The immune cellular effectors of terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare: meeting with their invaders, Wolbachia

Deleterious effects of Wolbachia on life history and physiological traits of common pill woodlice

Most of eukaryotic organisms live in close interaction with micro-organisms called symbionts. Symbiotic interactions underpin the evolution of biological complexity, the health of organisms and, ultimately, the proper functioning of ecosystems. While some symbionts confer adaptive benefits on their host (mutualistic symbionts) and others clearly induce costs (parasitic symbionts), a number of micro-organisms are difficult to classify because they have been described as conferring both benefits and costs on their host. This is particularly true of the most widespread animal endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis. In this study, we investigated the influence of Wolbachia infection on a broad spectrum of ecological and physiological parameters of one of its native hosts, Armadillidium vulgare. The aim was to gain as complete a picture as possible of the influence of this endosymbiont on its host. Our results showed that the presence of Wolbachia resulted in a decrease in individual reproductive success and survival. Host immune cells density decreased and β-galactosidase activity (ageing biomarker) increased with the presence of Wolbachia, suggesting a negative impact of this endosymbiont on woodlice health. While previous studies have shown that Wolbachia can have a positive impact on the immunocompetence of A. vulgare, here we shed more light on the costs of infection. Our results illustrate the complex dynamics that exist between Wolbachia and its arthropod host and therefore offer valuable insights into the intricate interplay of symbiotic relationships in ecological systems.

Immune priming in Armadillidiumvulgare against Salmonellaenterica: direct or indirect costs on life history traits?

Invertebrate immune priming is defined as an enhanced protection against secondary pathogenic infections when individuals have been previously exposed to the same or a different pathogen. Immune priming can be energetically costly for individuals, thus impacting trade-offs between life-history traits, like reproduction, growth, and lifetime. Here, the reproductive cost(s) and senescence patterns of immune priming against S.enterica in the common woodlouse A.vulgare (Crustacea, Isopoda) were investigated. Four different groups of females were used that either (1) have never been injected (control), (2) were injected twice with S.enterica (7 days between infections), (3) were firstly injected with LB-broth, then with S.enterica, and (4) females injected only once with S.enterica. All females were allowed to breed with one non-infected male and were observed for eight months. Then, the number of clutches produced, the time taken to produce the clutch(es), the number of offspring in each clutch, the senescence biomarkers of females, and parameters of their haemocytes were compared. The result was that immune priming did not significantly impact reproductive abilities, senescence patterns, and haemocyte parameters of female A.vulgare, but had an indirect effect through body weight. The lighter immune primed females took less time to produce the first clutch, which contained less offspring, but they were more likely to produce a second clutch. The opposite effects were observed in the heavier immune primed females. By highlighting that immune priming was not as costly as expected in A.vulgare, these results provide new insights into the adaptive nature of this immune process.

Time-Course of the Innate Immune Response of the Terrestrial Crustacean Porcellio scaber After Injection of a Single Dose of Lipopolysaccharide

Invertebrates, including crustaceans, rely on cellular and humoral immune responses to protect against extrinsic and intrinsic factors that threaten their integrity. Recently, different immune parameters have been increasingly used as biomarkers of effects of pollutants and environmental change. Here, we describe the dynamics of the innate immune response of the terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber to injection of a single dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an important molecular surface component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The aim was to provide a basis for interpretation of change in immune parameters as a result of different challenges, including microplastics and nanoplastics exposure. Changes in total and differential numbers of hemocytes, hemocyte viability, and humoral immune parameters (i.e., phenoloxidase-like activity, nitric oxide levels) were assessed at different times (3, 6, 12, 24, 48 h). An injection of 0.5 μg/μL LPS into the body of P. scaber resulted in a rapid decrease (3 h after LPS injection) in the total number of hemocytes and reduced viability of the hemocytes. This was accompanied by changed proportions of the different hemocyte types, as a decrease in the numbers of semigranulocytes and granulocytes, and a marked increase in the numbers of hyalinocytes. In addition, phenoloxidase-like activity and nitric oxide levels in the hemolymph were increased at 3 h and 6 h, respectively, after the LPS challenge. Forty-eight hours after LPS injection, the immune parameters in the hemolymph of P. scaber had returned to those before the LPS challenge. This suggests that the innate immune system successfully protected P. scaber from the deleterious effects of the LPS challenge. These data indicate the need to consider the dynamics of innate immune responses of P. scaber when effects of infections, pollutants, or environmental changes are studied. We also propose an approach to test the immunocompetence of organisms after different challenges in ecotoxicity studies, based on the dynamics of their immune responses.

Stem Cells and Innate Immunity in Aquatic Invertebrates: Bridging Two Seemingly Disparate Disciplines for New Discoveries in Biology

The scopes related to the interplay between stem cells and the immune system are broad and range from the basic understanding of organism's physiology and ecology to translational studies, further contributing to (eco)toxicology, biotechnology, and medicine as well as regulatory and ethical aspects. Stem cells originate immune cells through hematopoiesis, and the interplay between the two cell types is required in processes like regeneration. In addition, stem and immune cell anomalies directly affect the organism's functions, its ability to cope with environmental changes and, indirectly, its role in ecosystem services. However, stem cells and immune cells continue to be considered parts of two branches of biological research with few interconnections between them. This review aims to bridge these two seemingly disparate disciplines towards much more integrative and transformative approaches with examples deriving mainly from aquatic invertebrates. We discuss the current understanding of cross-disciplinary collaborative and emerging issues, raising novel hypotheses and comments. We also discuss the problems and perspectives of the two disciplines and how to integrate their conceptual frameworks to address basic equations in biology in a new, innovative way.

