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Hague MTJ, Wheeler TB, Cooper BS. Comparative analysis of Wolbachia maternal transmission and localization in host ovaries. Commun Biol 2024; 7:727. [PMID: 38877196 PMCID: PMC11178894 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06431-y] [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: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Many insects and other animals carry microbial endosymbionts that influence their reproduction and fitness. These relationships only persist if endosymbionts are reliably transmitted from one host generation to the next. Wolbachia are maternally transmitted endosymbionts found in most insect species, but transmission rates can vary across environments. Maternal transmission of wMel Wolbachia depends on temperature in natural Drosophila melanogaster hosts and in transinfected Aedes aegypti, where wMel is used to block pathogens that cause human disease. In D. melanogaster, wMel transmission declines in the cold as Wolbachia become less abundant in host ovaries and at the posterior pole plasm (the site of germline formation) in mature oocytes. Here, we assess how temperature affects maternal transmission and underlying patterns of Wolbachia localization across 10 Wolbachia strains diverged up to 50 million years-including strains closely related to wMel-and their natural Drosophila hosts. Many Wolbachia maintain high transmission rates across temperatures, despite highly variable (and sometimes low) levels of Wolbachia in the ovaries and at the developing germline in late-stage oocytes. Identifying strains like closely related wMel-like Wolbachia with stable transmission across variable environmental conditions may improve the efficacy of Wolbachia-based biocontrol efforts as they expand into globally diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy B Wheeler
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Brandon S Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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2
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Vivero-Gomez R, Duque-Granda D, Rader JA, Stuckert A, Santander-Gualdron R, Cadavid-Restrepo G, Moreno-Herrera CX, Matute DR. Humidity and temperature preference in two Neotropical species of sand flies. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:246. [PMID: 38831449 PMCID: PMC11149334 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06325-2] [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: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arthropods vector a multitude of human disease-causing organisms, and their geographic ranges are shifting rapidly in response to changing climatic conditions. This is, in turn, altering the landscape of disease risk for human populations that are brought into novel contact with the vectors and the diseases they carry. Sand flies in the genera Lutzomyia and Pintomyia are vectors of serious disease-causing agents such as Leishmania (the etiological agent of leishmaniasis) and may be expanding their range in the face of climate change. Understanding the climatic conditions that vector species both tolerate physiologically and prefer behaviorally is critical to predicting the direction and magnitude of range expansions and the resulting impacts on human health. Temperature and humidity are key factors that determine the geographic extent of many arthropods, including vector species. METHODS We characterized the habitat of two species of sand flies, Lutzomyia longipalpis and Pintomyia evansi. Additionally, we studied two behavioral factors of thermal fitness-thermal and humidity preference in two species of sand flies alongside a key aspect of physiological tolerance-desiccation resistance. RESULTS We found that Lu. longipalpis is found at cooler and drier conditions than Pi. evansi. Our results also show significant interspecific differences in both behavioral traits, with Pi. evansi preferring warmer, more humid conditions than Lu. longipalpis. Finally, we found that Lu. longipalpis shows greater tolerance to extreme low humidity, and that this is especially pronounced in males of the species. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results suggest that temperature and humidity conditions are key aspects of the climatic niche of Lutzomyia and Pintomyia sand flies and underscore the value of integrative studies of climatic tolerance and preference in vector biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Vivero-Gomez
- Grupo de Microdiversidad and Bioprospección, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biociencias, Laboratorio de Procesos Moleculares, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
- PECET (Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales), Universidad de Antioquia, SIU-Sede de Investigación Universitaria, Street 62 # 52-59Laboratory 632, 050003, Medellín, Postal Code, Colombia
| | - Daniela Duque-Granda
- Grupo de Microdiversidad and Bioprospección, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biociencias, Laboratorio de Procesos Moleculares, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Jonathan A Rader
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Adam Stuckert
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ricardo Santander-Gualdron
- Grupo de Microdiversidad and Bioprospección, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biociencias, Laboratorio de Procesos Moleculares, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Gloria Cadavid-Restrepo
- Grupo de Microdiversidad and Bioprospección, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biociencias, Laboratorio de Procesos Moleculares, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Claudia X Moreno-Herrera
