1
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Britton S, Davidowitz G. No evidence for the melanin desiccation hypothesis in a larval Lepidopteran. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 156:104669. [PMID: 38936542 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Water regulation is an important physiological challenge for insects due to their small body sizes and large surface area to volume ratios. Adaptations for decreasing cuticular water loss, the largest avenue of loss, are especially important. The melanin desiccation hypothesis states that melanin molecules in the cuticle may help prevent water loss, thus offering protection from desiccation. This hypothesis has much empirical support in Drosophila species, but remains mostly untested in other taxa, including Lepidoptera. Because melanin has many other important functions in insects, its potential role in desiccation prevention is not always clear. In this study we investigated the role of melanin in desiccation prevention in the white-lined Sphinx moth, Hyles lineata (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae), which shows high plasticity in the degree of melanin pigmentation during the late larval instars. We took advantage of this plasticity and used density treatments to induce a wide range of cuticular melanization; solitary conditions induced low melanin pigmentation while crowded conditions induced high melanin pigmentation. We tested whether more melanic larvae from the crowded treatment were better protected from desiccation in three relevant responses: i) total water loss over a desiccation period, ii) change in hemolymph osmolality over a desiccation period, and iii) evaporation rate of water through the cuticle. We did not find support for the melanin desiccation hypothesis in this species. Although treatment influenced total water loss, this effect did not occur via degree of melanization. Interestingly, this implies that crowding, which was used to induce high melanin phenotypes, may have other physiological effects that influence water regulation. There were no differences between treatments in cuticular evaporative water loss or change in hemolymph osmolality. However, we conclude that osmolality may not sufficiently reflect water loss in this case. This study emphasizes the context dependency of melanin's role in desiccation prevention and the importance of considering how it may vary across taxa. In lepidopteran larvae that are constantly feeding phytophagous insects with soft cuticles, melanin may not be necessary for preventing cuticular water loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Britton
- University of Arizona, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, USA.
| | - Goggy Davidowitz
- University of Arizona, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, USA; University of Arizona, Department of Entomology, USA
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2
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Boardman L. Cross-talk between low temperature and other environmental factors. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 63:101193. [PMID: 38490451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Low temperatures are rarely experienced in isolation. The impacts of low temperatures on insects can be exacerbated or alleviated by the addition of other environmental factors, including, for example, desiccation, hypoxia, or infection. One way in which environmental factors can interact is through cross-talk where different factors enact common signaling pathways. In this review, I highlight the breadth of abiotic and biotic factors that can interact with low-temperature tolerance in both natural and artificial environments; and discuss some of the candidate pathways that are possibly responsible for cross-talk between several factors. Specifically, I discuss three interesting candidates: the neurohormone octopamine, circadian clock gene vrille, and microbes. Finally, I discuss applications of cross-talk studies, and provide recommendations for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh Boardman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
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3
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Botsch JC, Daniels JD, Bujan J, Roeder KA. Temperature influences desiccation resistance of bumble bees. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 155:104647. [PMID: 38710384 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Ongoing climate change has increased temperatures and the frequency of droughts in many parts of the world, potentially intensifying the desiccation risk for insects. Because resisting desiccation becomes more difficult at higher temperatures and lower humidity, avoiding water loss is a key challenge facing terrestrial insects. However, few studies have examined the interactive effects of temperature and environmental humidity on desiccation resistance in insects. Such studies on bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) are especially rare, despite their ecological and economic importance. Here, we crossed temperature (20, 25, and 30 °C) with humidity (<5, 50, >95 % RH) manipulations and measured time to mortality, water loss rates, and the water content at mortality of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens). We found that both higher temperature and lower humidity increased water loss rates, while warmer temperatures reduced survival time and lower humidity decreased water content at mortality. Additionally, we observed large intraspecific variation in water balance traits between colonies, and larger individuals survived longer and could tolerate more water loss before mortality. This study raises important questions about the mechanisms underpinning water loss in bumble bees and suggests that frequent access to nectar may be especially important for bumble bees' water balance and survival in a warming and drying climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamieson C Botsch
- North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Brookings, SD 57006, USA; Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
| | - Jesse D Daniels
- North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Brookings, SD 57006, USA
| | - Jelena Bujan
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Karl A Roeder
- North Central Agricultural Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Brookings, SD 57006, USA
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4
