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Miles GP, Liu XF, Amiri E, Grodowitz MJ, Allen ML, Chen J. Co-Occurrence of Wing Deformity and Impaired Mobility of Alates with Deformed Wing Virus in Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:788. [PMID: 37887800 PMCID: PMC10607916 DOI: 10.3390/insects14100788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV), a major honey bee pathogen, is a generalist insect virus detected in diverse insect phyla, including numerous ant genera. Its clinical symptoms have only been reported in honey bees, bumble bees, and wasps. DWV is a quasispecies virus with three main variants, which, in association with the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, causes wing deformity, shortened abdomens, neurological impairments, and colony mortality in honey bees. The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, is one of the most-invasive and detrimental pests in the world. In this study, we report the co-occurrence of DWV-like symptoms in S. invicta and DWV for the first time and provide molecular evidence of viral replication in S. invicta. Some alates in 17 of 23 (74%) lab colonies and 9 of 14 (64%) field colonies displayed deformed wings (DWs), ranging from a single crumpled wing tip to twisted, shriveled wings. Numerous symptomatic alates also exhibited altered locomotion ranging from an altered gait to the inability to walk. Deformed wings may prevent S. invicta alates from reproducing since mating only occurs during a nuptial flight. The results from conventional RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of DWV-A, and viral replication of DWV was confirmed using a modified strand-specific RT-PCR. Our results suggest that S. invicta can potentially be an alternative and reservoir host for DWV. However, further research is needed to determine whether DWV is the infectious agent that causes the DW syndrome in S. invicta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godfrey P. Miles
- Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (G.P.M.)
| | - Xiaofen F. Liu
- Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (G.P.M.)
| | - Esmaeil Amiri
- Delta Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, 82 Stoneville Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA
| | - Michael J. Grodowitz
- Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (G.P.M.)
| | - Margaret L. Allen
- Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (G.P.M.)
| | - Jian Chen
- Biological Control of Pests Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA; (G.P.M.)
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Cadotte MW. Quantifying and linking mechanism scenarios to invasive species impact. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2777. [PMID: 36377921 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant species invasion represents one of the major drivers of biodiversity change globally, yet there is confusion about the nature of nonindigenous species (NIS) impact. This confusion stems from differing notions of what constitutes invasive species impact and the scales at which it should be assessed. At local scales, the mechanisms of the impact on local competitors can be classified into four scenarios: (1) minimal impact from NIS inhabiting unique niches; (2) neutral impact spread across the community and proportional to NIS abundance; (3) targeted impact on a small number of competitors with overlapping niches; and (4) pervasive impact that is disproportionate to NIS abundance and caused by modifications that filter out other species. I developed a statistical test to distinguish these four mechanism scenarios based on plant community rank-abundance curves and then created a scale-independent standardized impact score. Using an example long-term dataset with high native plant diversity and an abundance gradient of the invasive vine, Vincetoxicum rossicum, I show that the impact resulted in either targeted or pervasive extirpations. Regardless of whether the NIS impact is neutral, targeted, or pervasive, the net outcome will be the homogenization of ecosystems and reduced biodiversity at larger scales, perhaps reducing ecosystem resilience. The framework and statistical evaluation of impact presented in this paper provide researchers and managers with an objective approach to quantifying NIS impact and prioritizing species for further management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc William Cadotte
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Dobelmann J, Felden A, Lester PJ. An invasive ant increases deformed wing virus loads in honey bees. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20220416. [PMID: 36651030 PMCID: PMC9845979 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0416] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of invasive species are best known for their effects as predators. However, many introduced predators may also be substantial reservoirs for pathogens. Honey bee-associated viruses are found in various arthropod species including invasive ants. We examined how the globally invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), which can reach high densities and infest beehives, is associated with pathogen dynamics in honey bees. Viral loads of deformed wing virus (DWV), which has been linked to millions of beehive deaths around the globe, and black queen cell virus significantly increased in bees when invasive ants were present. Microsporidian and trypanosomatid infections, which are more bee-specific, were not affected by ant invasion. The bee virome in autumn revealed that DWV was the predominant virus with the highest infection levels and that no ant-associated viruses were infecting bees. Viral spillback from ants could increase infections in bees. In addition, ant attacks could pose a significant stressor to bee colonies that may affect virus susceptibility. These viral dynamics are a hidden effect of ant pests, which could have a significant impact on disease emergence in this economically important pollinator. Our study highlights a perhaps overlooked effect of species invasions: changes in pathogen dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Dobelmann
