1
|
Arad M, Ku K, Frey C, Hare R, McAfee A, Ghafourifar G, Foster LJ. What proteomics has taught us about honey bee (Apis mellifera) health and disease. Proteomics 2024:e2400075. [PMID: 38896501 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202400075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is currently navigating a gauntlet of environmental pressures, including the persistent threat of parasites, pathogens, and climate change - all of which compromise the vitality of honey bee colonies. The repercussions of their declining health extend beyond the immediate concerns of apiarists, potentially imposing economic burdens on society through diminished agricultural productivity. Hence, there is an imperative to devise innovative monitoring techniques for assessing the health of honey bee populations. Proteomics, recognized for its proficiency in biomarker identification and protein-protein interactions, is poised to play a pivotal role in this regard. It offers a promising avenue for monitoring and enhancing the resilience of honey bee colonies, thereby contributing to the stability of global food supplies. This review delves into the recent proteomic studies of A. mellifera, highlighting specific proteins of interest and envisioning the potential of proteomics to improve sustainable beekeeping practices amidst the challenges of a changing planet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maor Arad
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kenneth Ku
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Connor Frey
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rhien Hare
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Alison McAfee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Golfam Ghafourifar
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Leonard J Foster
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Taylor LN, Dolezal AG. The effect of Israeli acute paralysis virus infection on honey bee brood care behavior. Sci Rep 2024; 14:991. [PMID: 38200122 PMCID: PMC10781695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
To protect themselves from communicable diseases, social insects utilize social immunity-behavioral, physiological, and organizational means to combat disease transmission and severity. Within a honey bee colony, larvae are visited thousands of times by nurse bees, representing a prime environment for pathogen transmission. We investigated a potential social immune response to Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) infection in brood care, testing the hypotheses that bees will respond with behaviors that result in reduced brood care, or that infection results in elevated brood care as a virus-driven mechanism to increase transmission. We tested for group-level effects by comparing three different social environments in which 0%, 50%, or 100% of nurse bees were experimentally infected with IAPV. We investigated individual-level effects by comparing exposed bees to unexposed bees within the mixed-exposure treatment group. We found no evidence for a social immune response at the group level; however, individually, exposed bees interacted with the larva more frequently than their unexposed nestmates. While this could increase virus transmission from adults to larvae, it could also represent a hygienic response to increase grooming when an infection is detected. Together, our findings underline the complexity of disease dynamics in complex social animal systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lincoln N Taylor
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| | - Adam G Dolezal
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Smutin D, Taldaev A, Lebedev E, Adonin L. Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals Minor Micro" bee"omes Diversity Defining Differences between Larvae and Pupae Brood Combs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:741. [PMID: 38255816 PMCID: PMC10815634 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020741] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bees represent not only a valuable asset in agriculture, but also serve as a model organism within contemporary microbiology. The metagenomic composition of the bee superorganism has been substantially characterized. Nevertheless, traditional cultural methods served as the approach to studying brood combs in the past. Indeed, the comb microbiome may contribute to determining larval caste differentiation and hive immunity. To further this understanding, we conducted a shotgun sequencing analysis of the brood comb microbiome. While we found certain similarities regarding species diversity, it exhibits significant differentiation from all previously described hive metagenomes. Many microbiome members maintain a relatively constant ratio, yet taxa with the highest abundance level tend to be ephemeral. More than 90% of classified metagenomes were Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria genetic signatures. Jaccard dissimilarity between samples based on bacteria genus classifications hesitate from 0.63 to 0.77, which for shotgun sequencing indicates a high consistency in bacterial composition. Concurrently, we identified antagonistic relationships between certain bacterial clusters. The presence of genes related to antibiotic synthesis and antibiotic resistance suggests potential mechanisms underlying the stability of comb microbiomes. Differences between pupal and larval combs emerge in the total metagenome, while taxa with the highest abundance remained consistent. All this suggests that a key role in the functioning of the comb microbiome is played by minor biodiversity, the function of which remains to be established experimentally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniil Smutin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Faculty of Information Technology and Programming, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Amir Taldaev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | - Egor Lebedev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Leonid Adonin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lima WG, Brito JCM, Verly RM, de Lima ME. Jelleine, a Family of Peptides Isolated from the Royal Jelly of the Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera), as a Promising Prototype for New Medicines: A Narrative Review. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:24. [PMID: 38251241 PMCID: PMC10819630 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010024] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The jelleine family is a group of four peptides (jelleines I-IV) originally isolated from the royal jelly of honey bee (Apis mellifera), but later detected in some honey samples. These oligopeptides are composed of 8-9 amino acid residues, positively charged (+2 to +3 at pH 7.2), including 38-50% of hydrophobic residues and a carboxamide C-terminus. Jelleines, generated by processing of the C-terminal region of major royal jelly proteins 1 (MRJP-1), play an important biological role in royal jelly conservation as well as in protecting bee larvae from potential pathogens. Therefore, these molecules present numerous benefits for human health, including therapeutic purposes as shown in preclinical studies. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the biological effects of jelleines in addition to characterising their toxicities and stabilities. Jelleines I-III have promising antimicrobial activity and low toxicity (LD50 > 1000 mg/Kg). However, jelleine-IV has not shown relevant biological potential. Jelleine-I, but not the other analogues, also has antiparasitic, healing, and pro-coagulant activities in addition to indirectly modulating tumor cell growth and controlling the inflammatory process. Although it is sensitive to hydrolysis by proteases, the addition of halogens increases the chemical stability of these molecules. Thus, these results suggest that jelleines, especially jelleine-I, are a potential target for the development of new, effective and safe therapeutic molecules for clinical use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Gustavo Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Medicina e Biomedicina, Faculdade de Saúde da Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Avenida dos Andradas, 2688, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte 30110-005, MG, Brazil;
| | - Julio Cesar Moreira Brito
- Fundação Ezequiel Dias (FUNED), Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 8, Gameleira, Belo Horizonte 30510-010, MG, Brazil;
| | - Rodrigo Moreira Verly
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Rodovia MGT 367, 5000, Auto da Jacuba, Diamantina 39100-000, MG, Brazil;
| | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Medicina e Biomedicina, Faculdade de Saúde da Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Avenida dos Andradas, 2688, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte 30110-005, MG, Brazil;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sukkar D, Kanso A, Laval-Gilly P, Falla-Angel J. A clash on the Toll pathway: competitive action between pesticides and zymosan A on components of innate immunity in Apis mellifera. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1247582. [PMID: 37753094 PMCID: PMC10518393 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1247582] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The immune system of honeybees includes multiple pathways that may be affected by pesticide exposure decreasing the immune competencies of bees and increasing their susceptibility to diseases like the fungal Nosema spp. infection, which is detected in collapsed colonies. Methods To better understand the effect of the co-presence of multiple pesticides that interact with bees like imidacloprid and amitraz, we evaluated the expression of immune-related genes in honeybee hemocytes. Results Imidacloprid, amitraz, and the immune activator, zymosan A, mainly affect the gene expression in the Toll pathway. Discussion Imidacloprid, amitraz, and zymosan A have a synergistic or an antagonistic relationship on gene expression depending on the level of immune signaling. The presence of multiple risk factors like pesticides and pathogens requires the assessment of their complex interaction, which has differential effects on the innate immunity of honeybees as seen in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dani Sukkar
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LSE, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | - Ali Kanso
- Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences I, Lebanese University, Hadath, Lebanon
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kim YH, Kim BY, Choi YS, Lee KS, Jin BR. Ingestion of heat-killed pathogens confers transgenerational immunity to the pathogens via the vitellogenin-hypopharyngeal gland axis in honeybees. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 144:104709. [PMID: 37031709 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2023.104709] [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: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Honeybee diseases are a serious threat to beekeeping and pollination. Transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) has been attracting increasing attention as a promising strategy to protect honeybee colonies from infections. This study investigated whether feeding honeybees (Apis mellifera) with a heat-killed pathogen cocktail can provide them with transgenerational immunity to these pathogens. We found that vitellogenin (Vg) and defensin-1 were highly upregulated in nurse bees upon feeding them with a cocktail of heat-killed Ascosphaera apis and Paenibacillus larvae (A + P cocktail). Pathogen-pattern-recognition receptor genes in the Toll signaling pathway were upregulated in nurse bees upon ingestion of the A + P cocktail. In the nurse bees of the hives supplied with the A + P cocktail, Vg was upregulated in the fat body, and the defensin-1 expression and Vg uptake in the hypopharyngeal glands were induced. Consequently, the major proteins in royal jelly were upregulated. In addition, defensin-1 was upregulated in the queen larvae and young worker larvae in these hives. In correlation, the young worker larvae showed high pathogen resistance to P. larvae infection. Thus, our findings imply that introduction of a heat-killed pathogen cocktail into hives is an efficient strategy for conferring honeybees with social immunity through TGIP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun Hui Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Yeon Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Wanju, 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Sik Lee
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, Republic of Korea.
