dissecting the molecular and cellular architectures of nervous systems in representative insects, then discuss its applications in tracking the developmental trajectory and functional evolution of insect brains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Information, Kunming, China.
| | - Qiye Li
- BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China; BGI Research, Wuhan 430074, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stuart SH, Ahmed ACC, Kilikevicius L, Robinson GE. Effects of microRNA-305 knockdown on brain gene expression associated with division of labor in honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera). J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246785. [PMID: 38517067 PMCID: PMC11112348 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246785] [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: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Division of labor in honey bee colonies is based on the behavioral maturation of adult workers that involves a transition from working in the hive to foraging. This behavioral maturation is associated with distinct task-related transcriptomic profiles in the brain and abdominal fat body that are related to multiple regulatory factors including juvenile hormone (JH) and queen mandibular pheromone (QMP). A prominent physiological feature associated with behavioral maturation is a loss of abdominal lipid mass as bees transition to foraging. We used transcriptomic and physiological analyses to study whether microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of division of labor. We first identified two miRNAs that showed patterns of expression associated with behavioral maturation, ame-miR-305-5p and ame-miR-375-3p. We then downregulated the expression of these two miRNAs with sequence-specific antagomirs. Neither ame-miR-305-5p nor ame-miR-375-3p knockdown in the abdomen affected abdominal lipid mass on their own. Similarly, knockdown of ame-miR-305-5p in combination with JH or QMP also did not affect lipid mass. By contrast, ame-miR-305-5p knockdown in the abdomen caused substantial changes in gene expression in the brain. Brain gene expression changes included genes encoding transcription factors previously implicated in behavioral maturation. The results of these functional genomic experiments extend previous correlative associations of microRNAs with honey bee division of labor and point to specific roles for ame-miR-305-5p.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarai H. Stuart
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Amy C. Cash Ahmed
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Laura Kilikevicius
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gene E. Robinson
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang X, Zhai Y, Zheng H. Deciphering the cellular heterogeneity of the insect brain with single-cell RNA sequencing. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:314-327. [PMID: 37702319 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Insects show highly complicated adaptive and sophisticated behaviors, including spatial orientation skills, learning ability, and social interaction. These behaviors are controlled by the insect brain, the central part of the nervous system. The tiny insect brain consists of millions of highly differentiated and interconnected cells forming a complex network. Decades of research has gone into an understanding of which parts of the insect brain possess particular behaviors, but exactly how they modulate these functional consequences needs to be clarified. Detailed description of the brain and behavior is required to decipher the complexity of cell types, as well as their connectivity and function. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged recently as a breakthrough technology to understand the transcriptome at cellular resolution. With scRNA-seq, it is possible to uncover the cellular heterogeneity of brain cells and elucidate their specific functions and state. In this review, we first review the basic structure of insect brains and the links to insect behaviors mainly focusing on learning and memory. Then the scRNA applications on insect brains are introduced by representative studies. Single-cell RNA-seq has allowed researchers to classify cell subpopulations within different insect brain regions, pinpoint single-cell developmental trajectories, and identify gene regulatory networks. These developments empower the advances in neuroscience and shed light on the intricate problems in understanding insect brain functions and behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and In-sect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Diego S, Nolberto A, Pablo AJ, Ricardo C, Nelson Z, Marisol V. Nursing Honeybee Behavior and Sensorial-Related Genes Are Altered by Deformed Wing Virus Variant A. INSECTS 2024; 15:80. [PMID: 38392500 PMCID: PMC10889485 DOI: 10.3390/insects15020080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Insect behavior is coordinated mainly by smell through the diverse odor-binding proteins (OBP) that allow them to identify and recognize their environment. Sensory information collected through smell is then analyzed and interpreted in the brain, allowing for correct insect functioning. The behavior of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) can be affected by different pathogens, such as deformed wing virus (DWV). In particular, the DWV variant A (DWV-A) is capable of altering olfactory sensitivity and reducing the gene expression of different OBPs, including those associated with nursing behavior. The DWV is also capable of replicating itself in the sensory lobes of the brain, further compromising the processing of sensory information. This study evaluated the behavioral response of nurse honeybees exposed to a pheromone compound and the alterations in the gene expression of the pre- and post-synaptic neuronal genes neuroxins-1 and neurogilin-1 in the bee heads and OBP proteins in the antennae of nurse bees inoculated with DWV-A. The behavioral response of nurse bees exposed to the larval pheromone compound benzyl alcohol was analyzed using a Y-tube olfactometer. The viral load, the gene expression of OBP5 and OBP11 in antennae, and neuroxins-1 and neurogilin-1 in the bee heads were analyzed via qPCR. High viral loads significantly reduced the ability of 10- and 15-day-old nurse honeybees to choose the correct pheromone compound. Also, the gene expression of OBP5, OBP11, neuroxin-1, and neurogilin-1 in nurse honeybees decreased when they were highly infected with DWV-A. These results suggest that a DWV-A infection can disturb information processing and cause nursing honeybees to reduce their activity inside the hive, altering internal cohesion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silva Diego
- Laboratorios de Virología y Patologías en Abejas, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| | - Arismendi Nolberto
- Centro de Investigación Austral Biotech, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Av. Picarte 1130-1160, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Alveal Juan Pablo
- Laboratorio de Ecología Química, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA Quilamapu, Av. Vicente Méndez 515, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| | - Ceballos Ricardo
- Laboratorio de Ecología Química, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA Quilamapu, Av. Vicente Méndez 515, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| | - Zapata Nelson
- Laboratorio de Fitoquímica, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| | - Vargas Marisol
