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Shi PQ, Wang L, Chen XY, Wang K, Wu QJ, Turlings TCJ, Zhang PJ, Qiu BL. Rickettsia transmission from whitefly to plants benefits herbivore insects but is detrimental to fungal and viral pathogens. mBio 2024; 15:e0244823. [PMID: 38315036 PMCID: PMC10936170 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02448-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts play important roles in the life histories of herbivorous insects by impacting their development, survival, reproduction, and stress tolerance. How endosymbionts may affect the interactions between plants and insect herbivores is still largely unclear. Here, we show that endosymbiotic Rickettsia belli can provide mutual benefits also outside of their hosts when the sap-sucking whitefly Bemisia tabaci transmits them to plants. This transmission facilitates the spread of Rickettsia but is shown to also enhance the performance of the whitefly and co-infesting caterpillars. In contrast, Rickettsia infection enhanced plant resistance to several pathogens. Inside the plants, Rickettsia triggers the expression of salicylic acid-related genes and the two pathogen-resistance genes TGA 2.1 and VRP, whereas they repressed genes of the jasmonic acid pathway. Performance experiments using wild type and mutant tomato plants confirmed that Rickettsia enhances the plants' suitability for insect herbivores but makes them more resistant to fungal and viral pathogens. Our results imply that endosymbiotic Rickettsia of phloem-feeding insects affects plant defenses in a manner that facilitates their spread and transmission. This novel insight into how insects can exploit endosymbionts to manipulate plant defenses also opens possibilities to interfere with their ability to do so as a crop protection strategy. IMPORTANCE Most insects are associated with symbiotic bacteria in nature. These symbionts play important roles in the life histories of herbivorous insects by impacting their development, survival, reproduction as well as stress tolerance. Rickettsia is one important symbiont to the agricultural pest whitefly Bemisia tabaci. Here, for the first time, we revealed that the persistence of Rickettsia symbionts in tomato leaves significantly changed the defense pattern of tomato plants. These changes benefit both sap-feeding and leaf-chewing herbivore insects, such as increasing the fecundity of whitefly adults, enhancing the growth and development of the noctuid Spodoptera litura, but reducing the pathogenicity of Verticillium fungi and TYLCV virus to tomato plants distinctively. Our study unraveled a new horizon for the multiple interaction theories among plant-insect-bacterial symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Qiong Shi
- Engineering Research Center of Biotechnology for Active Substances, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Biotechnology for Active Substances, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin-Yi Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Biotechnology for Active Substances, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Qing-Jun Wu
- Institute of Vegetables & Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ted C. J. Turlings
- FARCE Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Peng-Jun Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Huangzhou, China
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Engineering Research Center of Biotechnology for Active Substances, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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2
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Halter T, Köstlbacher S, Rattei T, Hendrickx F, Manzano-Marín A, Horn M. One to host them all: genomics of the diverse bacterial endosymbionts of the spider Oedothorax gibbosus. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen000943. [PMID: 36757767 PMCID: PMC9997750 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts of the groups Wolbachia, Cardinium and Rickettsiaceae are well known for their diverse effects on their arthropod hosts, ranging from mutualistic relationships to reproductive phenotypes. Here, we analysed a unique system in which the dwarf spider Oedothorax gibbosus is co-infected with up to five different endosymbionts affiliated with Wolbachia, 'Candidatus Tisiphia' (formerly Torix group Rickettsia), Cardinium and Rhabdochlamydia. Using short-read genome sequencing data, we show that the endosymbionts are heterogeneously distributed among O. gibbosus populations and are frequently found co-infecting spider individuals. To study this intricate host-endosymbiont system on a genome-resolved level, we used long-read sequencing to reconstruct closed genomes of the Wolbachia, 'Ca. Tisiphia' and Cardinium endosymbionts. We provide insights into the ecology and evolution of the endosymbionts and shed light on the interactions with their spider host. We detected high quantities of transposable elements in all endosymbiont genomes and provide evidence that ancestors of the Cardinium, 'Ca. Tisiphia' and Wolbachia endosymbionts have co-infected the same hosts in the past. Our findings contribute to broadening our knowledge about endosymbionts infecting one of the largest animal phyla on Earth and show the usefulness of transposable elements as an evolutionary 'contact-tracing' tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Halter
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna. Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.,Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna. Universitätsring 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephan Köstlbacher
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna. Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.,Doctoral School in Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna. Universitätsring 1, 1010 Vienna, Austria.,Current address: Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Stippeneng 4, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Rattei
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna. Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Frederik Hendrickx
- OD Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Rue Vautier/Vautierstraat 29,, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alejandro Manzano-Marín
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna. Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Horn
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna. Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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3