Microplastics, chlorpyrifos and their mixtures modulate immune processes in the terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber

Microplastics and agrochemicals are common pollutants in terrestrial ecosystems. Their interaction during coexistence in soils may influence their fate and adverse effects on terrestrial organisms. The aim of this study was to investigate how the exposure to two types of microplastics; polyester fibres, and crumb rubber; induce changes in immune parameters of Porcellio scaber and if the co-exposure of microplastics affects the response induced by the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos. A number of immune parameters, such as total haemocyte count, differential haemocyte count, and phenoloxidase-like activity were assessed. In addition, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the haemolymph was evaluated as a measure of the bioavailability of chlorpyrifos. After three weeks of exposure, the most noticeable changes in the measured immune parameters and also a significantly reduced AChE activity were seen in chlorpyrifos-exposed animals. Both types of microplastic at environmentally relevant concentrations caused only slight changes in immune parameters which were not dependent on the type of microplastic, although the two types differed significantly in terms of the chemical complexity of the additives. Mixtures of chlorpyrifos and microplastics induced changes that differed from individual exposures. For example, alterations in some measured parameters suggested a reduced bioavailability of chlorpyrifos (AChE activity, haemocyte viability) caused by both types of microplastics exposure, but the increase of haemocyte count was promoted by the presence of fibres implying their joint action. In conclusion, this study suggests that immune processes in P. scaber are slightly changed upon exposure to both types of microplastics and microplastics can significantly modulate the effects of other co-exposed chemicals. Further research is needed on the short-term and long-term joint effects of microplastics and agrochemicals on the immunity of soil invertebrates.

Cross-Species Comparisons of Nanoparticle Interactions with Innate Immune Systems: A Methodological Review

Many components of the innate immune system are evolutionarily conserved and shared across many living organisms, from plants and invertebrates to humans. Therefore, these shared features can allow the comparative study of potentially dangerous substances, such as engineered nanoparticles (NPs). However, differences of methodology and procedure between diverse species and models make comparison of innate immune responses to NPs between organisms difficult in many cases. To this aim, this review provides an overview of suitable methods and assays that can be used to measure NP immune interactions across species in a multidisciplinary approach. The first part of this review describes the main innate immune defense characteristics of the selected models that can be associated to NPs exposure. In the second part, the different modes of exposure to NPs across models (considering isolated cells or whole organisms) and the main endpoints measured are discussed. In this synergistic perspective, we provide an overview of the current state of important cross-disciplinary immunological models to study NP-immune interactions and identify future research needs. As such, this paper could be used as a methodological reference point for future nano-immunosafety studies.

Stressor-Dependant Changes in Immune Parameters in the Terrestrial Isopod Crustacean, Porcellio scaber: A Focus on Nanomaterials

We compared the changes of selected immune parameters of Porcellio scaber to different stressors. The animals were either fed for two weeks with Au nanoparticles (NPs), CeO2 NPs, or Au ions or body-injected with Au NPs, CeO2 NPs, or lipopolysaccharide endotoxin. Contrary to expectations, the feeding experiment showed that both NPs caused a significant increase in the total haemocyte count (THC). In contrast, the ion-positive control resulted in a significantly decreased THC. Additionally, changes in phenoloxidase (PO)-like activity, haemocyte viability, and nitric oxide (NO) levels seemed to depend on the stressor. Injection experiments also showed stressor-dependant changes in measured parameters, such as CeO2 NPs and lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (LPS), caused more significant responses than Au NPs. These results show that feeding and injection of NPs caused an immune response and that the response differed significantly, depending on the exposure route. We did not expect the response to ingested NPs, due to the low exposure concentrations (100 μg/g dry weight food) and a firm gut epithelia, along with a lack of phagocytosis in the digestive system, which would theoretically prevent NPs from crossing the biological barrier. It remains a challenge for future research to reveal what the physiological and ecological significance is for the organism to sense and respond, via the immune system, to ingested foreign material.

Modulations of immune parameters caused by bacterial and viral infections in the terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber: Implications for potential markers in environmental research

The terrestrial crustacean Porcellio scaber (Crustacea: Isopoda) is an established invertebrate model in environmental research. Preceding research using isopods did not widely use immune markers. In order to advance their use in research, knowledge of the reference values in control animals as well as variations during infections is of importance. This study presents, for the first time, the morphology, and ultrastructure of the three main haemocyte types of Porcellio scaber as semigranulocytes (SGCs), granulocytes (GCs), and hyalinocytes (HCs), with the latter having two subtypes, using various light and electron microscopy approaches. The modulation of selected immune cellular and humoral parameters of P. scaber in symptomatic phases of Rhabdochlamydia porcellionis and Iridovirus IIV-31 infections is presented. A clear difference in the immune responses of bacterial and viral infections was shown. Remarkable changes in total haemocyte count (THC) values and the proportions of three different haemocyte types were found in animals with a viral infection, which were not as significant in bacterially infected animals. Modified NO levels and SOD activity were more pronounced in cases of bacterial infection. Knowledge of the morphological and ultrastructural features of distinct haemocyte types, understanding the baseline values of immune parameters in control animals without evident symptoms of infection, and the influence that infections can have on these parameters can serve as a basis for the further use of P. scaber immune markers in environmental research.

