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Zhang X, Ferree PM. PSRs: Selfish chromosomes that manipulate reproductive development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 159-160:66-73. [PMID: 38394822 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2024.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
B chromosomes are intriguing "selfish" genetic elements, many of which exhibit higher-than-Mendelian transmission. This perspective highlights a group of B chromosomes known as Paternal Sex Ratio chromosomes (PSRs), which are found in several insects with haplo-diploid reproduction. PSRs harshly alter the organism's reproduction to facilitate their own inheritance. A manifestation of this effect is the conversion of female destined individuals into males. Key to this conversion is the mysterious ability of PSRs to cause elimination of the sperm-inherited half of the genome during zygote formation. Here we discuss how PSRs were discovered, what is known about how they alter paternal chromatin dynamics to cause sex conversion, and how PSR-induced genome elimination is different from other forms of programmed genome elimination in different insects. PSRs also stand out because their DNA sequence compositions differ in remarkable ways from their insect's essential chromosomes, a characteristic suggestive of interspecies origins. Broadly, we also highlight poorly understood aspects of PSR dynamics that need to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmi Zhang
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Pitzer and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
| | - Patrick M Ferree
- W. M. Keck Science Department, Pitzer and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
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2
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Novaes CM, Teixeira GA, Juris EM, Lopes DM. Conventional cytogenetics and microsatellite chromosomal distribution in social wasp Mischocyttarus cassununga (Ihering, 1903) (Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini). Genome 2024; 67:151-157. [PMID: 38262004 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2023-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Cytogenetics has allowed the investigation of chromosomal diversity and repetitive genomic content in wasps. In this study, we characterized the karyotype of the social wasp Mischocyttarus cassununga using conventional cytogenetics and chromosomal mapping of repetitive sequences. This study was undertaken to extend our understanding of the genomic organization of repetitive DNA in social wasps and is the first molecular cytogenetic insight into the genus Mischocyttarus. The karyotype of M. cassununga had a chromosome number of 2n = 64 for females and n = 32 for males. Constitutive heterochromatin exhibited three distribution patterns: centromeric and pericentromeric regions along the smaller arms and extending almost the entire chromosome. The major ribosomal DNA sites were located on chromosome pair in females and one chromosome in males. Positive signals for the microsatellite probes (GA)n and (GAG)n were observed in the euchromatic regions of all chromosomes. The microsatellites, (CGG)n, (TAT)n, (TTAGG)n, and (TCAGG)n were not observed in any region of the chromosomes. Our results contrast with those previously obtained for Polybia fastidiosuscula, which showed that the microsatellites (GAG)n, (CGG)n, (TAT)n, (TTAGG)n, and (TCAGG)n are located predominantly in constitutive heterochromatin. This suggests variations in the diversity and chromosomal organization of repetitive sequences in the genomes of social wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Moura Novaes
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Campus Alegre, Alto Universitário s/n, Guararema, Alegre, Espírito Santo, 29500-000, Brazil
| | - Gisele Amaro Teixeira
- Universidade Federal do Amapá, Campus Binacional - Oiapoque, n°3051, Bairro Universidade, Oiapoque, Amapá, 68980-000, Brazil
| | - Eydyeliana Month Juris
- Grupo de Investigación en Biotecnología, Universidad de Sucre, Facultad de Educación y Ciencias, Sincelejo, Colombia
| | - Denilce Meneses Lopes
- Laboratório de Citogenética de Insetos, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Campus Viçosa, Avenida Peter Henry Rolfs s/n, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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3
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Chen Q, Liu Q, Chen Y, Du L, Zhu X, Yang Y, Zhao J, Wang Z, Song L, Li J, Ren B. Functional Characterization of the Niemann-Pick C2 Protein BdioNPC2b in the Parasitic Wasp Baryscapus dioryctriae (Chalcidodea: Eulophidae). J Agric Food Chem 2024; 72:7735-7748. [PMID: 38546111 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Reverse chemical ecology has been widely applied for the functional characterization of olfactory proteins in various arthropods, but few related studies have focused on parasitic wasps. Here, the odorant carrier Niemann-Pick C2 protein of Baryscapus dioryctriae (BdioNPC2b) was studied in vitro and in vivo. Ligand binding analysis revealed that BdioNPC2b most strongly bound to 2-butyl-2-octenal and which compound could elicit an EAG response and attracted B. dioryctriae adults. Moreover, this odorant attractant significantly improved the reproductive efficiency of B. dioryctriae compared to that of the control. Then, the relationship between BdioNPC2b and 2-butyl-2-octenal was validated by RNAi, and site-directed mutagenesis revealed the involvement of three key residues of BdioNPC2b in binding to 2-butyl-2-octenal through hydrogen bonding. Our findings provide not only a deeper understanding of the olfactory function of NPC2 in wasps but also useful information for improving the performance of the parasitoid B. dioryctriae as a biological control agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yuanxu Chen
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Lin Du
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jingyi Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Zizhuo Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Liwen Song
- Research Institute of Forest Protection, Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Jing Li
- Research Institute of Forest Protection, Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Bingzhong Ren
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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4
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Fricke LC, Lindsey ARI. Identification of Parthenogenesis-Inducing Effector Proteins in Wolbachia. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae036. [PMID: 38530785 PMCID: PMC11019157 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in the genus Wolbachia have evolved numerous strategies to manipulate arthropod sex, including the conversion of would-be male offspring to asexually reproducing females. This so-called "parthenogenesis induction" phenotype can be found in a number of Wolbachia strains that infect arthropods with haplodiploid sex determination systems, including parasitoid wasps. Despite the discovery of microbe-mediated parthenogenesis more than 30 yr ago, the underlying genetic mechanisms have remained elusive. We used a suite of genomic, computational, and molecular tools to identify and characterize two proteins that are uniquely found in parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachia and have strong signatures of host-associated bacterial effector proteins. These putative parthenogenesis-inducing proteins have structural homology to eukaryotic protein domains including nucleoporins, the key insect sex determining factor Transformer, and a eukaryotic-like serine-threonine kinase with leucine-rich repeats. Furthermore, these proteins significantly impact eukaryotic cell biology in the model Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We suggest that these proteins are parthenogenesis-inducing factors and our results indicate that this would be made possible by a novel mechanism of bacterial-host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Fricke
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Amelia R I Lindsey
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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5
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Brink K, Thomas CL, Jones A, Chan TW, Mallon EB. Exploring the ageing methylome in the model insect, Nasonia vitripennis. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:305. [PMID: 38519892 PMCID: PMC10958858 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10211-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ageing process is a multifaceted phenomenon marked by the gradual deterioration of cellular and organismal functions, accompanied by an elevated susceptibility to diseases. The intricate interplay between genetic and environmental factors complicates research, particularly in complex mammalian models. In this context, simple invertebrate organisms have been pivotal, but the current models lack detectable DNA methylation limiting the exploration of this critical epigenetic ageing mechanism. This study introduces Nasonia vitripennis, the jewel wasp, as an innovative invertebrate model for investigating the epigenetics of ageing. Leveraging its advantages as a model organism and possessing a functional DNA methylation system, Nasonia emerges as a valuable addition to ageing research. RESULTS Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing unveiled dynamic alterations in DNA methylation, with differentially methylated CpGs between distinct time points in both male and female wasps. These changes were associated with numerous genes, enriching for functions related to telomere maintenance, histone methylation, and mRNA catabolic processes. Additionally, other CpGs were found to be variably methylated at each timepoint. Sex-specific effects on epigenetic entropy were observed, indicating differential patterns in the loss of epigenetic stability over time. Constructing an epigenetic clock containing 19 CpGs revealed a robust correlation between epigenetic age and chronological age. CONCLUSIONS Nasonia vitripennis emerges as a promising model for investigating the epigenetics of ageing, shedding light on the intricate dynamics of DNA methylation and their implications for age-related processes. This research not only expands the repertoire of ageing models but also opens avenues for deeper exploration of epigenetic mechanisms in the context of ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Brink
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | - C L Thomas
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK
| | - A Jones
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Muenster, Huefferstrabe, Muenster, Germany
| | - T W Chan
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - E B Mallon
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, UK.
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Li B, Duan Y, Du Z, Wang X, Liu S, Feng Z, Tian L, Song F, Yang H, Cai W, Lin Z, Li H. Natural selection and genetic diversity maintenance in a parasitic wasp during continuous biological control application. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1379. [PMID: 38355730 PMCID: PMC10866907 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45631-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Aphidius gifuensis is a parasitoid wasp and primary endoparasitoid enemy of the peach potato aphid, Myzus persicae. Artificially reared, captive wasps of this species have been extensively and effectively used to control populations of aphids and limit crop loss. However, the consequences of large-scale releasing of captive A. gifuensis, such as genetic erosion and reduced fitness in wild populations of this species, remains unclear. Here, we sequence the genomes of 542 A. gifuensis individuals collected across China, including 265 wild and 277 human-intervened samples. Population genetic analyses on wild individuals recovered Yunnan populations as the ancestral group with the most complex genetic structure. We also find genetic signature of environmental adaptation during the dispersal of wild populations from Yunnan to other regions. While comparative genomic analyses of captive wasps revealed a decrease in genetic diversity during long-term rearing, population genomic analyses revealed signatures of natural selection by several biotic (host plants) or abiotic (climate) factors, which support maintenance of the gene pool of wild populations in spite of the introduction of captive wasps. Therefore, the impact of large-scale release is reduced. Our study suggests that A. gifuensis is a good system for exploring the genetic and evolutionary effects of mass rearing and release on species commonly used as biocontrol agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Li
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yuange Duan
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhenyong Du
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shanlin Liu
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zengbei Feng
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Li Tian
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Fan Song
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | | | - Wanzhi Cai
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhonglong Lin
- Yunnan Tobacco Company of China National Tobacco Corporation, Kunming, 650011, China.