- Laboratorios de Virología y Patologías en Abejas, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán 3780000, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chen J, Mu X, Liu H, Yong Q, Ouyang X, Liu Y, Zheng L, Chen H, Zhai Y, Ma J, Meng L, Liu S, Zheng H. Rotenone impairs brain glial energetics and locomotor behavior in bumblebees. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167870. [PMID: 37865240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are essential pollinators of both wildflowers and crops and face multiple anthropogenic stressors, particularly the utilization of pesticides. Rotenone is an extensively applied neurotoxic pesticide that possesses insecticidal activities against a wide range of pests. However, whether environmentally realistic exposure levels of rotenone can damage neurons in bumblebee brains is still uncertain. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we revealed that rotenone induced cell-specific responses in bumblebee brains, emphasizing the disruption of energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in glial cells. Correspondingly, the gene regulatory network associated with neurotransmission was also suppressed. Notably, rotenone could specially reduce the number of dopaminergic neurons, impairing bumblebee's ability to fly and crawl. We also found impaired intestinal motility in rotenone-treated bumblebees. Finally, we demonstrated that many differentially expressed genes in our snRNA-seq data overlapped with rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease risk genes, especially in glial cells. Although rotenone is widely used owing to its hypotoxicity, we found that environmentally realistic exposure levels of rotenone induced disturbed glial energetics and locomotor dysfunction in bumblebees, which may lead to an indirect decline in this essential pollinator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jieteng Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China; College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaohuan Mu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Huiling Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qiyao Yong
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaoman Ouyang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Jie Ma
- BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao 266555, China
| | | | | | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fine JD, Cox-Foster DL, Moor KJ, Chen R, Avalos A. Trisiloxane Surfactants Negatively Affect Reproductive Behaviors and Enhance Viral Replication in Honey Bees. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:222-233. [PMID: 37861380 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Trisiloxane surfactants are often applied in formulated adjuvant products to blooming crops, including almonds, exposing the managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) used for pollination of these crops and persisting in colony matrices, such as bee bread. Despite this, little is known regarding the effects of trisiloxane surfactants on important aspects of colony health, such as reproduction. In the present study, we use laboratory assays to examine how exposure to field-relevant concentrations of three trisiloxane surfactants found in commonly used adjuvant formulations affect queen oviposition rates, worker interactions with the queen, and worker susceptibility to endogenous viral pathogens. Trisiloxane surfactants were administered at 5 mg/kg in pollen supplement diet for 14 days. No effects on worker behavior or physiology could be detected, but our results demonstrate that hydroxy-capped trisiloxane surfactants can negatively affect queen oviposition and methyl-capped trisiloxane surfactants cause increased replication of Deformed Wing Virus in workers, suggesting that trisiloxane surfactant use while honey bees are foraging may negatively impact colony longevity and growth. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:222-233. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia D Fine
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Invasive Species and Pollinator Health Research Unit, Davis, California, USA
| | - Diana L Cox-Foster
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Kyle J Moor
- Utah Water Research Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Ruiwen Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arian Avalos
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sun C, Shao Y, Iqbal J. Insect Insights at the Single-Cell Level: Technologies and Applications. Cells 2023; 13:91. [PMID: 38201295 PMCID: PMC10777908 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-cell techniques are a promising way to unravel the complexity and heterogeneity of transcripts at the cellular level and to reveal the composition of different cell types and functions in a tissue or organ. In recent years, advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) have further changed our view of biological systems. The application of scRNA-seq in insects enables the comprehensive characterization of both common and rare cell types and cell states, the discovery of new cell types, and revealing how cell types relate to each other. The recent application of scRNA-seq techniques to insect tissues has led to a number of exciting discoveries. Here we provide an overview of scRNA-seq and its application in insect research, focusing on biological applications, current challenges, and future opportunities to make new discoveries with scRNA-seq in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Analysis Center of Agrobiology and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Yongqi Shao
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Junaid Iqbal
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Smeele ZE, Baty JW, Lester PJ. Effects of Deformed Wing Virus-Targeting dsRNA on Viral Loads in Bees Parasitised and Non-Parasitised by Varroa destructor. Viruses 2023; 15:2259. [PMID: 38005935 PMCID: PMC10674661 DOI: 10.3390/v15112259] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Varroa destructor mite is a devastating parasite of honey bees; however the negative effects of varroa parasitism are exacerbated by its role as an efficient vector of the honey bee pathogen, Deformed wing virus (DWV). While no direct treatment for DWV infection is available for beekeepers to use on their hives, RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely explored as a possible biopesticide approach for a range of pests and pathogens. This study tested the effectiveness of three DWV-specific dsRNA sequences to lower DWV loads and symptoms in honey bees reared from larvae in laboratory mini-hives containing bees and varroa. The effects of DWV-dsRNA treatment on bees parasitised and non-parasitised by varroa mites during development were investigated. Additionally, the impact of DWV-dsRNA on viral loads and gene expression in brood-parasitising mites was assessed using RNA-sequencing. Bees parasitised during development had significantly higher DWV levels compared to non-parasitised bees. However, DWV-dsRNA did not significantly reduce DWV loads or symptoms in mini-hive reared bees, possibly due to sequence divergence between the DWV variants present in bees and varroa and the specific DWV-dsRNA sequences used. Varroa mites from DWV-dsRNA treated mini-hives did not show evidence of an elevated RNAi response or significant difference in DWV levels. Overall, our findings show that RNAi is not always successful, and multiple factors including pathogen diversity and transmission route may impact its efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe E. Smeele
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (P.J.L.)