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Antoine Felden
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
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4
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Lee CC, Hsu HW, Lin CY, Gustafson N, Matsuura K, Lee CY, Yang CCS. First Polycipivirus and Unmapped RNA Virus Diversity in the Yellow Crazy Ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102161. [PMID: 36298716 PMCID: PMC9612232 DOI: 10.3390/v14102161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes is a widespread invasive ant that poses significant threats to local biodiversity. Yet, compared to other global invasive ant species such as the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) or the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), little is known about the diversity of RNA viruses in the yellow crazy ant. In the current study, we generated a transcriptomic database for A. gracilipes using a high throughput sequencing approach to identify new RNA viruses and characterize their genomes. Four virus species assigned to Dicistroviridae, two to Iflaviridae, one to Polycipiviridae, and two unclassified Riboviria viruses were identified. Detailed genomic characterization was carried out on the polycipivirus and revealed that this virus comprises 11,644 nucleotides with six open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis and pairwise amino acid identity comparison classified this virus into the genus Sopolycivirus under Polycipiviridae, which is tentatively named "Anoplolepis gracilipes virus 3 (AgrV-3)". Evolutionary analysis showed that AgrV-3 possesses a high level of genetic diversity and elevated mutation rate, combined with the common presence of multiple viral strains within single worker individuals, suggesting AgrV-3 likely evolves following the quasispecies model. A subsequent field survey placed the viral pathogen "hotspot" of A. gracilipes in the Southeast Asian region, a pattern consistent with the region being recognized as part of the ant's native range. Lastly, infection of multiple virus species seems prevalent across field colonies and may have been linked to the ant's social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Chi Lee
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6068502, Japan
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6110011, Japan
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Hung-Wei Hsu
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6068502, Japan
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6110011, Japan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yi Lin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6110011, Japan
- Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Lake Alfred, FL 33850, USA
| | - Nicolas Gustafson
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Kenji Matsuura
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 6068502, Japan
| | - Chow-Yang Lee
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Chin-Cheng Scotty Yang
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-540-231-3052
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Cilia G, Flaminio S, Zavatta L, Ranalli R, Quaranta M, Bortolotti L, Nanetti A. Occurrence of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Pathogens in Wild Pollinators in Northern Italy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:907489. [PMID: 35846743 PMCID: PMC9280159 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.907489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases contribute to the decline of pollinator populations, which may be aggravated by the interspecific transmission of honey bee pests and pathogens. Flowers increase the risk of transmission, as they expose the pollinators to infections during the foraging activity. In this study, both the prevalence and abundance of 21 honey bee pathogens (11 viruses, 4 bacteria, 3 fungi, and 3 trypanosomatids) were assessed in the flower-visiting entomofauna sampled from March to September 2021 in seven sites in the two North-Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. A total of 1,028 specimens were collected, identified, and analysed. Of the twenty-one pathogens that were searched for, only thirteen were detected. Altogether, the prevalence of the positive individuals reached 63.9%, with Nosema ceranae, deformed wing virus (DWV), and chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) as the most prevalent pathogens. In general, the pathogen abundance averaged 5.15 * 106 copies, with CBPV, N. ceranae, and black queen cell virus (BQCV) as the most abundant pathogens, with 8.63, 1.58, and 0.48 * 107 copies, respectively. All the detected viruses were found to be replicative. The sequence analysis indicated that the same genetic variant was circulating in a specific site or region, suggesting that interspecific transmission events among honey bees and wild pollinators are possible. Frequently, N. ceranae and DWV were found to co-infect the same individual. The circulation of honey bee pathogens in wild pollinators was never investigated before in Italy. Our study resulted in the unprecedented detection of 72 wild pollinator species as potential hosts of honey bee pathogens. Those results encourage the implementation of monitoring actions aiming to improve our understanding of the environmental implications of such interspecific transmission events, which is pivotal to embracing a One Health approach to pollinators’ welfare.