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Entomology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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7
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Gimmi E, Vorburger C. High specificity of symbiont-conferred resistance in an aphid-parasitoid field community. J Evol Biol 2024; 37:162-170. [PMID: 38366251 DOI: 10.1093/jeb/voad013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Host-parasite coevolution is mediated by genetic interactions between the antagonists and may lead to reciprocal adaptation. In the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae fabae, resistance to parasitoids can be conferred by the heritable bacterial endosymbiont Hamiltonella defensa. H. defensa has been shown to be variably protective against different parasitoid species, and different genotypes of the black bean aphid's main parasitoid Lysiphlebus fabarum. However, these results were obtained using haphazard combinations of laboratory-reared insect lines with different origins, making it unclear how representative they are of natural, locally (co)adapted communities. We therefore comprehensively sampled the parasitoids of a natural A. f. fabae population and measured the ability of the five most abundant species to parasitize aphids carrying the locally prevalent H. defensa haplotypes. H. defensa provided resistance only against the dominant parasitoid L. fabarum (70% of all parasitoids), but not against less abundant parasitoids, and resistance to L. fabarum acted in a genotype-specific manner (G × G interactions between H. defensa and L. fabarum). These results confirm that strong species- and genotype-specificity of symbiont-conferred resistance is indeed a hallmark of wild A. f. fabae populations, and they are consistent with symbiont-mediated adaptation of aphids to the parasitoids posing the highest risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gimmi
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science D-USYS, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science D-USYS, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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8
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Wulff JP, Traverso LM, Latorre-Estivalis JM, Segura DF, Lanzavecchia SB. Identification of candidate genes associated with host-seeking behavior in the parasitoid wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:147. [PMID: 38321385 PMCID: PMC10848486 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10034-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diachasmimorpha longicaudata is a hymenopteran fruit fly endoparasitoid. Females of this species find their hosts for oviposition by using complex sensorial mechanisms in response to physical and chemical stimuli associated with the host and host habitat. Ecological and behavioral aspects related to host-seeking behavior for oviposition have been extensively studied in D. longicaudata, including the identification of volatile organic compounds acting as attractants to females. In this sense, molecular mechanisms of chemoreception have been explored in this species, including a preliminary characterization of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and odorant receptors (ORs), among other proteins. Functional assays on OBP and CSP have been conducted as a first approach to identify molecular mechanisms associated with the female host-seeking behavior for oviposition. The aims of the present study were to identify the D. longicaudata sensory gene repertoire expressed in the antenna of sexually mature and mated individuals of both sexes, and subsequently, characterize transcripts differentially expressed in the antennae of females to identify candidate genes associated with the female host-seeking behavior for oviposition. RESULTS A total of 33,745 predicted protein-coding sequences were obtained from a de novo antennal transcriptome assembly. Ten sensory-related gene families were annotated as follows: 222 ORs, 44 ionotropic receptors (IRs), 25 gustatory receptors (GRs), 9 CSPs, 13 OBPs, 2 ammonium transporters (AMTs), 8 pickpocket (PPKs) receptors, 16 transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, 12 CD36/SNMPs and 3 Niemann-Pick type C2 like proteins (NPC2-like). The differential expression analysis revealed 237 and 151 transcripts up- and downregulated, respectively, between the female and male antennae. Ninety-seven differentially expressed transcripts corresponded to sensory-related genes including 88 transcripts being upregulated (87 ORs and one TRP) and nine downregulated (six ORs, two CSPs and one OBP) in females compared to males. CONCLUSIONS The sensory gene repertoire of D. longicaudata was similar to that of other taxonomically related parasitoid wasps. We identified a high number of ORs upregulated in the female antenna. These results may indicate that this gene family has a central role in the chemoreception of sexually mature females during the search for hosts and host habitats for reproductive purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P Wulff
- Entomology and Plant Pathology, NCSU, Raleigh, NC, USA.
| | - Lucila M Traverso
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos (LNI), Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CENEXA, CONICET, La Plata, Bs As, Argentina
| | - Jose M Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Instituto de Fisiología, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Bs As, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego F Segura
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética Ewald A. Favret (INTA) gv-IABIMO (CONICET), Hurlingham, Bs As, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad del Salvador, Bs As, Argentina
| | - Silvia B Lanzavecchia
- Laboratorio de Insectos de Importancia Agronómica, Instituto de Genética Ewald A. Favret (INTA) gv-IABIMO (CONICET), Hurlingham, Bs As, Argentina
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9
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Mohamadzade Namin S, Son M, Jung C. Uncovering floral composition of paper wasp nests (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistes) through DNA metabarcoding. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2830. [PMID: 38310136 PMCID: PMC10838270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52834-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
As the social organism, Polistes wasps build a communal nest using woody fibers with saliva for sustaining brood and adult population throughout the season. Limited information exists regarding the identification specific plant materials employed in wasp nest building. Thus, we firstly tested if the DNA metabarcoding approach utilizing rbcL and trnL molecular markers could identify the plant species quantitatively and qualitatively inform the mixed-origin woody samples. A threshold of 0.01 proportion of reads was applied for rbcL and trnL molecular markers, while this threshold for median proportion was 0.0025. In assessing taxa richness, the median proportion demonstrated superior performance, exhibiting higher taxa detection power, however, rbcL marker outperformed in quantitative analysis. Subsequently, we applied DNA metabarcoding to identify the plant materials from the nests of two Polistes species, P. mandarinus and P. rothneyi. The results showed that higher preference of Quercus and Robinia as the major nest building materials regardless of the surrounding plant communities, by two wasp species. Material diversity was higher for P. rothneyi than P. mandarinus, which may explain the abundance of this species possibly with heightened adaptive capacities in their nesting behavior. This study demonstrated that DNA metabarcoding could identify the complex nest-building plant materials of paper wasps and provide insights into their ecological interactions in the natural ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Mohamadzade Namin
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong, Republic of Korea
| | - Minwoong Son
- Rural Development Administration (RDA), Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Chuleui Jung
- Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Andong National University, Andong, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Yu H, Nong X, Huang W, Bhanumas C, Deng X, Ding Y, Liu W. Odorant-Binding and Chemosensory Proteins in Fig Wasps: Evolutionary Insights From Comparative Studies. J Mol Evol 2024; 92:42-60. [PMID: 38280051 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-023-10152-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Fig wasps (Agaonidae; Hymenoptera) are the only pollinating insects of fig trees (Ficus; Moraceae), forming the most closely and highly specific mutualism with the host. We used transcriptome sequences of 25 fig wasps from six genera to explore the evolution of key molecular components of fig wasp chemosensory genes: odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs). We identified a total 321 OBPs and 240 CSPs, with each species recording from 6 to 27 OBP genes and 6-19 CSP genes. 318 OBP genes are clustered into 17 orthologous groups and can be divided into two groups: PBP sensitive to pheromone and GOBP sensitive to general odor molecules, such as alcohols, esters, acids, ketones, and terpenoids. 240 CSP genes are clustered into 12 orthologous groups, which can be divided into three major groups and have functions, such as olfactory, tissue formation and/or regeneration, developmental, and some specific and unknown function. The gene sequences of most orthologous groups vary greatly among species and are consistent with the phylogenetic relationships between fig wasps. Strong purifying selection of both OBP and CSP genes was detected, as shown by low ω values. A positive selection was detected in one locus in CSP1. In conclusion, the evolution of chemosensory proteins OBPs and CSPs in fig wasps is relatively conservative, and they play an indispensable role in the life activities of fig wasps. Our results provide a starting point for understanding the molecular basis of the chemosensory systems of fig wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
| | - Xiaojue Nong
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Weicheng Huang
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | | | - Xiaoxia Deng
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Yamei Ding
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Wanzhen Liu
- Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
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11
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Cruaud A, Rasplus JY, Zhang J, Burks R, Delvare G, Fusu L, Gumovsky A, Huber JT, Janšta P, Mitroiu MD, Noyes JS, van Noort S, Baker A, Böhmová J, Baur H, Blaimer BB, Brady SG, Bubeníková K, Chartois M, Copeland RS, Dale-Skey Papilloud N, Dal Molin A, Dominguez C, Gebiola M, Guerrieri E, Kresslein RL, Krogmann L, Lemmon E, Murray EA, Nidelet S, Nieves-Aldrey JL, Perry RK, Peters RS, Polaszek A, Sauné L, Torréns J, Triapitsyn S, Tselikh EV, Yoder M, Lemmon AR, Woolley JB, Heraty JM. The Chalcidoidea bush of life: evolutionary history of a massive radiation of minute wasps. Cladistics 2024; 40:34-63. [PMID: 37919831 DOI: 10.1111/cla.12561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chalcidoidea are mostly parasitoid wasps that include as many as 500 000 estimated species. Capturing phylogenetic signal from such a massive radiation can be daunting. Chalcidoidea is an excellent example of a hyperdiverse group that has remained recalcitrant to phylogenetic resolution. We combined 1007 exons obtained with Anchored Hybrid Enrichment with 1048 ultra-conserved elements (UCEs) for 433 taxa including all extant families, >95% of all subfamilies, and 356 genera chosen to represent the vast diversity of the superfamily. Going back and forth between the molecular results and our collective knowledge of morphology and biology, we detected bias in the analyses that was driven by the saturation of nucleotide data. Our final results are based on a concatenated analysis of the least saturated exons and UCE datasets (2054 loci, 284 106 sites). Our analyses support an expected sister relationship with Mymarommatoidea. Seven previously recognized families were not monophyletic, so support for a new classification is discussed. Natural history in some cases would appear to be more informative than morphology, as illustrated by the elucidation of a clade of plant gall associates and a clade of taxa with planidial first-instar larvae. The phylogeny suggests a transition from smaller soft-bodied wasps to larger and more heavily sclerotized wasps, with egg parasitism as potentially ancestral for the entire superfamily. Deep divergences in Chalcidoidea coincide with an increase in insect families in the fossil record, and an early shift to phytophagy corresponds with the beginning of the "Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution". Our dating analyses suggest a middle Jurassic origin of 174 Ma (167.3-180.5 Ma) and a crown age of 162.2 Ma (153.9-169.8 Ma) for Chalcidoidea. During the Cretaceous, Chalcidoidea may have undergone a rapid radiation in southern Gondwana with subsequent dispersals to the Northern Hemisphere. This scenario is discussed with regard to knowledge about the host taxa of chalcid wasps, their fossil record and Earth's palaeogeographic history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Cruaud
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Yves Rasplus
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Junxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application of Hebei Province, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Roger Burks
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Gérard Delvare
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Lucian Fusu
- Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania
| | - Alex Gumovsky
- Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine
| | - John T Huber
- Natural Resources Canada, c/o Canadian National Collection of Insects, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Petr Janšta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Entomology, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - John S Noyes
- Insects Division, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Simon van Noort
- Research and Exhibitions Department, South African Museum, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Austin Baker
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Julie Böhmová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hannes Baur
- Department of Invertebrates, Natural History Museum Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bonnie B Blaimer
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Seán G Brady
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kristýna Bubeníková
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marguerite Chartois
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert S Copeland
- Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Ana Dal Molin
- Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Chrysalyn Dominguez
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Marco Gebiola
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Emilio Guerrieri
- Insects Division, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- CNR-Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (CNR-IPSP), National Research Council of Italy, Portici, Italy
| | - Robert L Kresslein
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Lars Krogmann
- Department of Entomology, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Emily Lemmon
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Murray
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Sabine Nidelet
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Ryan K Perry
- Department of Plant Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
| | - Ralph S Peters
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Laure Sauné
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Javier Torréns
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja (CRILAR-CONICET), Anillaco, Argentina
| | - Serguei Triapitsyn
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | | | - Matthew Yoder
- Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Alan R Lemmon
- Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Dirac Science Library, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - James B Woolley
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - John M Heraty
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
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12
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Daude MM, Ságio SA, Rodrigues JN, Lima NMP, Lima AA, Sarmento MI, Sarmento RA, Barreto HG. Reference genes for Eucalyptus spp. under Beauveria bassiana inoculation and subsequently infestation by the galling wasp Leptocybe invasa. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2556. [PMID: 38297150 PMCID: PMC10830493 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52948-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Relative gene expression analysis through RT-qPCR is an important molecular technique that helps understanding different molecular mechanisms, such as the plant defense response to insect pests. However, the use of RT-qPCR for gene expression analysis can be affected by factors that directly affect the reliability of the results. Among these factors, the appropriate choice of reference genes is crucial and can strongly impact RT-qPCR relative gene expression analyses, highlighting the importance in correctly choosing the most suitable genes for the success of the analysis. Thus, this study aimed to select and validate reference genes for relative gene expression studies through RT-qPCR in hybrids of Eucalyptus tereticornis × Eucalyptus camaldulensis (drought tolerant and susceptible to Leptocybe invasa) under conditions of inoculation by the Beauveria bassiana fungus and subsequent infestation by L. invasa. The expression level and stability of eleven candidate genes were evaluated. Stability was analyzed using the RefFinder tool, which integrates the geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and Delta-Ct algorithms. The selected reference genes were validated through the expression analysis of the transcriptional factor EcDREB2 (dehydration-responsive element-binding protein 2). For all treatments evaluated, EcPTB, EcPP2A-1, and EcEUC12 were the best reference genes. The triplets EcPTB/EcEUC12/EcUBP6, EcPP2A-1/EcEUC12/EcPTB, EcIDH/EcSAND/Ecα-TUB, EcPP2A-1/Ecα-TUB/EcPTB, and EcPP2A-1/EcUPL7/EcSAND were the best reference genes for the control plants, mother plants, plants inoculated with B. bassiana, plants infested with L. invasa, and plants inoculated with B. bassiana and subsequently infested with L. invasa, respectively. The best determined reference genes were used to normalize the RT-qPCR expression data for each experimental condition evaluated. The results emphasize the importance of this type of study to ensure the reliability of relative gene expression analyses. Furthermore, the findings of this study can be used as a basis for future research, comprising gene expression analysis of different eucalyptus metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Martins Daude
- Laboratory of Molecular Analysis (LAM), Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Rede Bionorte, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Solange Aparecida Ságio
- Laboratory of Molecular Analysis (LAM), Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Digital Agroenergy, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Jovielly Neves Rodrigues
- Postgraduate Program in Forest and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | | | - André Almeida Lima
- Laboratory of Molecular Analysis (LAM), Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Maíra Ignacio Sarmento
- Postgraduate Program in Forest and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Renato Almeida Sarmento
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Rede Bionorte, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Forest and Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Horllys Gomes Barreto
- Laboratory of Molecular Analysis (LAM), Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Rede Bionorte, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Digital Agroenergy, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil.