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Fowler PD, Schroeder DC, Kevill JL, Milbrath MOG. No impact of hygienic behavior and viral coinfection on the development of European foulbrood in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies during blueberry pollination in Michigan. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:21. [PMID: 38055945 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
European foulbrood (EFB) is a severe disease of honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae caused by the bacterium Linnaeus [Hymenoptera: Apidae]) Melissococcus plutonius (ex White) Bailey and Collins (Lactobacillales: Enterococcaceae). Many beekeepers in North America report severe EFB following blueberry pollination, but it is not clear what factors during pollination are related to clinical disease. Additionally, the impact that other factors such as viral load and hygienic behavior have on EFB has not been studied. In Spring of 2020 we enrolled 60 commercial honey bee colonies in a prospective cohort study. Colonies were inspected 3 times over the season with hive metrics and samples taken for viral testing. Each colony was tested for hygienic behavior twice and the score was averaged. Viral loads were determined by qPCR for deformed wing virus (DWV) A and B. We found no statistical difference in the EFB prevalence or severity between the 2 yards at any timepoint; 50% (n = 16) of the colonies in the holding yard and 63% (n = 17) in blueberry developed moderate to severe EFB over the study period. When colonies from both yards were pooled, we found no relationship between viral load or hygienic behavior and development of EFB. These results suggest that other factors may be responsible for driving EFB virulence and hygienic behavior is not likely helpful in managing this disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter D Fowler
- Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824,USA
| | - Declan C Schroeder
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Jessica L Kevill
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Meghan O G Milbrath
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, Pollinator Performance Center, 4090 N. College Road, RM 100, Lansing, MI 48910, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Traniello IM, Bukhari SA, Dibaeinia P, Serrano G, Avalos A, Ahmed AC, Sankey AL, Hernaez M, Sinha S, Zhao SD, Catchen J, Robinson GE. Single-cell dissection of aggression in honeybee colonies. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1232-1244. [PMID: 37264201 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02090-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how genotypic variation results in phenotypic variation is especially difficult for collective behaviour because group phenotypes arise from complex interactions among group members. A genome-wide association study identified hundreds of genes associated with colony-level variation in honeybee aggression, many of which also showed strong signals of positive selection, but the influence of these 'colony aggression genes' on brain function was unknown. Here we use single-cell (sc) transcriptomics and gene regulatory network (GRN) analyses to test the hypothesis that genetic variation for colony aggression influences individual differences in brain gene expression and/or gene regulation. We compared soldiers, which respond to territorial intrusion with stinging attacks, and foragers, which do not. Colony environment showed stronger influences on soldier-forager differences in brain gene regulation compared with brain gene expression. GRN plasticity was strongly associated with colony aggression, with larger differences in GRN dynamics detected between soldiers and foragers from more aggressive relative to less aggressive colonies. The regulatory dynamics of subnetworks composed of genes associated with colony aggression genes were more strongly correlated with each other across different cell types and brain regions relative to other genes, especially in brain regions involved with olfaction and vision and multimodal sensory integration, which are known to mediate bee aggression. These results show how group genetics can shape a collective phenotype by modulating individual brain gene regulatory network architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ian M Traniello
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | | | | | - Guillermo Serrano
- Computational Biology Program, CIMA University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Arian Avalos
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Services, United States Department of Agriculture, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Amy Cash Ahmed
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Alison L Sankey
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Mikel Hernaez
- Computational Biology Program, CIMA University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Saurabh Sinha
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Computer Science, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Sihai Dave Zhao
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Statistics, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Julian Catchen
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carl R Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Department of Entomology, UIUC, Urbana, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bresnahan ST, Lee E, Clark L, Ma R, Rangel J, Grozinger CM, Li-Byarlay H. Examining parent-of-origin effects on transcription and RNA methylation in mediating aggressive behavior in honey bees (Apis mellifera). BMC Genomics 2023; 24:315. [PMID: 37308882 PMCID: PMC10258952 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09411-4] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Conflict between genes inherited from the mother (matrigenes) and the father (patrigenes) is predicted to arise during social interactions among offspring if these genes are not evenly distributed among offspring genotypes. This intragenomic conflict drives parent-specific transcription patterns in offspring resulting from parent-specific epigenetic modifications. Previous tests of the kinship theory of intragenomic conflict in honey bees (Apis mellifera) provided evidence in support of theoretical predictions for variation in worker reproduction, which is associated with extreme variation in morphology and behavior. However, more subtle behaviors - such as aggression - have not been extensively studied. Additionally, the canonical epigenetic mark (DNA methylation) associated with parent-specific transcription in plant and mammalian model species does not appear to play the same role as in honey bees, and thus the molecular mechanisms underlying intragenomic conflict in this species is an open area of investigation. Here, we examined the role of intragenomic conflict in shaping aggression in honey bee workers through a reciprocal cross design and Oxford Nanopore direct RNA sequencing. We attempted to probe the underlying regulatory basis of this conflict through analyses of parent-specific RNA m6A and alternative splicing patterns. We report evidence that intragenomic conflict occurs in the context of honey bee aggression, with increased paternal and maternal allele-biased transcription in aggressive compared to non-aggressive bees, and higher paternal allele-biased transcription overall. However, we found no evidence to suggest that RNA m6A or alternative splicing mediate intragenomic conflict in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean T Bresnahan
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA.
| | - Ellen Lee
- Agricultural Research and Development Program, Central State University, Wilberforce, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, USA
| | - Lindsay Clark
- HPCBio, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA
- Research Scientific Computing Group, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA
| | - Rong Ma
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
| | - Juliana Rangel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA
| | - Hongmei Li-Byarlay
- Agricultural Research and Development Program, Central State University, Wilberforce, USA.