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Liu Y, He ZQ, Wen Q, Peng J, Zhou YT, Mandour N, McKenzie CL, Ahmed MZ, Qiu BL. Parasitoid-mediated horizontal transmission of Rickettsia between whiteflies. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1077494. [PMID: 36683703 PMCID: PMC9846228 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1077494] [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: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular bacterial endosymbionts of arthropods are mainly transmitted vertically from mother to offspring, but phylogenetically distant insect hosts often harbor identical endosymbionts, indicating that horizontal transmission from one species to another occurs in nature. Here, we investigated the parasitoid Encarsia formosa-mediated horizontal transmission of the endosymbiont Rickettsia between different populations of whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Rickettsia was successfully transmitted from the positive MEAM1 nymphs (R +) into E. formosa and retained at least for 48 h in E. formosa adults. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) visualization results revealed that the ovipositors, mouthparts, and digestive tract of parasitoid adults get contaminated with Rickettsia. Random non-lethal probing of Rickettisia-negative (R- ) MEAM1 nymphs by these Rickettsia-carrying E. formosa resulted in newly infected MEAM1 nymphs, and the vertical transmission of Rickettsia within the recipient females can remain at least up to F3 generation. Further phylogenetic analyses revealed that Rickettsia had high fidelity during the horizontal transmission in whiteflies and parasitoids. Our findings may help to explain why Rickettsia bacteria are so abundant in arthropods and suggest that, in some insect species that shared the same parasitoids, Rickettsia may be maintained in populations by horizontal transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Qi He
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qin Wen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Peng
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Tong Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nasser Mandour
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Cindy L. McKenzie
- Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, Unite States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Fort Pierce, FL, United States
| | - Muhammad Z. Ahmed
- Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, Unite States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Fort Pierce, FL, United States
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Bao-Li Qiu,
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4
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Ou D, Qiu JH, Su ZQ, Wang L, Qiu BL. The phylogeny and distribution of Wolbachia in two pathogen vector insects, Asian citrus psyllid and Longan psyllid. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1121186. [PMID: 36949814 PMCID: PMC10025399 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1121186] [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: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia is the most abundant bacterial endosymbiont among insects. It can play a prominent role in the development, reproduction and immunity of its given insect host. To date, Wolbachia presence is well studied within aphids, whiteflies and planthoppers, but relatively few studies have investigated its presence in psyllids. Methods Here, the infection status of Wolbachia in five species of psyllid, including Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri and longan psyllid Cornegenapsylla sinica was investigated. The phylogenetic relationships of different Wolbachia lines and their infection density and patterns in D. citri and C. sinica from different countries was also examined. Results The infection rates of Wolbachia in D. citri and C. sinica were both 100%, and their sequencing types are ST173 and ST532 respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Wolbachia lines in D. citri and C. sinica both belong to the Con subgroup of Wolbachia supergroup B. In addition, Wolbachia displayed a scattered localization pattern in the 5th instar nymphs and in the reproductive organs of both D. citri and C. sinica but differed in other tissues; it was highest in the midgut, lowest in the salivary glands and medium in both the testes and ovaries. Conclusion Our findings assist in further understanding the coevolution of Wolbachia and its psyllid hosts. Given that Wolbachia could play an important role in insect pest control and pathogen transmission inhibition, our findings may also provide new insights for development of control strategies for D. citri and C. sinica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Ou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Biological Control, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Hong Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng-Qin Su
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Vector Insects, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Biological Control, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Bao-Li Qiu,
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5
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Discovery of Rickettsia and Rickettsiella Intracellular Bacteria in Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus planipennis by Metagenomic Study of Larval Gut Microbiome in European Russia. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13070974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a quarantine pest posing a threat to ash trees all over Europe. This wood-boring beetle native to Asia is quickly spreading in North America and European Russia, and approaching the European Union and the Middle East. It is important to study microorganisms associated with this pest, because the knowledge of its “natural enemies” and “natural allies” could be potentially used for the control of the pest. All previously published information about the A. planipennis microbiome was obtained in North America and China. We present the first study on procaryotes associated with A. planipennis in Europe. Alive larvae were sampled from under the bark of Fraxinus pennsylvanica in the Moscow Oblast and the gut microbiome was studied using metagenomic methods. Next-generation Illumina-based amplicon sequencing of the v3-v4 region 16S-RNA gene was performed. In total, 439 operational taxonomic units from 39 families and five phyla were detected. The dominant families in our samples were Pseudomonadaceae, Erwiniaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, in accordance with the published information on the larval gut microbiome in North America and China. We detected intracellular bacteria in A. planipennis for the first time, namely Rickettsia (Rickettsiaceae) and Rickettsiella (Diplorickettsiaceae). Representatives of the genus Rickettsia are known to be in mutualistic symbiosis with some phytophagous insects, while Rickettsiella bacteria are pathogenic to many arthropods. The finding of Rickettsia and Rickettsiella opens perspectives for future research on the interactions between these bacteria and A. planipennis and the possible use of these interactions for the control of the pest.