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13
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Uzbekov R, N'goran SWMO, Garanina A, Pancione M, Chaika SY, Bressac C. The Centrosomes of Haploid and Diploid Cells Have an Equal Number of Centrioles in the Parasitoid Wasp Anisopteromalus Calandrae. FRONT BIOSCI-LANDMRK 2024; 29:28. [PMID: 38287838 DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2901028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The centrosome is the main center of the organization of microtubules (MT) in the cell, the origin for the formation of flagella and cilia, as well as the site of many regulatory intracellular processes. In diploid cells, the centrosome includes two centrioles connected to some additional structures and surrounded by pericentriolar material. METHODS The ultrastructure of the cells was studied using transmission electron microscopy on serial ultrathin sections. RESULTS Here, using transmission electron microscopy on a complete series of ultrathin sections of the centrosome region, we studied the relation between the number of centrioles and ploidy in diploid cells of female wasps and haploid cells of male in the parasitoid wasp Anisopteromalus calandrae (Hymenoptera). It showed that the haploid cells of the male insect have the same number of centrioles as the diploid cells of the female. CONCLUSIONS It can be concluded that there is no strict correlation between the number of chromosome sets (ploidy) and the number of centrioles in haplodiploid insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rustem Uzbekov
- Department of Microscopy, François Rabelais University, 37032 Tours, France
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - San-Whouly Mauricette Ouali N'goran
- Research Institute for the Biology of Insect, UMR CNRS 7261, University of Tours, 37200 Tours, France
- Laboratory of Natural environements and conservation of biodiversity, Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, 01 BP 582 Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Anastasiia Garanina
- Department of Microscopy, François Rabelais University, 37032 Tours, France
- National University of Science and Technology «MISIS», 119049 Moscow, Russia
| | - Massimo Pancione
- Department of Sciences and Technologies, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Stanislav Yu Chaika
- Department of Entomology, Biological faculty, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Christophe Bressac
- Research Institute for the Biology of Insect, UMR CNRS 7261, University of Tours, 37200 Tours, France
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14
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Ward AKG, Zhang YM, Brown GE, Hippee AC, Prior KM, Rollins S, Sierra N, Sheikh SI, Tribull CM, Forbes AA. Speciation in kleptoparasites of oak gall wasps often correlates with shifts into new tree habitats, tree organs, or gall morphospace. Evolution 2024; 78:174-187. [PMID: 37943790 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Host shifts to new plant species can drive speciation for plant-feeding insects, but how commonly do host shifts also drive diversification for the parasites of those same insects? Oak gall wasps induce galls on oak trees and shifts to novel tree hosts and new tree organs have been implicated as drivers of oak gall wasp speciation. Gall wasps are themselves attacked by many insect parasites, which must find their hosts on the correct tree species and organ, but also must navigate the morphologically variable galls with which they interact. Thus, we ask whether host shifts to new trees, organs, or gall morphologies correlate with gall parasite diversification. We delimit species and infer phylogenies for two genera of gall kleptoparasites, Synergus and Ceroptres, reared from a variety of North American oak galls. We find that most species were reared from galls induced by just one gall wasp species, and no parasite species was reared from galls of more than four species. Most kleptoparasite divergence events correlate with shifts to non-ancestral galls. These shifts often involved changes in tree habitat, gall location, and gall morphology. Host shifts are thus implicated in driving diversification for both oak gall wasps and their kleptoparasitic associates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K G Ward
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Y Miles Zhang
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UUnited Kingdom
| | - Guerin E Brown
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Alaine C Hippee
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Kirsten M Prior
- Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Shannon Rollins
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Biology Department, Farmingdale State College-State University of New York, Farmingdale, NY, United States
| | - Nicolas Sierra
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Sofia I Sheikh
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Carly M Tribull
- Biology Department, Farmingdale State College-State University of New York, Farmingdale, NY, United States
| | - Andrew A Forbes
- Biology Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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15
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Taylor BA, Taylor D, Bodrug‐Schepers A, Câmara Ferreira F, Stralis‐Pavese N, Himmelbauer H, Guigó R, Reuter M, Sumner S. Molecular signatures of alternative reproductive strategies in a facultatively social hover wasp. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17217. [PMID: 38014715 PMCID: PMC10953455 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Social insect reproductives and non-reproductives represent ideal models with which to understand the expression and regulation of alternative phenotypes. Most research in this area has focused on the developmental regulation of reproductive phenotypes in obligately social taxa such as honey bees, while relatively few studies have addressed the molecular correlates of reproductive differentiation in species in which the division of reproductive labour is established only in plastic dominance hierarchies. To address this knowledge gap, we generate the first genome for any stenogastrine wasp and analyse brain transcriptomic data for non-reproductives and reproductives of the facultatively social species Liostenogaster flavolineata, a representative of one of the simplest forms of social living. By experimentally manipulating the reproductive 'queues' exhibited by social colonies of this species, we show that reproductive division of labour in this species is associated with transcriptomic signatures that are more subtle and variable than those observed in social taxa in which colony living has become obligate; that variation in gene expression among non-reproductives reflects their investment into foraging effort more than their social rank; and that genes associated with reproductive division of labour overlap to some extent with those underlying division of labour in the separate polistine origin of wasp sociality but only explain a small portion of overall variation in this trait. These results indicate that broad patterns of within-colony transcriptomic differentiation in this species are similar to those in Polistinae but offer little support for the existence of a strongly conserved 'toolkit' for sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A. Taylor
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment ResearchUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & EnvironmentUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Daisy Taylor
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | | | | | - Nancy Stralis‐Pavese
- Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Heinz Himmelbauer
- Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Roderic Guigó
- Centre for Genomic RegulationBarcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Universitat Pompeu FabraBarcelonaSpain
| | - Max Reuter
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & EnvironmentUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Centre for Life's Origins and EvolutionUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment ResearchUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & EnvironmentUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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16
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Fricke LC, Lindsey ARI. Examining Wolbachia-Induced Parthenogenesis in Hymenoptera. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2739:55-68. [PMID: 38006545 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3553-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
The maternally transmitted reproductive manipulator Wolbachia can impact sex ratios of its arthropod host by different mechanisms, ultimately promoting the spread of infection across a population. One of these reproductive phenotypes, parthenogenesis induction (PI), is characterized by the asexual production of female offspring, which in many cases results in an entirely female population. Cases of Wolbachia-mediated PI are most common in the order Hymenoptera, specifically in parasitoid wasps. The complex sex determination pathways of hymenopterans, their diverse life histories, the multiple cytogenetic mechanisms of PI, and the lack of males make functional studies of parthenogenesis induction challenging. Here, we describe the mechanisms of PI, outline methods to recognize and cure PI-Wolbachia infection, and note possible complications when working with PI-Wolbachia strains and their parthenogenetic hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Fricke
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
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17
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Zhou SO, Arunkumar R, Irfan A, Ding SD, Leitão AB, Jiggins FM. The evolution of constitutively active humoral immune defenses in Drosophila populations under high parasite pressure. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011729. [PMID: 38206983 PMCID: PMC10807768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Both constitutive and inducible immune mechanisms are employed by hosts for defense against infection. Constitutive immunity allows for a faster response, but it comes with an associated cost that is always present. This trade-off between speed and fitness costs leads to the theoretical prediction that constitutive immunity will be favored where parasite exposure is frequent. We selected populations of Drosophila melanogaster under high parasite pressure from the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardi. With RNA sequencing, we found the evolution of resistance in these populations was associated with them developing constitutively active humoral immunity, mediated by the larval fat body. Furthermore, these evolved populations were also able to induce gene expression in response to infection to a greater level, which indicates an overall more activated humoral immune response to parasitization. The anti-parasitoid immune response also relies on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway being activated in muscles following infection, and this induced response was only seen in populations that had evolved under high parasite pressure. We found that the cytokine Upd3, which induces this JAK/STAT response, is being expressed by immature lamellocytes. Furthermore, these immune cells became constitutively present when populations evolved resistance, potentially explaining why they gained the ability to activate JAK/STAT signaling. Thus, under intense parasitism, populations evolved resistance by increasing both constitutive and induced immune defenses, and there is likely an interplay between these two forms of immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu Olivia Zhou
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ramesh Arunkumar
- Section of population genetics, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Amina Irfan
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alexandre B. Leitão
- Champalimaud Foundation, Champalimaud Centre of the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francis M. Jiggins
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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18
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Tumulty JP, Miller SE, Van Belleghem SM, Weller HI, Jernigan CM, Vincent S, Staudenraus RJ, Legan AW, Polnaszek TJ, Uy FMK, Walton A, Sheehan MJ. Evidence for a selective link between cooperation and individual recognition. Curr Biol 2023; 33:5478-5487.e5. [PMID: 38065097 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The ability to recognize others is a frequent assumption of models of the evolution of cooperation. At the same time, cooperative behavior has been proposed as a selective agent favoring the evolution of individual recognition abilities. Although theory predicts that recognition and cooperation may co-evolve, data linking recognition abilities and cooperative behavior with evidence of selection are elusive. Here, we provide evidence of a selective link between individual recognition and cooperation in the paper wasp Polistes fuscatus through a combination of clinal, common garden, and population genomics analyses. We identified latitudinal clines in both rates of cooperative nesting and color pattern diversity, consistent with a selective link between recognition and cooperation. In behavioral experiments, we replicated previous results demonstrating individual recognition in cooperative and phenotypically diverse P. fuscatus from New York. In contrast, wasps from a less cooperative and phenotypically uniform Louisiana population showed no evidence of individual recognition. In a common garden experiment, groups of wasps from northern populations formed more stable and individually biased associations, indicating that recognition facilitates group stability. The strength of recent positive selection on cognition-associated loci likely to mediate individual recognition is substantially greater in northern compared with southern P. fuscatus populations. Collectively, these data suggest that individual recognition and cooperative nesting behavior have co-evolved in P. fuscatus because recognition helps stabilize social groups. This work provides evidence of a specific cognitive phenotype under selection because of social interactions, supporting the idea that social behavior can be a key driver of cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Tumulty
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Sara E Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Steven M Van Belleghem
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannah I Weller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Christopher M Jernigan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sierra Vincent
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Regan J Staudenraus
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew W Legan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Floria M K Uy
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Alexander Walton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Michael J Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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19
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Zhang W, Li R, Li S, Li SY, Niu J, Wang JJ. RNA virus diversity in three parasitoid wasps of tephritid flies: insights from novel and known species. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0313923. [PMID: 37930041 PMCID: PMC10714968 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03139-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Parasitoid wasp populations have developed persistent beneficial symbiotic relationships with several viruses through repeated evolution. However, there have been limited reports on RNA viruses in parasitoid wasps of tephritid flies, a significant pest group affecting fruits and vegetables. This study explores the diversity of RNA viruses in three parasitoid wasps of tephritid flies and highlights the potential biological significance of specific viruses in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata. These findings have important implications for the development of sustainable pest management strategies and the enhancement of artificial rearing techniques for parasitoid wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rong Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shao-Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and Green Production of Upper Yangtze River (Ministry of Education), International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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20