- Department of Agricultural and Life Science, Central State University, Wilberforce, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Matsumura Y, To TK, Kunieda T, Kohno H, Kakutani T, Kubo T. Mblk-1/E93, an ecdysone related-transcription factor, targets synaptic plasticity-related genes in the honey bee mushroom bodies. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21367. [PMID: 36494426 PMCID: PMC9734179 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23329-z] [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: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Among hymenopteran insects, aculeate species such as bees, ants, and wasps have enlarged and morphologically elaborate mushroom bodies (MBs), a higher-order brain center in the insect, implying their relationship with the advanced behavioral traits of aculeate species. The molecular bases leading to the acquisition of complicated MB functions, however, remains unclear. We previously reported the constitutive and MB-preferential expression of an ecdysone-signaling related transcription factor, Mblk-1/E93, in the honey bee brain. Here, we searched for target genes of Mblk-1 in the worker honey bee MBs using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequence analyses and found that Mblk-1 targets several genes involved in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory abilities. We also demonstrated that Mblk-1 expression is self-regulated via Mblk-1-binding sites, which are located upstream of Mblk-1. Furthermore, we showed that the number of the Mblk-1-binding motif located upstream of Mblk-1 homologs increased associated with evolution of hymenopteran insects. Our findings suggest that Mblk-1, which has been focused on as a developmental gene transiently induced by ecdysone, has acquired a novel expression pattern to play a role in synaptic plasticity in honey bee MBs, raising a possibility that molecular evolution of Mblk-1 may have partly contributed to the elaboration of MB function in insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Matsumura
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taiko Kim To
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takekazu Kunieda
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kohno
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Kubo
- grid.26999.3d0000 0001 2151 536XDepartment of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom MD, de Guzman LI, Tokarz PG, Dickens R. Viral species differentially influence macronutrient preferences based on honey bee genotype. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio059039. [PMID: 36082847 PMCID: PMC9548382 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Food quantity and macronutrients contribute to honey bee health and colony survival by mediating immune responses. We determined if this held true for bees injected with chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) and deformed wing virus (DWV), two common honey bee ssRNA viruses. Pollen-substitute diet and syrup consumption rates and macronutrient preferences of two Varroa-resistant stocks (Pol-Line and Russian bees) were compared to Varroa-susceptible Italian bees. Bee stocks varied in consumption, where Italian bees consumed more than Pol-Line and Russian bees. However, the protein: lipid (P:L) ratios of diet consumed by the Italian and Russian bees was greater than that of the Pol-Line bees. Treatment had different effects on consumption based on the virus injected. CBPV was positively correlated with syrup consumption, while DWV was not correlated with consumption. P:L ratios of consumed diet were significantly impacted by the interaction of bee stock and treatment, with the trends differing between CBPV and DWV. Variation in macronutrient preferences based on viral species may indicate differences in energetic costs associated with immune responses to infections impacting different systems. Further, virus species interacted with bee genotype, indicating different mechanisms of viral resistance or tolerance among honey bee genotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Penn
- USDA ARS Sugarcane Research Unit, 5883 Usda Rd., Houma, LA, USA70360-5578
| | - Michael D. Simone-Finstrom
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA70820-5502
| | - Lilia I. de Guzman
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA70820-5502
| | - Philip G. Tokarz
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA70820-5502
| | - Rachel Dickens
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA70820-5502
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Wu X, Bhatia N, Grozinger CM, Yi SV. Comparative studies of genomic and epigenetic factors influencing transcriptional variation in two insect species. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6693626. [PMID: 36137211 PMCID: PMC9635643 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Different genes show different levels of expression variability. For example, highly expressed genes tend to exhibit less expression variability. Genes whose promoters have TATA box and initiator motifs tend to have increased expression variability. On the other hand, DNA methylation of transcriptional units, or gene body DNA methylation, is associated with reduced gene expression variability in many species. Interestingly, some insect lineages, most notably Diptera including the canonical model insect Drosophila melanogaster, have lost DNA methylation. Therefore, it is of interest to determine whether genomic features similarly influence gene expression variability in lineages with and without DNA methylation. We analyzed recently generated large-scale data sets in D. melanogaster and honey bee (Apis mellifera) to investigate these questions. Our analysis shows that increased gene expression levels are consistently associated with reduced expression variability in both species, while the presence of TATA box is consistently associated with increased gene expression variability. In contrast, initiator motifs and gene lengths have weak effects limited to some data sets. Importantly, we show that a sequence characteristics indicative of gene body DNA methylation is strongly and negatively associate with gene expression variability in honey bees, while it shows no such association in D. melanogaster. These results suggest the evolutionary loss of DNA methylation in some insect lineages has reshaped the molecular mechanisms concerning the regulation of gene expression variability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Neharika Bhatia
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University , University Park, PA 16801, USA
| | - Soojin V Yi
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara , Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Li Q, Wang M, Zhang P, Liu Y, Guo Q, Zhu Y, Wen T, Dai X, Zhang X, Nagel M, Dethlefsen BH, Xie N, Zhao J, Jiang W, Han L, Wu L, Zhong W, Wang Z, Wei X, Dai W, Liu L, Xu X, Lu H, Yang H, Wang J, Boomsma JJ, Liu C, Zhang G, Liu W. A single-cell transcriptomic atlas tracking the neural basis of division of labour in an ant superorganism. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1191-1204. [PMID: 35711063 PMCID: PMC9349048 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01784-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Ant colonies with permanent division of labour between castes and highly distinct roles of the sexes have been conceptualized to be superorganisms, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate caste/sex-specific behavioural specialization have remained obscure. Here we characterized the brain cell repertoire of queens, gynes (virgin queens), workers and males of Monomorium pharaonis by obtaining 206,367 single-nucleus transcriptomes. In contrast to Drosophila, the mushroom body Kenyon cells are abundant in ants and display a high diversity with most subtypes being enriched in worker brains, the evolutionarily derived caste. Male brains are as specialized as worker brains but with opposite trends in cell composition with higher abundances of all optic lobe neuronal subtypes, while the composition of gyne and queen brains remained generalized, reminiscent of solitary ancestors. Role differentiation from virgin gynes to inseminated queens induces abundance changes in roughly 35% of cell types, indicating active neurogenesis and/or programmed cell death during this transition. We also identified insemination-induced cell changes probably associated with the longevity and fecundity of the reproductive caste, including increases of ensheathing glia and a population of dopamine-regulated Dh31-expressing neurons. We conclude that permanent caste differentiation and extreme sex-differentiation induced major changes in the neural circuitry of ants. Using single-cell transcriptomics, the authors generate a brain cell atlas for the pharaoh ant including individuals of different sexes and castes and show changes in cell composition underlying division of labour and reproductive specialization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiye Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Qunfei Guo