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Guo CF, Ahmed MZ, Ou D, Zhang LH, Lu ZT, Sang W, McKenzie CL, Shatters RG, Qiu BL. Parasitoid vectors a plant pathogen, potentially diminishing the benefits it confers as a biological control agent. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1331. [PMID: 34824370 PMCID: PMC8617049 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02851-2] [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: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Huanglongbing (HLB) is a destructive disease of citrus primarily transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Biocontrol of ACP is an environmentally sustainable alternative to chemicals. However, the risk of parasitoid rational application in ACP biocontrol has never been evaluated. Here we show, the dominant parasitoid of ACP, Tamarixia radiata, can acquire the HLB pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) and transmit it horizontally when probing ACP nymphs. If these ACP nymphs survive the probing, develop to adults and move to healthy plants, CLas can be transmitted to citrus leaves during feeding. We illustrate the formerly unrecognized risk that a parasitoid can potentially serve as a phoretic vector of the pathogen transmitted by its host, thus potentially diminishing some of the benefits it confers via biocontrol. Our findings present a significant caution to the strategy of using parasitoids in orchards with different infection status of insect-vectored pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Fei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Muhammad Z Ahmed
- Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA
| | - Da Ou
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Li-He Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Zi-Tong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Wen Sang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510640, China
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Cindy L McKenzie
- Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA
| | - Robert G Shatters
- Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401300, China.
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7
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Milenovic M, Ghanim M, Hoffmann L, Rapisarda C. Whitefly endosymbionts: IPM opportunity or tilting at windmills? JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE 2021; 95:543-566. [PMID: 34744550 PMCID: PMC8562023 DOI: 10.1007/s10340-021-01451-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Whiteflies are sap-sucking insects responsible for high economic losses. They colonize hundreds of plant species and cause direct feeding damage and indirect damage through transmission of devastating viruses. Modern agriculture has seen a history of invasive whitefly species and populations that expand to novel regions, bringing along fierce viruses. Control efforts are hindered by fast virus transmission, insecticide-resistant populations, and a wide host range which permits large natural reservoirs for whiteflies. Augmentative biocontrol by parasitoids while effective in suppressing high population densities in greenhouses falls short when it comes to preventing virus transmission and is ineffective in the open field. A potential source of much needed novel control strategies lays within a diverse community of whitefly endosymbionts. The idea to exploit endosymbionts for whitefly control is as old as identification of these bacteria, yet it still has not come to fruition. We review where our knowledge stands on the aspects of whitefly endosymbiont evolution, biology, metabolism, multitrophic interactions, and population dynamics. We show how these insights are bringing us closer to the goal of better integrated pest management strategies. Combining most up to date understanding of whitefly-endosymbiont interactions and recent technological advances, we discuss possibilities of disrupting and manipulating whitefly endosymbionts, as well as using them for pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Milenovic
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department (ERIN), Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, Rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Università degli Studi di Catania, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), via Santa Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Murad Ghanim
- Department of Entomology, Volcani Center, ARO, HaMaccabim Road 68, PO Box 15159, 7528809 Rishon Le Tsiyon, Israel
| | - Lucien Hoffmann
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department (ERIN), Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, Rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Carmelo Rapisarda
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Università degli Studi di Catania, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), via Santa Sofia 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
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8
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Shi PQ, Chen XY, Chen XS, Lv N, Liu Y, Qiu BL. Rickettsia increases its infection and spread in whitefly populations by manipulating the defense patterns of the host plant. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6145017. [PMID: 33605997 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a destructive agricultural pest that frequently harbors various species of secondary symbionts including Rickettsia. Previous studies have revealed that the infection of Rickettsia can improve whitefly performance on food plants; however, to date, no evidence has shown, if, and how, Rickettsia manipulates the plant-insect interactions. In the current study, the effects of Rickettsia persistence on the induced plant defenses and the consequent performance of whitefly B. tabaci were investigated. Results revealed that Rickettsia can be transmitted into plants via whitefly feeding and remain alive within the cotton plants for at least 2 weeks. The different expression genes of cotton plants were mostly concentrated in the phytohormone signaling pathways, the marker genes of jasmonic-acid signaling pathway (AOC, AOS, LOX, MYC2) were significantly downregulated, while the marker genes of the salicylic-acid signaling pathway (WRKY70, PR-1) were upregulated. Biological experiments revealed that the fecundity of Rickettsia negative B. tabaci significantly increased when they fed on Rickettsia-persistent cotton plants. Taken together, we provide experimental evidence that the persistence of Rickettsia and its induced defense responses in cotton plants can increase the fitness of whitefly and, by this, Rickettsia may increase its infection and spread within its whitefly host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Qiong Shi
