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Guo S, Zang H, Liu X, Jing X, Liu Z, Zhang W, Wang M, Zheng Y, Li Z, Qiu J, Chen D, Yan T, Guo R. Full-Length Transcriptome Construction and Systematic Characterization of Virulence Factor-Associated Isoforms in Vairimorpha ( Nosema) Ceranae. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1111. [PMID: 39336702 PMCID: PMC11431495 DOI: 10.3390/genes15091111] [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: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Vairimorpha (Nosema) ceranae is a single-cellular fungus that obligately infects the midgut epithelial cells of adult honeybees, causing bee microsporidiosis and jeopardizing bee health and production. This work aims to construct the full-length transcriptome of V. ceranae and conduct a relevant investigation using PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology. Following PacBio SMRT sequencing, 41,950 circular consensus (CCS) were generated, and 25,068 full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) reads were then detected. After polishing, 4387 high-quality, full-length transcripts were gained. There are 778, 2083, 1202, 1559, 1457, 1232, 1702, and 3896 full-length transcripts that could be annotated to COG, GO, KEGG, KOG, Pfam, Swiss-Prot, eggNOG, and Nr databases, respectively. Additionally, 11 alternative splicing (AS) events occurred in 6 genes were identified, including 1 alternative 5' splice-site and 10 intron retention. The structures of 225 annotated genes in the V. ceranae reference genome were optimized, of which 29 genes were extended at both 5' UTR and 3' UTR, while 90 and 106 genes were, respectively, extended at the 5' UTR as well as 3' UTR. Furthermore, a total of 29 high-confidence lncRNAs were obtained, including 12 sense-lncRNAs, 10 lincRNAs, and 7 antisense-lncRNAs. Taken together, the high-quality, full-length transcriptome of V. ceranae was constructed and annotated, the structures of annotated genes in the V. ceranae reference genome were improved, and abundant new genes, transcripts, and lncRNAs were discovered. Findings from this current work offer a valuable resource and a crucial foundation for molecular and omics research on V. ceranae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Guo
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - He Zang
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
- National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Xin Jing
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Zhitan Liu
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Wende Zhang
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Mengyi Wang
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Yidi Zheng
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Zhengyuan Li
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
| | - Jianfeng Qiu
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
- National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
- National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Tizhen Yan
- National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Institute of Reproduction and Genetics, Dongguan Maternal and Children Health Hospital, Dongguan 510110, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Bee Science and Biomedicine, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (S.G.); (H.Z.); (X.L.); (X.J.); (Z.L.); (W.Z.); (M.W.); (Y.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Q.); (D.C.)
- National & Local United Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxin, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Ho ST, Nai YS, Chang ZT, Chang JC, Hsu WC, Ko CY, Chen YW, Yang YL. Dimethyl sulfoxide, an alternative for control of Nosema ceranae infection in honey bees (Apis mellifera). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 116:e22099. [PMID: 39137216 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian parasite that threatens current apiculture. N. ceranae-infected honey bees (Apis mellifera) exhibit morbid physiological impairments and reduced honey production, malnutrition, shorter life span, and higher mortality than healthy honey bees. In this study, we found that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) could enhance the survival rate of N. ceranae-infected honey bees. Therefore, we investigated the effect of DMSO on N. ceranae-infected honey bees using comparative RNA sequencing analysis. Our results revealed that DMSO was able to affect several biochemical pathways, especially the metabolic-related pathways in N. ceranae-infected honey bees. Based on these findings, we conclude that DMSO may be a useful alternative for treating N. ceranae infection in apiculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Tse Ho
- Department of Wood Based Materials and Design, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shin Nai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Zih-Ting Chang
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Chun Chang
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chen Hsu
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Academia Sinica, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yu Ko
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Yue-Wen Chen
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Liang Yang
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Academia Sinica, Tainan, Taiwan
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Kang Y, Wu T, Han B, Yang S, Wang X, Wang Q, Gao J, Dai P. Interaction of acetamiprid, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae in honey bees. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134380. [PMID: 38657514 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134380] [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: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Health of honey bees is threatened by a variety of stressors, including pesticides and parasites. Here, we investigated effects of acetamiprid, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae, which act either alone or in combination. Our results suggested that interaction between the three factors was additive, with survival risk increasing as the number of stressors increased. Although exposure to 150 μg/L acetamiprid alone did not negatively impact honey bee survival, it caused severe damage to midgut tissue. Among the three stressors, V. destructor posed the greatest threat to honey bee survival, and N. ceranae exacerbated intestinal damage and increased thickness of the midgut wall. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that different combinations of stressors elicited specific gene expression responses in honey bees, and genes involved in energy metabolism, immunity, and detoxification were altered in response to multiple stressor combinations. Additionally, genes associated with Toll and Imd signalling, tyrosine metabolism, and phototransduction pathway were significantly suppressed in response to different combinations of multiple stressors. This study enhances our understanding of the adaptation mechanisms to multiple stressors and aids in development of suitable protective measures for honey bees. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: We believe our study is environmentally relevant for the following reasons: This study investigates combined effects of pesticide, Varroa destructor, and Nosema ceranae. These stressors are known to pose a threat to long-term survival of honey bees (Apis mellifera) and stability of the ecosystems. The research provides valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms of honey bees in response to multiple stressors and developing effective conservation strategies. Further research can identify traits that promote honey bee survival in the face of future challenges from multiple stressors to maintain the overall stability of environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Tong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sa Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xing Wang
- Beijing Apicultural Station, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Pingli Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Erban T, Kadleckova D, Sopko B, Harant K, Talacko P, Markovic M, Salakova M, Kadlikova K, Tachezy R, Tachezy J. Varroa destructor parasitism and Deformed wing virus infection in honey bees are linked to peroxisome-induced pathways. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300312. [PMID: 38446070 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300312] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor transmits and triggers viral infections that have deleterious effects on honey bee colonies worldwide. We performed a manipulative experiment in which worker bees collected at emergence were exposed to Varroa for 72 h, and their proteomes were compared with those of untreated control bees. Label-free quantitative proteomics identified 77 differentially expressed A. mellifera proteins (DEPs). In addition, viral proteins were identified by orthogonal analysis, and most importantly, Deformed wing virus (DWV) was found at high levels/intensity in Varroa-exposed bees. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the main pathways affected included peroxisomal metabolism, cyto-/exoskeleton reorganization, and cuticular proteins. Detailed examination of individual DEPs revealed that additional changes in DEPs were associated with peroxisomal function. In addition, the proteome data support the importance of TGF-β signaling in Varroa-DWV interaction and the involvement of the mTORC1 and Hippo pathways. These results suggest that the effect of DWV on bees associated with Varroa feeding results in aberrant autophagy. In particular, autophagy is selectively modulated by peroxisomes, to which the observed proteome changes strongly corresponded. This study complements previous research with different study designs and suggests the importance of the peroxisome, which plays a key role in viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Erban
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Dominika Kadleckova
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Bruno Sopko
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Karel Harant
- Proteomics Core Facility, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Pavel Talacko
- Proteomics Core Facility, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Martin Markovic
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Martina Salakova
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Klara Kadlikova
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory, Crop Research Institute, Prague 6-Ruzyne, Czechia
| | - Ruth Tachezy
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Jan Tachezy
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science BIOCEV, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia
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Glavinic U, Jovanovic NM, Dominikovic N, Lakic N, Ćosić M, Stevanovic J, Stanimirovic Z. Potential of Wormwood and Oak Bark-Based Supplement in Health Improvement of Nosema ceranae-Infected Honey Bees. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1195. [PMID: 38672343 PMCID: PMC11047348 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081195] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian parasite, as one of the stressors that contribute to honey bee decline, has a significant negative impact on the longevity, productivity, and reproductive capacity of honey bee colonies. There are several different strategies for Nosema infection control, including natural-based and antibiotic-based products. In this study, we tested wormwood and oak bark-based supplement "Medenko forte" on survival, Nosema infection, oxidative stress, and expression of immune-related genes in artificially N. ceranae-infected bees. The results revealed a positive influence on the survival of Nosema-infected bees, irrespectively of the moment of supplement application (day 1, day 3, or day 6 after bee emergence), as well as reduction of Nosema loads and, consequently, Nosema-induced oxidative stress. Supplementation had no negative effects on bee immunity, but better anti-Nosema than immune-stimulating effects were affirmed based on expression levels of abaecin, defensin, hymenoptaecin, apidaecin, and vitellogenin genes. In conclusion, the tested supplement "Medenko forte" has great potential in the health protection of Nosema-infected bees. However, further investigations need to be performed to elucidate its mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (N.D.); (J.S.); (Z.S.)
| | - Nemanja M. Jovanovic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nina Dominikovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (N.D.); (J.S.); (Z.S.)
| | - Nada Lakic
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Milivoje Ćosić
- Institute of Forestry, Kneza Viseslava 3, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (N.D.); (J.S.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (N.D.); (J.S.); (Z.S.)