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Wu Z, Yuan R, Gu Q, Wu X, Gu L, Ye X, Zhou Y, Huang J, Wang Z, Chen X. Parasitoid Serpins Evolve Novel Functions to Manipulate Host Homeostasis. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad269. [PMID: 38061001 PMCID: PMC10735303 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoids introduce various virulence factors when parasitism occurs, and some taxa generate teratocytes to manipulate the host immune system and metabolic homeostasis for the survival and development of their progeny. Host-parasitoid interactions are extremely diverse and complex, yet the evolutionary dynamics are still poorly understood. A category of serpin genes, named CvT-serpins, was discovered to be specifically expressed and secreted by the teratocytes of Cotesia vestalis, an endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella. Genomic and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the C. vestalis serpin genes are duplicated and most of them are clustered into 1 monophyletic clade. Intense positive selection was detected at the residues around the P1-P1' cleavage sites of the Cv-serpin reactive center loop domain. Functional analyses revealed that, in addition to the conserved function of melanization inhibition (CvT-serpins 1, 16, 18, and 21), CvT-serpins exhibited novel functions, i.e. bacteriostasis (CvT-serpins 3 and 5) and nutrient metabolism regulation (CvT-serpins 8 and 10). When the host-parasitoid system is challenged with foreign bacteria, CvT-serpins act as an immune regulator to reprogram the host immune system through sustained inhibition of host melanization while simultaneously functioning as immune effectors to compensate for this suppression. In addition, we provided evidence that CvT-serpin8 and 10 participate in the regulation of host trehalose and lipid levels by affecting genes involved in these metabolic pathways. These findings illustrate an exquisite tactic by which parasitoids win out in the parasite-host evolutionary arms race by manipulating host immune and nutrition homeostasis via adaptive gene evolution and neofunctionalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Wu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ruizhong Yuan
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qijuan Gu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaotong Wu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Licheng Gu
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiqian Ye
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuenan Zhou
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhizhi Wang
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- The Rural Development Academy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuexin Chen
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Guangdong Lab for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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21
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Dürrbaum E, Fornoff F, Scherber C, Vesterinen EJ, Eitzinger B. Metabarcoding of trap nests reveals differential impact of urbanization on cavity-nesting bee and wasp communities. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6449-6460. [PMID: 36479967 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Urbanization is affecting arthropod communities worldwide, for example by changing the availability of food resources. However, the strength and direction of a community's response is species-specific and depends on species' trophic level. Here, we investigated interacting species at different trophic levels in nests of cavity-nesting bees and wasps along two urbanization gradients in four German cities using trap nests. We analysed bee and wasp diversity and their trophic interaction partners by metabarcoding the DNA of bee pollen and preyed arthropods found in wasp nests. We found that the pollen richness increased with increasing distance from city centres and at sites characterized by a high percentage of impervious and developed surface, while the richness of pollinators was unaffected by urbanization. In contrast, species richness of wasps, but not their arthropod prey, was highest at sites with low levels of urbanization. However, the community structure of wasp prey changed with urbanization at both local and regional scales. Throughout the study area, the community of wasps consisted of specialists, while bee species were generalists. Our results suggest that Hymenoptera and their food resources are negatively affected by increasing urbanization. However, to understand distribution patterns of both, wasps and bees in urban settings other factors besides food availability should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Dürrbaum
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Felix Fornoff
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Christoph Scherber
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Bonn, Germany
| | - Eero J Vesterinen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Bernhard Eitzinger
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
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22
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Cunningham-Eurich I, Kontou D, Yordanova M, Maeda-Obregon A, Favreau E, Wang J, Hart AG, Sumner S. Using citizen science data to assess the population genetic structure of the common yellowjacket wasp, Vespula vulgaris. Insect Mol Biol 2023; 32:634-647. [PMID: 37599385 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring insect genetic diversity and population structure has never been more important to manage the biodiversity crisis. Citizen science has become an increasingly popular tool to gather ecological data affordably across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. To date, most insect-related citizen science initiatives have focused on occurrence and abundance data. Here, we show that poorly preserved insect samples collected by citizen scientists can yield population genetic information, providing new insights into population connectivity, genetic diversity and dispersal behaviour of little-studied insects. We analysed social wasps collected by participants of the Big Wasp Survey, a citizen science project that aims to map the diversity and distributions of vespine wasps in the UK. Although Vespula vulgaris is a notorious invasive species around the world, it remains poorly studied in its native range. We used these data to assess the population genetic structure of the common yellowjacket V. vulgaris at different spatial scales. We found a single, panmictic population across the UK with little evidence of population genetic structuring; the only possible limit to gene flow is the Irish sea, resulting in significant differentiation between the Northern Ireland and mainland UK populations. Our results suggest that queens disperse considerable distances from their natal nests to found new nests, resulting in high rates of gene flow and thus little differentiation across the landscape. Citizen science data has made it feasible to perform this study, and we hope that it will encourage future projects to adopt similar practices in insect population monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iona Cunningham-Eurich
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Danai Kontou
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Monika Yordanova
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Emeline Favreau
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jinliang Wang
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Adam G Hart
- Department of Natural and Social Science, University of Gloucestershire, UK
| | - Seirian Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
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23
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Brinker P, Chen F, Chehida YB, Beukeboom LW, Fontaine MC, Salles JF. Microbiome composition is shaped by geography and population structure in the parasitic wasp Asobara japonica, but not in the presence of the endosymbiont Wolbachia. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6644-6658. [PMID: 36125236 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The microbial community composition is crucial for diverse life-history traits in many organisms. However, we still lack a sufficient understanding of how the host microbiome is acquired and maintained, a pressing issue in times of global environmental change. Here we investigated to what extent host genotype, environmental conditions, and the endosymbiont Wolbachia influence the bacterial communities in the parasitic wasp Asobara japonica. We sampled multiple wasp populations across 10 locations in their natural distribution range in Japan and sequenced the host genome (whole genome sequencing) and microbiome (16S rRNA gene). We compared the host population structure and bacterial community composition of wasps that reproduce sexually and are uninfected with Wolbachia with wasps that reproduce asexually and carry Wolbachia. The bacterial communities in asexual wasps were highly similar due to a strong effect of Wolbachia rather than host genomic structure. In contrast, in sexual wasps, bacterial communities appear primarily shaped by a combination of population structure and environmental conditions. Our research highlights that multiple factors shape the bacterial communities of an organism and that the presence of a single endosymbiont can strongly alter their compositions. This information is crucial to understanding how organisms and their associated microbiome will react in the face of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pina Brinker
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fangying Chen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yacine Ben Chehida
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Leo W Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael C Fontaine
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- MIVEGEC, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France
| | - Joana Falcao Salles
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Zhang LX, Dong QJ, Yang S, Che WN, Zhang LS, Zhou JC, Dong H. RNA Interference in the Egg Parasitoid, Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura. J Vis Exp 2023. [PMID: 38078604 DOI: 10.3791/66250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The egg parasitoids, Trichogramma spp, are recognized as efficient biological control agents against various lepidopteran pests in agriculture and forests. The immature stages of Trichogramma offspring develop within the host egg, exhibiting remarkable diminutiveness (approximately 0.5 mm in adult length). RNA-interference (RNAi) methodology has emerged as a crucial tool for elucidating gene functions in numerous organisms. However, manipulating RNAi in certain small parasitoid species, such as Trichogramma, has generally posed significant challenges. In this study, we present an efficient RNAi method in Trichogramma denrolimi. The outlined procedure encompasses the acquisition and isolation of individual T. dendrolimi specimens from host eggs, the design and synthesis of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), the in vitro transplantation and cultivation of T. dendrolimi pupae, the micro-injection of dsRNA, and the subsequent assessment of target gene knockdown through RT-qPCR analysis. This study furnishes a comprehensive, visually detailed procedure for conducting RNAi experiments in T. dendrolimi, thereby enabling researchers to investigate the gene regulation in this species. Furthermore, this methodology is adaptable for RNAi studies or micro-injections in other Trichogramma species with minor adjustments, rendering it a valuable reference for conducting RNAi experiments in other endoparasitic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long-Xi Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University
| | - Qian-Jin Dong
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University
| | - Shuai Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University
| | - Wu-Nan Che
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University
| | - Li-Sheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
| | - Jin-Cheng Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University; State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences;
| | - Hui Dong
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University;
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25
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Leung K, van de Zande L, Beukeboom LW. Effects of polyploidization and their evolutionary implications are revealed by heritable polyploidy in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia vitripennis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288278. [PMID: 37917617 PMCID: PMC10621845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrent polyploidization occurred in the evolutionary history of most Eukaryota. However, how neopolyploid detriment (sterility, gigantism, gene dosage imbalances) has been overcome and even been bridged to evolutionary advantage (gene network diversification, mass radiation, range expansion) is largely unknown, particularly for animals. We used the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a rare insect system with heritable polyploidy, to begin addressing this knowledge gap. In Hymenoptera the sexes have different ploidies (haploid males, diploid females) and neopolyploids (diploid males, triploid females) occur for various species. Although such polyploids are usually sterile, those of N. vitripennis are reproductively capable and can even establish stable polyploid lines. To assess the effects of polyploidization, we compared a long-established polyploid line, the Whiting polyploid line (WPL) and a newly generated transformer knockdown line (tKDL) for fitness traits, absolute gene expression, and cell size and number. WPL polyploids have high male fitness and low female fecundity, while tKDL polyploids have poor male mate competition ability and high fertility. WPL has larger cells and cell number reduction, but the tKDL does not differ in this respect. Expression analyses of two housekeeping genes indicated that gene dosage is linked to sex irrespective of ploidy. Our study suggests that polyploid phenotypic variation may explain why some polyploid lineages thrive and others die out; a commonly proposed but difficult-to-test hypothesis. This documentation of diploid males (tKDL) with impaired competitive mating ability; triploid females with high fitness variation; and hymenopteran sexual dosage compensation (despite the lack of sex chromosomes) all challenges general assumptions on hymenopteran biology. We conclude that polyploidization is dependent on the duplicated genome characteristics and that genomes of different lines are unequally suited to survive diploidization. These results demonstrate the utility of N. vitripennis for delineating mechanisms of animal polyploid evolution, analogous to more advanced polyploid plant models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelley Leung
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Louis van de Zande
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leo W. Beukeboom
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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26
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Hertaeg C, Vorburger C, De Moraes CM, Mescher MC. Effects of genotype and host environment on the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of Lysiphlebus parasitoids and aggression by aphid-tending ants. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231642. [PMID: 37848063 PMCID: PMC10581773 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoids in the genus Lysiphlebus specialize on ant-tended aphids and have previously been reported to mimic the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of their aphid hosts to avoid detection by ants. However, the precise mechanisms that mediate reduced ant aggression toward Lysiphlebus spp. are not known, nor is it clear whether such mechanisms are broadly effective or specialized on particular aphid hosts. Here we explore the effects of wasp genotype and host environment on Lysiphlebus CHC profiles and ant aggression. Rearing asexual Lysiphlebus lines in different host aphid environments revealed effects of both wasp line and aphid host on wasp CHCs. However, variation in genotype and host affected different features of the CHC profile, with wasp genotype explaining most variation in linear and long-chain methyl alkanes, while aphid host environment primarily influenced short-chain methyl alkanes. Subsequent behavioural experiments revealed no effects of host environment on ant aggression, but strong evidence for genotypic effects. The influence of genotypic variation on experienced ant aggression and relevant chemical traits is particularly relevant in light of recent evidence for genetic divergence among Lysiphlebus parasitoids collected from different aphid hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Hertaeg
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Vorburger