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, Guangdong Province, China.,Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xin-Yi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Chen
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ning Lv
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Engineering Research Center of Biocontrol, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, Guangdong Province, China
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9
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Pilgrim J, Thongprem P, Davison HR, Siozios S, Baylis M, Zakharov EV, Ratnasingham S, deWaard JR, Macadam CR, Smith MA, Hurst GDD. Torix Rickettsia are widespread in arthropods and reflect a neglected symbiosis. Gigascience 2021; 10:6187866. [PMID: 33764469 PMCID: PMC7992394 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Rickettsia are intracellular bacteria best known as the causative agents of human and animal diseases. Although these medically important Rickettsia are often transmitted via haematophagous arthropods, other Rickettsia, such as those in the Torix group, appear to reside exclusively in invertebrates and protists with no secondary vertebrate host. Importantly, little is known about the diversity or host range of Torix group Rickettsia. Results This study describes the serendipitous discovery of Rickettsia amplicons in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), a sequence database specifically designed for the curation of mitochondrial DNA barcodes. Of 184,585 barcode sequences analysed, Rickettsia is observed in ∼0.41% of barcode submissions and is more likely to be found than Wolbachia (0.17%). The Torix group of Rickettsia are shown to account for 95% of all unintended amplifications from the genus. A further targeted PCR screen of 1,612 individuals from 169 terrestrial and aquatic invertebrate species identified mostly Torix strains and supports the “aquatic hot spot” hypothesis for Torix infection. Furthermore, the analysis of 1,341 SRA deposits indicates that Torix infections represent a significant proportion of all Rickettsia symbioses found in arthropod genome projects. Conclusions This study supports a previous hypothesis that suggests that Torix Rickettsia are overrepresented in aquatic insects. In addition, multiple methods reveal further putative hot spots of Torix Rickettsia infection, including in phloem-feeding bugs, parasitoid wasps, spiders, and vectors of disease. The unknown host effects and transmission strategies of these endosymbionts make these newly discovered associations important to inform future directions of investigation involving the understudied Torix Rickettsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Pilgrim
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Panupong Thongprem
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Helen R Davison
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Stefanos Siozios
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK.,Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
| | - Evgeny V Zakharov
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Sujeevan Ratnasingham
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Jeremy R deWaard
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Craig R Macadam
- Buglife - The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Balallan House, 24 Allan Park, Stirling FK8 2QG, UK
| | - M Alex Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Summerlee Science Complex, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Gregory D D Hurst
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Wirral CH64 7TE, UK
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10
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Gui Z, Wu L, Cai H, Mu L, Yu JF, Fu SY, Si XY. Genetic diversity analysis of Dermacentor nuttalli within Inner Mongolia, China. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:131. [PMID: 33648549 PMCID: PMC7923491 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04625-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks (Arthropoda, Ixodida), after mosquitoes, are the second most prevalent vector of infectious diseases. They are responsible for spreading a multitude of pathogens and threatening the health and welfare of animals and human beings. However, given the history of tick-borne pathogen infections in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China, surprisingly, neither the genetic diversity nor the spatial distribution of haplotypes within ticks has been studied. Methods We characterized the haplotype distribution of Dermacentor nuttalli in four main pastoral areas of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, by sampling 109 individuals (recovered from sheep) in April–August 2019. The 16S rRNA gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and the internal transcribed spacer 2 region (ITS2) were amplified and sequenced from extracted DNA. Results Twenty-six haplotypes were identified using 16S rRNA sequences, 57 haplotypes were identified with COI sequences, and 75 haplotypes were identified with ITS2 sequences. Among the three genes, total haplotype diversity was greater than 0.7, while total nucleotide diversity was greater than 0.06. Neutrality tests revealed a significantly negative Tajima’s D result, while Fu's Fs was not significantly positive. Fixation index values (FST) indicated that the degree of genetic differentiation among some sampled populations was small, while for others it was moderate. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the variation within populations was greater than that among populations. The mismatch analysis of D. nuttalli exhibited double peaks. Conclusion The genetic diversity of D. nuttalli populations in our region can likely adapt to different geographical environments, thereby leading to genetic diversity, and creating genetic differentiation among different populations. However, genetic differentiation is cryptic and does not form a pedigree geographical structure.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Gui
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010059, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Lin Wu
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010059, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Hao Cai
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010059, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Lan Mu
- Department of Parasitology, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010110, Inner Mongolia, China.