| | - Byung Rae Jin
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan, 49315, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Durand T, Bonjour-Dalmon A, Dubois E. Viral Co-Infections and Antiviral Immunity in Honey Bees. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051217. [PMID: 37243302 DOI: 10.3390/v15051217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, honey bees have been facing an increasing number of stressors. Beyond individual stress factors, the synergies between them have been identified as a key factor in the observed increase in colony mortality. However, these interactions are numerous and complex and call for further research. Here, in line with our need for a systemic understanding of the threats that they pose to bee health, we review the interactions between honey bee viruses. As viruses are obligate parasites, the interactions between them not only depend on the viruses themselves but also on the immune responses of honey bees. Thus, we first summarise our current knowledge of the antiviral immunity of honey bees. We then review the interactions between specific pathogenic viruses and their interactions with their host. Finally, we draw hypotheses from the current literature and suggest directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Durand
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Anne Bonjour-Dalmon
- National Research Institute for Agriculture Food and Environement, INRAE, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement, Site Agroparc, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Eric Dubois
- French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, ANSES, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Micro"bee"ota: Honey Bee Normal Microbiota as a Part of Superorganism. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122359. [PMID: 36557612 PMCID: PMC9785237 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees are model organisms for microbiota research. Gut microbiomes are very interesting for surveys due to their simple structure and relationship with hive production. Long-term studies reveal the gut microbiota patterns of various hive members, as well as the functions, sources, and interactions of the majority of its bacteria. But the fungal non-pathogenic part of gut microbiota is almost unexplored, likewise some other related microbiota. Honey bees, as superorganisms, interact with their own microorganisms, the microbial communities of food stores, hive surfaces, and other environments. Understanding microbiota diversity, its transition ways, and hive niche colonization control are necessary for understanding any separate microbiota niche because of their interplay. The long coevolution of bees with the microorganisms populating these niches makes these systems co-dependent, integrated, and stable. Interaction with the environment, hive, and other bees determines caste lifestyle as well as individual microbiota. In this article, we bring together studies on the microbiota of the western honey bee. We show a possible relationship between caste determination and microbiota composition. And what is primary: caste differentiation or microbiota composition?