Immune priming depends on age, sex and Wolbachia in the interaction between Armadillidium vulgare and Salmonella

The protection conferred by a first infection upon a second pathogenic exposure (i.e. immune priming) is an emergent research topic in the field of invertebrate immunity. Immune priming has been demonstrated in various species, but little is known about the intrinsic factors that may influence this immune process. In this study, we tested whether age, gender and the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia affect the protection resulting from immune priming in A. vulgare against S. enterica. We firstly primed young and old, symbiotic and asymbiotic males and females, either with a non-lethal low dose of S. enterica, LB broth or without injection (control). Seven days post-injection, we performed a LD₅₀ injection of S. enterica in all individuals and we monitored their survival rates. We demonstrated that survival capacities depend on these three factors: young and old asymbiotic individuals (males and females) expressed immune priming (S. enterica-primed individuals survived better than LB-primed and non-primed), with a general decline in the strength of protection in old females, but not in old males, compared to young. When Wolbachia is present, the immune priming protection was observed in old, but not in young symbiotic individuals, even if the Wolbachia load on entire individuals is equivalent regardless to age. Our overall results showed that the immune priming protection in A. vulgare depends on individuals' states, highlighting the need to consider these factors both in mechanistical and evolutionary studies focusing on invertebrate's immunity.

Addressing Nanomaterial Immunosafety by Evaluating Innate Immunity across Living Species

The interaction of a living organism with external foreign agents is a central issue for its survival and adaptation to the environment. Nanosafety should be considered within this perspective, and it should be examined that how different organisms interact with engineered nanomaterials (NM) by either mounting a defensive response or by physiologically adapting to them. Herein, the interaction of NM with one of the major biological systems deputed to recognition of and response to foreign challenges, i.e., the immune system, is specifically addressed. The main focus is innate immunity, the only type of immunity in plants, invertebrates, and lower vertebrates, and that coexists with adaptive immunity in higher vertebrates. Because of their presence in the majority of eukaryotic living organisms, innate immune responses can be viewed in a comparative context. In the majority of cases, the interaction of NM with living organisms results in innate immune reactions that eliminate the possible danger with mechanisms that do not lead to damage. While in some cases such interaction may lead to pathological consequences, in some other cases beneficial effects can be identified.

Geographic and Temporal Variation of Distinct Intracellular Endosymbiont Strains of Wolbachia sp. in the Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus: a Frequency-Dependent Mechanism?

Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont that can produce a range of effects on host fitness, but the temporal dynamics of Wolbachia strains have rarely been experimentally evaluated. We compare interannual strain frequencies along a geographical region for understanding the forces that shape Wolbachia strain frequency in natural populations of its host, Chorthippus parallelus (Orthoptera, Acrididae). General linear models show that strain frequency changes significantly across geographical and temporal scales. Computer simulation allows to reject the compatibility of the observed patterns with either genetic drift or sampling errors. We use consecutive years to estimate total Wolbachia strain fitness. Our estimation of Wolbachia fitness is significant in most cases, within locality and between consecutive years, following a negatively frequency-dependent trend. Wolbachia spp. B and F strains show a temporal pattern of variation that is compatible with a negative frequency-dependent natural selection mechanism. Our results suggest that such a mechanism should be at least considered in future experimental and theoretical research strategies that attempt to understand Wolbachia biodiversity.

Roll with the fear: environment and state dependence of pill bug (Armadillidium vulgare) personalities

Most studies on animal personality evaluate individual mean behaviour to describe individual behavioural strategy, while often neglecting behavioural variability on the within-individual level. However, within-individual behavioural plasticity (variation induced by environment) and within-individual residual variation (regulatory behavioural precision) are recognized as biologically valid components of individual behaviour, but the evolutionary ecology of these components is still less understood. Here, we tested whether behaviour of common pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) differs on the among- and within-individual level and whether it is affected by various individual specific state-related traits (sex, size and Wolbachia infection). To this aim, we assayed risk-taking in familiar vs. unfamiliar environments 30 times along 38 days and applied double modelling statistical technique to handle the complex hierarchical structure for both individual-specific trait means and variances. We found that there are significant among-individual differences not only in mean risk-taking behaviour but also in environment- and time-induced behavioural plasticity and residual variation. Wolbachia-infected individuals took less risk than healthy conspecifics; in addition, individuals became more risk-averse with time. Residual variation decreased with time, and individuals expressed higher residual variation in the unfamiliar environment. Further, sensitization was stronger in females and in larger individuals in general. Our results suggest that among-individual variation, behavioural plasticity and residual variation are all (i) biologically relevant components of an individual's behavioural strategy and (ii) responsive to changes in environment or labile state variables. We propose pill bugs as promising models for personality research due to the relative ease of getting repeated behavioural measurements.