| | - Jing-Feng Yu
- Department of Parasitology, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010110, Inner Mongolia, China.
| | - Shao-Yin Fu
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Science, Hohhot, 010031, Inner Mongolia, China.
| | - Xiao-Yan Si
- Inner Mongolia Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hohhot, 010000, Inner Mongolia, China.
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11
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Zhao D, Zhang Z, Niu H, Guo H. Win by Quantity: a Striking Rickettsia-Bias Symbiont Community Revealed by Seasonal Tracking in the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:523-534. [PMID: 32968841 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01607-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Maintaining an adaptive seasonality is a basic ecological requisite for cold-blooded organism insects which usually harbor various symbionts. However, how coexisting symbionts coordinate in insects during seasonal progress is still unknown. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci in China harbors the obligate symbiont Portiera that infects each individual, as well as various facultative symbionts. In this study, we investigated whitefly populations in cucumber and cotton fields from May to December 2019, aiming to reveal the fluctuations of symbiont infection frequencies, symbiont coordination in multiple infected individuals, and host plants effects on symbiont infections. The results indicated that the facultative symbionts Hamiltonella (H), Rickettsia (R), and Cardinium (C) exist in field whiteflies, with single (H) and double (HC and HR) infections occurring frequently. Infection frequencies of Hamiltonella (always 100%) and Cardinium (29.50-34.38%) remained steady during seasonal progression. Rickettsia infection frequency in the cucumber whitefly population decreased from 64.47% in summer to 35.29% in winter. Significantly lower Rickettsia infection frequency (15.55%) was identified in cotton whitefly populations and was not subject to seasonal fluctuation. Nevertheless, Rickettsia had a significantly quantitative advantage in the symbiont community of whitefly individuals and populations from both cucumber and cotton field all through the seasons. Moreover, higher Portiera and Hamiltonella densities were found in HC and HR whitefly than in H whitefly, suggesting these symbionts may contribute to producing nutrients for their symbiont partners. These results provide ample cues to further explore the interactions between coexisting symbionts, the coevolutionary relationship between symbionts and host symbiont-induced effects on host plant use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxiao Zhao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 50, Zhongling Street, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Zhichun Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 50, Zhongling Street, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Hongtao Niu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 50, Zhongling Street, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Huifang Guo
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 50, Zhongling Street, Nanjing, 210014, China.