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Garrido PM, Porrini MP, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Scott D, Mifsud D, Eguaras MJ, Di Gioia D. Beneficial Bacteria and Plant Extracts Promote Honey Bee Health and Reduce Nosema ceranae Infection. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2024; 16:259-274. [PMID: 36637793 PMCID: PMC10850026 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-022-10025-7] [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] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The research aims to give new insights on the effect of administering selected bacterial strains, isolated from honey bee gut, and/or a commercial plant extract blend (HiveAlive®) on Nosema ceranae. Analyses were first performed under laboratory conditions such as different infective doses of N. ceranae, the effect of single strains and their mixture and the influence of pollen administration. Daily survival and feed consumption rate were recorded and pathogen development was analysed using qPCR and microscope counts. Biomarkers of immunity and physiological status were also evaluated for the different treatments tested using one bacterial strain, a mixture of all the bacteria and/or a plant extract blend as treatments. The results showed an increase of abaecin transcript levels in the midgut of the honey bees treated with the bacterial mixture and an increased expression of the protein vitellogenin in the haemolymph of honey bees treated with two separate bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium coryneforme and Apilactobacillus kunkeei). A significant effectiveness in reducing N. ceranae was shown by the bacterial mixture and the plant extract blend regardless of the composition of the diet. This bioactivity was seasonally linked. Quantitative PCR and microscope counts showed the reduction of N. ceranae under different experimental conditions. The antiparasitic efficacy of the treatments at field conditions was studied using a semi-field approach which was adapted from research on insecticides for the first time, to analyse antiparasitic activity against N. ceranae. The approach proved to be reliable and effective in validating data obtained in the laboratory. Both the mixture of beneficial bacteria and its association with Hive Alive® are effective in controlling the natural infection of N. ceranae in honey bee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Martín Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy.
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy
| | - Dara Scott
- ADVANCE SCIENCE Ltd, Knocknacarra Rd, Galway, H91 XV84, Ireland
| | - David Mifsud
- Institute of Earth Systems, L-Università ta' Malta, University Ring Rd, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
| | - Matín Javier Eguaras
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), CONICET, UNMdP, Centro Asoc. Simple CIC PBA, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS), FCEyN, UNMdP, Funes 3350, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, 7600, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40127, Italy
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Urueña Á, Blasco-Lavilla N, De la Rúa P. Sulfoxaflor effects depend on the interaction with other pesticides and Nosema ceranae infection in the honey bee (Apis mellifera). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 264:115427. [PMID: 37666201 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115427] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees health is compromised by many factors such as the use of agrochemicals in agriculture and the various diseases that can affect them. Multiple studies have shown that these factors can interact, producing a synergistic effect that can compromise the viability of honey bees. This study analyses the interactions between different pesticides and the microsporidium Nosema ceranae and their effect on immune and detoxification gene expression, sugar consumption and mortality in the Iberian western honey bee (Apis mellifera iberiensis). For this purpose, workers were infected with N. ceranae and subjected to a sugar-water diet with field concentrations of the pesticides sulfoxaflor, azoxystrobin and glyphosate. Increased sugar intake and altered immune and cytochrome P450 gene expression were observed in workers exposed to sulfoxaflor and infected with N. ceranae. None of the pesticides affected Nosema spore production in honey bee gut. Of the three pesticides tested (alone or in combination) only sulfoxaflor increased mortality in honey bees. Taken together, our results suggest that the effects of sulfoxaflor were attenuated in contact with other pesticides, and that Nosema infection leads to increase sugar intake in sulfoxaflor-exposed bees. Overall, this underlines the importance of studying the interaction between different stressors to understand their overall impact not only on honey bee but also on wild bees health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Urueña
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Nuria Blasco-Lavilla
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Pilar De la Rúa
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
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8
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Patir A, Raper A, Fleming R, Henderson BEP, Murphy L, Henderson NC, Clark EL, Freeman TC, Barnett MW. Cellular heterogeneity of the developing worker honey bee (Apis mellifera) pupa: a single cell transcriptomics analysis. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad178. [PMID: 37548242 PMCID: PMC10542211 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
It is estimated that animals pollinate 87.5% of flowering plants worldwide and that managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) account for 30-50% of this ecosystem service to agriculture. In addition to their important role as pollinators, honey bees are well-established insect models for studying learning and memory, behavior, caste differentiation, epigenetic mechanisms, olfactory biology, sex determination, and eusociality. Despite their importance to agriculture, knowledge of honey bee biology lags behind many other livestock species. In this study, we have used scRNA-Seq to map cell types to different developmental stages of the worker honey bee (prepupa at day 11 and pupa at day 15) and sought to determine their gene expression signatures. To identify cell-type populations, we examined the cell-to-cell network based on the similarity of the single-cells transcriptomic profiles. Grouping similar cells together we identified 63 different cell clusters of which 17 clusters were identifiable at both stages. To determine genes associated with specific cell populations or with a particular biological process involved in honey bee development, we used gene coexpression analysis. We combined this analysis with literature mining, the honey bee protein atlas, and gene ontology analysis to determine cell cluster identity. Of the cell clusters identified, 17 were related to the nervous system and sensory organs, 7 to the fat body, 19 to the cuticle, 5 to muscle, 4 to compound eye, 2 to midgut, 2 to hemocytes, and 1 to malpighian tubule/pericardial nephrocyte. To our knowledge, this is the first whole single-cell atlas of honey bees at any stage of development and demonstrates the potential for further work to investigate their biology at the cellular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirudh Patir
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Anna Raper
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Robert Fleming
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Beth E P Henderson
- The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh,Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Lee Murphy
- Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Neil C Henderson
- The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh,Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh,Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Emily L Clark
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Tom C Freeman
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Mark W Barnett
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
- Beebytes Analytics CIC, The Roslin Innovation Centre, University of Edinburgh, The Charnock Bradley Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
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9
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Wang Z, Chang Z, Liu Z, Zhang S. Influences of Microbial Symbionts on Chemoreception of Their Insect Hosts. INSECTS 2023; 14:638. [PMID: 37504644 PMCID: PMC10380252 DOI: 10.3390/insects14070638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Chemical communication is widespread among insects and exploited to adjust their behavior, such as food and habitat seeking and preferences, recruitment, defense, and mate attraction. Recently, many studies have revealed that microbial symbionts could regulate host chemical communication by affecting the synthesis and perception of insect semiochemicals. In this paper, we review recent studies of the influence of microbial symbionts on insect chemoreception. Microbial symbionts may influence insect sensitivity to semiochemicals by regulating the synthesis of odorant-binding proteins or chemosensory proteins and olfactory or gustatory receptors and regulating host neurotransmission, thereby adjusting insect behavior. The manipulation of insect chemosensory behavior by microbial symbionts is conducive to their proliferation and dispersal and provides the impetus for insects to change their feeding habits and aggregation and dispersal behavior, which contributes to population differentiation in insects. Future research is necessary to reveal the material and information exchange between both partners to improve our comprehension of the evolution of chemoreception in insects. Manipulating insect chemoreception physiology by inoculating them with microbes could be utilized as a potential approach to managing insect populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyan Wang
- School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhenzhen Chang
- School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhiyuan Liu
- School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- School of Food and Strategic Reserves, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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10
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De la Mora A, Morfin N, Tapia-Rivera JC, Macías-Macías JO, Tapia-González JM, Contreras-Escareño F, Petukhova T, Guzman-Novoa E. The Fungus Nosema ceranae and a Sublethal Dose of the Neonicotinoid Insecticide Thiamethoxam Differentially Affected the Health and Immunity of Africanized Honey Bees. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1258. [PMID: 37317233 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051258] [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: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are affected by different biotic and abiotic stressors, such as the fungus Nosema ceranae and neonicotinoid insecticides, that negatively impact their health. However, most studies so far conducted have focused on the effect of these stressors separately and in European honey bees. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyze the impact of both stressors, singly and in combination, on honey bees of African descent that have demonstrated resistance to parasites and pesticides. Africanized honey bees (AHBs, Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier) were inoculated with N. ceranae (1 × 105 spores/bee) and/or chronically exposed for 18 days to a sublethal dose of thiamethoxam (0.025 ng/bee) to evaluate their single and combined effects on food consumption, survivorship, N. ceranae infection, and immunity at the cellular and humoral levels. No significant effects by any of the stressors were found for food consumption. However, thiamethoxam was the main stressor associated to a significant decrease in AHB survivorship, whereas N. ceranae was the main stressor affecting their humoral immune response by upregulating the expression of the gene AmHym-1. Additionally, both stressors, separately and combined, significantly decreased the concentration of haemocytes in the haemolymph of the bees. These findings indicate that N. ceranae and thiamethoxam differentially affect the lifespan and immunity of AHBs and do not seem to have synergistic effects when AHBs are simultaneously exposed to both stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro De la Mora
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Nuria Morfin
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - José C Tapia-Rivera
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas, CUSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Zapotlan el Grande 49000, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - José O Macías-Macías
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas, CUSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Zapotlan el Grande 49000, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - José M Tapia-González
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas, CUSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Zapotlan el Grande 49000, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Francisca Contreras-Escareño
- Departamento de Producción Agricola, CUCSUR, Universidad de Guadalajara, Independencia Nal. 161, Autlan 48900, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Tatiana Petukhova
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
| | - Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada
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11