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Xueqin Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Xiafang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Manuel Nagel
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bjarke Hamberg Dethlefsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nianxia Xie
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | | | - Lei Han
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liang Wu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjiang Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | | | | | - Wei Dai
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Longqi Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xun Xu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haorong Lu
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huanming Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,James D. Watson Institute of Genome Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.,James D. Watson Institute of Genome Science, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jacobus J Boomsma
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Guojie Zhang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China. .,Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China. .,Evolutionary and Organismal Biology Research Center, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Weiwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Mann M, Saha S, Cicero JM, Pitino M, Moulton K, Hunter WB, Cano LM, Mueller LA, Heck M. Lessons learned about the biology and genomics of Diaphorina citri infection with "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" by integrating new and archived organ-specific transcriptome data. Gigascience 2022; 11:giac035. [PMID: 35482489 PMCID: PMC9049105 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huanglongbing, a devastating disease of citrus, is caused by the obligate, intracellular bacterium "Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" (CLas). CLas is transmitted by Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus psyllid. Development of transmission-blocking strategies to manage huanglongbing relies on knowledge of CLas and D. citri interactions at the molecular level. Prior transcriptome analyses of D. citri point to changes in psyllid biology due to CLas infection but have been hampered by incomplete versions of the D. citri genome, proper host plant controls, and/or a lack of a uniform data analysis approach. In this work, we present lessons learned from a quantitative transcriptome analysis of excised heads, salivary glands, midguts, and bacteriomes from CLas-positive and CLas-negative D. citri using the chromosomal length D. citri genome assembly. RESULTS Each organ had a unique transcriptome profile and response to CLas infection. Though most psyllids were infected with the bacterium, CLas-derived transcripts were not detected in all organs. By analyzing the midgut dataset using both the Diaci_v1.1 and v3.0 D. citri genomes, we showed that improved genome assembly led to significant and quantifiable differences in RNA-sequencing data interpretation. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that future transcriptome studies on circulative, vector-borne pathogens should be conducted at the tissue-specific level using complete, chromosomal-length genome assemblies for the most accurate understanding of pathogen-induced changes in vector gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Mann
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Surya Saha
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Joseph M Cicero
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | | | - Kathy Moulton
- U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Unit of Subtropical Insects and Horticulture, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA
| | - Wayne B Hunter
- U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory, Unit of Subtropical Insects and Horticulture, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA
| | - Liliana M Cano
- Indian River Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Fort Pierce, FL 34945,
USA
| | | | - Michelle Heck
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research Unit, Robert W. Holley Center, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
SimiC enables the inference of complex gene regulatory dynamics across cell phenotypes. Commun Biol 2022; 5:351. [PMID: 35414121 PMCID: PMC9005655 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03319-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA-Sequencing has the potential to provide deep biological insights by revealing complex regulatory interactions across diverse cell phenotypes at single-cell resolution. However, current single-cell gene regulatory network inference methods produce a single regulatory network per input dataset, limiting their capability to uncover complex regulatory relationships across related cell phenotypes. We present SimiC, a single-cell gene regulatory inference framework that overcomes this limitation by jointly inferring distinct, but related, gene regulatory dynamics per phenotype. We show that SimiC uncovers key regulatory dynamics missed by previously proposed methods across a range of systems, both model and non-model alike. In particular, SimiC was able to uncover CAR T cell dynamics after tumor recognition and key regulatory patterns on a regenerating liver, and was able to implicate glial cells in the generation of distinct behavioral states in honeybees. SimiC hence establishes a new approach to quantitating regulatory architectures between distinct cellular phenotypes, with far-reaching implications for systems biology.
Collapse
|
20
|
Kumar D, Alburaki M, Tahir F, Goblirsch M, Adamczyk J, Karim S. An Insight Into the microRNA Profile of the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the Primary Vector of Honey Bee Deformed Wing Virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:847000. [PMID: 35372101 PMCID: PMC8966896 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.847000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The remarkably adaptive mite Varroa destructor is the most important honey bee ectoparasite. Varroa mites are competent vectors of deformed wing virus (DWV), and the Varroa-virus complex is a major determinant of annual honey bee colony mortality and collapse. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 22-24 nucleotide non-coding RNAs produced by all plants and animals and some viruses that influence biological processes through post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Knowledge of miRNAs and their function in mite biology remains limited. Here we constructed small RNA libraries from male and female V. destructor using Illumina's small RNA-Seq platform. A total of 101,913,208 and 91,904,732 small RNA reads (>18 nucleotides) from male and female mites were analyzed using the miRDeep2 algorithm. A conservative approach predicted 306 miRNAs, 18 of which were upregulated and 13 downregulated in female V. destructor compared with males. Quantitative real-time PCR validated the expression of selected differentially-expressed female Varroa miRNAs. This dataset provides a list of potential miRNA targets involved in regulating vital Varroa biological processes and paves the way for developing strategies to target Varroa and their viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Mohamed Alburaki
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Faizan Tahir
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Michael Goblirsch
- Southern Horticultural Research Unit, USDA ARS, Poplarville, MS, United States
| | - John Adamczyk
- Southern Horticultural Research Unit, USDA ARS, Poplarville, MS, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Virome Analysis Reveals Diverse and Divergent RNA Viruses in Wild Insect Pollinators in Beijing, China. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020227. [PMID: 35215821 PMCID: PMC8877953 DOI: 10.3390/v14020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect pollinators provide major pollination services for wild plants and crops. Honeybee viruses can cause serious damage to honeybee colonies. However, viruses of other wild pollinating insects have yet to be fully explored. In the present study, we used RNA sequencing to investigate the viral diversity of 50 species of wild pollinating insects. A total of 3 pathogenic honeybee viruses, 8 previously reported viruses, and 26 novel viruses were identified in sequenced samples. Among these, 7 novel viruses were shown to be closely related to honeybee pathogenic viruses, and 4 were determined to have potential pathogenicity for their hosts. The viruses detected in wild insect pollinators were mainly from the order Picornavirales and the families Orthomyxoviridae, Sinhaliviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Flaviviridae. Our study expanded the species range of known insect pollinator viruses, contributing to future efforts to protect economic honeybees and wild pollinating insects.