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12
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Li F, Hua H, Han Y, Hou M. Plant-Mediated Horizontal Transmission of Asaia Between White-Backed Planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:593485. [PMID: 33329476 PMCID: PMC7734105 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.593485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Asaia is a bacterial symbiont of sugar-feeding insects that has been shown to be vertically transmitted by maternal transmission and paternal transmission mechanism, and to be horizontally transmitted via co-feeding artificial diet and venereal routes. Here, the first case of plant-mediated horizontal transmission of Asaia between white-backed planthoppers (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera, was reported. In Asaia-infected WBPH, Asaia was detected mostly in salivary glands and to a less extent in stylets. The rice leaf sheaths fed by Asaia-infected WBPH for 12 h were all positive with Asaia, where Asaia persisted for at least 30 d but was localized in the feeding sites only. When confined to Asaia-infected leaf sheaths for 7 d at the sites pre-infested by the Asaia-infected WBPH, all Asaia-free WBPH became infected with Asaia and the acquired Asaia could be vertically transmitted to their offspring. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed an identical Asaia strain in the Asaia-infected donor WBPH, the Asaia-infected leaf sheaths, and the newly infected recipient WBPH. Our findings provide direct evidence for the first time that rice plant can mediate horizontal transmission of Asaia between WBPH, which may contribute to the spread of Asaia in the field WBPH populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Biopesticide Engineering Research Center, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongxia Hua
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongqiang Han
- College of Life Science and Environmental Resources, Yichun University, Yichun, China
| | - Maolin Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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13
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Cardoso A, Gómez-Zurita J. Food Resource Sharing of Alder Leaf Beetle Specialists (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as Potential Insect-Plant Interface for Horizontal Transmission of Endosymbionts. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:1402-1414. [PMID: 33315074 PMCID: PMC7734963 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that endosymbionts of herbivore insects can be horizontally transferred to other herbivores feeding on the same host plants, whereby the plant acts as an intermediate stage in the chain of transmission. If this mechanism operates, it is also expected that insect communities sharing the same host plant will have higher chances to share their endosymbionts. In this study, we use a high-throughput 16S rRNA metabarcoding approach to investigate the presence, diversity, and potential sharing of endosymbionts in several species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of a local community specialized on an alder diet in North America. Rickettsia and Wolbachia were predominant in the sample, with strong evidence for each species having their own dominant infection, of either or both types of bacteria. However, all species shared a much lower proportion of a particular Wolbachia type, compatible with the same strain dominant in one of the species of leaf beetles. Crucially, the same 16S rRNA haplotype of Wolbachia was found on alder leaf extracts. The combined evidence and the absence of this strain in a syntopic species of leaf beetle feeding on a different host plant support the hypothesis that at least the initial stages of the mechanism that would allow horizontal transmission of endosymbionts across species feeding on the same plant is possible. The accessibility and characteristics of endosymbiont associations of this system make it suitable for deeper analyses of their diversity and transmission in natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Cardoso
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-University Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Gómez-Zurita
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-University Pompeu Fabra), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain
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14
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Can-Vargas X, Barboza N, Fuchs EJ, Hernández EJ. Spatial Distribution of Whitefly Species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Identification of Secondary Bacterial Endosymbionts in Tomato Fields in Costa Rica. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 113:2900-2910. [PMID: 33073851 PMCID: PMC7724748 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toaa215] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In Costa Rica, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus) Linnaeus (Solanales: Solanaceae) is one of the crops most severely affected by the whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) and the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) species complex. The objective of this study was to monitor the spatial distribution and diversity of these species and to detect the presence of secondary bacterial endosymbionts in individuals collected in areas of intensive tomato production. In total, 628 whitefly individuals were identified to the species level using restriction analysis (PCR-RFLP) of a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I gene (mtCOI). Trialeurodes vaporariorum was the predominant species, followed by B. tabaci Mediterranean (MED). Bemisia tabaci New World (NW) and B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) were present in lower numbers. The mtCOI fragment was sequenced for 89 individuals and a single haplotype was found for each whitefly species. Using molecular markers, the 628 individuals were analyzed for the presence of four endosymbionts. Arsenophonus Gherna et al. (Enterobacterales: Morganellaceae) was most frequently associated with T. vaporariorum, whereas Wolbachia Hertig (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) and Rickettsia da Rocha-Lima (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) were associated with B. tabaci MED. This study confirmed that B. tabaci NW has not been completely displaced by the invasive species B. tabaci MED and B. tabaci MEAM1 present in the country. An association was found between whitefly species present in tomato and certain secondary endosymbionts, elevation was the most likely environmental factor to affect their frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xareni Can-Vargas