Collapse
|
9
|
Dickel F, Bos NMP, Hughes H, Martín-Hernández R, Higes M, Kleiser A, Freitak D. The oral vaccination with Paenibacillus larvae bacterin can decrease susceptibility to American Foulbrood infection in honey bees—A safety and efficacy study. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:946237. [PMID: 36325099 PMCID: PMC9618583 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.946237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollination services to increase crop production are becoming more and more important, as we are facing both climate change and a growing world population. Both are predicted to impact food security worldwide. High-density, commercial beekeeping has become a key link in the food supply chain, and diseases have become a central issue in hive losses around the world. American Foulbrood (AFB) disease is a highly contagious bacterial brood disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera), leading to hive losses worldwide. The causative agent is the Gram+ bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, which is able to infect honey bee larvae during the first 3 days of their lives. It can be found in hives around the world with viable spores for decades. Antibiotics are largely ineffective in treating the disease as they are only efficient against the vegetative state. Once a hive shows the clinical manifestation of the disease, the only effective way to eradicate it and prevent the spread of the disease is by burning the hive, the equipment, and the colony. Because of its virulent nature and detrimental effects on honey bee colonies, AFB is classified as a notifiable disease worldwide. Effective, safe, and sustainable methods are needed to ensure the wellbeing of honey bee colonies. Even though insects lack antibodies, which are the main requisites for trans-generational immune priming (TGIP), they can prime their offspring against persisting pathogens. Here, we demonstrate an increased survival of infected honey bee larvae after their queen was vaccinated, compared to offspring of control queens (placebo vaccinated). These results indicate that TGIP in insects can be used to majorly enhance colony health, protect commercial pollinators from deadly diseases, and reduce high financial and material losses to beekeepers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Dickel
- Institute of Biology, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria
- Dalan Animal Health, Inc., Ojai, CA, United States
| | | | - Huw Hughes
- Echo Veterinary Consulting, Saint-Hippolyte, QC, Canada
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | | | - Dalial Freitak
- Institute of Biology, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria
- Dalan Animal Health, Inc., Ojai, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Dalial Freitak
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ma C, Ahmat B, Li J. Effect of queen cell numbers on royal jelly production and quality. Curr Res Food Sci 2022; 5:1818-1825. [PMID: 36254242 PMCID: PMC9568691 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Royal jelly (RJ) is a popular functional food with a wealth of health-promoting effects. Over 90% of the global RJ is produced in China mainly by a high RJ-producing honeybee (RJB) strain that can accept and feed a great number of queen larvae for RJ production. To elucidate RJ changes due to queen cell numbers (QCNs), we compared the yield, larval acceptance rate, metabolic and proteomic profiles, and antioxidant activities of RJ from 1 to 5 strips of queen cells (64 per strip) in RJB colonies. As QCNs increased, the larval acceptance rate was not found to vary (p = 0.269) whereas the RJ weight per cell began to significantly decline in the 5-strip colonies (p < 0.05). Increased QCNs had a profound impact on RJ metabolic profiles and mainly reduced fatty acid levels. Remarkably, the 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) content, a most important indicator of RJ quality, declined gradually from 2.01% in the 1-strip colonies to 1.52% in the 5-strip colonies (p < 0.001). RJ proteomic profiles were minimally altered and antioxidant activities were not significantly changed by QCNs. Collectively, the metabolomics and proteomics data and the antioxidant activity test represent a global evaluation of the quality of RJ produced with different QCNs. Our findings gain new insights into higher-quality RJ production using the high-yielding RJBs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jianke Li
- Corresponding author. No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Social microbiota and social gland gene expression of worker honey bees by age and climate. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10690. [PMID: 35739206 PMCID: PMC9226125 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14442-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Winter forage dearth is a major contributor to honey bee colony loss and can influence disease susceptibility. Honey bees possess a secretory head gland that interfaces with the social environment on many levels. During winter or forage dearth, colonies produce a long-lived (diutinus) worker phenotype that survives until environmental conditions improve. We used a known-age worker cohort to investigate microbiome integrity and social gene expression of workers in early and late winter. We provide additional context by contrasting host-microbial interactions from warm outdoor and cold indoor environments. Our results provide novel evidence that social immune gene expression is associated with worker longevity, and highlight the midgut as a target of opportunistic disease during winter. Host microbial interactions suggest opportunistic disease progression and resistance in long-lived workers, but susceptibility to opportunistic disease in younger workers that emerged during the winter, including increases in Enterobacteriaceae, fungal load and non-core bacterial abundance. The results are consistent with increased social immunity, including host associations with the social microbiota, and a social immune response by long-lived workers to combat microbial opportunism. The cost/benefit ratio associated with limited expression of the diutinus phenotype may be a strong determinant of colony survival during winter forage dearth.