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6
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Brahma A, Leon RG, Hernandez GL, Wurm Y. Larger, more connected societies of ants have a higher prevalence of viruses. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:859-865. [PMID: 34800339 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The benefits of cooperative living for foraging, nesting, defence and buffering environmental challenges lead animals with the most highly social lifestyles to dominate many ecosystems. However, living in larger, more highly connected groups should also increase the risks of pathogen exposure and transmission. While over long timescales selective responses could buffer the impacts of potential higher pathogen prevalence, similar processes are unlikely over short timescales. The red fire ant Solenopsis invicta is ideal for measuring the effects of group size on pathogen prevalence because two types of society coexist in this species: smaller single-nest single-queen colonies that are highly aggressive to their neighbours and larger multiple-queen colonies that exchange resources with neighbouring nests. We compare the presence of viruses between these two colony types using metagenomic sequence classification of RNA-sequencing reads. We find that queens from multiple-queen colonies have 8.3-times higher viral load and 1.5-times higher viral diversity than queens from single-queen colonies. This finding characterizes a rarely considered cost of transitions to more highly social living. Furthermore, our results show that highly social invertebrates can harbour many viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindita Brahma
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Raphael Gray Leon
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.,University College London, London, UK
| | - Gabriel Luis Hernandez
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Yannick Wurm
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.,Alan Turing Institute, London, UK
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7
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Brettell LE, Martin SJ, Riegler M, Cook JM. Vulnerability of island insect pollinator communities to pathogens. J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 186:107670. [PMID: 34560107 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Island ecosystems, which often contain undescribed insects and small populations of single island endemics, are at risk from diverse threats. The spread of pathogens is a major factor affecting not just pollinator species themselves, but also posing significant knock-on effects to often fragile island ecosystems through disruption of pollination networks. Insects are vulnerable to diverse pathogens and these can be introduced to islands in a number of ways, e.g. via the introduction of infected managed pollinator hosts (e.g. honey bees and their viruses, in particular Deformed wing virus), long-range migrants (e.g. monarch butterflies and their protozoan parasite, Ophryocystit elektroscirrha) and invasive species (e.g. social wasps are common invaders and are frequently infected with multi-host viruses such as Kashmir bee virus and Moku virus). Furthermore, these introductions can negatively affect island ecosystems through outcompeting native taxa for resources. As such, the greatest threat to island pollinator communities is not one particular pathogen, but the combination of pathogens and introduced and invasive insects that will likely carry them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Brettell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place L3 5QA, UK.
| | - Stephen J Martin
- School of Environment and life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - James M Cook
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
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8
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Nanetti A, Bortolotti L, Cilia G. Pathogens Spillover from Honey Bees to Other Arthropods. Pathogens 2021; 10:1044. [PMID: 34451508 PMCID: PMC8400633 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees, and pollinators in general, play a major role in the health of ecosystems. There is a consensus about the steady decrease in pollinator populations, which raises global ecological concern. Several drivers are implicated in this threat. Among them, honey bee pathogens are transmitted to other arthropods populations, including wild and managed pollinators. The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is quasi-globally spread. This successful species acted as and, in some cases, became a maintenance host for pathogens. This systematic review collects and summarizes spillover cases having in common Apis mellifera as the mainteinance host and some of its pathogens. The reports are grouped by final host species and condition, year, and geographic area of detection and the co-occurrence in the same host. A total of eighty-one articles in the time frame 1960-2021 were included. The reported spillover cases cover a wide range of hymenopteran host species, generally living in close contact with or sharing the same environmental resources as the honey bees. They also involve non-hymenopteran arthropods, like spiders and roaches, which are either likely or unlikely to live in close proximity to honey bees. Specific studies should consider host-dependent pathogen modifications and effects on involved host species. Both the plasticity of bee pathogens and the ecological consequences of spillover suggest a holistic approach to bee health and the implementation of a One Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Agricultural Economics Analysis, Centre for Agriculture and Environment Research (CREA-AA), Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy; (A.N.); (G.C.)