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Natalia Barboza
- Escuela de Tecnología de Alimentos, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro Nacional en Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos (CITA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Eric J Fuchs
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Eduardo J Hernández
- Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
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15
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Andreason SA, Shelby EA, Moss JB, Moore PJ, Moore AJ, Simmons AM. Whitefly Endosymbionts: Biology, Evolution, and Plant Virus Interactions. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11110775. [PMID: 33182634 PMCID: PMC7696030 DOI: 10.3390/insects11110775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are sap-feeding global agricultural pests. These piercing-sucking insects have coevolved with intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria that help to supplement their nutrient-poor plant sap diets with essential amino acids and carotenoids. These obligate, primary endosymbionts have been incorporated into specialized organs called bacteriomes where they sometimes coexist with facultative, secondary endosymbionts. All whitefly species harbor the primary endosymbiont Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum and have a variable number of secondary endosymbionts. The secondary endosymbiont complement harbored by the cryptic whitefly species Bemisia tabaci is particularly complex with various assemblages of seven different genera identified to date. In this review, we discuss whitefly associated primary and secondary endosymbionts. We focus on those associated with the notorious B. tabaci species complex with emphasis on their biological characteristics and diversity. We also discuss their interactions with phytopathogenic begomoviruses (family Geminiviridae), which are transmitted exclusively by B. tabaci in a persistent-circulative manner. Unraveling the complex interactions of these endosymbionts with their insect hosts and plant viruses could lead to advancements in whitefly and whitefly transmitted virus management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A. Andreason
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA;
| | - Emily A. Shelby
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (E.A.S.); (J.B.M.); (P.J.M.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Jeanette B. Moss
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (E.A.S.); (J.B.M.); (P.J.M.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Patricia J. Moore
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (E.A.S.); (J.B.M.); (P.J.M.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Allen J. Moore
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (E.A.S.); (J.B.M.); (P.J.M.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Alvin M. Simmons
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA;
- Correspondence:
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16
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Host Plant Affects Symbiont Abundance in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11080501. [PMID: 32759695 PMCID: PMC7469152 DOI: 10.3390/insects11080501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The nutritional contributions of symbionts facilitate herbivores’ plant utilization, promoting insects infecting and spreading on host plants. In this study we investigated the effects of host plants on the symbionts of Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) from a nutritional aspect. We found that three host plant-adapted whitefly populations harbored the same symbiont taxa in different quantities. The amount of the primary symbiont Portiera decreased with increasing host-plant essential amino acid proportions in whitefly populations and even in those transferred to different host-plant species to meet the nutritional demands of whiteflies. However, the abundance of the secondary symbionts in whiteflies after host-plant-shifting for one generation showed little correlation with essential amino acid levels of host plants. It demonstrates that host-plant nitrogen nutrition—mainly, essential amino acids—influences the abundance of symbionts, especially Portiera, to meet whiteflies’ nutritional demands, and whiteflies manipulate their symbionts’ quantity governed by the host plant. The nutrient exchanges in symbioses involving multiple partners could provide new ideas for pest control. Abstract Symbionts contribute nutrients that allow insects to feed on plants. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) is a polyphagous pest that depends on symbionts to provide key nutrients that are deficient in the diet. Here, we established three whitefly populations on eggplants, cucumbers, and tomatoes and observed that they harbored the same symbiont taxa in different quantities. The amount of the primary symbiont, Portiera, decreased with increasing concentrations of host-plant essential amino acids (EAAs). Whitefly populations transferred to different plant species exhibited fluctuations in Portiera amounts in the first three or four generations; the amount of Portiera increased when whitefly populations were transferred to plant species with lower EAAs proportions. As for the secondary symbionts, the whitefly population of eggplants exhibited lower quantities of Hamiltonella and higher quantities of Rickettsia than the other two populations. The changes of both symbionts’ abundance in whitefly populations after host-plant-shifting for one generation showed little correlation with the EAAs’ proportions of host plants. These findings suggest that host-plant nitrogen nutrition, mainly in the form of EAAs, influences the abundance of symbionts, especially Portiera, to meet the nutritional demands of whiteflies. The results will inform efforts to control pests through manipulating symbionts in insect–symbiont associations.