Phenotypic shift in Wolbachia virulence towards its native host across serial horizontal passages

Vertical transmission mode is predicted to decrease the virulence of symbionts. However, Wolbachia, a widespread vertically transmitted endosymbiont, exhibits both negative and beneficial effects on arthropod fitness. This 'Jekyll and Hyde' behaviour, as well as its ability to live transiently outside host cells and to establish new infections via horizontal transmission, may reflect the capacity of Wolbachia to exhibit various phenotypes depending on the prevailing environmental constraints. To study the ability of Wolbachia to readily cope with new constraints, we forced this endosymbiont to spread only via horizontal transmission. To achieve this, we performed serial horizontal transfers of haemolymph from Wolbachia-infected to naive individuals of the isopod Armadillidium vulgare. Across passages, we observed phenotypic changes in the symbiotic relationship: (i) The Wolbachia titre increased in both haemolymph and nerve cord but remained stable in ovaries; (ii) Wolbachia infection was benign at the beginning of the experiment, but highly virulent, killing most hosts after only a few passages. Such a phenotypic shift after recurrent horizontal passages demonstrates that Wolbachia can rapidly change its virulence when facing new environmental constraints. We thoroughly discuss the potential mechanism(s) underlying this phenotypic change, which are likely to be crucial for the ongoing radiation of Wolbachia in arthropods.

Melanization in response to wounding is ancestral in arthropods and conserved in albino cave species

Many species adapted to aphotic subterranean habitats have lost all body pigmentation. Yet, melanization is an important component of wound healing in arthropods. We amputated appendages in a variety of cave-adapted and surface-dwelling arthropods. A dark clot formed at the site of injury in most species tested, including even albino cave-adapted species. The dark coloration of the clots was due to melanin deposition. The speed of wound melanization was uncorrelated with a difference in metabolic rate between surface and cave populations of an amphipod. The chelicerate Limulus polyphemus, all isopod crustaceans tested, and the cave shrimp Troglocaris anophthalmus did not melanize wounds. The loss of wound melanization in T. anophthalmus was an apomorphy associated with adaptation to subterranean habitats, but in isopods it appeared to be a symplesiomorphy unrelated to colonization of subterranean habitats. We conclude that wound melanization i) is an important part of innate immunity because it was present in all major arthropod lineages, ii) is retained in most albino cave species, and iii) has been lost several times during arthropod evolution, indicating melanization is not an indispensable component of wound healing in arthropods.

The Terrestrial Isopod Microbiome: An All-in-One Toolbox for Animal-Microbe Interactions of Ecological Relevance

Bacterial symbionts represent essential drivers of arthropod ecology and evolution, influencing host traits such as nutrition, reproduction, immunity, and speciation. However, the majority of work on arthropod microbiota has been conducted in insects and more studies in non-model species across different ecological niches will be needed to complete our understanding of host–microbiota interactions. In this review, we present terrestrial isopod crustaceans as an emerging model organism to investigate symbiotic associations with potential relevance to ecosystem functioning. Terrestrial isopods comprise a group of crustaceans that have evolved a terrestrial lifestyle and represent keystone species in terrestrial ecosystems, contributing to the decomposition of organic matter and regulating the microbial food web. Since their nutrition is based on plant detritus, it has long been suspected that bacterial symbionts located in the digestive tissues might play an important role in host nutrition via the provisioning of digestive enzymes, thereby enabling the utilization of recalcitrant food compounds (e.g., cellulose or lignins). If this were the case, then (i) the acquisition of these bacteria might have been an important evolutionary prerequisite for the colonization of land by isopods, and (ii) these bacterial symbionts would directly mediate the role of their hosts in ecosystem functioning. Several bacterial symbionts have indeed been discovered in the midgut caeca of terrestrial isopods and some of them might be specific to this group of animals (i.e., Candidatus Hepatoplasma crinochetorum, Candidatus Hepatincola porcellionum, and Rhabdochlamydia porcellionis), while others are well-known intracellular pathogens (Rickettsiella spp.) or reproductive parasites (Wolbachia sp.). Moreover, a recent investigation of the microbiota in Armadillidium vulgare has revealed that this species harbors a highly diverse bacterial community which varies between host populations, suggesting an important share of environmental microbes in the host-associated microbiota. In this review, we synthesize our current knowledge on the terrestrial isopod microbiome and identify future directions to (i) fully understand the functional roles of particular bacteria (both intracellular or intestinal symbionts and environmental gut passengers), and (ii) whether and how the host-associated microbiota could influence the performance of terrestrial isopods as keystone species in soil ecosystems.

Armadillidin H, a Glycine-Rich Peptide from the Terrestrial Crustacean Armadillidium vulgare, Displays an Unexpected Wide Antimicrobial Spectrum with Membranolytic Activity

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key components of innate immunity and are widespread in nature, from bacteria to vertebrate animals. In crustaceans, there are currently 15 distinct AMP families published so far in the literature, mainly isolated from members of the Decapoda order. Up to now, armadillidin is the sole non-decapod AMP isolated from the haemocytes of Armadillidium vulgare, a crustacean isopod. Its first description demonstrated that armadillidin is a linear glycine-rich (47%) cationic peptide with an antimicrobial activity directed toward Bacillus megaterium. In the present work, we report identification of armadillidin Q, a variant of armadillidin H (earlier known as armadillidin), from crude haemocyte extracts of A. vulgare using LC-MS approach. We demonstrated that both armadillidins displayed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, but were totally inactive against yeasts. Membrane permeabilization assays, only performed with armadillidin H, showed that the peptide is membrane active against bacterial and fungal strains leading to deep changes in cell morphology. This damaging activity visualized by electronic microscopy correlates with a rapid decrease of cell viability leading to highly blebbed cells. In contrast, armadillidin H does not reveal cytotoxicity toward human erythrocytes. Furthermore, no secondary structure could be defined in this study [by circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)] even in a membrane mimicking environment. Therefore, armadillidins represent interesting candidates to gain insight into the biology of glycine-rich AMPs.