Collapse
|
22
|
Shields EJ, Sorida M, Sheng L, Sieriebriennikov B, Ding L, Bonasio R. Genome annotation with long RNA reads reveals new patterns of gene expression and improves single-cell analyses in an ant brain. BMC Biol 2021; 19:254. [PMID: 34838024 PMCID: PMC8626913 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01188-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional genomic analyses rely on high-quality genome assemblies and annotations. Highly contiguous genome assemblies have become available for a variety of species, but accurate and complete annotation of gene models, inclusive of alternative splice isoforms and transcription start and termination sites, remains difficult with traditional approaches. RESULTS Here, we utilized full-length isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq), a long-read RNA sequencing technology, to obtain a comprehensive annotation of the transcriptome of the ant Harpegnathos saltator. The improved genome annotations include additional splice isoforms and extended 3' untranslated regions for more than 4000 genes. Reanalysis of RNA-seq experiments using these annotations revealed several genes with caste-specific differential expression and tissue- or caste-specific splicing patterns that were missed in previous analyses. The extended 3' untranslated regions afforded great improvements in the analysis of existing single-cell RNA-seq data, resulting in the recovery of the transcriptomes of 18% more cells. The deeper single-cell transcriptomes obtained with these new annotations allowed us to identify additional markers for several cell types in the ant brain, as well as genes differentially expressed across castes in specific cell types. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that Iso-Seq is an efficient and effective approach to improve genome annotations and maximize the amount of information that can be obtained from existing and future genomic datasets in Harpegnathos and other organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Shields
- Epigenetics Institute and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Urology and Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Masato Sorida
- Epigenetics Institute and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lihong Sheng
- Epigenetics Institute and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bogdan Sieriebriennikov
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Long Ding
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roberto Bonasio
- Epigenetics Institute and Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom M, Lang S, Chen J, Healy K. Host Genotype and Tissue Type Determine DWV Infection Intensity. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:756690. [PMID: 38468897 PMCID: PMC10926404 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.756690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Varroa mite-vectored viruses such as Deformed wing virus (DWV) are of great concern for honey bee health as they can cause disease in individuals and increase colony mortality. Two genotypes of DWV (A and B) are prevalent in the United States and may have differential virulence and pathogenicity. Honey bee genetic stocks bred to resist Varroa mites also exhibit differential infection responses to the Varroa mite-vectored viruses. The goal of this project was to determine if interactions between host genotype could influence the overall infection levels and dissemination of DWV within honey bees. To do this, we injected DWV isolated from symptomatic adult bees into mite-free, newly emerged adult bees from five genetic stocks with varying levels of resistance to Varroa mites. We measured DWV-A and DWV-B dissemination among tissues chosen based on relevance to general health outcomes for 10 days. Injury from sham injections did not increase DWV-A levels but did increase DWV-B infections. DWV injection increased both DWV-A and DWV-B levels over time with significant host stock interactions. While we did not observe any differences in viral dissemination among host stocks, we found differences in virus genotype dissemination to different body parts. DWV-A exhibited the highest initial levels in heads and legs while the highest initial levels of DWV-B were found in heads and abdomens. These interactions underscore the need to evaluate viral genotype and tissue specificity in conjunction with host genotype, particularly when the host has been selected for traits relative to virus-vector and virus resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Penn
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, United States
| | - Michael Simone-Finstrom
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Sarah Lang
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Judy Chen
- United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Kristen Healy
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agriculture Center, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tang CK, Lin YH, Jiang JA, Lu YH, Tsai CH, Lin YC, Chen YR, Wu CP, Wu YL. Real-time monitoring of deformed wing virus-infected bee foraging behavior following histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment. iScience 2021; 24:103056. [PMID: 34755080 PMCID: PMC8560548 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Impairment in the learning/memory behavior of bees is responsible for the massive disappearance of bee populations and its consequent agricultural economic losses. Such impairment might be because of o both pesticide exposure and pathogen infection, with a key contributor deformed wing virus (DWV). The present study found that sodium butyrate (NaB) significantly increased survival and reversed the learning/memory impairment of DWV-infected bees. A next-generation sequencing analysis showed that NaB affected the expression of genes involved in glycolytic processes and memory formation, which were suppressed by DWV infection. In addition, we performed a large-scale movement tracking experiment by using a wireless sensor network-based automatic real-time monitoring system and confirmed that NaB could improve the homing ability of DWV-infected bees. In short, we demonstrated the mechanism of how epigenetic regulation can resume the memory function of honeybees and suggest strategies for applying NaB to reduce the incidence of colony losses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Kang Tang
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsien Lin
- Department of Plant Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joe-Air Jiang
- Department of Biomechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung 40447, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Heng Lu
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hsuan Tsai
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lin
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ru Chen
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Carol-P Wu
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Lung Wu
- Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, 27, Lane 113, Roosevelt Road Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Weaver DB, Cantarel BL, Elsik CG, Boncristiani DL, Evans JD. Multi-tiered analyses of honey bees that resist or succumb to parasitic mites and viruses. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:720. [PMID: 34610790 PMCID: PMC8493683 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08032-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Varroa destructor mites, and the numerous viruses they vector to their honey bee hosts, are among the most serious threats to honey bee populations, causing mortality and morbidity to both the individual honey bee and colony, the negative effects of which convey to the pollination services provided by honey bees worldwide. Here we use a combination of targeted assays and deep RNA sequencing to determine host and microbial changes in resistant and susceptible honey bee lineages. We focus on three study sets. The first involves field sampling of sympatric western bees, some derived from resistant stock and some from stock susceptible to mites. The second experiment contrasts three colonies more deeply, two from susceptible stock from the southeastern U.S. and one from mite-resistant bee stock from Eastern Texas. Finally, to decouple the effects of mites from those of the viruses they vector, we experimentally expose honey bees to DWV in the laboratory, measuring viral growth and host responses. Results We find strong differences between resistant and susceptible bees in terms of both viral loads and bee gene expression. Interestingly, lineages of bees with naturally low levels of the mite-vectored Deformed wing virus, also carried lower levels of viruses not vectored by mites. By mapping gene expression results against current ontologies and other studies, we describe the impacts of mite parasitism, as well as viruses on bee health against two genetic backgrounds. We identify numerous genes and processes seen in other studies of stress and disease in honey bee colonies, alongside novel genes and new patterns of expression. Conclusions We provide evidence that honey bees surviving in the face of parasitic mites do so through their abilities to resist the presence of devastating viruses vectored by these mites. In all cases, the most divergence between stocks was seen when bees were exposed to live mites or viruses, suggesting that gene activation, rather than constitutive expression, is key for these interactions. By revealing responses to viral infection and mite parasitism in different lineages, our data identify candidate proteins for the evolution of mite tolerance and virus resistance. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-08032-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandi L Cantarel