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Zhao X, Liu Y. Current Knowledge on Bee Innate Immunity Based on Genomics and Transcriptomics. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214278. [PMID: 36430757 PMCID: PMC9692672 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
As important pollinators, bees play a critical role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem and improving the yield and quality of crops. However, in recent years, the bee population has significantly declined due to various pathogens and environmental stressors including viruses, bacteria, parasites, and increased pesticide application. The above threats trigger or suppress the innate immunity of bees, their only immune defense system, which is essential to maintaining individual health and that of the colony. In addition, bees can be divided into solitary and eusocial bees based on their life traits, and eusocial bees possess special social immunities, such as grooming behavior, which cooperate with innate immunity to maintain the health of the colony. The omics approach gives us an opportunity to recognize the distinctive innate immunity of bees. In this regard, we summarize innate bee immunity from a genomic and transcriptomic perspective. The genetic characteristics of innate immunity were revealed by the multiple genomes of bees with different kinds of sociality, including honeybees, bumblebees, wasps, leaf-cutter bees, and so on. Further substantial transcriptomic data of different tissues from diverse bees directly present the activation or suppression of immune genes under the infestation of pathogens or toxicity of pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Zhao
- College of Engineering, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
| | - Yanjie Liu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- Correspondence:
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12
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Chen H, Fan X, Zhang W, Ye Y, Cai Z, Zhang K, Zhang K, Fu Z, Chen D, Guo R. Deciphering the CircRNA-Regulated Response of Western Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera) Workers to Microsporidian Invasion. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1285. [PMID: 36138764 PMCID: PMC9495892 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Vairimorpha ceranae is a widespread fungal parasite of adult honey bees that leads to a serious disease called nosemosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are newly discovered non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that regulate biological processes such as immune defense and development. Here, 8199 and 8711 circRNAs were predicted from the midguts of Apis mellifera ligustica workers at 7 d (Am7T) and 10 d (Am10T) after inoculation (dpi) with V. ceranae spores. In combination with transcriptome data from corresponding uninoculated midguts (Am7CK and Am10CK), 4464 circRNAs were found to be shared by these four groups. Additionally, 16 circRNAs were highly conserved among A. m. ligustica, Apis cerana cerana, and Homo sapiens. In the Am7CK vs. Am7T (Am10CK vs. Am10T) comparison group, 168 (306) differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were identified. RT-qPCR results showed that the expression trend of eight DEcircRNAs was consistent with that in the transcriptome datasets. The source genes of DEcircRNAs in Am7CK vs. Am7T (Am10CK vs. Am10T) were engaged in 27 (35) GO functional terms, including 1 (1) immunity-associated terms. Moreover, the aforementioned source genes were involved in three cellular immune-related pathways. Moreover, 86 (178) DEcircRNAs in workers' midguts at 7 (10) dpi could interact with 75 (103) miRNAs, further targeting 215 (305) mRNAs. These targets were associated with cellular renewal, cellular structure, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, and cellular and humoral immunity. Findings in the present study unraveled the mechanism underlying circRNA-mediated immune responses of western honey bee workers to V. ceranae invasion, but also provided new insights into host-microsporidian interaction during nosemosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huazhi Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Wende Zhang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Yaping Ye
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Zongbing Cai
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Kaiyao Zhang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Kuihao Zhang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Zhongmin Fu
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 35002, China
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13
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Trytek M, Buczek K, Zdybicka-Barabas A, Wojda I, Borsuk G, Cytryńska M, Lipke A, Gryko D. Effect of amide protoporphyrin derivatives on immune response in Apis mellifera. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14406. [PMID: 36002552 PMCID: PMC9402574 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18534-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae is known to compromise bee health by induction of energetic stress and downregulation of the immune system. Porphyrins are candidate therapeutic agents for controlling Nosema infection without adverse effects on honeybees. In the present work, the impact of two protoporphyrin IX derivatives, i.e. PP[Asp]2 and PP[Lys]2, on Apis mellifera humoral immune response has been investigated in laboratory conditions in non-infected and N. ceranae-infected honeybees. Fluorescence spectroscopy analysis of hemolymph showed for the first time that porphyrin molecules penetrate into the hemocoel of honeybees. Phenoloxidase (PO) activity and the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs: abaecin, defensin, and hymenoptaecin) were assessed. Porphyrins significantly increased the phenoloxidase activity in healthy honeybees but did not increase the expression of AMP genes. Compared with the control bees, the hemolymph of non-infected bees treated with porphyrins had an 11.3- and 6.1-fold higher level of PO activity after the 24- and 48-h porphyrin administration, respectively. Notably, there was a significant inverse correlation between the PO activity and the AMP gene expression level (r = - 0.61696, p = 0.0143). The PO activity profile in the infected bees was completely opposite to that in the healthy bees (r = - 0.5118, p = 0.000), which was related to the changing load of N. ceranae spores in the porphyrin treated-bees. On day 12 post-infection, the spore loads in the infected porphyrin-fed individuals significantly decreased by 74%, compared with the control bees. Our findings show involvement of the honeybee immune system in the porphyrin-based control of Nosema infection. This allows the infected bees to improve their lifespan considerably by choosing an optimal PO activity/AMP expression variant to cope with the varying level of N. ceranae infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Trytek
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Buczek
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Zdybicka-Barabas
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Iwona Wojda
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Borsuk
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Cytryńska
- Department of Immunobiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Lipke
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, M. Curie Skłodowska Sq. 2, 20-031, Lublin, Poland
| | - Dorota Gryko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224, Warsaw, Poland
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14
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Li YH, Chang ZT, Yen MR, Huang YF, Chen TH, Chang JC, Wu MC, Yang YL, Chen YW, Nai YS. Transcriptome of Nosema ceranae and Upregulated Microsporidia Genes during Its Infection of Western Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera). INSECTS 2022; 13:716. [PMID: 36005340 PMCID: PMC9409478 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is one of the fungal parasites of Apis mellifera. It causes physical and behavioral effects in honey bees. However, only a few studies have reported on gene expression profiling during A. mellifera infection. In this study, the transcriptome profile of mature spores at each time point of infection (5, 10, and 20 days post-infection, d.p.i.) were investigated. Based on the transcriptome and expression profile analysis, a total of 878, 952, and 981 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (fold change ≥ 2 or ≤ -2) were identified in N. ceranae spores (NcSp) at 5 d.p.i., 10 d.p.i., and 20 d.p.i., respectively. Moreover, 70 upregulated genes and 340 downregulated genes among common DEGs (so-called common DEGs) and 166 stage-specific genes at each stage of infection were identified. The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that the DEGs and corresponding common DEGs are involved in the functions of cytosol (GO:0005829), cytoplasm (GO:0005737), and ATP binding (GO:0005524). Furthermore, the pathway analysis found that the DEGs and common DEGs are involved in metabolism, environmental information processing, and organismal systems. Four upregulated common DEGs with higher fold-change values, highly associated with spore proteins and transcription factors, were selected for validation. In addition, the stage-specific genes are highly involved in the mechanism of pre-mRNA splicing according to GO enrichment analysis; thus, three of them showed high expression at each d.p.i. and were also subjected to validation. The relative gene expression levels showed a similar tendency as the transcriptome predictions at different d.p.i., revealing that the gene expression of N. ceranae during infection may be related to the mechanism of gene transcription, protein synthesis, and structural proteins. Our data suggest that the gene expression profiling of N. ceranae at the transcriptomic level could be a reference for the monitoring of nosemosis at the genetic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsuan Li
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
| | - Zih-Ting Chang
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yi-Lan City 26047, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Ren Yen
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Feng Huang
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Yuan-Ze University, Tao-Yuan City 32003, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Han Chen
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
| | - Ju-Chun Chang
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Cheng Wu
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Liang Yang
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center in Southern Taiwan, Academia Sinica, Tainan 711010, Taiwan
| | - Yue-Wen Chen
- Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yi-Lan City 26047, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shin Nai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 40227, Taiwan
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15
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Gómez-Moracho T, Durand T, Lihoreau M. The gut parasite Nosema ceranae impairs olfactory learning in bumblebees. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275951. [PMID: 35726829 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Pollinators are exposed to numerous parasites and pathogens when foraging on flowers. These biological stressors may affect critical cognitive abilities required for foraging. Here, we tested whether exposure to Nosema ceranae, one of the most widespread parasites of honey bees also found in wild pollinators, impacts cognition in bumblebees. We investigated different forms of olfactory learning and memory using conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex. Seven days after feeding parasite spores, bumblebees showed lower performances in absolute, differential, and reversal learning than controls. The consistent observations across different types of olfactory learning indicates a general negative effect of N. ceranae exposure that did not specifically target particular brain areas or neural processes. We discuss the potential mechanisms by which N. ceranae impairs bumblebee cognition and the broader consequences for populations of pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Gómez-Moracho
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI); CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Tristan Durand
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI); CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Mathieu Lihoreau
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA), Center for Integrative Biology (CBI); CNRS, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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16
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Diet Supplementation Helps Honey Bee Colonies in Combat Infections by Enhancing their Hygienic Behaviour. ACTA VET-BEOGRAD 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/acve-2022-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The hygienic behavior in honey bees is a complex polygenic trait that serves as a natural defense mechanism against bacterial and fungal brood diseases and Varroa destructor mites infesting brood cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a dietary amino acids and vitamins supplement “BEEWELL AminoPlus” on hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera colonies combating microsporidial and viral infections. The experiment was performed during a one-year period on 40 colonies alloted to five groups: one supplemented and infected with Nosema ceranae and four viruses (Deformed wing virus - DWV, Acute bee paralysis virus - ABPV, Chronic bee paralysis virus - CBPV and Sacbrood virus – SBV), three not supplemented, but infected with N. ceranae and/ or viruses, and one negative control group. Beside the l isted pathogens, honey bee trypanosomatids were also monitored in all groups.