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Consuelo M. De Moraes
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mark C. Mescher
- D-USYS, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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27
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Mozhaitseva K, Tourrain Z, Branca A. Population Genomics of the Mostly Thelytokous Diplolepis rosae (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) Reveals Population-specific Selection for Sex. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad185. [PMID: 37831420 PMCID: PMC10608957 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In Hymenoptera, arrhenotokous parthenogenesis (arrhenotoky) is a common reproductive mode. Thelytokous parthenogenesis (thelytoky), when virgin females produce only females, is less common and is found in several taxa. In our study, we assessed the efficacy of recombination and the effect of thelytoky on the genome structure of Diplolepis rosae, a gall wasp-producing bedeguars in dog roses. We assembled a high-quality reference genome using Oxford Nanopore long-read technology and sequenced 17 samples collected in France with high-coverage Illumina reads. We found two D. rosae peripatric lineages that differed in the level of recombination and homozygosity. One of the D. rosae lineages showed a recombination rate that was 13.2 times higher and per-individual heterozygosity that was 1.6 times higher. In the more recombining lineage, the genes enriched in functions related to male traits ('sperm competition", "insemination", and "copulation" gene ontology terms) showed signals of purifying selection, whereas in the less recombining lineage, the same genes showed traces pointing towards balancing or relaxed selection. Thus, although D. rosae reproduces mainly by thelytoky, selection may act to maintain sexual reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Mozhaitseva
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie, l’Institut Diversité, Ecologie et Evolution du Vivant, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Zoé Tourrain
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie, l’Institut Diversité, Ecologie et Evolution du Vivant, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Antoine Branca
- Laboratoire Evolution, Génomes, Comportement, Ecologie, l’Institut Diversité, Ecologie et Evolution du Vivant, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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28
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Su CY, Zhu DH, Abe Y, Ide T, Liu Z. The complete mitochondrial genome and gene rearrangements in a gall wasp species, Dryocosmus liui (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Cynipidae). PeerJ 2023; 11:e15865. [PMID: 37810770 PMCID: PMC10557937 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) have been widely used in comparative and evolutionary genomics, molecular evolution, phylogenetics, and population genetics, but very limited information is available for the family Cynipidae. In this report, we describe the mitogenome of Dryocosmus liui Pang, Su et Zhu, providing the first complete mitogenomic data for a cynipid gall wasp species. The mitogenome of D. liui is 16,819 bp in length, and contains the typical set of 37 genes. Two control regions were detected, with the second being a perfect inverted repeat of the major portion of the first. Gene rearrangements were found in transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, protein-coding genes (PCGs) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, compared with the putative ancestral mitogenome. Similar to two other Cynipidae species with mitogenome data available, D. liui has a novel tRNA gene cluster trnL1-trnI-trnL2-trnW-trnM-trnQ between nad1 and nad2. Phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of PCGs and rRNA genes with D. liui included obtained topologies identical to previous studies supporting the a relationship of (Cynipoidea , (Platygastroidea, Proctotrupoidea)) within the monophyletic Proctotrupomorpha and (Cynipidae, Figitidae), Ibaliidae) within the Cynipoidea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yuan Su
- Laboratory of Insect Behavior and Evolutionary Ecology, College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology (CSUFT), Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dao-Hong Zhu
- Laboratory of Insect Behavior and Evolutionary Ecology, College of Life Science and Technology, Central South University of Forestry & Technology (CSUFT), Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yoshihisa Abe
- Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ide
- Department of Zoology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Biological Sciences Department, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, United States of America
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Hettiarachchi A, Cnockaert M, Joossens M, Laureys D, De Clippeleer J, Vereecken NJ, Michez D, Smagghe G, de Graaf DC, Vandamme P. Convivina is a specialised core gut symbiont of the invasive hornet Vespa velutina. Insect Mol Biol 2023; 32:510-527. [PMID: 37204105 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
We provide a culturomics analysis of the cultivable bacterial communities of the crop, midgut and hindgut compartments, as well as the ovaries, of the invasive insect Vespa velutina, along with a cultivation-independent analysis of samples of the same nest through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The Vespa velutina bacterial symbiont community was dominated by the genera Convivina, Fructobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Lactococcus, Sphingomonas and Spiroplasma. Lactococcus lactis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum represented generalist core lactic acid bacteria (LAB) symbionts, while Convivina species and Fructobacillus fructosus represented highly specialised core LAB symbionts with strongly reduced genome sizes. Sphingomonas and Spiroplasma were the only non-LAB core symbionts but were not isolated. Convivina bacteria were particularly enriched in the hornet crop and included Convivina intestini, a species adapted towards amino acid metabolism, and Convivina praedatoris sp. nov. which was adapted towards carbohydrate metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Hettiarachchi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Margo Cnockaert
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie Joossens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - David Laureys
- Innovation Centre for Brewing & Fermentation, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jessika De Clippeleer
- Innovation Centre for Brewing & Fermentation, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dirk C de Graaf
- Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Lester PJ, O'Sullivan D, Perry GLW. Gene drives for invasive wasp control: Extinction is unlikely, with suppression dependent on dispersal and growth rates. Ecol Appl 2023; 33:e2912. [PMID: 37615220 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Gene drives offer a potentially revolutionary method for pest control over large spatial extents. These genetic modifications spread deleterious variants through a population and have been proposed as methods for pest suppression or even eradication. We examined the influence of local dispersal, long-distance and/or human-mediated dispersal, and variation in population growth on the success of a gene drive for the control of invasive social wasps (Vespula vulgaris). Our simulations incorporated a spatially realistic environment containing variable habitat quality in New Zealand. Pest eradication was not observed, except in extreme and unrealistic scenarios of constant, widespread, and spatially intense releases of genetically modified individuals every year for decades. Instead, the regional persistence of genetically modified and wild-type wasps was predicted. Simulations using spatially homogeneous versus realistic landscapes (incorporating uninhabitable areas and dispersal barriers) showed little difference in overall population dynamics. Overall, little impact on wasp abundance was observed in the first 15 years after introduction. After 25 years, populations were suppressed to levels <95% of starting populations. Populations exhibited "chase dynamics" with population cycles in space, with local extinction occurring in some areas while wasps became abundant in others. Increasing the wasps' local dispersal distance increased the spatial and temporal variability of the occupied area and population suppression. Varying levels of human-associated long-distance dispersal had little effect on population dynamics. Increasing intrinsic population growth rates interacted with local dispersal to cause higher mean populations and substantially higher levels of variation in population suppression and the total amount of landscape occupied. Gene drives appear unlikely to cause a rapid and widespread extinction of this and probably other pests but could offer long-term and cost-effective methods of pest suppression. The predicted level of <95% pest suppression would substantially reduce the predation pressure and competitive interactions of this invasive wasp on native species. However, the predicted long-term persistence of genetically modified pests will influence the ethics and likelihood of using gene drives for pest control, especially given concerns that modified wasps would eventually be transported back to their home range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - David O'Sullivan
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - George L W Perry
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Huang G, Liu Z, Gu S, Zhang B, Sun J. Identification and functional analysis of odorant-binding proteins of the parasitoid wasp Scleroderma guani reveal a chemosensory synergistic evolution with the host Monochamus alternatus. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 249:126088. [PMID: 37532193 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Scleroderma guani is a generalist ectoparasitoid of wood-boring insects. The chemosensory genes expressed in its antennae play crucial roles in host-seeking. In the present study, we identified 14 OBP genes for the first time from the antennae transcriptomes and genomic data of S. guani. The expression profiles of 14 OBPs were tested by RT-qPCR, and the RT-qPCR results showed that SguaOBP2/5/6/11/12/13 were specifically highly expressed in the female antennae. Then we performed ligand binding assays to test the interactions between six selected SguaOBPs with host specific chemical compounds from M. alternatus and pines. The binding results indicated that SguaOBP12 had a higher binding affinity with longifolene, β-caryophyllene, α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, butylated hydroxytoluene, and 3-carene. SguaOBP11 had a high or medium binding affinity with them. Furthermore, both SguaOBP11 and SguaOBP12 had a medium binding affinity with the aggregation pheromone of Monochamus species, 2-undecyloxy-1-ethanol. Finally, by using molecular docking and RNAi, we further explored the molecular interactions and behavioral functions of SguaOBP11 and SguaOBP12 with these vital odor molecules. Our study contributes to the further understanding of chemical communications between S. guani and its host, and further exploration for its role as a more effective biological control agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangzhen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhudong Liu
- Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions/College of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Shaohua Gu
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions/College of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Jianghua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Hebei Basic Science Center for Biotic Interactions/College of Life Science, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China.
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Mao M, Simmonds TJ, Stouthamer CM, Kehoe TM, Geib SM, Burke GR. A chromosome scale assembly of the parasitoid wasp Venturia canescens provides insight into the process of virus domestication. G3 (Bethesda) 2023; 13:jkad137. [PMID: 37345948 PMCID: PMC10542567 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
The parasitoid wasp Venturia canescens is an important biological control agent of stored products moth pests and serves as a model to study the function and evolution of domesticated endogenous viruses (DEVs). The DEVs discovered in V. canescens are known as virus-like particles (VcVLPs), which are produced using nudivirus-derived components and incorporate wasp-derived virulence proteins instead of packaged nucleic acids. Previous studies of virus-derived components in the V. canescens genome identified 53 nudivirus-like genes organized in six gene clusters and several viral pseudogenes, but how VcVLP genes are organized among wasp chromosomes following their integration in the ancestral wasp genome is largely unknown. Here, we present a chromosomal scale genome of V. canescens consisting of 11 chromosomes and 56 unplaced small scaffolds. The genome size is 290.8 Mbp with a N50 scaffold size of 24.99 Mbp. A high-quality gene set including 11,831 protein-coding genes were produced using RNA-Seq data as well as publicly available peptide sequences from related Hymenoptera. A manual annotation of genes of viral origin produced 61 intact and 19 pseudogenized nudivirus-derived genes. The genome assembly revealed that two previously identified clusters were joined into a single cluster and a total of 5 gene clusters comprising of 60 intact nudivirus-derived genes were located in three chromosomes. In contrast, pseudogenes are dispersed among 8 chromosomes with only 4 pseudogenes associated with nudivirus gene clusters. The architecture of genes encoding VcVLP components suggests it originates from a recent virus acquisition and there is a link between the processes of dispersal and pseudogenization. This high-quality genome assembly and annotation represents the first chromosome-scale assembly for parasitoid wasps associated with VLPs, and is publicly available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information Genome and RefSeq databases, providing a valuable resource for future studies of DEVs in parasitoid wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Mao
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Tyler J Simmonds
- Tropical Pest Genetics and Molecular Biology Research Unit, USDA-ARS Daniel K Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | | | - Tara M Kehoe
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Scott M Geib
- Tropical Pest Genetics and Molecular Biology Research Unit, USDA-ARS Daniel K Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
| | - Gaelen R Burke
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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Zhong YW, Fan YY, Zuo ZQ, Shu RG, Liu YQ, Luan JB, Li F, Liu SS. A chromosome-level genome assembly of the parasitoid wasp Eretmocerus hayati. Sci Data 2023; 10:585. [PMID: 37673910 PMCID: PMC10482854 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02450-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hymenoptera is an order accounting for a large proportion of species in Insecta, among which Chalcidoidea contains many parasitoid species of biocontrol significance. Currently, some species genomes in Chalcidoidea have been assembled, but the chromosome-level genomes of Aphelinidae are not yet available. Using Illumina, PacBio HiFi and Hi-C technologies, we assembled a genome assembly of Eretmocerus hayati (Aphelinidae, Hymenoptera), a worldwide biocontrol agent of whiteflies, at the chromosome level. The assembled genome size is 692.1 Mb with a contig N50 of 7.96 Mb. After Hi-C scaffolding, the contigs was assembled onto four chromosomes with a mapping rate of > 98%. The scaffold N50 length is 192.5 Mb, and Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologues (BUSCO) value is 95.9%. The genome contains 370.8 Mb repeat sequences and total of 24471 protein coding genes. P450 gene families were identified and analyzed. In conclusion, our chromosome-level genome assembly provides valuable support for future research on the evolution of parasitoid wasps and the interaction between hosts and parasitoid wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wei Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yun-Yun Fan
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhang-Qi Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Run-Guo Shu
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yin-Quan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Bo Luan
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, 110866, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Li
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Sheng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China.