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Sinclair BJ, Saruhashi S, Terblanche JS. Integrating water balance mechanisms into predictions of insect responses to climate change. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247167. [PMID: 38779934 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247167] [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] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Efficient water balance is key to insect success. However, the hygric environment is changing with climate change; although there are compelling models of thermal vulnerability, water balance is often neglected in predictions. Insects survive desiccating conditions by reducing water loss, increasing their total amount of water (and replenishing it) and increasing their tolerance of dehydration. The physiology underlying these traits is reasonably well understood, as are the sources of variation and phenotypic plasticity. However, water balance and thermal tolerance intersect at high temperatures, such that mortality is sometimes determined by dehydration, rather than heat (especially during long exposures in dry conditions). Furthermore, water balance and thermal tolerance sometimes interact to determine survival. In this Commentary, we propose identifying a threshold where the cause of mortality shifts between dehydration and temperature, and that it should be possible to predict this threshold from trait measurements (and perhaps eventually a priori from physiological or -omic markers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent J Sinclair
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, CanadaN6A 5B7
| | - Stefane Saruhashi
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, CanadaN6A 5B7
| | - John S Terblanche
- Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa
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5
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Vázquez-González C, Castagneyrol B, Muiruri EW, Barbaro L, Abdala-Roberts L, Barsoum N, Fründ J, Glynn C, Jactel H, McShea WJ, Mereu S, Mooney KA, Morillas L, Nock CA, Paquette A, Parker JD, Parker WC, Roales J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schuldt A, Verheyen K, Weih M, Yang B, Koricheva J. Tree diversity enhances predation by birds but not by arthropods across climate gradients. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14427. [PMID: 38698677 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Tree diversity can promote both predator abundance and diversity. However, whether this translates into increased predation and top-down control of herbivores across predator taxonomic groups and contrasting environmental conditions remains unresolved. We used a global network of tree diversity experiments (TreeDivNet) spread across three continents and three biomes to test the effects of tree species richness on predation across varying climatic conditions of temperature and precipitation. We recorded bird and arthropod predation attempts on plasticine caterpillars in monocultures and tree species mixtures. Both tree species richness and temperature increased predation by birds but not by arthropods. Furthermore, the effects of tree species richness on predation were consistent across the studied climatic gradient. Our findings provide evidence that tree diversity strengthens top-down control of insect herbivores by birds, underscoring the need to implement conservation strategies that safeguard tree diversity to sustain ecosystem services provided by natural enemies in forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Vázquez-González
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
- Misión Biológica de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, España
| | | | - Evalyne W Muiruri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, UK
| | - Luc Barbaro
- Dynafor, INRAE-INPT, University of Toulouse, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Luis Abdala-Roberts
- Departamento de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Nadia Barsoum
- Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey, UK
| | - Jochen Fründ
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Animal Network Ecology, Department of Biology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Carolyn Glynn
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hervé Jactel
- BIOGECO, University of Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux, France
| | - William J McShea
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, Virginia, USA
| | - Simone Mereu
- Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council of Italy, Sassari, Italy
| | - Kailen A Mooney
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Lourdes Morillas
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Sevilla, C/ Professor García González s/n, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Charles A Nock
- College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Alain Paquette
- Center for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - John D Parker
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Front Royal, Maryland, USA
| | - William C Parker
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
| | - Javier Roales
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Ctra, Seville, Spain
| | | | - Andreas Schuldt
- Forest Nature Conservation, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Martin Weih
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Bo Yang
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Biodiversity, Jingdezhen University, Jingdezhen, China
| | - Julia Koricheva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, UK
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6
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Chakraborty S, Zigmond E, Shah S, Sylla M, Akorli J, Otoo S, Rose NH, McBride CS, Armbruster PA, Benoit JB. Thermal tolerance of mosquito eggs is associated with urban adaptation and human interactions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586322. [PMID: 38585904 PMCID: PMC10996485 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to profoundly affect mosquito distributions and their ability to serve as vectors for disease, specifically with the anticipated increase in heat waves. The rising temperature and frequent heat waves can accelerate mosquito life cycles, facilitating higher disease transmission. Conversely, higher temperatures could increase mosquito mortality as a negative consequence. Warmer temperatures are associated with increased human density, suggesting a need for anthropophilic mosquitoes to adapt to be more hardy to heat stress. Mosquito eggs provide an opportunity to study the biological impact of climate warming as this