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9
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Remnant EJ, Baty JW, Bulgarella M, Dobelmann J, Quinn O, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. A Diverse Viral Community from Predatory Wasps in Their Native and Invaded Range, with a New Virus Infectious to Honey Bees. Viruses 2021; 13:1431. [PMID: 34452301 PMCID: PMC8402789 DOI: 10.3390/v13081431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Wasps of the genus Vespula are social insects that have become major pests and predators in their introduced range. Viruses present in these wasps have been studied in the context of spillover from honey bees, yet we lack an understanding of the endogenous virome of wasps as potential reservoirs of novel emerging infectious diseases. We describe the characterization of 68 novel and nine previously identified virus sequences found in transcriptomes of Vespula vulgaris in colonies sampled from their native range (Belgium) and an invasive range (New Zealand). Many viruses present in the samples were from the Picorna-like virus family (38%). We identified one Luteo-like virus, Vespula vulgaris Luteo-like virus 1, present in the three life stages examined in all colonies from both locations, suggesting this virus is a highly prevalent and persistent infection in wasp colonies. Additionally, we identified a novel Iflavirus with similarity to a recently identified Moku virus, a known wasp and honey bee pathogen. Experimental infection of honey bees with this novel Vespula vulgaris Moku-like virus resulted in an active infection. The high viral diversity present in these invasive wasps is a likely indication that their polyphagous diet is a rich source of viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Remnant
- Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Science Road, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - James W. Baty
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Mariana Bulgarella
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Jana Dobelmann
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Oliver Quinn
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
- Bacteriology and Aquatic Animal Diseases, Ministry for Primary Industries, P.O. Box 2526, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Monica A. M. Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; (J.W.B.); (M.B.); (J.D.); (O.Q.); (M.A.M.G.); (P.J.L.)
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Cilia G, Zavatta L, Ranalli R, Nanetti A, Bortolotti L. Replicative Deformed Wing Virus Found in the Head of Adults from Symptomatic Commercial Bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris) Colonies. Vet Sci 2021; 8:117. [PMID: 34201628 PMCID: PMC8310072 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8070117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The deformed wing virus (DWV) is one of the most common honey bee pathogens. The virus may also be detected in other insect species, including Bombus terrestris adults from wild and managed colonies. In this study, individuals of all stages, castes, and sexes were sampled from three commercial colonies exhibiting the presence of deformed workers and analysed for the presence of DWV. Adults (deformed individuals, gynes, workers, males) had their head exscinded from the rest of the body and the two parts were analysed separately by RT-PCR. Juvenile stages (pupae, larvae, and eggs) were analysed undissected. All individuals tested positive for replicative DWV, but deformed adults showed a higher number of copies compared to asymptomatic individuals. Moreover, they showed viral infection in their heads. Sequence analysis indicated that the obtained DWV amplicons belonged to a strain isolated in the United Kingdom. Further studies are needed to characterize the specific DWV target organs in the bumblebees. The result of this study indicates the evidence of DWV infection in B. terrestris specimens that could cause wing deformities, suggesting a relationship between the deformities and the virus localization in the head. Further studies are needed to define if a specific organ could be a target in symptomatic bumblebees.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antonio Nanetti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy; (G.C.); (L.Z.); (R.R.); (L.B.)
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11
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Nanetti A, Ellis JD, Cardaio I, Cilia G. Detection of Lotmaria passim, Crithidia mellificae and Replicative Forms of Deformed Wing Virus and Kashmir Bee Virus in the Small Hive Beetle ( Aethina tumida). Pathogens 2021; 10:372. [PMID: 33808848 PMCID: PMC8003614 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10030372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge regarding the honey bee pathogens borne by invasive bee pests remains scarce. This investigation aimed to assess the presence in Aethina tumida (small hive beetle, SHB) adults of honey bee pathogens belonging to the following groups: (i) bacteria (Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius), (ii) trypanosomatids (Lotmaria passim and Crithidia mellificae), and (iii) viruses (black queen cell virus, Kashmir bee virus, deformed wing virus, slow paralysis virus, sacbrood virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus, acute bee paralysis virus, chronic bee paralysis virus). Specimens were collected from free-flying colonies in Gainesville (Florida, USA) in summer 2017. The results of the molecular analysis show the presence of L. passim, C. mellificae, and replicative forms of deformed wing virus (DWV) and Kashmir bee virus (KBV). Replicative forms of KBV have not previously been reported. These results support the hypothesis of pathogen spillover between managed honey bees and the SHB, and these dynamics require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Nanetti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy; (A.N.); (I.C.)
| | - James D. Ellis
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, 1881 Natural Area Dr., P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32607-0620, USA;
| | - Ilaria Cardaio
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy; (A.N.); (I.C.)
| | - Giovanni Cilia
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy; (A.N.); (I.C.)