The rich somatic life of Wolbachia

Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont infecting most arthropod and some filarial nematode species that is vertically transmitted through the maternal lineage. Due to this primary mechanism of transmission, most studies have focused on Wolbachia interactions with the host germline. However, over the last decade many studies have emerged highlighting the prominence of Wolbachia in somatic tissues, implicating somatic tissue tropism as an important aspect of the life history of this endosymbiont. Here, we review our current understanding of Wolbachia-host interactions at both the cellular and organismal level, with a focus on Wolbachia in somatic tissues.

Crustacean hematopoiesis

Crustacean hemocytes are important mediators of immune reactions, and the regulation of hemocyte homeostasis is of utmost importance for the health of these animals. This review discusses the current knowledge on the lineages, synthesis and differentiation of hemocytes in crustaceans. Hematopoietic tissues, their origins, and the regulation of hematopoiesis during molting, seasonal variation and infection are discussed. Furthermore, studies concerning the molecular regulation of hemocyte formation in crustaceans are also described, and the different lineages and their molecular markers are discussed and compared with several insect species. Signaling pathways and the regulation of hematopoiesis by transcription factors are typically conserved among these arthropods, whereas cytokines and growth factors are more variable and species specific. However, considering the great diversity among the crustaceans, one should be cautious in drawing general conclusions from studies of only a few species.

The Hematopoietic Organ: A Cornerstone for Wolbachia Propagation Between and Within Hosts

Wolbachia is an intracellular α-proteobacterium which is transmitted vertically from mother to offspring but also frequently switches horizontally from one host to another. Our hypothesis is based on the role of immune cells and the organs that produce them, the hematopoietic organs (HOs), as primordial niches for the propagation of Wolbachia via hemocytes both (i) within hosts: to initiate and maintain the systemic infection and (ii) between hosts: to promote both vertical and horizontal transmission of Wolbachia. Therefore, we review some fundamental ideas underlying this hypothesis and go further with new empirical data that lead to a first close-up analysis of the potential role of HOs in Wolbachia propagation. The monitoring of the first steps of Wolbachia infection in horizontally infected host organs by transmission electron microscopy and qPCR suggests that (i) HOs are colonized early and extensively as soon as they are in contact with Wolbachia which find in these cells a favorable niche to multiply and (ii) infected HOs which expel hemocytes all lifelong can generate and maintain a systemic infection that could contribute to increase both vertical and horizontal propagation of these symbionts.

The Mutualistic Side of Wolbachia-Isopod Interactions: Wolbachia Mediated Protection Against Pathogenic Intracellular Bacteria

Wolbachia is a vertically transmitted endosymbiont whose radiative success is mainly related to various host reproductive manipulations that led to consider this symbiont as a conflictual reproductive parasite. However, lately, some Wolbachia have been shown to act as beneficial symbionts by protecting hosts against a broad range of parasites. Still, this protection has been mostly demonstrated in artificial Wolbachia-host associations between partners that did not co-evolved together. Here, we tested in two terrestrial isopod species Armadillidium vulgare and Porcellio dilatatus whether resident Wolbachia (native or non-native) could confer protection during infections with Listeria ivanovii and Salmonella typhimurium and also during a transinfection with a Wolbachia strain that kills the recipient host (i.e., wVulC in P. dilatatus). Survival analyses showed that (i) A. vulgare lines hosting their native Wolbachia (wVulC) always exhibited higher survival than asymbiotic ones when infected with pathogenic bacteria (ii) P. dilatatus lines hosting their native wDil Wolbachia strain survived the S. typhimurium infection better, while lines hosting non-native wCon Wolbachia strain survived the L. ivanovii and also the transinfection with wVulC from A. vulgare better. By studying L. ivanovii and S. typhimurium loads in the hemolymph of the different host-Wolbachia systems, we showed that (i) the difference in survival between lines after L. ivanovii infections were not linked to the difference between their pathogenic bacterial loads, and (ii) the difference in survival after S. typhimurium infections corresponds to lower loads of pathogenic bacteria. Overall, our results demonstrate a beneficial effect of Wolbachia on survival of terrestrial isopods when infected with pathogenic intracellular bacteria. This protective effect may rely on different mechanisms depending on the resident symbiont and the invasive bacteria interacting together within the hosts.

Pathogenesis, tissue distribution and host response to Rhabdochlamydia porcellionis infection in rough woodlouse Porcellio scaber

Rhabdochlamydia porcellionis is a known intracellular pathogen in digestive glands of the terrestrial isopod crustacean Porcellio scaber. To describe the pathogenesis, tissue distribution and host response to R. porcellionis, we conducted microscopic observations and localization of infection in tissues by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH). Digestive glands were confirmed as the primary site of infection. From there, R. porcellionis disseminates either through the apical membrane of infected cells into the lumen of digestive glands and further throughout the digestive tract or into the surrounding hemocoel by rupture of the basal membrane and lamina of infected digestive gland cells. Once in the hemocoel, R. porcellionis infects hindgut cells, hemocytes and hemopoetic tissues while the ventral nerve cord and gonads seem to be devoid of infection despite the presence of rhabdochlamydia on the surface of these organs. The host response to R. porcellionis includes aggregation of hemocytes around the infected cells and formation of multilayered melanized nodules exhibiting endogenous fluorescence. The structure of nodules is asymmetric when hemocytes are deposited on the basal side of infected gut and digestive glands cells, or symmetric, when nodules entrapping clusters of rhabdochlamydiae are deposited on other organs in the hemocoel. The study also revealed a high prevalence of infection in P. scaber populations (up to 27%) and confirmed its detrimental effect on the host. Although agility, behavior and molting cycle of infected animals appear unaffected, in the later stages R. porcellionis infection manifests as severe damage to the digestive system and decreased feeding, which eventually lead to the death of the host organism.