stage is stationary and must tolerate temperatures at the site of female oviposition. As such, egg thermotolerance is critical for survival in a specific habitat. In nature, Aedes mosquitoes exhibit different behavioral phenotypes, where specific populations prefer depositing eggs in tree holes and prefer feeding non-human vertebrates. In contrast, others, particularly human-biting specialists, favor laying eggs in artificial containers near human dwellings. This study examined the thermotolerance of eggs, along with adult stages, for Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus lineages associated with known ancestry and shifts in their relationship with humans. Mosquitoes collected from areas with higher human population density, displaying increased human preference, and having a human-associated ancestry profile have increased egg viability following high-temperature stress. Unlike eggs, thermal tolerance among adults showed no significant correlation based on the area of collection or human-associated ancestry. This study highlights that the egg stage is likely critical to mosquito survival when associated with humans and needs to be accounted when predicting future mosquito distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221
| | - Emily Zigmond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221
| | - Sher Shah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221
| | - Massamba Sylla
- Laboratory Vectors & Parasites, Department of Livestock Sciences and Techniques, Sine Saloum University El Hadji Ibrahima NIASS (SSUEIN) Kaffrine Campus
| | - Jewelna Akorli
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Sampson Otoo
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Noah H Rose
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Department of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Carolyn S McBride
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | | | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45221
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7
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Belitz MW, Sawyer A, Hendrick LK, Kawahara AY, Guralnick RP. Substantial urbanization-driven declines of larval and adult moths in a subtropical environment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17241. [PMID: 38525809 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Recent work has shown the decline of insect abundance, diversity and biomass, with potential implications for ecosystem services. These declines are especially pronounced in regions with high human activity, and urbanization is emerging as a significant contributing factor. However, the scale of these declines and the traits that determine variation in species-specific responses remain less well understood, especially in subtropical and tropical regions, where insect diversity is high and urban footprints are rapidly expanding. Here, we surveyed moths across an entire year in protected forested sites across an urbanization gradient to test how caterpillar and adult life stages of subtropical moths (Lepidoptera) are impacted by urbanization. Specifically, we assess how urban development affects the total biomass of caterpillars, abundance of adult moths and quantify how richness and phylogenetic diversity of macro-moths are impacted by urban development. Additionally, we explore how life-history traits condition species' responses to urban development. At the community level, we find that urban development decreases caterpillar biomass and adult moth abundance. We also find sharp declines of adult macro-moths in response to urban development across the phylogeny, leading to a decrease in species richness and phylogenetic diversity in more urban sites. Finally, our study found that smaller macro-moths are less impacted by urban development than larger macro-moths in subtropical environments, perhaps highlighting the tradeoffs of metabolic costs of urban heat favoring smaller moths over the relative benefits of dispersal for larger moths. In summary, our research underscores the far-reaching consequences of urbanization on moths and provides compelling evidence that urban forests alone may not be sufficient to safeguard biodiversity in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Belitz
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Asia Sawyer
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Lillian K Hendrick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Robert P Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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8
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Sterling-Montealegre RA, Prada CF. Variability and evolution of gene order rearrangement in mitochondrial genomes of arthropods (except Hexapoda). Gene 2024; 892:147906. [PMID: 37844850 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.147906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
In the species-rich Phylum Arthropoda, the mitochondrial genome is relatively well conserved both in terms of number and order of genes. However, specific clades have a 'typical' gene order that differs from the putative arthropod ancestral arrangement. The aim of this work was to compare the rate of mitochondrial gene rearrangements at inter- and intra-taxonomic levels in the Arthropoda and to postulate the most parsimonious ancestral orders representing the four major arthropod lineages. For this purpose, we performed a comparative genomic analysis of arthropod mitochondrial genomes available in the NCBI database. Using a combination of bioinformatics methods that examined mitochondrial gene rearrangements in 464 species of arthropods from three subphyla (Chelicerata, Myriapoda, and Crustacea [except Hexapoda, previously analyzed]), we observed differences in the rate of rearrangement within major lineages. A higher rate of mitochondrial genome rearrangement was observed in Crustacea and Chelicerata compared to Myriapoda. Likewise, early branching clades exhibit less variability in mitochondrial genome order than late branching clades, within each subphylum. We identified 'hot regions' in the mitochondrial genome of each studied subphylum, and postulated the most likely ancestral gene order in each subphylum and taxonomic order. Our work provides new evidence on the evolutionary dynamics of mitochondrial genome gene order in arthropods and new mitochondrial genome architectures in different taxonomic divisions within each major lineage of arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Fernando Prada
- Grupo de Investigación de Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Colombia.