- Grupo de Microdiversidad and Bioprospección, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biociencias, Laboratorio de Procesos Moleculares, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Daniel R Matute
- Biology Department, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
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3
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Hague MT, Wheeler TB, Cooper BS. Comparative analysis of Wolbachia maternal transmission and localization in host ovaries. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.03.583170. [PMID: 38496649 PMCID: PMC10942406 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.03.583170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Many insects and other animals carry microbial endosymbionts that influence their reproduction and fitness. These relationships only persist if endosymbionts are reliably transmitted from one host generation to the next. Wolbachia are maternally transmitted endosymbionts found in most insect species, but transmission rates can vary across environments. Maternal transmission of wMel Wolbachia depends on temperature in natural Drosophila melanogaster hosts and in transinfected Aedes aegypti, where wMel is used to block pathogens that cause human disease. In D. melanogaster, wMel transmission declines in the cold as Wolbachia become less abundant in host ovaries and at the posterior pole plasm (the site of germline formation) in mature oocytes. Here, we assess how temperature affects maternal transmission and underlying patterns of Wolbachia localization across 10 Wolbachia strains diverged up to 50 million years-including strains closely related to wMel-and their natural Drosophila hosts. Many Wolbachia maintain high transmission rates across temperatures, despite highly variable (and sometimes low) levels of Wolbachia in the ovaries and at the developing germline in late-stage oocytes. Identifying strains like closely related wMel-like Wolbachia with stable transmission across variable environmental conditions may improve the efficacy of Wolbachia-based biocontrol efforts as they expand into globally diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy B. Wheeler
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Brandon S. Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
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4
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Konecka E, Szymkowiak P. Wolbachia supergroup A in Enoplognatha latimana (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Poland as an example of possible horizontal transfer of bacteria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7486. [PMID: 38553514 PMCID: PMC10980700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57701-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia (phylum Pseudomonadota, class Alfaproteobacteria, order Rickettsiales, family Ehrlichiaceae) is a maternally inherited bacterial symbiont infecting more than half of arthropod species worldwide and constituting an important force in the evolution, biology, and ecology of invertebrate hosts. Our study contributes to the limited knowledge regarding the presence of intracellular symbiotic bacteria in spiders. Specifically, we investigated the occurrence of Wolbachia infection in the spider species Enoplognatha latimana Hippa and Oksala, 1982 (Araneae: Theridiidae) using a sample collected in north-western Poland. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Wolbachia infection in E. latimana. A phylogeny based on the sequence analysis of multiple genes, including 16S rRNA, coxA, fbpA, ftsZ, gatB, gltA, groEL, hcpA, and wsp revealed that Wolbachia from the spider represented supergroup A and was related to bacterial endosymbionts discovered in other spider hosts, as well as insects of the orders Diptera and Hymenoptera. A sequence unique for Wolbachia supergroup A was detected for the ftsZ gene. The sequences of Wolbachia housekeeping genes have been deposited in publicly available databases and are an important source of molecular data for comparative studies. The etiology of Wolbachia infection in E. latimana is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Konecka
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Paweł Szymkowiak
- Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
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Radousky YA, Hague MTJ, Fowler S, Paneru E, Codina A, Rugamas C, Hartzog G, Cooper BS, Sullivan W. Distinct Wolbachia localization patterns in oocytes of diverse host species reveal multiple strategies of maternal transmission. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad038. [PMID: 36911919 PMCID: PMC10474932 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad038] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
A broad array of endosymbionts radiate through host populations via vertical transmission, yet much remains unknown concerning the cellular basis, diversity, and routes underlying this transmission strategy. Here, we address these issues, by examining the cellular distributions of Wolbachia strains that diverged up to 50 million years ago in the oocytes of 18 divergent Drosophila species. This analysis revealed 3 Wolbachia distribution patterns: (1) a tight clustering at the posterior pole plasm (the site of germline formation); (2) a concentration at the posterior pole plasm, but with a significant bacteria population distributed throughout the oocyte; and (3) a distribution throughout the oocyte, with none or very few located at the posterior pole plasm. Examination of this latter class indicates Wolbachia accesses the posterior pole plasm during the interval between