Modulation of host immunity and reproduction by horizontally acquired Wolbachia

The Wolbachia are symbiotic bacteria vertically transmitted from one host generation to another. However, a growing amount of data shows that horizontal transfers of Wolbachia also frequently occur within and between host species. The consequences of the arrival of new symbionts on host physiology can be studied by their experimental introduction in asymbiotic hosts. After experimental transfers of the eight major isopod Wolbachia strains in the isopod Porcellio dilatatus only two of them (wCon and wDil) were found to (1) have no pathogenic effect on the host and (2) be able to pass vertically to the host offspring. In the present work, we studied the influence of these two strains, able to complete an horizontal transfer, on immunity and reproduction of P. dilatatus at two stages of the transfer: (1) in recipient hosts that encounter the symbionts: to test the influence of symbiont when acquired during host life and (2) in vertically infected offspring: to test the influence of a symbiotic interaction occurring all lifelong. The impact of Wolbachia varied depending on the stage: there were clearer effects in vertically infected individuals than in those that acquired the symbionts during their lives. Moreover, the two Wolbachia strains showed contrasted effects: the strain wCon tended to reduce the reproductive investment but to maintain or increase immune parameters whilst wDil had positive effects on reproductive investment but decreased the investment in some immune parameters. These results suggest that horizontally acquisition of Wolbachia can influence the balance between host immune and reproductive traits.

Wolbachia infect ovaries in the course of their maturation: last minute passengers and priority travellers?

Wolbachia are widespread endosymbiotic bacteria of arthropods and nematodes. Studies on such models suggest that Wolbachia's remarkable aptitude to infect offspring may rely on a re-infection of ovaries from somatic tissues instead of direct cellular segregation between oogonia and oocytes. In the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare, Wolbachia are vertically transmitted to the host offspring, even though ovary cells are cyclically renewed. Using Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we showed that the proportion of infected oocytes increased in the course of ovary and oocyte maturation, starting with 31.5% of infected oocytes only. At the end of ovary maturation, this proportion reached 87.6% for the most mature oocytes, which is close to the known transmission rate to offspring. This enrichment can be explained by a secondary acquisition of the bacteria by oocytes (Wolbachia can be seen as last minute passengers) and/or by a preferential selection of oocytes infected with Wolbachia (as priority travellers).

Transinfection: a method to investigate Wolbachia-host interactions and control arthropod-borne disease

The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia manipulates arthropod host biology in numerous ways, including sex ratio distortion and differential offspring survival. These bacteria infect a vast array of arthropods, some of which pose serious agricultural and human health threats. Wolbachia-mediated phenotypes such as cytoplasmic incompatibility and/or pathogen interference can be used for vector and disease control; however, many medically important vectors and important agricultural species are uninfected or are infected with strains of Wolbachia that do not elicit phenotypes desirable for disease or pest control. The ability to transfer strains of Wolbachia into new hosts (transinfection) can create novel Wolbachia-host associations. Transinfection has two primary benefits. First, Wolbachia-host interactions can be examined to tease apart the influence of the host and bacteria on phenotypes. Second, desirable phenotypes induced by Wolbachia in a particular insect can be transferred to another recipient host. This can allow the manipulation of insect populations that transmit pathogens or detrimentally affect agriculture. As such, transinfection is a valuable tool to explore Wolbachia biology and control arthropod-borne disease. The present review summarizes what is currently known about Wolbachia transinfection methods and applications. We also provide a comprehensive list of published successful and unsuccessful Wolbachia transinfection attempts.

Polyester synthesis genes associated with stress resistance are involved in an insect-bacterium symbiosis

Many bacteria accumulate granules of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) within their cells, which confer resistance to nutritional depletion and other environmental stresses. Here, we report an unexpected involvement of the bacterial endocellular storage polymer, PHA, in an insect-bacterium symbiotic association. The bean bug Riptortus pedestris harbors a beneficial and specific gut symbiont of the β-proteobacterial genus Burkholderia, which is orally acquired by host nymphs from the environment every generation and easily cultivable and genetically manipulatable. Biochemical and cytological comparisons between symbiotic and cultured Burkholderia detected more PHA granules consisting of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and associated phasin (PhaP) protein in the symbiotic Burkholderia. Among major PHA synthesis genes, phaB and phaC were disrupted by homologous recombination together with the phaP gene, whereby ΔphaB, ΔphaC, and ΔphaP mutants were generated. Both in culture and in symbiosis, accumulation of PHA granules was strongly suppressed in ΔphaB and ΔphaC, but only moderately in ΔphaP. In symbiosis, the host insects infected with ΔphaB and ΔphaC exhibited significantly lower symbiont densities and smaller body sizes. These deficient phenotypes associated with ΔphaB and ΔphaC were restored by complementation of the mutants with plasmids encoding a functional phaB/phaC gene. Retention analysis of the plasmids revealed positive selection acting on the functional phaB/phaC in symbiosis. These results indicate that the PHA synthesis genes of the Burkholderia symbiont are required for normal symbiotic association with the Riptortus host. In vitro culturing analyses confirmed vulnerability of the PHA gene mutants to environmental stresses, suggesting that PHA may play a role in resisting stress under symbiotic conditions.