The supplement “BEEWELL AminoPlus” induced a significant and consistent increase of the hygienic behavior in spite of the negative effects of N. ceranae and viral infections. N. ceranae and viruses significantly and consistently decreased hygienic behavior, but also threatened the survival of bee colonies. The tested supplement showed anti-Nosema effect, since the N. ceranae infection level significantly and consistently declined only in the supplemented group. Among infected groups, only the supplemented one remained Lotmaria passim-free throughout the study. In conclusion, diet supplementation enhances hygienic behavior of honey bee colonies and helps them fight the most common infections of honey bees.
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17
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Fan Y, Wang J, Yu K, Zhang W, Cai Z, Sun M, Hu Y, Zhao X, Xiong C, Niu Q, Chen D, Guo R. Comparative Transcriptome Investigation of Nosema ceranae Infecting Eastern Honey Bee Workers. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030241. [PMID: 35323539 PMCID: PMC8952433 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary At present, interaction between Nosema ceranae and Apis cerana is poorly understood, though A. cerana is the original host for N. ceranae. Here, comparative investigation was conducted using transcriptome data from N. ceranae infecting Apis cerana cerana workers at seven days post inoculation (dpi) and 10 dpi (NcT1 and NcT2 groups) as well as N. ceranae spores (NcCK group). There were 1411, 604, and 38 DEGs identified in NcCK vs. NcT1, NcCK vs. NcT2, and NcT1 vs. NcT2 comparison groups. Additionally, 10 upregulated genes and nine downregulated ones were shared by above-mentioned comparison groups. GO classification and KEGG pathway analysis suggested that these DEGs were engaged in a number of key functional terms and pathways such as cell part and glycolysis. Further analysis indicated that most of virulence factor-encoding genes were upregulated, while a few were downregulated during the fungal infection. Findings in this current work provide a basis for clarifying the molecular mechanism udnerlying N. ceranae infection and host-microsporidian interaction during bee nosemosis. Abstract Apis cerana is the original host for Nosema ceranae, a widespread fungal parasite resulting in honey bee nosemosis, which leads to severe losses to the apiculture industry throughout the world. However, knowledge of N. ceranae infecting eastern honey bees is extremely limited. Currently, the mechanism underlying N. ceranae infection is still largely unknown. Based on our previously gained high-quality transcriptome datasets derived from N. ceranae spores (NcCK group), N. ceranae infecting Apis cerana cerana workers at seven days post inoculation (dpi) and 10 dpi (NcT1 and NcT2 groups), comparative transcriptomic investigation was conducted in this work, with a focus on virulence factor-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Microscopic observation showed that the midguts of A. c. cerana workers were effectively infected after inoculation with clean spores of N. ceranae. In total, 1411, 604, and 38 DEGs were identified from NcCK vs. NcT1, NcCK vs. NcT2, and NcT1 vs. NcT2 comparison groups. Venn analysis showed that 10 upregulated genes and nine downregulated ones were shared by the aforementioned comparison groups. The GO category indicated that these DEGs were involved in a series of functional terms relevant to biological process, cellular component, and molecular function such as metabolic process, cell part, and catalytic activity. Additionally, KEGG pathway analysis suggested that the DEGs were engaged in an array of pathways of great importance such as metabolic pathway, glycolysis, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, expression clustering analysis demonstrated that the majority of genes encoding virulence factors such as ricin B lectins and polar tube proteins displayed apparent upregulation, whereas a few virulence factor-associated genes such as hexokinase gene and 6-phosphofructokinase gene presented downregulation during the fungal infection. Finally, the expression trend of 14 DEGs was confirmed by RT-qPCR, validating the reliability of our transcriptome datasets. These results together demonstrated that an overall alteration of the transcriptome of N. ceranae occurred during the infection of A. c. cerana workers, and most of the virulence factor-related genes were induced to activation to promote the fungal invasion. Our findings not only lay a foundation for clarifying the molecular mechanism underlying N. ceranae infection of eastern honey bee workers and microsporidian–host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanchan Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Jie Wang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Kejun Yu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Wende Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Zongbing Cai
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Minghui Sun
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Ying Hu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Xiao Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Cuiling Xiong
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
| | - Qingsheng Niu
- Jilin Province Institute of Apicultural Science, Jilin 132000, China;
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (R.G.); Tel./Fax: +86-0591-87640197 (R.G.)
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.F.); (J.W.); (K.Y.); (W.Z.); (Z.C.); (M.S.); (Y.H.); (X.Z.); (C.X.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (R.G.); Tel./Fax: +86-0591-87640197 (R.G.)
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Abstract
Nosemosis is a serious microsporidian disease of adult European honey bees caused by the spore-forming unicellular fungi Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. In this paper we describe the currently known techniques for nosemosis prevention and control including Good Beekeeping Practices (GBPs) and biosecurity measures (BMBs). Topics such as queen renewal, nosema-resistant bees and hygienic and control methods are described. Strong efforts are currently provided to find more a sustainable solution than the use of antibiotics. So far, it seems that the best way to approach nosemosis is given by an “integrated pest management strategy”, which foresees the contemporary application of different, specific GBPs and BMBs.
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Houdelet C, Arafah K, Bocquet M, Bulet P. Molecular histoproteomy by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging to uncover markers of the impact of Nosema on Apis mellifera. Proteomics 2022; 22:e2100224. [PMID: 34997678 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI IMS) is a powerful technology used to investigate the spatio-temporal distribution of a huge number of molecules throughout a body/tissue section. In this paper, we report the use of MALDI IMS to follow the molecular impact of an experimental infection of Apis mellifera with the microsporidia Nosema ceranae. We performed representative molecular mass fingerprints of selected tissues obtained by dissection. This was followed by MALDI IMS workflows optimization including specimen embedding and positioning as well as washing and matrix application. We recorded the local distribution of peptides/proteins within different tissues from experimentally infected versus non infected honeybees. As expected, a distinction in these molecular profiles between the two conditions was recorded from different anatomical sections of the gut tissue. More importantly, we observed differences in the molecular profiles in the brain, thoracic ganglia, hypopharyngeal glands, and hemolymph. We introduced MALDI IMS as an effective approach to monitor the impact of N. ceranae infection on A. mellifera. This opens perspectives for the discovery of molecular changes in peptides/proteins markers that could contribute to a better understanding of the impact of stressors and toxicity on different tissues of a bee in a single experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Houdelet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Grenoble, France.,Saint Julien-en Genevois, Plateforme BioPark d'Archamps, France
| | - Karim Arafah
- Saint Julien-en Genevois, Plateforme BioPark d'Archamps, France
| | | | - Philippe Bulet
- CR Université Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, Grenoble, France.,Saint Julien-en Genevois, Plateforme BioPark d'Archamps, France
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20
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Luz GFD, Santana WC, Santos CG, Medeiros Santana L, Serrão JE. Cuticle melanization and the expression of immune-related genes in the honeybee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) adult workers. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 257:110679. [PMID: 34673246 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The global decline of bee populations has several factors, including pathogens, which need overcome the insect defenses such as the physical barriers, the body cuticle and peritrophic matrix (primary defenses), as well as the secondary defenses with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and the enzyme lysozyme. The regulation of immune defenses according to the infection risks raises questions about the immunity of social bees due to their exposition to different pathogens pressures during the adult lifespan and tasks performed. This study evaluated the primary (body cuticle melanization, peritrophic matrix and cpr14 expression) and secondary (AMPs and lysozyme expression) defenses of the honeybee Apis mellifera workers according to the age and tasks. The expression of malvolio was used to detect precocious forage tasks outside the colony. Forager workers have higher amount of cuticular melanization in the body cuticle than nurse, but not when the age effect is retired, indicating the gradual acquisition of this compound in the integument of adult bees. The relative value of chitin in the peritrophic matrix and cpr14 mRNA are similar in all bees evaluated, suggesting that these components of primary defenses do not change according to the task and age. Differential expression of genes for AMPs in workers performing different tasks, within the same age group, indicates that the behavior stimulates expression of genes related to secondary immune defense. The expression of malvolio gene, accelerating the change in workers behavior, and those related to immune defense suggest the investment in secondary defense mechanisms when the primary defense of the body cuticle is not yet completed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geisyane Franco da Luz
- Departamento de Biologia Geral/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, Brazil
| | | | | | - Luanda Medeiros Santana
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 38810-000 Rio Paranaíba, Brazil
| | - José Eduardo Serrão
- Departamento de Biologia Geral/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, Brazil.