late oogenesis and the blastoderm formation. We also find that 1 Wolbachia strain in this class concentrates in the posterior somatic follicle cells that encompass the pole plasm of the developing oocyte. In contrast, strains in which Wolbachia concentrate at the posterior pole plasm generally exhibit no or few Wolbachia in the follicle cells associated with the pole plasm. Taken together, these studies suggest that for some Drosophila species, Wolbachia invade the germline from neighboring somatic follicle cells. Phylogenomic analysis indicates that closely related Wolbachia strains tend to exhibit similar patterns of posterior localization, suggesting that specific localization strategies are a function of Wolbachia-associated factors. Previous studies revealed that endosymbionts rely on 1 of 2 distinct routes of vertical transmission: continuous maintenance in the germline (germline-to-germline) or a more circuitous route via the soma (germline-to-soma-to-germline). Here, we provide compelling evidence that Wolbachia strains infecting Drosophila species maintain the diverse arrays of cellular mechanisms necessary for both of these distinct transmission routes. This characteristic may account for its ability to infect and spread globally through a vast range of host insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonah A Radousky
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Michael T J Hague
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Sommer Fowler
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Eliza Paneru
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Adan Codina
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Cecilia Rugamas
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Grant Hartzog
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Brandon S Cooper
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - William Sullivan
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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Řezáč M, Řezáčová V, Gloríková N, Némethová E, Heneberg P. Food provisioning to Pardosa spiders decreases the levels of tissue-resident endosymbiotic bacteria. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6943. [PMID: 37117271 PMCID: PMC10147729 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34229-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The diversity, host specificity, and physiological effects of endosymbiotic bacteria in spiders (Araneae) are poorly characterized. We used 16S rDNA sequencing to evaluate endosymbionts in the cephalothorax and legs of a wolf spider Pardosa agrestis. We tested the effects of feeding once or twice daily with fruit flies, aphids, or starved and compared them to those of syntopically occurring Pardosa palustris. The feeding increased traveled distance up to five times in some of the groups provisioned with food relative to the starved control. The Shannon diversity t-test revealed significant differences between these component communities of the two spider species. The increased frequency of feeding with fruit flies, but not aphids, increased the dominance and decreased the alpha diversity of OTUs. The obligate or facultative endosymbionts were present in all analyzed spider individuals and were represented mostly by Rickettsiella, Rhabdochlamydia, Spiroplasma, and the facultative intracellular parasite Legionella. Vertically transmitted endosymbionts were less common, represented by Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia sp. H820. The relative abundance of Mycoplasma spp. was negatively correlated with provisioned or killed aphids. In conclusion, the tissues of Pardosa spiders host tremendously diverse assemblages of bacteria, including obligate or facultative endosymbionts, with yet unknown phenotypic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Řezáč
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Řezáčová
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Nela Gloríková
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ema Némethová
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Heneberg
- Crop Research Institute, Drnovská 507, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Charles University, Third Faculty of Medicine, Ruská 87, 100 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Zhou JC, Shang D, Liu SM, Zhang C, Huo LX, Zhang LS, Dong H. Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma dendrolimi is outcompeted by its uninfected counterpart in superparasitism but does not have developmental delay. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1005-1017. [PMID: 36317957 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7269] [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: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wolbachia infection increases the superparasitism frequency of Trichogramma females and provides an opportunity for horizontal intraspecific transmission. However, superparasitism may lead to interstrain competition between Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma offspring and their uninfected counterparts. This study investigated the outcome of interstrain intrinsic competition between Wolbachia-infected thelytokous strain (W) and uninfected bisexual strain (B) of Trichogramma dendrolimi. To determine the developmental rate of both strains, the sizes of immature stages of T. dendrolimi offspring at different times after parasitisation were measured in single parasitism and superparasitism conditions. RESULTS The results reflect increased superparasitism by Wolbachia-infected females compared with uninfected females. Trichogramma females did not discriminate between host eggs previously parasitised by either B or W females. When