Cannibalism and predation as paths for horizontal passage of Wolbachia between terrestrial isopods

The alpha-proteobacteria Wolbachia are the most widespread endosymbionts in arthropods and nematodes. Mainly maternally inherited, these so-called sex parasites have selected several strategies that increase their vertical dispersion in host populations. However, the lack of congruence between the Wolbachia and their host phylogenies suggests frequent horizontal transfers. One way that could be used for horizontal Wolbachia transfers between individuals is predation. The aim of this study was to test whether horizontal passage of Wolbachia is possible when an uninfected terrestrial isopod eats an infected one. After having eaten Armadillidium vulgare harbouring Wolbachia, the predator-recipients (the two woodlice A. vulgare and Porcellio dilatatus dilatatus) that were initially Wolbachia-free were tested positive for the presence of Wolbachia both by quantitative PCR and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH). Even if the titers were low compared to vertically infected individuals, this constitutes the first demonstration of Wolbachia occurrence in various organs of an initially uninfected host after eating an infected one.

High virulence of Wolbachia after host switching: when autophagy hurts

Wolbachia are widespread endosymbionts found in a large variety of arthropods. While these bacteria are generally transmitted vertically and exhibit weak virulence in their native hosts, a growing number of studies suggests that horizontal transfers of Wolbachia to new host species also occur frequently in nature. In transfer situations, virulence variations can be predicted since hosts and symbionts are not adapted to each other. Here, we describe a situation where a Wolbachia strain (wVulC) becomes a pathogen when transfected from its native terrestrial isopod host species (Armadillidium vulgare) to another species (Porcellio d. dilatatus). Such transfer of wVulC kills all recipient animals within 75 days. Before death, animals suffer symptoms such as growth slowdown and nervous system disorders. Neither those symptoms nor mortalities were observed after injection of wVulC into its native host A. vulgare. Analyses of wVulC's densities in main organs including Central Nervous System (CNS) of both naturally infected A. vulgare and transfected P. d. dilatatus and A. vulgare individuals revealed a similar pattern of host colonization suggesting an overall similar resistance of both host species towards this bacterium. However, for only P. d. dilatatus, we observed drastic accumulations of autophagic vesicles and vacuoles in the nerve cells and adipocytes of the CNS from individuals infected by wVulC. The symptoms and mortalities could therefore be explained by this huge autophagic response against wVulC in P. d. dilatatus cells that is not triggered in A. vulgare. Our results show that Wolbachia (wVulC) can lead to a pathogenic interaction when transferred horizontally into species that are phylogenetically close to their native hosts. This change in virulence likely results from the autophagic response of the host, strongly altering its tolerance to the symbiont and turning it into a deadly pathogen.

Characterizing the causes of a virulence increase when a parasite jumps from one host species to another is fundamental to the understanding of disease emergence. In this context, we studied the bacterium Wolbachia wVulC, a natural symbiont of one terrestrial isopod species that becomes a pathogen when transfected into individuals of another species. Before death, recipient animals suffer various symptoms including nervous system disorders caused by the multiplication of wVulC. Interestingly, the quantification of wVulC loads showed similar titers in the individuals from both the recipient and native species. The difference between the two host species lies in the way they respond to the invasion of wVulC and not in their resistance per se: While the recipient host species exhibits an acute autophagic response leading to central nervous system cells disorganization, this phenomenon was not observed in the native host species, which seems to better tolerate the bacterium. Together, our results show that tolerance can be a better evolutionary strategy to counteract parasite damage than to activate a putative resistance pathway which, as a double-edged sword, can arm the host itself and increase the virulence of a parasite.

The cellular immune response of the pea aphid to foreign intrusion and symbiotic challenge

Recent studies suggest that the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) has low immune defenses. However, its immune components are largely undescribed, and notably, extensive characterization of circulating cells has been missing. Here, we report characterization of five cell categories in hemolymph of adults of the LL01 pea aphid clone, devoid of secondary symbionts (SS): prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, spherulocytes and wax cells. Circulating lipid-filed wax cells are rare; they otherwise localize at the basis of the cornicles. Spherulocytes, that are likely sub-cuticular sessile cells, are involved in the coagulation process. Prohemocytes have features of precursor cells. Plasmatocytes and granulocytes, the only adherent cells, can form a layer in vivo around inserted foreign objects and phagocytize latex beads or Escherichia coli bacteria injected into aphid hemolymph. Using digital image analysis, we estimated that the hemolymph from one LL01 aphid contains about 600 adherent cells, 35% being granulocytes. Among aphid YR2 lines differing only in their SS content, similar results to LL01 were observed for YR2-Amp (without SS) and YR2-Ss (with Serratia symbiotica), while YR2-Hd (with Hamiltonella defensa) and YR2(Ri) (with Regiella insecticola) had strikingly lower adherent hemocyte numbers and granulocyte proportions. The effect of the presence of SS on A. pisum cellular immunity is thus symbiont-dependent. Interestingly, Buchnera aphidicola (the aphid primary symbiont) and all SS, whether naturally present, released during hemolymph collection, or artificially injected, were internalized by adherent hemocytes. Inside hemocytes, SS were observed in phagocytic vesicles, most often in phagolysosomes. Our results thus raise the question whether aphid symbionts in hemolymph are taken up and destroyed by hemocytes, or actively promote their own internalization, for instance as a way of being transmitted to the next generation. Altogether, we demonstrate here a strong interaction between aphid symbionts and immune cells, depending upon the symbiont, highlighting the link between immunity and symbiosis.