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christine G Elsik
- University of Missouri, Division of Animal Sciences, Division of Plant Sciences & Technology, and Institute for Data Science and Informatics, Columbia, MO, USA
| | | | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Silva D, Ceballos R, Arismendi N, Dalmon A, Vargas M. Variant A of the Deformed Wings Virus Alters the Olfactory Sensitivity and the Expression of Odorant Binding Proteins on Antennas of Apis mellifera. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12100895. [PMID: 34680665 PMCID: PMC8541218 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Honey bees, Apis melllifera, are the most commonly managed bee in the world for pollination services. However, worldwide continuous colony losses have been reported for almost a decade. One factor of these losses is associated to pathogens being the virus one of the most important problems in honey bee health. One of the known viruses that affect the honey bee population is deformed wing virus (DWV). DWV causes physical malformation and behavioral disturbances, but also, this virus can be found in the antenna affecting the anatomical integrity of infected areas, which could compromise normal antennal functioning associated to aroma perception. Thus, we evaluate olfactory sensitivity and the expression of antenna-specific odorant-binding proteins (OBP) genes in honey bees inoculated with variant A of the DWV. We performed olfactory sensitivity analysis using the essential oils Eucalyptus globulus and Mentha piperita, but also, and molecular analysis of gene expression of nine OBPs. We found that the high level of replication of DWV-A in the antennae decreased the olfactory sensitivity and led to a down-regulation of some OBPs in middle- and forager-age worker bees. Thus, DWV-A infection in adults of honey bees could compromise volatile compound recognition inside the hive and outside the hive. Abstract Insects have a highly sensitive sense of smell, allowing them to perform complex behaviors, such as foraging and peer recognition. Their sense of smell is based on the recognition of ligands and is mainly coordinated by odorant-binding proteins (OBPs). In Apis mellifera, behavior can be affected by different pathogens, including deformed wing virus (DWV) and its variants. In particular, it has been shown that variant A of DWV (DWV-A) is capable of altering the ultra-cellular structure associated with olfactory activity. In this study was evaluated olfactory sensitivity and the expression of OBP genes in honey bees inoculated with DWV-A. Electroantennographic analyses (EAG) were carried out to determine the olfactory sensitivity to the essential oils Eucalyptus globulus and Mentha piperita. The expression of nine antenna-specific OBP genes and DWV-A load in inoculated bees was also quantified by qPCR. We observed an inverse relationship between viral load and olfactory sensitivity and the expression of some OBP proteins. Thus, high viral loads reduced olfactory sensitivity to essential oils and the gene expression of the OBP2, OBP5, OBP11, and OBP12 proteins on the antennas of middle- and forager-age bees. These results suggest that DWV-A could have negative effects on the processes of aroma perception by worker bees, affecting their performance in tasks carried out in and outside the colony.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego Silva
- Laboratorios de Virología y Patologías en Abejas, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán 3780000, Chile;
| | - Ricardo Ceballos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Química, Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA Quilamapu, Av. Vicente Méndez 515, Chillán 3780000, Chile;
| | - Nolberto Arismendi
- Centro de Investigación Austral Biotech, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Av. Picarte 1130–1160, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;
| | - Anne Dalmon
- Unité de Recherche Abeilles et Environnement, INRAE, F-84000 Avignon, France;
| | - Marisol Vargas
- Laboratorios de Virología y Patologías en Abejas, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Av. Vicente Méndez 595, Chillán 3780000, Chile;
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
McMenamin AJ, Parekh F, Lawrence V, Flenniken ML. Investigating Virus-Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells. INSECTS 2021; 12:653. [PMID: 34357313 PMCID: PMC8329929 DOI: 10.3390/insects12070653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) health is impacted by viral infections at the colony, individual bee, and cellular levels. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms at the cellular level we further developed the use of cultured primary cells, derived from either larvae or pupae, and demonstrated that these cells could be infected with a panel of viruses, including common honey bee infecting viruses (i.e., sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus (DWV)) and an insect model virus, Flock House virus (FHV). Virus abundances were quantified over the course of infection. The production of infectious virions in cultured honey bee pupal cells was demonstrated by determining that naïve cells became infected after the transfer of deformed wing virus or Flock House virus from infected cell cultures. Initial characterization of the honey bee antiviral immune responses at the cellular level indicated that there were virus-specific responses, which included increased expression of bee antiviral protein-1 (GenBank: MF116383) in SBV-infected pupal cells and increased expression of argonaute-2 and dicer-like in FHV-infected hemocytes and pupal cells. Additional studies are required to further elucidate virus-specific honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms. The continued use of cultured primary honey bee cells for studies that involve multiple viruses will address this knowledge gap.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (F.P.); (V.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Fenali Parekh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (F.P.); (V.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Verena Lawrence
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (F.P.); (V.L.)
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Michelle L. Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (F.P.); (V.L.)
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Deformed wing virus variant shift from 2010 to 2016 in managed and feral UK honey bee colonies. Arch Virol 2021; 166:2693-2702. [PMID: 34275024 PMCID: PMC8421296 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-021-05162-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) has been linked to the global decline of honey bees. DWV exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C), each with differing outcomes for the honey bee host. Research in the USA showed a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B between 2010 to 2016 in honey bee colonies. Likewise, in the UK, a small study in 2007 found only DWV-A, whereas in 2016, DWV-B was the most prevalent variant. This suggests a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B might have occurred in the UK between 2007 and 2016. To investigate this further, data from samples collected in 2009/10 (n = 46) were compared to existing data from 2016 (n = 42). These samples also allowed a comparison of DWV variants between Varroa-untreated (feral) and Varroa-treated (managed) colonies. The results revealed that, in the UK, DWV-A was far more prevalent in 2009/10 (87%) than in 2016 (43%). In contrast, DWV-B was less prevalent in 2009/10 (76%) than in 2016 (93%). Regardless if colonies had been treated for Varroa (managed) or not (feral), the same trend from DWV-A to DWV-B occurred. Overall, the results reveal a decrease in DWV-A and an increase in DWV-B in UK colonies.