the first oviposition was performed by B females, the B offspring outcompeted W offspring deposited later. Although when W offspring was deposited 8 h earlier than the B offspring, it gained no advantage over B offspring. Regardless of parasitism conditions, differences in the development rate between W and B offspring were not significant. CONCLUSION The results reconfirmed that W females presented a higher tendency for superparasitism than B females, and showed that B offspring outcompeted W offspring even when the latter was deposited 8 h earlier. The inferiority of Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma compared with their uninfected counterparts is not due to the developmental delay. This study provides insights into the effects of intrinsic competition on the control efficacy of Wolbachia-infected Trichogramma against pests in biological control programs. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Cheng Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Shang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi-Meng Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang-Xiao Huo
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Sheng Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Dong
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
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Wolbachia-Driven Memory Loss in a Parasitic Wasp Increases Superparasitism to Enhance Horizontal Transmission. mBio 2022; 13:e0236222. [PMID: 36214563 PMCID: PMC9765423 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02362-22] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal transmission of the endosymbiont, Wolbachia, may occur during superparasitism when parasitoid females deposit a second clutch of eggs on a host. Wolbachia may increase the superparasitism tendency of Trichogramma wasps by depriving their memory. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of conditioning experience and memory inhibitors (actinomycin D [ACD] and anisomycin [ANI]) on memory capacity, and expressions of memory-related genes (CREB1 and PKA), and superparasitism frequency of Wolbachia-infected (TDW) and uninfected (TD) lines of Trichogramma dendrolimi after conditioning with lemon or peppermint odor. We detected the presence of Wolbachia in eggs, larvae, pre-pupae, pupae, and adults of Trichogramma by using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The results showed that TDW females had a more reduced memory capacity than TD females after conditioning. Compared with TD females, TDW females showed a higher proportion of superparasitism and a downregulation of CREB1 and PKA genes after conditioning. TD females fed ACD or ANI showed a higher tendency for superparasitism and a downregulation of CREB1 and PKA, along with memory loss after conditioning than TD females fed honey solution only. The presence of Wolbachia was detected in the anterior region of the larva, pre-pupa, and pupa, but was not found in the head of the adult. The results provide evidence of host behavioral manipulation of Wolbachia by depriving memory of host Trichogramma wasps based on Poulin' s criteria. These host behavioral changes led by Wolbachia may be caused by the virulence of Wolbachia on the nervous system of the host. IMPORTANCE The endosymbiotic bacteria, Wolbachia, live widely within cells of arthropods. Wolbachia are not only transmitted vertically from host mother to offspring, but are also transmitted horizontally among host individuals. Horizontal transmission is expected to occur during superparasitism when host parasitoid females deposit a clutch of eggs on a host previously parasitized by the same parasitoid species. Thus, a question is proposed regarding whether superparasitism behavior is a behavior modification induced by the symbiont to favor symbiont transmission. This study highlights behavioral mechanisms of Wolbachia-induced superparasitism in Trichogramma wasps and the manipulation of symbionts on host parasitoids.
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New Wolbachia pipientis Genotype Increasing Heat Stress Resistance of Drosophila melanogaster Host Is Characterized by a Large Chromosomal Inversion. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416212. [PMID: 36555851 PMCID: PMC9786649 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternally transmitted endocellular bacteria Wolbachia is a well-known symbiont of insects, demonstrating both negative and positive effects on host fitness. The previously found Wolbachia strain wMelPlus is characterized by a positive effect on the stress-resistance of its host Drosophila melanogaster, under heat stress conditions. This investigation is dedicated to studying the genomic underpinnings of such an effect. We sequenced two closely related Wolbachia strains, wMelPlus and wMelCS112, assembled their complete genomes, and performed comparative genomic analysis engaging available Wolbachia genomes from the wMel and wMelCS groups. Despite the two strains under study sharing very close gene-composition, we discovered a large (>1/6 of total genome) chromosomal inversion in wMelPlus, spanning through the region that includes the area of the inversion earlier found in the wMel group of Wolbachia genotypes. A number of genes in unique inversion blocks of wMelPlus were identified that might be involved in the induction of a stress-resistant phenotype in the host. We hypothesize that such an inversion could rearrange established genetic regulatory-networks, causing the observed effects of such a complex fly phenotype as a modulation of heat stress resistance. Based on our findings, we propose that wMelPlus be distinguished as a separate genotype of the wMelCS group, named wMelCS3.