Influence of the virus LbFV and of Wolbachia in a host-parasitoid interaction

Symbionts are widespread and might have a substantial effect on the outcome of interactions between species, such as in host-parasitoid systems. Here, we studied the effects of symbionts on the outcome of host-parasitoid interactions in a four-partner system, consisting of the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi, its two hosts Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, the wasp virus LbFV, and the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia. The virus is known to manipulate the superparasitism behavior of the parasitoid whereas some Wolbachia strains can reproductively manipulate and/or confer pathogen protection to Drosophila hosts. We used two nuclear backgrounds for both Drosophila species, infected with or cured of their respective Wolbachia strains, and offered them to L. boulardi of one nuclear background, either infected or uninfected by the virus. The main defence mechanism against parasitoids, i.e. encapsulation, and other important traits of the interaction were measured. The results showed that virus-infected parasitoids are less frequently encapsulated than uninfected ones. Further experiments showed that this viral effect involved both a direct protective effect against encapsulation and an indirect effect of superparasitism. Additionally, the Wolbachia strain wAu affected the encapsulation ability of its Drosophila host but the direction of this effect was strongly dependent on the presence/absence of LbFV. Our results confirmed the importance of heritable symbionts in the outcome of antagonistic interactions.

Feminizing Wolbachia: a transcriptomics approach with insights on the immune response genes in Armadillidium vulgare

BACKGROUND

Wolbachia are vertically transmitted bacteria known to be the most widespread endosymbiont in arthropods. They induce various alterations of the reproduction of their host, including feminization of genetic males in isopod crustaceans. In the pill bug Armadillidium vulgare, the presence of Wolbachia is also associated with detrimental effects on host fertility and lifespan. Deleterious effects have been demonstrated on hemocyte density, phenoloxidase activity, and natural hemolymph septicemia, suggesting that infected individuals could have defective immune capacities. Since nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in Wolbachia-A. vulgare interactions and its secondary immunocompetence modulation, we developed a transcriptomics strategy and compared A. vulgare gene expression between Wolbachia-infected animals (i.e., "symbiotic" animals) and uninfected ones (i.e., "asymbiotic" animals) as well as between animals challenged or not challenged by a pathogenic bacteria.

RESULTS

Since very little genetic data is available on A. vulgare, we produced several EST libraries and generated a total of 28 606 ESTs. Analyses of these ESTs revealed that immune processes were over-represented in most experimental conditions (responses to a symbiont and to a pathogen). Considering canonical crustacean immune pathways, these genes encode antimicrobial peptides or are involved in pathogen recognition, detoxification, and autophagy. By RT-qPCR, we demonstrated a general trend towards gene under-expression in symbiotic whole animals and ovaries whereas the same gene set tends to be over-expressed in symbiotic immune tissues.

CONCLUSION

This study allowed us to generate the first reference transcriptome ever obtained in the Isopoda group and to identify genes involved in the major known crustacean immune pathways encompassing cellular and humoral responses. Expression of immune-related genes revealed a modulation of host immunity when females are infected by Wolbachia, including in ovaries, the crucial tissue for the Wolbachia route of transmission.

Wolbachia-mediated antibacterial protection and immune gene regulation in Drosophila

The outcome of microbial infection of insects is dependent not only on interactions between the host and pathogen, but also on the interactions between microbes that co-infect the host. Recently the maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia has been shown to protect insects from a range of microbial and eukaryotic pathogens. Mosquitoes experimentally infected with Wolbachia have upregulated immune responses and are protected from a number of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, Plasmodium and filarial nematodes. It has been hypothesised that immune upregulation underpins Wolbachia-mediated protection. Drosophila is a strong model for understanding host-Wolbachia-pathogen interactions. Wolbachia-mediated antiviral protection in Drosophila has been demonstrated for a number of different Wolbachia strains. In this study we investigate whether Wolbachia-infected flies are also protected against pathogenic bacteria. Drosophila simulans lines infected with five different Wolbachia strains were challenged with the pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01, Serratia marcescens and Erwinia carotovora and mortality compared to paired lines without Wolbachia. No difference in mortality was observed in the flies with or without Wolbachia. Similarly no antibacterial protection was observed for D. melanogaster infected with Wolbachia. Interestingly, D. melanogaster Oregon RC flies which are naturally infected with Wolbachia showed no upregulation of the antibacterial immune genes TepIV, Defensin, Diptericin B, PGRP-SD, Cecropin A1 and Attacin D compared to paired flies without Wolbachia. Taken together these results indicate that Wolbachia-mediated antibacterial protection is not ubiquitous in insects and furthermore that the mechanisms of antibacterial and antiviral protection are independent. We suggest that the immune priming and antibacterial protection observed in Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes may be a consequence of the recent artificial introduction of the symbiont into insects that normally do not carry Wolbachia and that antibacterial protection is unlikely to be found in insects carrying long-term Wolbachia infections.