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Yan Z, Fang Q, Song J, Yang L, Xiao S, Wang J, Ye G. A serpin gene from a parasitoid wasp disrupts host immunity and exhibits adaptive alternative splicing. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011649. [PMID: 37695779 PMCID: PMC10513286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is a major source of protein diversity in eukaryotes, but less is known about its evolution compared to gene duplication (GD). How AS and GD interact is also largely understudied. By constructing the evolutionary trajectory of the serpin gene PpSerpin-1 (Pteromalus puparum serpin 1) in parasitoids and other insects, we found that both AS and GD jointly contribute to serpin protein diversity. These two processes are negatively correlated and show divergent features in both protein and regulatory sequences. Parasitoid wasps exhibit higher numbers of serpin protein/domains than nonparasitoids, resulting from more GD but less AS in parasitoids. The potential roles of AS and GD in the evolution of parasitoid host-effector genes are discussed. Furthermore, we find that PpSerpin-1 shows an exon expansion of AS compared to other parasitoids, and that several isoforms are involved in the wasp immune response, have been recruited to both wasp venom and larval saliva, and suppress host immunity. Overall, our study provides an example of how a parasitoid serpin gene adapts to parasitism through AS, and sheds light on the differential features of AS and GD in the evolution of insect serpins and their associations with the parasitic life strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Yan
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiqiang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiale Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gongyin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Ye X, He C, Yang Y, Sun YH, Xiong S, Chan KC, Si Y, Xiao S, Zhao X, Lin H, Mei Y, Yao Y, Ye G, Wu F, Fang Q. Comprehensive isoform-level analysis reveals the contribution of alternative isoforms to venom evolution and repertoire diversity. Genome Res 2023; 33:1554-1567. [PMID: 37798117 PMCID: PMC10620052 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277707.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal venom systems have emerged as valuable models for investigating how novel polygenic phenotypes may arise from gene evolution by varying molecular mechanisms. However, a significant portion of venom genes produce alternative mRNA isoforms that have not been extensively characterized, hindering a comprehensive understanding of venom biology. In this study, we present a full-length isoform-level profiling workflow integrating multiple RNA sequencing technologies, allowing us to reconstruct a high-resolution transcriptome landscape of venom genes in the parasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum Our findings demonstrate that more than half of the venom genes generate multiple isoforms within the venom gland. Through mass spectrometry analysis, we confirm that alternative splicing contributes to the diversity of venom proteins, acting as a mechanism for expanding the venom repertoire. Notably, we identified seven venom genes that exhibit distinct isoform usages between the venom gland and other tissues. Furthermore, evolutionary analyses of venom serpin3 and orcokinin further reveal that the co-option of an ancient isoform and a newly evolved isoform, respectively, contributes to venom recruitment, providing valuable insights into the genetic mechanisms driving venom evolution in parasitoid wasps. Overall, our study presents a comprehensive investigation of venom genes at the isoform level, significantly advancing our understanding of alternative isoforms in venom diversity and evolution and setting the stage for further in-depth research on venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhai Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Chun He
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Yi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yu H Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, USA
| | - Shijiao Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kevin C Chan
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuxuan Si
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Shan Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xianxin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Haiwei Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yang Mei
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yufeng Yao
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310020, China
| | - Gongyin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fei Wu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang University, Shanghai 201203, China;
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding & Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
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Inwood SN, Skelly J, Guhlin JG, Harrop TWR, Goldson SL, Dearden PK. Chromosome-level genome assemblies of two parasitoid biocontrol wasps reveal the parthenogenesis mechanism and an associated novel virus. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:440. [PMID: 37543591 PMCID: PMC10403939 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09538-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biocontrol is a key technology for the control of pest species. Microctonus parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) have been released in Aotearoa New Zealand as biocontrol agents, targeting three different pest weevil species. Despite their value as biocontrol agents, no genome assemblies are currently available for these Microctonus wasps, limiting investigations into key biological differences between the different species and strains. METHODS AND FINDINGS Here we present high-quality genomes for Microctonus hyperodae and Microctonus aethiopoides, assembled with short read sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding. These assemblies have total lengths of 106.7 Mb for M. hyperodae and 129.2 Mb for M. aethiopoides, with scaffold N50 values of 9 Mb and 23 Mb respectively. With these assemblies we investigated differences in reproductive mechanisms, and association with viruses between Microctonus wasps. Meiosis-specific genes are conserved in asexual Microctonus, with in-situ hybridisation validating expression of one of these genes in the ovaries of asexual Microctonus aethiopoides. This implies asexual reproduction in these Microctonus wasps involves meiosis, with the potential for sexual reproduction maintained. Investigation of viral gene content revealed candidate genes that may be involved in virus-like particle production in M. aethiopoides, as well as a novel virus infecting M. hyperodae, for which a complete genome was assembled. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE These are the first published genomes for Microctonus wasps which have been deployed as biocontrol agents, in Aotearoa New Zealand. These assemblies will be valuable resources for continued investigation and monitoring of these biocontrol systems. Understanding the biology underpinning Microctonus biocontrol is crucial if we are to maintain its efficacy, or in the case of M. hyperodae to understand what may have influenced the significant decline of biocontrol efficacy. The potential for sexual reproduction in asexual Microctonus is significant given that empirical modelling suggests this asexual reproduction is likely to have contributed to biocontrol decline. Furthermore the identification of a novel virus in M. hyperodae highlights a previously unknown aspect of this biocontrol system, which may contribute to premature mortality of the host pest. These findings have potential to be exploited in future in attempt to increase the effectiveness of M. hyperodae biocontrol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Inwood
- Bioprotection Aotearoa and Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - John Skelly
- Bioprotection Aotearoa and Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
- Humble Bee Bio, Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Joseph G Guhlin
- Genomics Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Thomas W R Harrop
- Melbourne Bioinformatics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Stephen L Goldson
- Biocontrol and Biosecurity Group, AgResearch Limited, Lincoln, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Peter K Dearden
- Bioprotection Aotearoa and Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
- Genomics Aotearoa, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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Miller SE, Sheehan MJ. Sex differences in deleterious genetic variants in a haplodiploid social insect. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:4546-4556. [PMID: 37350360 PMCID: PMC10528523 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Deleterious variants are selected against but can linger in populations at low frequencies for long periods of time, decreasing fitness and contributing to disease burden in humans and other species. Deleterious variants occur at low frequency but distinguishing deleterious variants from low-frequency neutral variation is challenging based on population genomics data alone. As a result, we have little sense of the number and identity of deleterious variants in wild populations. For haplodiploid species, it has been hypothesised that deleterious alleles will be directly exposed to selection in haploid males, but selection can be masked in diploid females when deleterious variants are recessive, resulting in more efficient purging of deleterious mutations in males. Therefore, comparisons of the differences between haploid and diploid genomes from the same population may be a useful method for inferring rare deleterious variants. This study provides the first formal test of this hypothesis. Using wild populations of Northern paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus), we find that males have fewer missense and nonsense variants per generation than females from the same population. Allele frequency differences are especially pronounced for rare missense and nonsense variants and these differences lead to a lower mutational load in males than females. Based on these data we infer that many highly deleterious mutations are segregating in the paper wasp population. Stronger selection against deleterious alleles in haploid males may have implications for adaptation in other haplodiploid insects and provides evidence that wild populations harbour abundant deleterious variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E. Miller
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael J. Sheehan
- Laboratory for Animal Social Evolution and Recognition, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Yan B, Di X, Yang M, Wu H, Yu X, Zhang F. Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Solitary Parasitoid Wasp Microplitis manilae Ashmead, 1904 (Braconidae: Microgastrinae). Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad144. [PMID: 37515590 PMCID: PMC10448859 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps are invaluable natural enemies extensively used to control coleopteran, dipteran, and lepidopteran pests in agriculture and forestry owing to their killing and reproductive actions on hosts. The important larval endoparasitoid wasp Microplitis manilae, which belongs to the Microgastrinae subfamily, parasitizes the larval stages of Spodoptera spp., such as Spodoptera litura and Spodoptera frugiperda. The absence of a genomic resource for M. manilae has impeded studies on chemosensory- and detoxification-related genes. This study presents a chromosome-level genome assembly of M. manilae with a genome size of 293.18 Mb, which includes 222 contigs (N50 size, 7.58 Mb) and 134 scaffolds (N50 size, 27.33 Mb). A major proportion of the genome (284.76 Mb; 97.13%) was anchored to 11 pseudochromosomes with a single-copy BUSCO score of 98.4%. Furthermore, 14,316 protein-coding genes, 165.14 Mb (57.99%) repetitive elements, and 871 noncoding RNAs were annotated and identified. Additionally, a manual annotation of 399 genes associated with chemosensation and 168 genes involved in detoxification was conducted. This study provides a valuable and high-quality genomic resource to facilitate further functional genomics research on parasitoid wasps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yan
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Natural Enemies Breeding Center of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Xueyuan Di
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Natural Enemies Breeding Center of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Maofa Yang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- Natural Enemies Breeding Center of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- College of Tobacco Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Huizi Wu
- Guizhou Provincial Tobacco Company Zunyi Branch, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Yu
- Natural Enemies Breeding Center of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
- College of Tobacco Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Xu X, Hoffmann AA, Umina PA, Ward SE, Coquilleau MP, Malipatil MB, Ridland PM. Molecular identification of hymenopteran parasitoids and their endosymbionts from agromyzids. Bull Entomol Res 2023; 113:481-496. [PMID: 37278210 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Three polyphagous pest Liriomyza spp. (Diptera: Agromyzidae) have recently invaded Australia and are damaging horticultural crops. Parasitic wasps are recognized as effective natural enemies of leafmining species globally and are expected to become important biocontrol agents in Australia. However, the hymenopteran parasitoid complex of agromyzids in Australia is poorly known and its use hindered due to taxonomic challenges when based on morphological characters. Here, we identified 14 parasitoid species of leafminers based on molecular and morphological data. We linked DNA barcodes (5' end cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences) to five adventive eulophid wasp species (Chrysocharis pubicornis (Zetterstedt), Diglyphus isaea (Walker), Hemiptarsenus varicornis (Girault), Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood), and Neochrysocharis okazakii Kamijo) and two braconid species (Dacnusa areolaris (Nees) and Opius cinerariae Fischer). We also provide the first DNA barcodes (5' end COI sequences) with linked morphological characters for seven wasp species, with three identified to species level (Closterocerus mirabilis Edwards & La Salle, Trigonogastrella parasitica (Girault), and Zagrammosoma latilineatum Ubaidillah) and four identified to genus (Aprostocetus sp., Asecodes sp., Opius sp. 1, and Opius sp. 2). Phylogenetic analyses suggest C. pubicornis, D. isaea, H. varicornis, and O. cinerariae are likely cryptic species complexes. Neochrysocharis formosa and Aprostocetus sp. specimens were infected with Rickettsia. Five other species (Cl. mirabilis, D. isaea, H. varicornis, Opius sp. 1, and Opius sp. 2) were infected with Wolbachia, while two endosymbionts (Rickettsia and Wolbachia) co-infected N. okazakii. These findings provide background information about the parasitoid fauna expected to help control the leafminers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefen Xu
- PEARG group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- PEARG group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Paul A Umina
- PEARG group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- Cesar Australia, 95 Albert St, Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia
| | - Samantha E Ward
- Cesar Australia, 95 Albert St, Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia
| | - Marianne P Coquilleau
- PEARG group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Mallik B Malipatil
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, 5 Ring Road, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Peter M Ridland
- PEARG group, School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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Coelho A, Vieira JM, Rugman-Jones PF, Querino RB, Moral RDA, Parra JRP, Stouthamer R. Reproductive compatibility among sympatric and allopatric isofemale lines of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879. Bull Entomol Res 2023; 113:508-515. [PMID: 37278198 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The present study evaluated the reproductive compatibility of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879, through an integrative approach using biological data and morphometry of three isofemale lines (isolines) collected from two geographical areas. These isolines differed in sequences of mitochondrial DNA and reproductive performance in the laboratory. The wasps used to initiate the isolines were collected in different environments: two lines from a Mediterranean climate in Irvine, California, USA, and one line from a tropical climate in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Reproductive compatibility was studied by evaluating the sex ratio and number of adult offspring produced of all mating combinations between adults from these isolines. Morphometry was studied by measuring 26 taxonomically useful characters, followed by a multivariate analysis. For the allopatric matings among Brazilian and North American isolines, a low level of crossing incompatibility was recorded, in only one direction of the crosses; whereas the sympatric North American isolines were incompatible in both directions. Multivariate analysis of the morphometric data indicated no distinct groups, suggesting that despite the genetic and biological differences, the isofemale lines are morphologically similar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aloisio Coelho
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo (USP)/ Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ). Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Zip code: 13418-220, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Jaci Mendes Vieira
- Koppert Brazil, Macro-organism Unit, Via Vicente Verdi, 528, Bela Vista. Distrito Industrial, Zip code: 13515-000, Charqueada, SP, Brazil
| | - Paul F Rugman-Jones
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Zip code: 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Ranyse Barbosa Querino
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa Cerrados, Zip code: 73310-970, Planaltina, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Rafael de Andrade Moral
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Maynooth University, Logic House, Zip code: W23 F2H6, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - José Roberto Postali Parra
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo (USP)/ Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ). Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Zip code: 13418-220, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Richard Stouthamer
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Zip code: 92521, Riverside, CA, USA
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Wang Z, Ma X, Zhu J, Zheng B, Yuan R, Lu Z, Shu X, Fang Y, Tian S, Qu Q, Ye X, Tang P, Chen X. Chromosome-level genome assembly of Chouioia cunea Yang, the parasitic wasp of the fall webworm. Sci Data 2023; 10:485. [PMID: 37495588 PMCID: PMC10372138 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02388-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chouioia cunea Yang 1989 is a parasitic wasp of many lepidopteran insects during their pupal stage, and has been successfully used to control pests such as the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea. Here we reported the chromosome-level genome of C. cunea by using short (MGI-SEQ), long (Oxford Nanopore), chromatin-linked (Hi-C) sequencing reads and transcriptomic data, representing the first chromosome-level genome of parasitic wasps of the family Eulophidae. The total assembly length is 171.99 Mb, containing 6 pesudo-chromosomes with a GC content of 36.89% and the scaffold/contig N50 length of 31.70/26.52 Mb. The BUSCO completeness of the assembly was estimated to be 98.7%. A total of 12,258 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 10,547 3'-UTRs, and 10,671 5'-UTRs were annotated. This high-quality genome is an important step toward a better understanding of the genomes of the Eulophidae (Chalcidoidea), and will serve as a valuable resource for analyses of phylogenetic relationships and the evolution of Hymenoptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Wang
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xingzhou Ma
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Jiachen Zhu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Boying Zheng
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ruizhong Yuan
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhaohe Lu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiaohan Shu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yu Fang
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shiji Tian
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiuyu Qu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiqian Ye
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Pu Tang
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Xuexin Chen
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Zhu Z, Wang D, Liu Y, Tang T, Wang GH. Optimizing the Rearing Procedure of Germ-Free Wasps. J Vis Exp 2023. [PMID: 37548461 DOI: 10.3791/65292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aseptic rearing technology is a method of culturing insects under sterile or almost sterile conditions, which can effectively eliminate the influence of external microorganisms on insect microbiota and thus promote the rapid development of insect microbiota research. Nasonia (wasp genus) is a parasitic wasp insect that has many advantages, such as a short lifespan, high genetic variation, easy operation, etc., and is widely used as an insect model system. Unlike antibiotic treatment, which can only reduce the number of microorganisms in animals, aseptic rearing techniques can control both the composition and quantity of microorganisms in animals, further facilitating the study of host-microbe interactions. However, previous versions of Nasonia rearing medium (NRM) have some defects and problems, such as a complex and time-consuming preparation process, easy contamination by bacteria or fungi, and short storage time. Therefore, this study solves these problems by optimizing the tools used in the NRM preparation process, storage conditions, and component ratios. The optimized medium could allow storage at -20 °C for at least 3 months and eliminate the possibility of NRM contamination during feeding sterile wasps. This further improves the survival rate and health level of aseptic Nasonia, which is important for using Nasonia as a model for microbial research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; College of Life Sciences, Hebei University
| | - Dandan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Yanjun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
| | - Ting Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei University
| | - Guan-Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences;
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Gardner EM, Bruun-Lund S, Niissalo M, Chantarasuwan B, Clement WL, Geri C, Harrison RD, Hipp AL, Holvoet M, Khew G, Kjellberg F, Liao S, Pederneiras LC, Peng YQ, Pereira JT, Phillipps Q, Ahmad Puad AS, Rasplus JY, Sang J, Schou SJ, Velautham E, Weiblen GD, Zerega NJC, Zhang Q, Zhang Z, Baraloto C, Rønsted N. Echoes of ancient introgression punctuate stable genomic lineages in the evolution of figs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2222035120. [PMID: 37399402 PMCID: PMC10334730 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2222035120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies investigating the evolution of flowering plants have long focused on isolating mechanisms such as pollinator specificity. Some recent studies have proposed a role for introgressive hybridization between species, recognizing that isolating processes such as pollinator specialization may not be complete barriers to hybridization. Occasional hybridization may therefore lead to distinct yet reproductively connected lineages. We investigate the balance between introgression and reproductive isolation in a diverse clade using a densely sampled phylogenomic study of fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae). Codiversification with specialized pollinating wasps (Agaonidae) is recognized as a major engine of fig diversity, leading to about 850 species. Nevertheless, some studies have focused on the importance of hybridization in Ficus, highlighting the consequences of pollinator sharing. Here, we employ dense taxon sampling (520 species) throughout Moraceae and 1,751 loci to investigate phylogenetic relationships and the prevalence of introgression among species throughout the history of Ficus. We present a well-resolved phylogenomic backbone for Ficus, providing a solid foundation for an updated classification. Our results paint a picture of phylogenetically stable evolution within lineages punctuated by occasional local introgression events likely mediated by local pollinator sharing, illustrated by clear cases of cytoplasmic introgression that have been nearly drowned out of the nuclear genome through subsequent lineage fidelity. The phylogenetic history of figs thus highlights that while hybridization is an important process in plant evolution, the mere ability of species to hybridize locally does not necessarily translate into ongoing introgression between distant lineages, particularly in the presence of obligate plant-pollinator relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot M. Gardner
- International Center for Tropical Botany at the Kampong, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL33133
- National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalāheo, HI96741
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, 259569, Singapore
| | - Sam Bruun-Lund
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1123Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Matti Niissalo
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, 259569, Singapore
| | - Bhanumas Chantarasuwan
- Thailand National History Museum, National Science Museum, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani12120, Thailand
| | - Wendy L. Clement
- Department of Biology, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ08618
| | - Connie Geri
- Sarawak Forestry Corporation, 93250Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Maxime Holvoet
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1123Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gillian Khew
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, 259569, Singapore
| | - Finn Kjellberg
- CEFE, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, 34090Montpellier, France
| | - Shuai Liao
- The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL60532
- South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650Guangzhou, China
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241Shanghai, China
| | - Leandro Cardoso Pederneiras
- Instituto de Pesquisa do Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Diretoria de Pesquisa Científica, 22460-030Rio de Janeiro–RJ, Brazil
| | - Yan-Qiong Peng
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 666303Mengla, China
| | - Joan T. Pereira
- Sabah Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, 90175Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
| | | | - Aida Shafreena Ahmad Puad
- Faculty of Agriculture & Applied Sciences, i-CATS University College, 93350Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Jean-Yves Rasplus
- CBGP, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, 34988Montpellier, France
| | - Julia Sang
- Sarawak Forest Department, 34988Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Sverre Juul Schou
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1123Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elango Velautham
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, 259569, Singapore
| | - George D. Weiblen
- Bell Museum, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN55113
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN55108
| | - Nyree J. C. Zerega
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL60208
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, IL60022
| | - Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100093Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 200241Shanghai, China
| | - Christopher Baraloto
- International Center for Tropical Botany at the Kampong, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL33133
| | - Nina Rønsted
- National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalāheo, HI96741
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 1123Copenhagen, Denmark
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44
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Sun W, Lange MI, Gadau J, Buellesbach J. Decoding the genetic and chemical basis of sexual attractiveness in parasitic wasps. eLife 2023; 12:e86182. [PMID: 37431891 PMCID: PMC10435230 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Attracting and securing potential mating partners is of fundamental importance for reproduction. Therefore, signaling sexual attractiveness is expected to be tightly coordinated in communication systems synchronizing senders and receivers. Chemical signaling has permeated through all taxa of life as the earliest and most widespread form of communication and is particularly prevalent in insects. However, it has been notoriously difficult to decipher how exactly information related to sexual signaling is encoded in complex chemical profiles. Similarly, our knowledge of the genetic basis of sexual signaling is very limited and usually restricted to a few case studies with comparably simple pheromonal communication mechanisms. The present study jointly addresses these two knowledge gaps by characterizing two fatty acid synthase genes that most likely evolved by tandem gene duplication and that simultaneously impact sexual attractiveness and complex chemical surface profiles in parasitic wasps. Gene knockdown in female wasps dramatically reduces their sexual attractiveness coinciding with a drastic decrease in male courtship and copulation behavior. Concordantly, we found a striking shift of methyl-branching patterns in the female surface pheromonal compounds, which we subsequently demonstrate to be the main cause for the greatly reduced male mating response. Intriguingly, this suggests a potential coding mechanism for sexual attractiveness mediated by specific methyl-branching patterns in complex cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles. So far, the genetic underpinnings of methyl-branched CHCs are not well understood despite their high potential for encoding information. Our study sheds light on how biologically relevant information can be encoded in complex chemical profiles and on the genetic basis of sexual attractiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhao Sun
