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Plata Á, Züst T, Bermejo A, Beitia FJ, Tena A. Exotic predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic non-coevolved prey. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232478. [PMID: 38471556 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in chemical defence may provide a benefit for invasive prey against non-coevolved predators, resident predators with the right evolutionary pre-adaptations might benefit from sequestering these novel defences. Here, we chose a well-known system of invasive species to test whether non-coevolved predators can sequester and use toxins from exotic prey. Together with the invasive prickly pear plants, cochineal bugs (Dactylopius spp.) are spreading worldwide from their native range in the Americas. These insects produce carminic acid, a defensive anthraquinone that some specialized predators sequester for their own defence. Using this system, we first determined whether coccinellids that prey on cochineal bugs in the Mediterranean region tolerated, sequestered, and released carminic acid in reflex bleeding. Then, we quantified the deterrent effect of carminic acid against antagonistic ants. Our results demonstrate that the Australian coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri sequestered carminic acid, a substance absent in its coevolved prey, from exotic cochineal bugs. When attacked, the predator released this substance through reflex bleeding at concentrations that were deterrent against antagonistic ants. These findings reveal that non-coevolved predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic prey and highlights the surprising outcomes of novel interactions that arise from species invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Plata
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Valencia, Spain
| | - Tobias Züst
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Almudena Bermejo
- Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco José Beitia
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alejandro Tena
- Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, Valencia, Spain
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Cost of defensive spraying by larval Osmylus hyalinatus (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) for post-larval development. J ETHOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-023-00779-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Knapp M, Řeřicha M, Haelewaters D, González E. Fungal ectoparasites increase winter mortality of ladybird hosts despite limited effects on their immune system. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212538. [PMID: 35317669 PMCID: PMC8941424 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Winter represents a challenging period for insects inhabiting temperate regions. A plethora of studies have investigated how environmental conditions such as temperature affect insect overwintering success. However, only a few studies have focused on biotic factors and the mechanisms affecting the overwintering performance of insects. Here, we investigated the effects of the parasitic fungus Hesperomyces virescens on the overwintering performance and immune system functioning of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis. Winter survival was significantly lower for infected than for uninfected ladybirds. Body mass loss during overwintering tends to be higher for infected individuals compared to uninfected ones and for larger ladybirds. In addition, parasitic infection reduced post-winter longevity without food in male but not female ladybirds. Total haemocyte and protein concentration as well as antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli significantly decreased during ladybird overwintering. However, haemolymph parameters were only poorly affected by Hesperomyces infection, with the exception of antimicrobial activity against E. coli that tended to be higher in infected ladybirds. Interestingly, none of the pre-winter haemolymph parameters were good predictors of ladybird winter survival. Overall, our results indicate that energy exhaustion unrelated to immune system challenge is the most probable explanation for increased overwintering mortality in infected ladybirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Knapp
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Řeřicha
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- Research Group Mycology, Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ezequiel González
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague - Suchdol, Czech Republic,Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV)- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC)- CONICET, Centro de Investigaciones Entomológicas de Córdoba FCEFyN, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016GCA Córdoba, Argentina
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Fratini E, Salvemini M, Lombardo F, Muzzi M, Molfini M, Gisondi S, Roma E, D'Ezio V, Persichini T, Gasperi T, Mariottini P, Di Giulio A, Bologna MA, Cervelli M, Mancini E. Unraveling the role of male reproductive tract and haemolymph in cantharidin-exuding Lydus trimaculatus and Mylabris variabilis (Coleoptera: Meloidae): a comparative transcriptomics approach. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:808. [PMID: 34749651 PMCID: PMC8576976 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Meloidae (blister beetles) are known to synthetize cantharidin (CA), a toxic and defensive terpene mainly stored in male accessory glands (MAG) and emitted outward through reflex-bleeding. Recent progresses in understanding CA biosynthesis and production organ(s) in Meloidae have been made, but the way in which self-protection is achieved from the hazardous accumulation and release of CA in blister beetles has been experimentally neglected. To provide hints on this pending question, a comparative de novo assembly transcriptomic approach was performed by targeting two tissues where CA is largely accumulated and regularly circulates in Meloidae: the male reproductive tract (MRT) and the haemolymph. Differential gene expression profiles in these tissues were examined in two blister beetle species, Lydus trimaculatus (Fabricius, 1775) (tribe Lyttini) and Mylabris variabilis (Pallas, 1781) (tribe Mylabrini). Upregulated transcripts were compared between the two species to identify conserved genes possibly involved in CA detoxification and transport. Results Based on our results, we hypothesize that, to avoid auto-intoxication, ABC, MFS or other solute transporters might sequester purported glycosylated CA precursors into MAG, and lipocalins could bind CA and mitigate its reactivity when released into the haemolymph during the autohaemorrhaging response. We also found an over-representation in haemolymph of protein-domains related to coagulation and integument repairing mechanisms that likely reflects the need to limit fluid loss during reflex-bleeding. Conclusions The de novo assembled transcriptomes of L. trimaculatus and M. variabilis here provided represent valuable genetic resources to further explore the mechanisms employed to cope with toxicity of CA in blister beetle tissues. These, if revealed, might help conceiving safe and effective drug-delivery approaches to enhance the use of CA in medicine. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-08118-8.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Salvemini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Lombardo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Muzzi
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Molfini
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Gisondi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.,Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elia Roma
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Tecla Gasperi
- Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Emiliano Mancini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
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Low ML, Naranjo M, Yack JE. Survival Sounds in Insects: Diversity, Function, and Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.641740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect defense sounds have been reported for centuries. Yet, aside from the well-studied anti-bat sounds of tiger moths, little is understood about the occurrence, function, and evolution of these sounds. We define a defense sound as an acoustic signal (air- or solid-borne vibration) produced in response to attack or threat of attack by a predator or parasitoid and that promotes survival. Defense sounds have been described in 12 insect orders, across different developmental stages, and between sexes. The mechanisms of defensive sound production include stridulation, percussion, tymbalation, tremulation, and forced air. Signal characteristics vary between species, and we discuss how morphology, the intended receiver, and specific functions of the sounds could explain this variation. Sounds can be directed at predators or non-predators, and proposed functions include startle, aposematism, jamming, and alarm, although experimental evidence for these hypotheses remains scant for many insects. The evolutionary origins of defense sounds in insects have not been rigorously investigated using phylogenetic methodology, but in most cases it is hypothesized that they evolved from incidental sounds associated with non-signaling behaviors such as flight or ventilatory movements. Compared to our understanding of visual defenses in insects, sonic defenses are poorly understood. We recommend that future investigations focus on testing hypotheses explaining the functions and evolution of these survival sounds using predator-prey experiments and comparative phylogenetics.
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