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Moris VC, Podsiadlowski L, Martin S, Oeyen JP, Donath A, Petersen M, Wilbrandt J, Misof B, Liedtke D, Thamm M, Scheiner R, Schmitt T, Niehuis O. Intrasexual cuticular hydrocarbon dimorphism in a wasp sheds light on hydrocarbon biosynthesis genes in Hymenoptera. Commun Biol 2023; 6:147. [PMID: 36737661 PMCID: PMC9898505 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04370-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) cover the cuticle of insects and serve as desiccation barrier and as semiochemicals. While the main enzymatic steps of CHC biosynthesis are well understood, few of the underlying genes have been identified. Here we show how exploitation of intrasexual CHC dimorphism in a mason wasp, Odynerus spinipes, in combination with whole-genome sequencing and comparative transcriptomics facilitated identification of such genes. RNAi-mediated knockdown of twelve candidate gene orthologs in the honey bee, Apis mellifera, confirmed nine genes impacting CHC profile composition. Most of them have predicted functions consistent with current knowledge of CHC metabolism. However, we found first-time evidence for a fatty acid amide hydrolase also influencing CHC profile composition. In situ hybridization experiments furthermore suggest trophocytes participating in CHC biosynthesis. Our results set the base for experimental CHC profile manipulation in Hymenoptera and imply that the evolutionary origin of CHC biosynthesis predates the arthropods' colonization of land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C. Moris
- grid.5963.9Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany ,grid.4989.c0000 0001 2348 0746Laboratory of Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Department of Biology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lars Podsiadlowski
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sebastian Martin
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Philip Oeyen
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, NO-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Alexander Donath
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Malte Petersen
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.10388.320000 0001 2240 3300High Performance Computing & Analytics Lab, University of Bonn, Friedrich-Hirzebruch-Allee 8, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jeanne Wilbrandt
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany ,grid.418245.e0000 0000 9999 5706Leibniz Institute on Aging — Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bernhard Misof
- grid.517093.90000 0005 0294 9006Centre for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change / ZFMK, Museum Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Institute of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Thamm
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Scheiner
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- grid.8379.50000 0001 1958 8658Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Niehuis
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
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Pokorny T, Ruther J. Cuticular Hydrocarbon Polymorphism in a Parasitoid Wasp. J Chem Ecol 2023; 49:36-45. [PMID: 36705801 PMCID: PMC9941234 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-022-01401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are major constituents of the cuticular lipid layer of insects. They serve not only as a barrier to desiccation, but often additionally mediate communication at close range. The compositions of the CHC profiles, i.e., the specific compounds and their relative amounts, usually differ between species. Additional intraspecific variability can be found between different populations, between colonies and castes of social insects, and between the sexes. Thus, such groups can often be distinguished based on distinctive compounds and/or specific compound ratios. The CHC profile may further be influenced by biotic and abiotic factors, which therefore can impact, e.g., nestmate recognition or mate choice. However, consistent intrasexual variation seems to be rare. Here, we investigated a case of intrasexual CHC variability within a single population of a parasitoid wasp. While wasps of both sexes produced the same set of compounds, the relative amounts of specific compound classes revealed the presence of intrasexual chemical phenotypes. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of three distinct female CHC profile patterns within a population of a solitary insect that uses CHCs for mate recognition. Additionally, male CHC profiles, while overall very similar, could be separated into two chemotypes by multivariate analysis. The study of species exhibiting such intraspecific and intrasexual CHC variation will advance our understanding of the effects of CHC variability on both, desiccation resistance and intraspecific communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Pokorny
- Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Joachim Ruther
- grid.7727.50000 0001 2190 5763Institute of Zoology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Inter- and Intrasexual Variation in Cuticular Hydrocarbons in Trichrysis cyanea (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae). INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020159. [PMID: 35206732 PMCID: PMC8880203 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The biology of many species of cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae) is largely unknown, except for, if at all, the host species of these brood parasites. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), which form a waxy layer on the body surface of insects, have been shown to be mimicked by host-specific cuckoo wasp species. We studied the CHC profiles of a rather generalist brood parasitic cuckoo wasp species, Trichrysis cyanea, in detail. We found sex-related differences in CHCs and three different chemotypes among females. Genetic data reject the possibility that these different chemotypes represent different (cryptic) species. The CHC polymorphism could be an adaptation for females to sneak into nesting holes of hosts with the different female chemotypes representing adaptations to a broader host range. However, since information on the CHC profiles of the hosts is missing, it remains unclear whether these different CHC profiles are used for chemical mimicry or are simply age-related, reflecting the females’ reproductive state. Abstract Cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae, Hymenoptera) are known for their parasitoid or cleptoparasitic life histories. Indeed, the biology of only a few species has been studied in detail and often only little more is known than the host species. By mimicking their hosts’ cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, species that parasitize single (or a few closely related) host species manage to deceive their hosts. However, the variability of the CHC profile in generalist cuckoo-wasp species is still unknown. Here, we used gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and DNA barcoding to study intraspecific variation in cuticular hydrocarbons of one less host-specific species of cuckoo wasps, Trichrysis cyanea. Cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) patterns were found to differ between males and females. Additionally, we found chemical polymorphism among females, which formed three distinct chemical subgroups characterized by different alkene patterns. A lack of divergence in the DNA barcoding region suggests that these different chemotypes do not represent cryptic species. Whether this intrasexual CHC-profile variation is an adaptation (mimicry) to different host species, or simply signaling the reproductive status, remains unclear.
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