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21
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Effects of Agaricus bisporus Mushroom Extract on Honey Bees Infected with Nosema ceranae. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12100915. [PMID: 34680684 PMCID: PMC8541333 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Nosema ceranae affects honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) causing nosemosis disease that often induces serious problems in apiculture. Antibiotic fumagillin is the only licenced treatment against nosemosis, but its effectiveness is questioned and its usage associated with risk of bee mortality and appearance of residues in bee products. In search for alternative treatment for the control of nosemosis, water crude extract of Agaricus bisporus was tested on bees in laboratory (cage) experiments. Bee survival and food consumption were monitored together with Nosema infection level and expression of five genes (abaecin, hymenoptaecin, defensin, apidaecin, and vitellogenin) were evaluated in bees sampled on days 7 and 15. Apart from the gene for defensin, the expression of all tested genes was up-regulated in bees supplemented with A. bisporus extract. Both anti-Nosema and immune protective effects of A. bisporus extract were observed when supplementation started at the moment of N. ceranae infection or preventively (before or simultaneously with the Nosema infection). Abstract Agaricus bisporus water crude extract was tested on honey bees for the first time. The first part of the cage experiment was set for selecting one concentration of the A. bisporus extract. Concentration of 200 µg/g was further tested in the second part of the experiment where bee survival and food consumption were monitored together with Nosema infection level and expression of five genes (abaecin, hymenoptaecin, defensin, apidaecin, and vitellogenin) that were evaluated in bees sampled on days 7 and 15. Survival rate of Nosema-infected bees was significantly greater in groups fed with A. bisporus-enriched syrup compared to those fed with a pure sucrose syrup. Besides, the anti-Nosema effect of A. bisporus extract was greatest when applied from the third day which coincides with the time of infection with N. ceranae. Daily food consumption did not differ between the groups indicating good acceptability and palatability of the extract. A. bisporus extract showed a stimulative effect on four out of five monitored genes. Both anti-Nosema and nutrigenomic effects of A. bisporus extract were observed when supplementation started at the moment of N. ceranae infection or preventively (before or simultaneously with the infection).
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22
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Zhang Y, Su M, Wang L, Huang S, Su S, Huang WF. Vairimorpha ( Nosema) ceranae Infection Alters Honey Bee Microbiota Composition and Sustains the Survival of Adult Honey Bees. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10090905. [PMID: 34571782 PMCID: PMC8464679 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The gut microbiota, in addition to the hosts and the pathogens, has become the third factor involved in gut disease developments, including honey bees. Interestingly, various studies reported positive associations between the gut bacteria and the most commonly found microsporidian pathogen instead of negative associations. To investigate the positive associations, a prebiotic that also exists in honey was added in the trials. Bees fed the prebiotics have slightly higher pathogen counts but lower mortalities. Microbiota analyses suggested that bees with the infection have a microbiota composition similar to that of bees with a longer lifespan, and the prebiotic seemed to enhance the similarities. Since microsporidia typically cause chronic infections, the positive associations may serve to sustain the host lifespans which is the optimal outcome for the pathogen that the survived bees can withstand pathogen proliferation and transmit the pathogens. Although the mechanisms underlying the associations were not revealed, this study indicated that nosema disease management in bees through changes in microbiota may shorten the lifespans or enhance both the infection and the bee population. Such results have appeared in recent field studies. More studies will be needed for the disease management using bee gut microbiota. Abstract Vairimorpha (Nosema) ceranae is the most common eukaryotic gut pathogen in honey bees. Infection is typically chronic but may result in mortality. Gut microbiota is a factor that was recently noted for gut infectious disease development. Interestingly, studies identified positive, instead of negative, associations between core bacteria of honey bee microbiota and V. ceranae infection. To investigate the effects of the positive associations, we added isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO), a prebiotic sugar also found in honey, to enhance the positive associations, and we then investigated the infection and the gut microbiota alterations using qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that infected bees fed IMO had significantly higher V. ceranae spore counts but lower mortalities. In microbiota comparisons, V. ceranae infections alone significantly enhanced the overall microbiota population in the honey bee hindgut and feces; all monitored core bacteria significantly increased in the quantities but not all in the population ratios. The microbiota alterations caused by the infection were enhanced with IMO, and these alterations were similar to the differences found in bees that naturally have longer lifespans. Although our results did not clarify the causations of the positive associations between the infections and microbiota, the associations seemed to sustain the host survival and benefit the pathogen. Enhancing indigenous gut microbe to control nosema disease may result in an increment of bee populations but not the control of the pathogen. This interaction between the pathogen and microbiota potentially enhances disease transmission and avoids the social immune responses that diseased bees die prematurely to curb the disease from spreading within colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakun Zhang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Meiling Su
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Long Wang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Shaokang Huang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
- Fujian Honey Bee Biology Observation Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Songkun Su
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Wei-Fone Huang
- College of Animal Science (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (Y.Z.); (M.S.); (L.W.); (S.H.); (S.S.)
- Fujian Honey Bee Biology Observation Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Correspondence:
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23
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Transcriptome-level assessment of the impact of deformed wing virus on honey bee larvae. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15028. [PMID: 34294840 PMCID: PMC8298419 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94641-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) prevalence is high in honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations. The virus infects honey bees through vertical and horizontal transmission, leading to behavioural changes, wing deformity, and early mortality. To better understand the impacts of viral infection in the larval stage of honey bees, artificially reared honey bee larvae were infected with DWV (1.55 × 1010 copies/per larva). No significant mortality occurred in infected honey bee larvae, while the survival rates decreased significantly at the pupal stage. Examination of DWV replication revealed that viral replication began at 2 days post inoculation (d.p.i.), increased dramatically to 4 d.p.i., and then continuously increased in the pupal stage. To better understand the impact of DWV on the larval stage, DWV-infected and control groups were subjected to transcriptomic analysis at 4 d.p.i. Two hundred fifty-five differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (fold change ≥ 2 or ≤ -2) were identified. Of these DEGs, 168 genes were downregulated, and 87 genes were upregulated. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that 141 DEGs (55.3%) were categorized into molecular functions, cellular components and biological processes. One hundred eleven genes (38 upregulated and 73 downregulated) were annotated by KO (KEGG Orthology) pathway mapping and involved metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism pathways. Validation of DEGs was performed, and the related gene expression levels showed a similar tendency to the DEG predictions at 4 d.p.i.; cell wall integrity and stress response component 1 (wsc1), cuticular protein and myo-inositol 2-dehydrogenase (iolG) were significantly upregulated, and small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel protein (SK) was significantly downregulated at 4 d.p.i. Related gene expression levels at different d.p.i. revealed that these DEGs were significantly regulated from the larval stage to the pupal stage, indicating the potential impacts of gene expression levels from the larval to the pupal stages. Taken together, DWV infection in the honey bee larval stage potentially influences the gene expression levels from larvae to pupae and reduces the survival rate of the pupal stage. This information emphasizes the consequences of DWV prevalence in honey bee larvae for apiculture.