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Plasticity in Chemical Host Plant Recognition in Herbivorous Insects and Its Implication for Pest Control. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11121842. [PMID: 36552352 PMCID: PMC9775997 DOI: 10.3390/biology11121842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication is very important in herbivorous insects, with many species being important agricultural pests. They often use olfactory cues to find their host plants at a distance and evaluate their suitability upon contact with non-volatile cues. Responses to such cues are modulated through interactions between various stimuli of biotic and abiotic origin. In addition, the response to the same stimulus can vary as a function of, for example, previous experience, age, mating state, sex, and morph. Here we summarize recent advances in the understanding of plant localization and recognition in herbivorous insects with a focus on the interplay between long- and short-range signals in a complex environment. We then describe recent findings illustrating different types of plasticity in insect plant choice behavior and the underlying neuronal mechanisms at different levels of the chemosensory pathway. In the context of strong efforts to replace synthetic insecticides with alternative pest control methods, understanding combined effects between long- and close-range chemical cues in herbivore-plant interactions and their complex environment in host choice are crucial to develop effective plant protection methods. Furthermore, plasticity of behavioral and neuronal responses to chemical cues needs to be taken into account to develop effective sustainable pest insect control through behavioral manipulation.
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11
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Kyritsis GA, Koskinioti P, Bourtzis K, Papadopoulos NT. Effect of Wolbachia Infection and Adult Food on the Sexual Signaling of Males of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly Ceratitis capitata. INSECTS 2022; 13:737. [PMID: 36005362 PMCID: PMC9409120 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sexual signaling is a fundamental component of sexual behavior of Ceratitis capitata that highly determines males' mating success. Nutritional status and age are dominant factors known to affect males' signaling performance and define the female decision to accept a male as a sexual partner. Wolbachia pipientis, a widespread endosymbiotic bacterium of insects and other arthropods, exerts several biological effects on its hosts. However, the effects of Wolbachia infection on the sexual behavior of medfly and the interaction between Wolbachia infection and adult food remain unexplored. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Wolbachia on sexual signaling of protein-fed and protein-deprived males. Our findings demonstrate that: (a) Wolbachia infection reduced male sexual signaling rates in both food regimes; (b) the negative effect of Wolbachia infection was more pronounced on protein-fed than protein-deprived males, and it was higher at younger ages, indicating that the bacterium regulates male sexual maturity; (c) Wolbachia infection alters the daily pattern of sexual signaling; and (d) protein deprivation bears significant descent on sexual signaling frequency of the uninfected males, whereas no difference was observed for the Wolbachia-infected males. The impact of our findings on the implementation of Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) or the combined SIT/IIT towards controlling insect pests is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios A. Kyritsis
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Panagiota Koskinioti
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
| | - Kostas Bourtzis
- Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Nikos T. Papadopoulos
- Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou St., 38446 New Ionia, Greece
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Clavé C, Sugio A, Morlière S, Pincebourde S, Simon J, Foray V. Physiological costs of facultative endosymbionts in aphids assessed from energy metabolism. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Clavé
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS Université de Tours Tours France
- Department of Agricultural Sciences University of Naples Federico II Portici Italy
| | - Akiko Sugio
- IGEPP, Agrocampus Ouest, INRA Université de Rennes 1 Le Rheu France
| | | | - Sylvain Pincebourde
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS Université de Tours Tours France
| | | | - Vincent Foray
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS Université de Tours Tours France