Collapse
|
29
|
Grindrod I, Kevill JL, Villalobos EM, Schroeder DC, Martin SJ. Ten Years of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in Hawaiian Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera), the Dominant DWV-A Variant Is Potentially Being Replaced by Variants with a DWV-B Coding Sequence. Viruses 2021; 13:969. [PMID: 34073733 PMCID: PMC8225128 DOI: 10.3390/v13060969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The combination of Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Varroa destructor is arguably one of the greatest threats currently facing western honey bees, Apis mellifera. Varroa's association with DWV has decreased viral diversity and increased loads of DWV within honey bee populations. Nowhere has this been better studied than in Hawaii, where the arrival of Varroa progressively led to the dominance of the single master variant (DWV-A) on both mite-infested Hawaiian Islands of Oahu and Big Island. Now, exactly 10 years following the original study, we find that the DWV population has changed once again, with variants containing the RdRp coding sequence pertaining to the master variant B beginning to co-dominate alongside variants with the DWV-A RdRp sequence on the mite-infested islands of Oahu and Big Island. In speculation, based on other studies, it appears this could represent a stage in the journey towards the complete dominance of DWV-B, a variant that appears better adapted to be transmitted within honey bee colonies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isobel Grindrod
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WX, UK;
| | - Jessica L. Kevill
- Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA;
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK;
| | - Ethel M. Villalobos
- College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 3050 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA;
| | - Declan C. Schroeder
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK;
- Environmental Biology (Virology), School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AH, UK
| | - Stephen John Martin
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WX, UK;
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Chen Z, Traniello IM, Rana S, Cash-Ahmed AC, Sankey AL, Yang C, Robinson GE. Neurodevelopmental and transcriptomic effects of CRISPR/Cas9-induced somatic orco mutation in honey bees. J Neurogenet 2021; 35:320-332. [PMID: 33666542 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2021.1887173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In insects, odorant receptors facilitate olfactory communication and require the functionality of the highly conserved co-receptor gene orco. Genome editing studies in a few species of ants and moths have revealed that orco can also have a neurodevelopmental function, in addition to its canonical role in adult olfaction, discovered first in Drosophila melanogaster. To extend this analysis, we determined whether orco mutations also affect the development of the adult brain of the honey bee Apis mellifera, an important model system for social behavior and chemical communication. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out orco and examined anatomical and molecular consequences. To increase efficiency, we coupled embryo microinjection with a laboratory egg collection and in vitro rearing system. This new workflow advances genomic engineering technologies in honey bees by overcoming restrictions associated with field studies. We used Sanger sequencing to quickly select individuals with complete orco knockout for neuroanatomical analyses and later validated and described the mutations with amplicon sequencing. Mutant bees had significantly fewer glomeruli, smaller total volume of all the glomeruli, and higher mean individual glomerulus volume in the antennal lobe compared to wild-type controls. RNA-Sequencing revealed that orco knockout also caused differential expression of hundreds of genes in the antenna, including genes related to neural development and genes encoding odorant receptors. The expression of other types of chemoreceptor genes was generally unaffected, reflecting specificity of CRISPR activity in this study. These results suggest that neurodevelopmental effects of orco are related to specific insect life histories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenqing Chen
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Ian M Traniello
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Seema Rana
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Amy C Cash-Ahmed
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Alison L Sankey
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Che Yang
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Biochemistry Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gene E Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Beaurepaire A, Piot N, Doublet V, Antunez K, Campbell E, Chantawannakul P, Chejanovsky N, Gajda A, Heerman M, Panziera D, Smagghe G, Yañez O, de Miranda JR, Dalmon A. Diversity and Global Distribution of Viruses of the Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera. INSECTS 2020; 11:E239. [PMID: 32290327 PMCID: PMC7240362 DOI: 10.3390/insects11040239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the past centuries, viruses have benefited from globalization to spread across the globe, infecting new host species and populations. A growing number of viruses have been documented in the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Several of these contribute significantly to honey bee colony losses. This review synthetizes the knowledge of the diversity and distribution of honey-bee-infecting viruses, including recent data from high-throughput sequencing (HTS). After presenting the diversity of viruses and their corresponding symptoms, we surveyed the scientific literature for the prevalence of these pathogens across the globe. The geographical distribution shows that the most prevalent viruses (deformed wing virus, sacbrood virus, black queen cell virus and acute paralysis complex) are also the most widely distributed. We discuss the ecological drivers that influence the distribution of these pathogens in worldwide honey bee populations. Besides the natural transmission routes and the resulting temporal dynamics, global trade contributes to their dissemination. As recent evidence shows that these viruses are often multihost pathogens, their spread is a risk for both the beekeeping industry and the pollination services provided by managed and wild pollinators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Beaurepaire
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3003 Bern, Switzerland;
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, 3003 Bern, Switzerland
- UR Abeilles et Environnement, INRAE, 84914 Avignon, France;
| | - Niels Piot
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Vincent Doublet
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 86069 Ulm, Germany;
| | - Karina Antunez
- Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay;
| | - Ewan Campbell
- Centre for Genome Enabled Biology and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK;
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Environmental Science Research Center (ESRC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand;
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Entomology Department, Institute of Plant Protection, The Volcani Center, Rishon Lezion, Tel Aviv 5025001, Israel;
| | - Anna Gajda
- Laboratory of Bee Diseases, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland;
| | | | - Delphine Panziera
- Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; (N.P.); (G.S.)
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3003 Bern, Switzerland;
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, 3003 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joachim R. de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750-07 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Anne Dalmon
- UR Abeilles et Environnement, INRAE, 84914 Avignon, France;
| |
Collapse
|