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim YH, Kim BY, Kim JM, Choi YS, Lee MY, Lee KS, Jin BR. Differential Expression of Major Royal Jelly Proteins in the Hypopharyngeal Glands of the Honeybee Apis mellifera upon Bacterial Ingestion. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040334. [PMID: 35447776 PMCID: PMC9025693 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) to elicit social immunity in the honeybee Apis mellifera has two axes: the first is the ingested pathogen fragments–vitellogenin (Vg)–queen’s ovary axis for the developing embryo, and the second is the ingested pathogen fragments–Vg–nurse’s hypopharyngeal gland axis for the queen and young larvae through royal jelly. However, the dynamics of the expression of the major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) in the hypopharyngeal glands of A. mellifera nurse bees after bacterial ingestion must be determined to improve our understanding of the second axis of TGIP. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of MRJPs 1–7 and defensin-1 in the hypopharyngeal glands and Vg in the fat body of nurse bees fed with live or heat-killed Paenibacillus larvae over 12 h or 24 h by using northern blot analysis. We found that the expression of MRJPs and defensin-1 in the hypopharyngeal glands and Vg in the fat body was significantly induced in nurse bees upon bacterial ingestion, indicating that the differential expression patterns of MRJPs, defensin-1, and Vg were dependent on the bacterial status and timing of bacterial ingestion. We also found that antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes showed induced expression in young larvae upon bacterial ingestion. In summary, our findings indicate that MRJPs in the hypopharyngeal glands are upregulated along with Vg in the fat body of nurse bees upon bacterial ingestion, providing novel insights into the ingested pathogen fragments–Vg–nurse’s hypopharyngeal gland axis for TGIP. Abstract Honeybee vitellogenin (Vg) transports pathogen fragments from the gut to the hypopharyngeal glands and is also used by nurse bees to synthesize royal jelly (RJ), which serves as a vehicle for transferring pathogen fragments to the queen and young larvae. The proteomic profile of RJ from bacterial-challenged and control colonies was compared using mass spectrometry; however, the expression changes of major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs) in hypopharyngeal glands of the honeybee Apis mellifera in response to bacterial ingestion is not well-characterized. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of Vg in the fat body and MRJPs 1–7 in the hypopharyngeal glands of nurse bees after feeding them live or heat-killed Paenibacillus larvae. The expression levels of MRJPs and defensin-1 in the hypopharyngeal glands were upregulated along with Vg in the fat body of nurse bees fed with live or heat-killed P. larvae over 12 h or 24 h. We observed that the expression patterns of MRJPs and defensin-1 in the hypopharyngeal glands and Vg in the fat body of nurse bees upon bacterial ingestion were differentially expressed depending on the bacterial status and the time since bacterial ingestion. In addition, the AMP genes had increased expression in young larvae fed heat-killed P. larvae. Thus, our findings indicate that bacterial ingestion upregulates the transcriptional expression of MRJPs in the hypopharyngeal glands as well as Vg in the fat body of A. mellifera nurse bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Hui Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea; (Y.-H.K.); (B.-Y.K.); (J.-M.K.)
| | - Bo-Yeon Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea; (Y.-H.K.); (B.-Y.K.); (J.-M.K.)
| | - Jin-Myung Kim
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea; (Y.-H.K.); (B.-Y.K.); (J.-M.K.)
| | - Yong-Soo Choi
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Korea; (Y.-S.C.); (M.-Y.L.)
| | - Man-Young Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biology, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Wanju 55365, Korea; (Y.-S.C.); (M.-Y.L.)
| | - Kwang-Sik Lee
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea; (Y.-H.K.); (B.-Y.K.); (J.-M.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.-S.L.); (B.-R.J.)
| | - Byung-Rae Jin
- College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Dong-A University, Busan 49315, Korea; (Y.-H.K.); (B.-Y.K.); (J.-M.K.)