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9
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Abu AEI, Becker M, Accoti A, Sylla M, Dickson LB. Low humidity enhances Zika virus infection and dissemination in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.17.576075. [PMID: 38293131 PMCID: PMC10827182 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.17.576075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
As climate change alters Earth's biomes, it is expected the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne viruses will change. While the effects of temperature changes on mosquito-virus interactions and spread of the pathogens have been elucidated over the last decade, the effects of relative humidity changes are still relatively unknown. To overcome this knowledge gap, we exposed Ae. aegypti females to various low humidity conditions and measured different components of vectorial capacity such as survival, blood-feeding rates, and changes in infection and dissemination of Zika virus. Survival decreased as the humidity level decreased, while infection rates increased as the humidity level decreased. Alternatively, blood feeding rates and dissemination rates peaked at the intermediate humidity level, but returned to the levels of the control at the lowest humidity treatment. These results provide empirical evidence that Ae. aegypti exposure to low humidity can enhance Zika virus infection in the mosquito, which has important implications in predicting how climate change will impact mosquito-borne viruses.
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10
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Manzano-Alvarez J, Terradas G, Holmes CJ, Benoit JB, Rasgon JL. Dehydration stress and Mayaro virus vector competence in Aedes aegypti. J Virol 2023; 97:e0069523. [PMID: 38051046 PMCID: PMC10734514 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00695-23] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Relative humidity (RH) is an environmental variable that affects mosquito physiology and can impact pathogen transmission. Low RH can induce dehydration in mosquitoes, leading to alterations in physiological and behavioral responses such as blood-feeding and host-seeking behavior. We evaluated the effects of a temporal drop in RH (RH shock) on mortality and Mayaro virus vector competence in Ae. aegypti. While dehydration induced by humidity shock did not impact virus infection, we detected a significant effect of dehydration on mosquito mortality and blood-feeding frequency, which could significantly impact transmission dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Manzano-Alvarez
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Universidad El Bosque, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Saneamiento Ecológico, Salud y Medio Ambiente, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gerard Terradas
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jason L. Rasgon
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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11
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Dang YQ, Duan JJ, Li AY. Parasitoid-induced changes in metabolic rate and feeding activity of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): implications for biological control. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22663. [PMID: 38114572 PMCID: PMC10730522 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50147-8] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid-host interactions form the foundation of biological control strategies against many agriculture and forest insect pests. The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a serious invasive pest of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in North America. Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a gregarious, koinobiont endoparasitoid, attacking late (3rd to 4th) instars of EAB larvae, which feed in the live phloem of ash trunks or branches, making serpentine-like galleries filled with larval frass. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that T. planipennisi regulates the host metabolism and feeding activity to optimize its offspring development and fitness. We first compared the respiration rate of parasitized and unparasitized host larvae at different times after parasitism, and then measured feeding activity of both parasitized and unparasitized host larvae inside their feeding galleries. Although parasitized host larvae increased metabolic rate and feeding activity in the first few days of parasitism, T. planipennisi parasitism induced an overall reduction of the metabolic rate and decrease in feeding activity of parasitized host larvae over their development period. In addition, there was a negative relationship between feeding activity of parasitized hosts and brood sizes of the parasitoid progeny-i.e., the more parasitoid progeny a host larva received, the less feeding activity the host had. These findings suggest that T. planipennisi has limited ability to optimize its offspring development and fitness through regulations of the host metabolism and feeding activity and its parasitism reduces feeding damage of parasitized EAB larvae to infested ash trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Qiao Dang
- Agriculture Research Service, Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Newark, DE, 19713, USA
- Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China
| | - Jian J Duan
- Agriculture Research Service, Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.
| | - Andrew Y Li
- Agriculture Research Service, Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
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12
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Ajayi OM, Wynne NE, Chen SC, Vinauger C, Benoit JB. Sleep: An Essential and Understudied Process in the Biology of Blood-Feeding Arthropods. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:530-547. [PMID: 37429615 PMCID: PMC10503478 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the biology of blood-feeding arthropods is critical to managing them as vectors of etiological agents. Circadian rhythms act in the regulation of behavioral and physiological aspects such as blood feeding, immunity, and reproduction. However, the impact of sleep on these processes has been largely ignored in blood-feeding arthropods, but recent studies in mosquitoes show that sleep-like states directly impact host landing and blood feeding. Our focus in this review is on discussing the relationship between sleep and circadian rhythms in blood-feeding arthropods along with how unique aspects such as blood gluttony and dormancy can impact sleep-like states. We highlight that sleep-like states are likely to have profound impacts on vector-host interactions but will vary between lineages even though few direct studies have been conducted. A myriad of factors, such as artificial light, could directly impact the time and levels of sleep in blood-feeding arthropods and their roles as vectors. Lastly, we discuss underlying factors that make sleep studies in blood-feeding arthropods difficult and how these can be bypassed. As sleep is a critical factor in the fitness of animal systems, a lack of focus on sleep in blood-feeding arthropods represents a significant oversight in understanding their behavior and its role in pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun M Ajayi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Nicole E Wynne
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Shyh-Chi Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Clément Vinauger
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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