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24
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Tsvetkov N, MacPhail VJ, Colla SR, Zayed A. Conservation genomics reveals pesticide and pathogen exposure in the declining bumble bee Bombus terricola. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4220-4230. [PMID: 34181797 PMCID: PMC8457087 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, many pollinators have experienced large population declines, which threaten food security and the stability of natural ecosystems. Bumble bees are particularly important because their ability to “buzz” pollinate and tolerate cooler conditions make them critical pollinators for certain plants and regions. Here, we apply a conservation genomics approach to study the vulnerable Bombus terricola. We sequenced RNA from 30 worker abdomens, 18 of which were collected from agricultural sites and 12 of which were collected from nonagricultural sites. We found transcriptional signatures associated with exposure to insecticides, with gene expression patterns suggesting that bumble bees were exposed to neonicotinoids and/or fipronil—two compounds known to negatively impact bees. We also found transcriptional signatures associated with pathogen infections. In addition to the transcriptomic analysis, we carried out a metatranscriptomic analysis and detected five pathogens in the abdomens of workers, three of which are common in managed honey bee and bumble bee colonies. Our conservation genomics study provides functional support for the role of pesticides and pathogen spillover in the decline of B. terricola. We demonstrate that conservation genomics is an invaluable tool which allows researchers to quantify the effects of multiple stressors that impact pollinator populations in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victoria J MacPhail
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sheila R Colla
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amro Zayed
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Lourenço AP, Guidugli-Lazzarini KR, de Freitas NHA, Message D, Bitondi MMG, Simões ZLP, Teixeira ÉW. Immunity and physiological changes in adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) infected with Nosema ceranae: The natural colony environment. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 131:104237. [PMID: 33831437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is a microsporidium that infects Apis mellifera, causing diverse physiological and behavioral alterations. Given the existence of individual and social mechanisms to reduce infection and fungal spread in the colony, bees may respond differently to infection depending on their rearing conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of N. ceranae in honey bee foragers naturally infected with different fungal loads in a tropical region. In addition, we explored the effects of N. ceranae artificially infected young bees placed in a healthy colony under field conditions. Honey bees naturally infected with higher loads of N. ceranae showed downregulation of genes from Toll and IMD immune pathways and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes, but hemolymph total protein amount and Vitellogenin (Vg) titers were not affected. Artificially infected bees spread N. ceranae to the controls in the colony, but fungal loads were generally lower than those observed in cages, probably because of social immunity. Although no significant changes in mRNA levels of AMP-encoding were observed, N. ceranae artificially infected bees showed downregulation of miR-989 (an immune-related microRNA), lower vitellogenin gene expression, and decreased hemolymph Vg titers. Our results demonstrate for the first time that natural infection by N. ceranae suppresses the immune system of honey bee foragers in the field. This parasite is detrimental to the immune system of young and old bees, and disease spread, mitigation and containment will depend on the colony environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anete P Lourenço
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, MG, Brazil.
| | - Karina R Guidugli-Lazzarini
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nayara H A de Freitas
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Dejair Message
- Laboratório Especializado de Sanidade Apícola (LASA), Instituto Biológico, APTA, SAA-SP, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia M G Bitondi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Zilá L P Simões
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Érica W Teixeira
- Laboratório Especializado de Sanidade Apícola (LASA), Instituto Biológico, APTA, SAA-SP, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brazil
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26
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Glavinic U, Stevanovic J, Ristanic M, Rajkovic M, Davitkov D, Lakic N, Stanimirovic Z. Potential of Fumagillin and Agaricus blazei Mushroom Extract to Reduce Nosema ceranae in Honey Bees. INSECTS 2021; 12:282. [PMID: 33806001 PMCID: PMC8064457 DOI: 10.3390/insects12040282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Depending on the infection level and colony strength, Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian endoparasite of the honey bee may have significant consequences on the health, reproduction and productivity of bee colonies. Despite exerting some side effects, fumagillin is most often used for Nosema control. In this study, in a cage experiment, N. ceranae infected bees were treated with fumagillin or the extract of Agaricus blazei mushroom, a possible alternative for Nosema control. Bee survival, Nosema spore loads, the expression levels of immune-related genes and parameters of oxidative stress were observed. Fumagillin treatment showed a negative effect on monitored parameters when applied preventively to non-infected bees, while a noticeable anti-Nosema effect and protection from Nosema-induced immunosuppression and oxidative stress were proven in Nosema-infected bees. However, a protective effect of the natural A. blazei extract was detected, without any side effects but with immunostimulatory activity in the preventive application. The results of this research suggest the potential of A. blazei extract for Nosema control, which needs to be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uros Glavinic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (M.R.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (M.R.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Marko Ristanic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (M.R.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Milan Rajkovic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (M.R.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Dajana Davitkov
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Forensic Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Nada Lakic
- Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Statistics, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Zemun-Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (J.S.); (M.R.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
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27
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Houdelet C, Sinpoo C, Chantaphanwattana T, Voisin SN, Bocquet M, Chantawannakul P, Bulet P. Proteomics of Anatomical Sections of the Gut of Nosema-Infected Western Honeybee ( Apis mellifera) Reveals Different Early Responses to Nosema spp. Isolates. J Proteome Res 2020; 20:804-817. [PMID: 33305956 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Honeybees play an important role in pollinating native plants and agricultural crops and produce valuable hive products. Within the last decade, honeybee colonies have been reported to be in decline, due to both biotic and abiotic stress factors including pathogens and pesticides. This study evaluated the impact of different isolates of Nosema spp. [Nosema apis spores (NA), Nosema ceranae from Apis mellifera from France (NF), N. ceranae from Apis cerana from Thailand (NC1), and N. ceranae from A. mellifera from Thailand (NC2)] on the different gut sections of newly emerged adult A. mellifera bees. With an attempt to decipher the early impact of Nosema spp. on the first barrier against Nosema infection, we used off-gel bottom-up proteomics on the different anatomical sections of the gut four days post inoculation. A total of 2185 identified proteins in the esophagus, 2095 in the crop, 1571 in the midgut, 2552 in the ileum, and 3173 in the rectum were obtained. Using label-free quantification, we observed that the response of the host varies according to the Nosema spp. (N. apis versus N. ceranae) and the geographical origin of Nosema. The proteins in the midgut of A. mellifera, orally inoculated with spores of N. ceranae isolated from France, were the most altered, when compared with controls, exhibiting 50 proteins down-regulated and 16 up-regulated. We thereby established the first mass-spectrometry-based proteomics of different anatomical sections of the gut tissue of Nosema-infected A. mellifera four days post inoculation, following infection by different isolates of Nosema spp. that provoked differential host responses. We reported an alteration of proteins involved in the metabolic pathways and specifically eight proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. More importantly, we propose that the collagen IV NC1 domain-containing protein may represent an early prognostic marker of the impact of Nosema spores on the A. mellifera health status. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD021848.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Houdelet
- CR University Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Plateform BioPark Archamps, 260 Avenue Marie Curie, Archparc, 74166 Saint Julien-en Genevois, France
| | - Chainarong Sinpoo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | | | - Sébastien N Voisin
- Plateform BioPark Archamps, 260 Avenue Marie Curie, Archparc, 74166 Saint Julien-en Genevois, France
| | | | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.,Environmental Science Research Center (ESRC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Philippe Bulet
- CR University Grenoble Alpes, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Inserm U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38000 Grenoble, France.,Plateform BioPark Archamps, 260 Avenue Marie Curie, Archparc, 74166 Saint Julien-en Genevois, France
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28
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Screening of Differentially Expressed Microsporidia Genes from Nosema ceranae Infected Honey Bees by Suppression Subtractive Hybridization. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11030199. [PMID: 32235740 PMCID: PMC7143254 DOI: 10.3390/insects11030199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The microsporidium Nosema ceranae is a high prevalent parasite of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). This parasite is spreading across the world into its novel host. The developmental process, and some mechanisms of N. ceranae-infected honey bees, has been studied thoroughly; however, few studies have been carried out in the mechanism of gene expression in N. ceranae during the infection process. We therefore performed the suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) approach to investigate the candidate genes of N. ceranae during its infection process. All 96 clones of infected (forward) and non-infected (reverse) library were dipped onto the membrane for hybridization. A total of 112 differentially expressed sequence tags (ESTs) had been sequenced. For the host responses, 20% of ESTs (13 ESTs, 10 genes, and 1 non-coding RNA) from the forward library and 93.6% of ESTs (44 ESTs, 28 genes) from the reverse library were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the hosts. A high percentage of DEGs involved in catalytic activity and metabolic processes revealed that the host gene expression change after N. ceranae infection might lead to an unbalance of physiological mechanism. Among the ESTs from the forward library, 75.4% ESTs (49 ESTs belonged to 24 genes) were identified as N. ceranae genes. Out of 24 N. ceranae genes, nine DEGs were subject to real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (real-time qRT-PCR) for validation. The results indicated that these genes were highly expressed during N. ceranae infection. Among nine N. ceranae genes, one N. ceranae gene (AAJ76_1600052943) showed the highest expression level after infection. These identified differentially expressed genes from this SSH could provide information about the pathological effects of N. ceranae. Validation of nine up-regulated N. ceranae genes reveal high potential for the detection of early nosemosis in the field and provide insight for further applications.