- Correspondence: (K.-S.L.); (B.-R.J.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Casillas-Pérez B, Pull CD, Naiser F, Naderlinger E, Matas J, Cremer S. Early queen infection shapes developmental dynamics and induces long-term disease protection in incipient ant colonies. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:89-100. [PMID: 34725912 PMCID: PMC9298059 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Infections early in life can have enduring effects on an organism's development and immunity. In this study, we show that this equally applies to developing 'superorganisms'--incipient social insect colonies. When we exposed newly mated Lasius niger ant queens to a low pathogen dose, their colonies grew more slowly than controls before winter, but reached similar sizes afterwards. Independent of exposure, queen hibernation survival improved when the ratio of pupae to workers was small. Queens that reared fewer pupae before worker emergence exhibited lower pathogen levels, indicating that high brood rearing efforts interfere with the ability of the queen's immune system to suppress pathogen proliferation. Early-life queen pathogen exposure also improved the immunocompetence of her worker offspring, as demonstrated by challenging the workers to the same pathogen a year later. Transgenerational transfer of the queen's pathogen experience to her workforce can hence durably reduce the disease susceptibility of the whole superorganism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher D Pull
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Filip Naiser
- Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jiri Matas
- Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- IST Austria (Institute of Science and Technology Austria), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Vilcinskas A. Mechanisms of transgenerational immune priming in insects. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 124:104205. [PMID: 34260954 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2021.104205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Parents invest in their offspring by preparing them for defense against pathogens and parasites that only the parents have encountered, a phenomenon known as transgenerational immune priming (TGIP). The priming effect can be passed maternally or paternally to the next generation, thus increasing the survival of offspring exposed to the same pathogen. The scope of the resulting immune response can be narrow (primarily targeting the triggering pathogen) or much more general, depending on the underlying mechanism. Maternal TGIP is often narrowly focused because the major mechanism is the transfer of microbes or fragments thereof, encountered by mothers at the larval stage, to the developing eggs along with the uptake of lipophorins and vitellogenins. This induces the expression of zygotic defense genes, including those encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), comparable to the defenses observed in the larvae and adults. Maternal TGIP does not appear to involve the direct vertical transmission of immunity-related effectors such as AMPs (or the corresponding mRNAs) to the eggs. Parental investment in offspring is also mediated by epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation and microRNA expression, which can be imprinted on the gametes by either parent without changes in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic inheritance is the only known mechanism of paternal TGIP, and results in a more general fortification of the immune response. This review considers the mechanistic basis of TGIP, its role in evolutionary processes such as the establishment of resistance against pathogens, and the impact of pathogens and parasites on the epigenetic machinery of host insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Vilcinskas
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany; Branch Bioresources of the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebergsweg 12, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kang I, Kim W, Lim JY, Lee Y, Shin C. Organ-specific transcriptome analysis reveals differential gene expression in different castes under natural conditions in Apis cerana. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11267. [PMID: 34050219 PMCID: PMC8163739 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90635-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Honeybees are one of the most environmentally important insects, as their pollination of various plant species contributes to the balance among different ecosystems. It has been studied extensively for their unique attribute of forming a caste society. Unlike other insects, honeybees communicate socially by secreting pheromones or by exhibiting specific patterns of motion. In the honeybee industry, the Asian honeybees (Apis cerana) and the Western honeybees (Apis mellifera) are dominant species. However, molecular research on the transcriptomes of A. cerana has not been studied as extensively as those of A. mellifera. Therefore, in this study, caste-specific transcriptional differences were analyzed, which provides a comprehensive analysis of A. cerana. In our dataset, we analyzed gene expression profiles using organs from worker, drone, and queen bees. This gene-expression profile helped us obtain more detailed information related to organ-specific genes, immune response, detoxification mechanisms, venom-specific genes, and ovary development. From our result, we found 4096 transcripts representing different gene-expression pattern in each organ. Our results suggest that caste-specific transcripts of each organ were expressed differently even under natural conditions. These transcriptome-wide analyses provide new insights into A. cerana and that promote honeybee research and conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igojo Kang
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Woojin Kim
- grid.411545.00000 0004 0470 4320Department of Agricultural Biology, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896 Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yun Lim
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Lee
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Applied Biology and Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Chanseok Shin
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|