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Temperature effects on cellular host-microbe interactions explain continent-wide endosymbiont prevalence. Curr Biol 2022; 32:878-888.e8. [PMID: 34919808 PMCID: PMC8891084 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Endosymbioses influence host physiology, reproduction, and fitness, but these relationships require efficient microbe transmission between host generations to persist. Maternally transmitted Wolbachia are the most common known endosymbionts,1 but their frequencies vary widely within and among host populations for unknown reasons.2,3 Here, we integrate genomic, cellular, and phenotypic analyses with mathematical models to provide an unexpectedly simple explanation for global wMel Wolbachia prevalence in Drosophila melanogaster. Cooling temperatures decrease wMel cellular abundance at a key stage of host oogenesis, producing temperature-dependent variation in maternal transmission that plausibly explains latitudinal clines of wMel frequencies on multiple continents. wMel sampled from a temperate climate targets the germline more efficiently in the cold than a recently differentiated tropical variant (∼2,200 years ago), indicative of rapid wMel adaptation to climate. Genomic analyses identify a very narrow list of wMel alleles-most notably, a derived stop codon in the major Wolbachia surface protein WspB-that underlie thermal sensitivity of cellular Wolbachia abundance and covary with temperature globally. Decoupling temperate wMel and host genomes further reduces transmission in the cold, a pattern that is characteristic of host-microbe co-adaptation to a temperate climate. Complex interactions among Wolbachia, hosts, and the environment (GxGxE) mediate wMel cellular abundance and maternal transmission, implicating temperature as a key determinant of Wolbachia spread and equilibrium frequencies, in conjunction with Wolbachia effects on host fitness and reproduction.4,5 Our results motivate the strategic use of locally selected wMel variants for Wolbachia-based biocontrol efforts, which protect millions of individuals from arboviruses that cause human disease.6.
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Endosymbiotic male-killing Spiroplasma affect the physiological and behavioural ecology of Macrocheles- Drosophila interactions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 88:e0197221. [PMID: 34878815 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01972-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While many arthropod endosymbionts are vertically transmitted, phylogenetic studies reveal repeated introductions of hemolymph-dwelling Spiroplasma into Drosophila. Introductions are often attributed to horizontal transmission via ectoparasite vectors. Here, we test if mites prefer to infect Spiroplasma poulsonii MSRO infected flies, and if MSRO infection impairs fly resistance against secondary mite (Macrocheles subbadius) attack. First we tested if mites prefer MSRO+ or MSRO- flies using pair-wise-choice tests across fly ages. We then tested whether mite preferences are explained by changes in fly physiology, specifically increased metabolic rate (measured as CO2 production). We hypothesize that this preference is due in part to MSRO+ flies expressing higher metabolic rates. However, our results showed mite preference depended on an interaction between fly age and MSRO status: mites avoided 14-days old MSRO+ flies relative to MSRO- flies (31% infection), but prefered MSRO+ flies (64% infection) among 26-day old flies. Using flow-through respirometry, we found 14 day-old MSRO+ flies had higher CO2 emissions than MSRO- flies (32% greater), whereas at 26 days old the CO2 production among MSRO+ flies was 20% lower than MSRO- flies. Thus, mite preferences for high metabolic rate hosts did not explain the infection biases in this study. To assess changes in susceptibility to infection, we measured fly endurance using geotaxis assays. Older flies had lower endurance consistent with fly senescence, and this effect was magnified among MSRO+ flies. Given the biological importance of male-killing Spiroplasma, potential changes in the interactions of hosts and potential vectors could impact the ecology and evolution of host species. Importance Male-killing endosymbionts are transmitted mother to daughter and kill male offspring. Despite these major ecological effects, how these endosymbionts colonize new host species is not always clear. Mites are sometimes hypothesized to transfer these bacteria between hosts/host species. Here we test if 1) if mites prefer to infect flies that harbour Spiroplasma poulisoni MSRO and 2) if flies infected with MSRO are less able to resist mite infection. Our results show that flies infected with MSRO have weaker anti-mite resistance but the mite preference/aversion for MSRO+ flies varied with fly age. Given the fitness and population impacts of male-killing Spiroplasma, changes in fly-mite interactions have implications for the ecology and evolution of these symbioses.
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