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Rizwan M, Liang P, Ali H, Li Z, Nie H, Ahmed Saqib HS, Fiaz S, Raza MF, Hassanyar AK, Niu Q, Su S. Population genomics of honey bees reveals a selection signature indispensable for royal jelly production. Mol Cell Probes 2020; 52:101542. [PMID: 32105702 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2020.101542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In order to interpret the molecular mechanisms that modulating the organism variations and selection signatures to drive adaptive evolutionary changes are indispensable goals in the new evolutionary ecological genetics. Here, we identified the gene locus associated to royal jelly production through whole-genome sequencing of the DNA from eight populations of honeybees. The analysis of the samples was composed of 120 individuals and each pointed extremely opposite trait values for a given phenotype. We identified functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) candidate that might be essential in regulating the phenotypic traits of honeybee populations. Moreover, selection signatures were investigated using pooling sequencing of eight distinct honeybee populations, and the results provided the evidence of signatures of recent selection among populations under different selection objectives. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses indicated that selected genes were potentially involved in several biological processes and molecular functioning, which could directly or indirectly influence the production of royal jelly. Our findings can be used to understand the genomic signatures, as well as implicate a profound glance on genomic regions that control the production trait of royal jelly in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Rizwan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China; Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China
| | - Pingping Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Habib Ali
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Zhiguo Li
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hongyi Nie
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Haripur, Khyber Pkhtunkhwa, Pakistan; Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin, 132108, China
| | - Sajid Fiaz
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Depalpur Campus, Okara, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Fahad Raza
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Aqai Kalan Hassanyar
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Qingsheng Niu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin, 132108, China
| | - Songkun Su
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
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Tesovnik T, Zorc M, Ristanić M, Glavinić U, Stevanović J, Narat M, Stanimirović Z. Exposure of honey bee larvae to thiamethoxam and its interaction with Nosema ceranae infection in adult honey bees. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113443. [PMID: 31733951 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
During their lifetime honey bees (Apis mellifera) rarely experience optimal conditions. Sometimes, a simultaneous action of multiple stressors, natural and chemical, results in even greater effect than of any stressor alone. Therefore, integrative investigations of different factors affecting honey bees have to be carried out. In this study, adult honey bees exposed to thiamethoxam in larval and/or adult stage and infected with Nosema ceranae were examined. Newly emerged bees from colonies, non-treated or treated with thiamethoxam, were organized in six groups and kept in cages. Thiamethoxam treated bees were further exposed to either thiamethoxam or Nosema (groups TT and TN), or simultaneously to both (group TTN). Newly emerged bees from non-treated colonies were exposed to Nosema (group CN). From both, treated and non-treated colonies two groups were organized and further fed only with sugar solution (groups C and TC). Here, we present the expression profile of 19 genes in adult worker honey bees comprising those involved in immune, detoxification, development and apoptosis response. Results showed that gene expression patterns changed with time and depended on the treatment. In group TC at the time of emergence the majority of tested genes were downregulated, among which nine were significantly altered. The same gene pattern was observed on day six, where the only significantly upregulated gene was defensin-1. On day nine most of analyzed genes in all experimental groups showed upregulation compared to control group, where upregulation of antimicrobial peptide genes abaecin, defensin-1 and defensin-2 was significant in groups TT and TTN. On day 15 we observed a similar pattern of expression in groups TC and TT exposed to thiamethoxam only, where most of the detoxification genes were downregulated. Additionally RNA loads of Nosema and honey bee viruses were recorded. We detected a synergistic interaction of thiamethoxam and Nosema, reflected in lowest honey bee survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Tesovnik
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Minja Zorc
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Ristanić
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Uroš Glavinić
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jevrosima Stevanović
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mojca Narat
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Zoran Stanimirović
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biology, Belgrade, Serbia
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Urbieta-Magro A, Higes M, Meana A, Barrios L, Martín-Hernández R. Age and Method of Inoculation Influence the Infection of Worker Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera) by Nosema ceranae. INSECTS 2019; 10:E417. [PMID: 31766667 PMCID: PMC6956240 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae is a highly prevalent, global honey bee pathogen. Apis mellifera is considered to be a relatively recent host for this microsporidia, which raises questions as to how it affects its host's physiology, behavior and longevity, both at the individual and colony level. As such, honey bees were inoculated with fresh purified spores of this pathogen, both individually (Group A) or collectively (Group B) and they were studied from 0 to 15 days post-emergence (p.e.) to evaluate the effect of bee age and the method of inoculation at 7 days post-infection. The level of infection was analyzed individually by qPCR by measuring the relative amount of the N. ceranae polar tubule protein 3 (PTP3) gene. The results show that the bee's age and the method of infection directly influence parasite load, and thus, early disease development. Significant differences were found regarding bee age at the time of infection, whereby the youngest bees (new-born and 1 day p.e.) developed the highest parasite load, with this load decreasing dramatically in bees infected at 2 days p.e. before increasing again in bees infected at 3-4 days p.e. The parasite load in bees infected when older than 4 days p.e. diminished as they aged. When the age cohort data was pooled and grouped according to the method of infection, a significantly higher mean concentration and lower variation in N. ceranae infection was evident in Group A, indicating greater variation in experimental infection when spores were administered collectively to bees through their food. In summary, these data indicate that both biological and experimental factors should be taken into consideration when comparing data published in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Almudena Urbieta-Magro
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.-M.); (M.H.)
| | - Mariano Higes
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.-M.); (M.H.)
| | - Aránzazu Meana
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Laura Barrios
- Statistics Department, Computing Center SGAI-CSIC, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- IRIAF. Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.-M.); (M.H.)
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla—La Mancha, 02006 Albacete, Spain
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Bramke K, Müller U, McMahon DP, Rolff J. Exposure of Larvae of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornis to the Honey Bee Pathogen Nosema ceranae Affects Life History. INSECTS 2019; 10:E380. [PMID: 31683739 PMCID: PMC6921066 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Wild bees are important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops and they are threatened by several environmental stressors including emerging pathogens. Honey bees have been suggested as a potential source of pathogen spillover. One prevalent pathogen that has recently emerged as a honey bee disease is the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. While the impacts of N. ceranae in honey bees are well documented, virtually nothing is known about its effects in solitary wild bees. The solitary mason bee Osmia bicornis is a common pollinator in orchards and amenable to commercial management. Here, we experimentally exposed larvae of O. bicornis to food contaminated with N. ceranae and document spore presence during larval development. We measured mortality, growth parameters, and timing of pupation in a semi-field experiment. Hatched individuals were assessed for physiological state including fat body mass, wing muscle mass, and body size. We recorded higher mortality in the viable-spore-exposed group but could only detect a low number of spores among the individuals of this treatment. Viable-spore-treated individuals with higher head capsule width had a delayed pupation start. No impact on the physiological status could be detected in hatched imagines. Although we did not find overt evidence of O. bicornis infection, our findings indicate that exposure of larvae to viable N. ceranae spores could affect bee development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Bramke
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Uta Müller
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Dino P McMahon
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
- Abteilung 4 Material und Umwelt, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-prüfung (BAM), 12205 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Chen D, Chen H, Du Y, Zhou D, Geng S, Wang H, Wan J, Xiong C, Zheng Y, Guo R. Genome-Wide Identification of Long Non-Coding RNAs and Their Regulatory Networks Involved in Apis mellifera ligustica Response to Nosema ceranae Infection. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10080245. [PMID: 31405016 PMCID: PMC6723323 DOI: 10.3390/insects10080245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a diverse class of transcripts that structurally resemble mRNAs but do not encode proteins, and lncRNAs have been proven to play pivotal roles in a wide range of biological processes in animals and plants. However, knowledge of expression patterns and potential roles of honeybee lncRNA response to Nosema ceranae infection is completely unknown. Here, we performed whole transcriptome strand-specific RNA sequencing of normal midguts of Apis mellifera ligustica workers (Am7CK, Am10CK) and N. ceranae-inoculated midguts (Am7T, Am10T), followed by comprehensive analyses using bioinformatic and molecular approaches. A total of 6353 A. m. ligustica lncRNAs were identified, including 4749 conserved lncRNAs and 1604 novel lncRNAs. These lncRNAs had minimal sequence similarities with other known lncRNAs in other species; however, their structural features were similar to counterparts in mammals and plants, including shorter exon and intron length, lower exon number, and lower expression level, compared with protein-coding transcripts. Further, 111 and 146 N. ceranae-responsive lncRNAs were identified from midguts at 7-days post-inoculation (dpi) and 10 dpi compared with control midguts. Twelve differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were shared by Am7CK vs. Am7T and Am10CK vs. Am10T comparison groups, while the numbers of unique DElncRNAs were 99 and 134, respectively. Functional annotation and pathway analysis showed that the DElncRNAs may regulate the expression of neighboring genes by acting in cis and trans fashion. Moreover, we discovered 27 lncRNAs harboring eight known miRNA precursors and 513 lncRNAs harboring 2257 novel miRNA precursors. Additionally, hundreds of DElncRNAs and their target miRNAs were found to form complex competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks, suggesting that these DElncRNAs may act as miRNA sponges. Furthermore, DElncRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks were constructed and investigated, the results demonstrated that a portion of the DElncRNAs were likely to participate in regulating the host material and energy metabolism as well as cellular and humoral immune host responses to N. ceranae invasion. Our findings revealed here offer not only a rich genetic resource for further investigation of the functional roles of lncRNAs involved in the A. m. ligustica response to N. ceranae infection, but also a novel insight into understanding the host-pathogen interaction during honeybee microsporidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafu Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Huazhi Chen
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yu Du
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dingding Zhou
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Sihai Geng
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Haipeng Wang
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Jieqi Wan
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Cuiling Xiong
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yanzhen Zheng
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Bee Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Burnham AJ. Scientific Advances in Controlling Nosema ceranae ( Microsporidia) Infections in Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera). Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:79. [PMID: 30931319 PMCID: PMC6428737 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are agriculturally important pollinators that have been recently at risk to severe colony losses. A variety of parasites and pathogens have been linked to colony decline, including the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. While fumagillin has been used to control nosemosis in managed honey bee colonies for decades, research shows that this antibiotic poses a toxic threat and that its efficacy against N. ceranae is uncertain. There is certainly a demand for a new veterinary medication to treat honey bee colonies infected with N. ceranae. In this review, recent scientific advances in controlling N. ceranae infections in honey bees are summarized.