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17
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Analysis of the bacterial communities and endosymbionts of natural populations of Bemisia tabaci in several crop fields from Mexico semi-arid zone. ANN MICROBIOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-019-01483-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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18
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Skaljac M, Vogel H, Wielsch N, Mihajlovic S, Vilcinskas A. Transmission of a Protease-Secreting Bacterial Symbiont Among Pea Aphids via Host Plants. Front Physiol 2019; 10:438. [PMID: 31057424 PMCID: PMC6479166 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Aphids are economically important pest insects that damage plants by phloem feeding and the transmission of plant viruses. Their ability to feed exclusively on nutritionally poor phloem sap is dependent on the obligatory symbiotic bacterium Buchnera aphidicola, but additional facultative symbionts may also be present, a common example of which is Serratia symbiotica. Many Serratia species secrete extracellular enzymes, so we hypothesised that S. symbiotica may produce proteases that help aphids to feed on plants. Molecular analysis, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), revealed that S. symbiotica colonises the gut, salivary glands and mouthparts (including the stylet) of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, providing a mechanism to transfer the symbiont into host plants. S. symbiotica was also detected in plant tissues wounded by the penetrating stylet and was transferred to naïve aphids feeding on plants containing this symbiont. The maintenance of S. symbiotica by repeated transmission via plants may explain the high frequency of this symbiont in aphid populations. Proteomic analysis of the supernatant from a related but cultivable S. symbiotica strain cultured in liquid medium revealed the presence of known and novel proteases including metalloproteases. The corresponding transcripts encoding these S. symbiotica enzymes were detected in A. pisum and in plants carrying the symbiont, although the mRNA was much more abundant in the aphids. Our data suggest that enzymes from S. symbiotica may facilitate the digestion of plant proteins, thereby helping to suppress plant defense, and that the symbionts are important mediators of aphid–plant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Skaljac
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Heiko Vogel
- Entomology Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Natalie Wielsch
- Entomology Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Sanja Mihajlovic
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Branch for Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany.,Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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19
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Russell SL. Transmission mode is associated with environment type and taxa across bacteria-eukaryote symbioses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5289862. [DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shelbi L Russell
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; USA
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20
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Shi PQ, Wang L, Liu Y, An X, Chen XS, Ahmed MZ, Qiu BL, Sang W. Infection dynamics of endosymbionts reveal three novel localization patterns of Rickettsia during the development of whitefly Bemisia tabaci. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:5076031. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Qiong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xuan An
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Chen
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Muhammad Z Ahmed
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, 1911 SW 34th Street, Gainesville, FL 32614-7100, USA
| | - Bao-Li Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Wen Sang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Pesticide Innovation and Application, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
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21
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Skaljac M, Kirfel P, Grotmann J, Vilcinskas A. Fitness costs of infection with Serratia symbiotica are associated with greater susceptibility to insecticides in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2018; 74:1829-1836. [PMID: 29443436 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aphids are agricultural pests that damage crops by direct feeding and by vectoring important plant viruses. Bacterial symbionts can influence aphid biology, e.g. by providing essential nutrients or facilitating adaptations to biotic and abiotic stress. RESULTS We investigated the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) and its commonly associated secondary bacterial symbiont Serratia symbiotica to study the effect of this symbiont on host fitness and susceptibility to the insecticides imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos methyl, methomyl, cyantraniliprole and spirotetramat. There is emerging evidence that members of the genus Serratia can degrade and/or detoxify diverse insecticides. Therefore, we hypothesized that S. symbiotica may promote resistance to these artificial stress agents in aphids. Our results showed that Serratia-infected aphids were more susceptible to most of the tested insecticides than non-infected aphids. This probably reflects the severe fitness costs associated with S. symbiotica, which negatively affects development, reproduction and body weight. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that S. symbiotica plays an important role in the ability of aphid hosts to tolerate insecticides. These results provide insight into the potential changes in tolerance to insecticides in the field because there is a continuous and dynamic process of symbiont acquisition and loss that may directly affect host biology. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Skaljac
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Bioresources Project Group, Giessen, Germany
| | - Phillipp Kirfel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Bioresources Project Group, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jens Grotmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Bioresources Project Group, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Bioresources Project Group, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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22
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Onchuru TO, Javier Martinez A, Ingham CS, Kaltenpoth M. Transmission of mutualistic bacteria in social and gregarious insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 28:50-58. [PMID: 30551767 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Symbiotic microbes can confer a range of benefits to social, sub-social, and gregarious insects that include contributions to nutrition, digestion, and defense. Transmission of beneficial symbionts to the next generation in these insects sometimes occurs transovarially as in many solitary insects, but primarily through social contact such as coprophagy in gregarious taxa, and trophallaxis in eusocial insects. While these behaviors benefit reliable transmission of multi-microbial assemblages, they may also come at the cost of inviting the spread of parasites and pathogens. Nonetheless, the overall benefit of social symbiont transmission may be one of several important factors that reinforce the evolution of social behaviors and insect eusociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ogao Onchuru
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 13, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Adam Javier Martinez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 13, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Chantal Selina Ingham
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 13, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 13, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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