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Michelle Ina Lange
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Jürgen Gadau
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
| | - Jan Buellesbach
- Institute for Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Münster, HüfferstrMünsterGermany
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Sanaei E, Albery GF, Yeoh YK, Lin YP, Cook LG, Engelstädter J. Host phylogeny and ecological associations best explain Wolbachia host shifts in scale insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:2351-2363. [PMID: 36785954 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Wolbachia are among the most prevalent and widespread endosymbiotic bacteria on Earth. Wolbachia's success in infecting an enormous number of arthropod species is attributed to two features: the range of phenotypes they induce in their hosts, and their ability to switch between host species. Whilst much progress has been made in elucidating their induced phenotypes, our understanding of Wolbachia host-shifting is still very limited: we lack answers to even fundamental questions concerning Wolbachia's routes of transfer and the importance of factors influencing host shifts. Here, we investigate the diversity and host-shift patterns of Wolbachia in scale insects, a group of arthropods with intimate associations with other insects that make them well suited to studying host shifts. Using Illumina multitarget amplicon sequencing of Wolbachia-infected scale insects and their direct associates we determined the identity of all Wolbachia strains. We then fitted a generalized additive mixed model to our data to estimate the influence of host phylogeny and the geographical distribution on Wolbachia strain sharing among scale insect species. The model predicts no significant contribution of host geography but strong effects of host phylogeny, with high rates of Wolbachia sharing among closely related species and a sudden drop-off in sharing with increasing phylogenetic distance. We also detected the same Wolbachia strain in scale insects and several intimately associated species (ants, wasps and flies). This indicates putative host shifts and potential routes of transfers via these associates and highlights the importance of ecological connectivity in Wolbachia host-shifting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Sanaei
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yun Kit Yeoh
- Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yen-Po Lin
- Department of Plant Medicine, College of Agriculture, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
| | - Lyn G Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jan Engelstädter
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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McIntyre T, Andaloori L, Hood GR, Feder JL, Hahn DA, Ragland GJ, Toxopeus J. Cold tolerance and diapause within and across trophic levels: Endoparasitic wasps and their fly host have similar phenotypes. J Insect Physiol 2023; 146:104501. [PMID: 36921838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Low temperatures associated with winter can limit the survival of organisms, especially ectotherms whose body temperature is similar to their environment. However, there is a gap in understanding how overwintering may vary among groups of species that interact closely, such as multiple parasitoid species that attack the same host insect. Here, we investigate cold tolerance and diapause phenotypes in three endoparasitoid wasps of the apple maggot fly Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae): Utetes canaliculatus, Diachasma alloeum, and Diachasmimorpha mellea (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Using a combination of respirometry and eclosion tracking, we found that all three wasp species exhibited the same three diapause duration phenotypes as the fly host. Weak (short duration) diapause was rare, with <5 % of all three wasp species prematurely terminating diapause at 21 °C. Most D.mellea (93 %) entered a more intense (longer duration) diapause that did not terminate within 100 d at this warm temperature. The majority of U.canaliculatus (92 %) and D. alloeum (72 %) averted diapause (non-diapause) at 21 °C. There was limited interspecific variation in acute cold tolerance among the three wasp species: wasps and flies had similarly high survival (>87 %) following exposure to extreme low temperatures (-20 °C) as long as their body fluids did not freeze. The three wasp species also displayed little interspecific variation in survival following prolonged exposure to mild chilling of 8 or more weeks at 4 °C. Our study thus documents a remarkable conservation of cold tolerance and diapause phenotypes within and across trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trinity McIntyre
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2321 Notre Dame Ave, Antigonish NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Lalitya Andaloori
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, 1151 Arapahoe St., Denver CO 80204, USA
| | - Glen R Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, 4841 Cass Avenue, Detroit MI 48201, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Feder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Galvin Life Sciences Center, Notre Dame IN 46556, USA
| | - Daniel A Hahn
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville FL 32611, USA
| | - Gregory J Ragland
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, 1151 Arapahoe St., Denver CO 80204, USA
| | - Jantina Toxopeus
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2321 Notre Dame Ave, Antigonish NS B2G 2W5, Canada.
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Heisserer C, Muller H, Jouan V, Musset K, Periquet G, Drezen JM, Volkoff AN, Gilbert C. Massive Somatic and Germline Chromosomal Integrations of Polydnaviruses in Lepidopterans. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:7071479. [PMID: 36881879 PMCID: PMC10025437 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing numbers of horizontal transfer (HT) of genes and transposable elements are reported in insects. Yet the mechanisms underlying these transfers remain unknown. Here we first quantify and characterize the patterns of chromosomal integration of the polydnavirus (PDV) encoded by the Campopleginae Hyposoter didymator parasitoid wasp (HdIV) in somatic cells of parasitized fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). PDVs are domesticated viruses injected by wasps together with their eggs into their hosts in order to facilitate the development of wasp larvae. We found that six HdIV DNA circles integrate into the genome of host somatic cells. Each host haploid genome suffers between 23 and 40 integration events (IEs) on average 72 h post-parasitism. Almost all IEs are mediated by DNA double-strand breaks occurring in the host integration motif (HIM) of HdIV circles. We show that despite their independent evolutionary origins, PDV from both Campopleginae and Braconidae wasps use remarkably similar mechanisms for chromosomal integration. Next, our similarity search performed on 775 genomes reveals that PDVs of both Campopleginae and Braconidae wasps have recurrently colonized the germline of dozens of lepidopteran species through the same mechanisms they use to integrate into somatic host chromosomes during parasitism. We found evidence of HIM-mediated HT of PDV DNA circles in no less than 124 species belonging to 15 lepidopteran families. Thus, this mechanism underlies a major route of HT of genetic material from wasps to lepidopterans with likely important consequences on lepidopterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Heisserer
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- UMR 7261 CNRS, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Héloïse Muller
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Véronique Jouan
- DGIMI, INRAE, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Karine Musset
- UMR 7261 CNRS, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Georges Periquet
- UMR 7261 CNRS, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Jean-Michel Drezen
- UMR 7261 CNRS, Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | | | - Clément Gilbert
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Sankovitz M, Loope KJ, Wilson Rankin EE, Purcell J. Unequal Reproduction Early in a Social Transition: Insights from Invasive Wasps. Am Nat 2023; 201:241-255. [PMID: 36724465 DOI: 10.1086/722514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn eusocial insects, nestmate queens can differ in their reproductive output, causing asymmetries in the distribution of mutual benefits. However, little is known about how reproductive success is partitioned in incipiently polygynous species, which would provide clues about the evolutionary forces shaping the emergence of polygyny. Here, we leverage a recent transition from predominantly single-queen (monogyne) to multiple-queen (polygyne) colonies in an invasive yellowjacket species to investigate whether queens in incipiently polygyne colonies invest equally in reproductive effort or vary in their relative investment in each caste. We excavated nine polygyne Vespula pensylvanica colonies in Hawaii and used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to infer the parentage of worker, male, and gyne (daughter queen) pupae from each nest comb. In four colonies with at least eight gyne pupae, a single queen produced most or all gynes. These queens had no male offspring and few worker offspring, suggesting that a subset of nestmate queens might exploit the collective benefits of newly polygyne societies. In contrast to most queens, gyne producers had offspring distributed nonrandomly across nest combs. Nestmate queens generally exhibited low relatedness levels. Our results suggest that rapid, ecologically driven transitions to polygyny among unrelated queens may, at their onset, be vulnerable to reproductive asymmetries that are likely evolutionarily unstable. More broadly, this study contributes to the understanding of social evolution by uncovering asymmetric partitioning of reproduction in a population with newly evolved polygyny and raises questions about the future trajectories of introduced populations.
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Inwood SN, Harrop TWR, Dearden PK. The venom composition and parthenogenesis mechanism of the parasitoid wasp Microctonus hyperodae, a declining biocontrol agent. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 153:103897. [PMID: 36584929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A biocontrol system in New Zealand using the endoparasitoid Microctonus hyperodae is failing, despite once being one of the most successful examples of classical biocontrol worldwide. Though it is of significant economic importance as a control agent, little is known about the genetics of M. hyperodae. In this study, RNA-seq was used to characterise two key traits of M. hyperodae in this system, the venom, critical for the initial success of biocontrol, and the asexual reproduction mode, which influenced biocontrol decline. Expanded characterisation of M. hyperodae venom revealed candidates involved in manipulating the host environment to source nutrition for the parasitoid egg, preventing a host immune response against the egg, as well as two components that may stimulate the host's innate immune system. Notably lacking from the venom-specific expression list was calreticulin, as it also had high expression in the ovaries. In-situ hybridisation revealed this ovarian expression was localised to the follicle cells, which may result in the deposition of calreticulin into the egg exochorion. Investigating the asexual reproduction of M. hyperodae revealed core meiosis-specific genes had conserved expression patterns with the highest expression in the ovaries, suggesting M. hyperodae parthenogenesis involves meiosis and that the potential for sexual reproduction may have been retained. Upregulation of genes involved in endoreduplication provides a potential mechanism for the restoration of diploidy in eggs after meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Inwood
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Thomas W R Harrop
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand; Melbourne Bioinformatics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Peter K Dearden
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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Guzman J, Won M, Poehlein A, Sombolestani AS, Mayorga-Ch D, Laureys D, Clippeleer JD, Kämpfer P, Daniel R, Vilcinskas A, Vandamme P, Kwon SW. Aristophania vespae gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from wasps, is related to Bombella and Oecophyllibacter, isolated from bees and ants. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2023; 73. [PMID: 36749681 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.005699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetic acid bacteria (family Acetobacteraceae) are found in the gut of most insects. Two clades are currently recognized: Commensalibacter-Entomobacter and Bombella-Oecophyllibacter. The latter group is only found in hymenopteran insects and the described species have been isolated from bees and ants. In this study, two new strains DDB2-T1T (=KACC 21507T=LMG 31759T) and DM15PD (=CCM 9165=DSM 112731=KACC 22353=LMG 32454) were isolated from wasps collected in the Republic of Korea and Germany, respectively. Molecular and phenotypic analysis revealed that the strains are closely related, with 16S rRNA gene sequences showing 100 % identity and genomic average nucleotide identity (ANI) values ≥99 %. The closest related species based on type strain 16S rRNA gene sequences are Swingsia samuiensis, Acetobacter peroxydans, Bombella favorum and Bombella intestini (94.8-94.7% identity), whereas the closest related species based on type strain genome analysis are Saccharibacter floricola and Bombella intestini (ANI values of 68.8 and 68.2 %, respectively). The reconstruction of a phylogenomic tree based on 107 core proteins revealed that the branch leading to DDB2-T1T and DM15PD is localized between Oecophyllibacter and Saccharibacter-Bombella. Further genomic distance metrics such as ANI, percentage of conserved proteins and alignment fraction values were consistent with these strains belonging to a new genus. The key phenotypic characteristics were one MALDI-TOF-MS peak (m/z=4601.9±2.0) and the ability to produce acid from d-arabinose. Based on this polyphasic approach, including phylogenetics, phylogenomics, genome distance calculations, ecology and phenotypic characteristics, we propose to name the novel strains Aristophania vespae gen. nov., sp. nov., with the type strain DDB2-T1T (=KACC 21507T=LMG 31759T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Guzman
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Miyoung Won
- Agricultural Microbiology Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Anja Poehlein
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Atena Sadat Sombolestani
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daniela Mayorga-Ch
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - David Laureys
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jessika De Clippeleer
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Kämpfer
- Institute for Applied Microbiology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology and Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Soon-Wo Kwon
- Agricultural Microbiology Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
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