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Glavinic U, Tesovnik T, Stevanovic J, Zorc M, Cizelj I, Stanimirovic Z, Narat M. Response of adult honey bees treated in larval stage with prochloraz to infection with Nosema ceranae. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6325. [PMID: 30775168 PMCID: PMC6371917 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Among numerous factors that contribute to honey bee colony losses and problems in beekeeping, pesticides and Nosema ceranae have been often reported. In contrast to insecticides, whose effects on bees have been widely studied, fungicides did not attract considerable attention. Prochloraz, an imidazole fungicide widely used in agriculture, was detected in honey and pollen stored inside hives and has been already proven to alter immune gene expression of honey bees at different developmental stages. The aim of this study was to simulate the realistic conditions of migratory beekeeping, where colonies, both uninfected and infected with N. ceranae, are frequently transported to the vicinity of crop fields treated with prochloraz. We investigated the combined effect of prochloraz and N. ceranae on honey bees that faced fungicide during the larval stage through food consumption and microsporidium infection afterwards. The most pronounced changes in gene expression were observed in newly emerged Nosema-free bees originating from colonies previously contaminated with prochloraz. As exclusively upregulation was registered, prochloraz alone most likely acts as a challenge that induces activation of immune pathways in newly emerged bees. The combination of both stressors (prochloraz and Nosema infection) exerted the greatest effect on six-day-old honey bees. Among ten genes with significantly altered expression, half were upregulated and half downregulated. N. ceranae as a sole stressor had the weakest effects on immune gene expression modulation with only three genes significantly dysregulated. In conclusion, food contaminated with prochloraz consumed in larval stage could present a threat to the development of immunity and detoxification mechanisms in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tanja Tesovnik
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Minja Zorc
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ivanka Cizelj
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mojca Narat
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Martín-Hernández R, Bartolomé C, Chejanovsky N, Le Conte Y, Dalmon A, Dussaubat C, García-Palencia P, Meana A, Pinto MA, Soroker V, Higes M. Nosema ceranaeinApis mellifera: a 12 years postdetectionperspective. Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1302-1329. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla - La Mancha; Spain
| | - Carolina Bartolomé
- Medicina Xenómica, CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Xenómica Comparada de Parásitos Humanos, IDIS, 15782 Santiago de Compostela; Galicia Spain
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et Environnement; F-84000 Avignon France
| | | | | | - Aranzazu Meana
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Spain
| | - M. Alice Pinto
- Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança; 5300-253 Bragança Portugal
| | - Victoria Soroker
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center; Rishon LeZion Israel
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental de Marchamalo, (CIAPA-IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha; Marchamalo Spain
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Paris L, El Alaoui H, Delbac F, Diogon M. Effects of the gut parasite Nosema ceranae on honey bee physiology and behavior. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 26:149-154. [PMID: 29764655 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The common and widespread parasite Nosema ceranae is considered a major threat to the Western honey bee at both the individual and colony levels. Several studies demonstrated that infection by this parasite may affect physiology, behavior, and survival of honey bees. N. ceranae infection impairs midgut integrity and alters the energy demand in honey bees. The infection can also significantly suppress the bee immune response and modify pheromone production in worker and queen honey bees leading to precocious foraging. However, the presence of N. ceranae is not systematically associated with colony weakening and honey bee mortality. This variability depends upon parasite or host genetics, nutrition, climate or interactions with other stressors such as environmental contaminants or other parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurianne Paris
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Hicham El Alaoui
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Frédéric Delbac
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Marie Diogon
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, LMGE, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Lopez-Ezquerra A, Mitschke A, Bornberg-Bauer E, Joop G. Tribolium castaneum gene expression changes after Paranosema whitei infection. J Invertebr Pathol 2018; 153:92-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Chronic Nosema ceranae infection inflicts comprehensive and persistent immunosuppression and accelerated lipid loss in host Apis mellifera honey bees. Int J Parasitol 2018; 48:433-444. [PMID: 29452081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is an intracellular microsporidian parasite of the Asian honey bee Apis cerana and the European honey bee Apis mellifera. Until relatively recently, A. mellifera honey bees were naïve to N. ceranae infection. Symptoms of nosemosis, or Nosema disease, in the infected hosts include immunosuppression, damage to gut epithelium, nutrient and energetic stress, precocious foraging and reduced longevity of infected bees. Links remain unclear between immunosuppression, the symptoms of nutrient and energetic stress, and precocious foraging behavior of hosts. To clarify physiological connections, we inoculated newly emerged A. mellifera adult workers with N. ceranae spores, and over 21 days post inoculation (21 days pi), gauged infection intensity and quantified expression of genes representing two innate immune pathways, Toll and Imd. Additionally, we measured each host's whole-body protein, lipids, carbohydrates and quantified respirometric and activity levels. Results show sustained suppression of genes of both humorally regulated immune response pathways after 6 days pi. At 7 days pi, elevated protein levels of infected bees may reflect synthesis of antimicrobial peptides from an initial immune response, but the lack of protein gain compared with uninfected bees at 14 days pi may represent low de novo protein synthesis. Carbohydrate data do not indicate that hosts experience severe metabolic stress related to this nutrient. At 14 days pi infected honey bees show high respirometric and activity levels, and corresponding lipid loss, suggesting lipids may be used as fuel for increased metabolic demands resulting from infection. Accelerated lipid loss during nurse honey bee behavioral development can have cascading effects on downstream physiology that may lead to precocious foraging, which is a major factor driving colony collapse.
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Branstetter MG, Childers AK, Cox-Foster D, Hopper KR, Kapheim KM, Toth AL, Worley KC. Genomes of the Hymenoptera. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:65-75. [PMID: 29602364 PMCID: PMC5993429 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Hymenoptera is the second-most sequenced arthropod order, with 52 publically archived genomes (71 with ants, reviewed elsewhere), however these genomes do not capture the breadth of this very diverse order (Figure 1, Table 1). These sequenced genomes represent only 15 of the 97 extant families. Although at least 55 other genomes are in progress in an additional 11 families (see Table 2), stinging wasps represent 35 (67%) of the available and 42 (76%) of the in progress genomes. A more comprehensive catalog of hymenopteran genomes is needed for research into the evolutionary processes underlying the expansive diversity in terms of ecology, behavior, and physiological traits within this group. Additional sequencing is needed to generate an assembly for even 0.05% of the estimated 1 million hymenopteran species, and we recommend premier level assemblies for at least 0.1% of the >150,000 named species dispersed across the order. Given the haplodiploid sex determination in Hymenoptera, haploid male sequencing will help minimize genome assembly issues to enable higher quality genome assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Branstetter
- Pollinating Insect-biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT 84322, United States
| | - Anna K Childers
- Bee Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - Diana Cox-Foster
- Pollinating Insect-biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT 84322, United States
| | - Keith R Hopper
- Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Newark, DE 19713, United States
| | - Karen M Kapheim
- Utah State University, Department of Biology, Logan, UT 84322, United States
| | - Amy L Toth
- Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and Department of Entomology, Ames, IA 50011, United States
| | - Kim C Worley
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, United States
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