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12
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Lin CY, Lee CC, Nai YS, Hsu HW, Lee CY, Tsuji K, Yang CCS. Deformed Wing Virus in Two Widespread Invasive Ants: Geographical Distribution, Prevalence, and Phylogeny. Viruses 2020; 12:v12111309. [PMID: 33203145 PMCID: PMC7696054 DOI: 10.3390/v12111309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spillover of honey bee viruses have posed a significant threat to pollination services, triggering substantial effort in determining the host range of the viruses as an attempt to understand the transmission dynamics. Previous studies have reported infection of honey bee viruses in ants, raising the concern of ants serving as a reservoir host. Most of these studies, however, are restricted to a single, local ant population. We assessed the status (geographical distribution/prevalence/viral replication) and phylogenetic relationships of honey bee viruses in ants across the Asia–Pacific region, using deformed wing virus (DWV) and two widespread invasive ants, Paratrechina longicornis and Anoplolepis gracilipes, as the study system. DWV was detected in both ant species, with differential geographical distribution patterns and prevenance levels between them. These metrics, however, are consistent across the geographical range of the same ant species. Active replication was only evident in P. longicornis. We also showed that ant-associated DWV is genetically similar to that isolated from Asian populations of honey bees, suggesting that local acquisition of DWV by the invasive ants may have been common at least in some of our sampled regions. Transmission efficiency of DWV to local arthropods mediated by ant, however, may vary across ant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yi Lin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan; (C.-Y.L.); (C.-C.L.); (H.-W.H.)
| | - Chih-Chi Lee
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan; (C.-Y.L.); (C.-C.L.); (H.-W.H.)
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Yu-Shin Nai
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402204, Taiwan;
| | - Hung-Wei Hsu
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan; (C.-Y.L.); (C.-C.L.); (H.-W.H.)
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Chow-Yang Lee
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA;
| | - Kazuki Tsuji
- Department of Subtropical Agro-Environmental Sciences, University of the Ryukyus, Senbaru 1, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan;
| | - Chin-Cheng Scotty Yang
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402204, Taiwan;
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-4-2284-0361 (ext. 540)
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13
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Evidence for and against deformed wing virus spillover from honey bees to bumble bees: a reverse genetic analysis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16847. [PMID: 33033296 PMCID: PMC7546617 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73809-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a persistent pathogen of European honey bees and the major contributor to overwintering colony losses. The prevalence of DWV in honey bees has led to significant concerns about spillover of the virus to other pollinating species. Bumble bees are both a major group of wild and commercially-reared pollinators. Several studies have reported pathogen spillover of DWV from honey bees to bumble bees, but evidence of a sustained viral infection characterized by virus replication and accumulation has yet to be demonstrated. Here we investigate the infectivity and transmission of DWV in bumble bees using the buff-tailed bumble bee Bombus terrestris as a model. We apply a reverse genetics approach combined with controlled laboratory conditions to detect and monitor DWV infection. A novel reverse genetics system for three representative DWV variants, including the two master variants of DWV—type A and B—was used. Our results directly confirm DWV replication in bumble bees but also demonstrate striking resistance to infection by certain transmission routes. Bumble bees may support DWV replication but it is not clear how infection could occur under natural environmental conditions.
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14
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Moreau CS. Symbioses among ants and microbes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 39:1-5. [PMID: 32078984 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Ants have been shown to engage in symbiosis across the tree of life, although our knowledge is far from complete. These interactions range from mutualistic to parasitic with several instances of manipulation of host behavior. Nutrient contributions in these symbioses include both farming for food and nitrogen recycling by gut-associated microbes. Interestingly, the ants that are mostly likely to host diverse and likely functional gut microbial communities are those that feed on extreme diets. Although we do see many instances of symbiosis between ants and microbes, there are also examples of species without a functional gut microbiome. Symbiosis among microbes and eukaryotic hosts is common and often considered a hallmark of multicellular evolution [1]. This is true among many of the over 13000 species of ants, although symbiosis between ants and microbes are not ubiquitous. These microbial-ant symbiotic interactions span the tree of life and include microbial eukaryotes, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. These interactions range from pathogenic to mutualistic, with many relationships still not well understood. Although our knowledge of the diversity of these microbes in ants is growing rapidly, and in some cases we know the function and interaction with the host, we still have much to learn about - the little things that run the little things that run the world!
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrie S Moreau
- Cornell University, Departments of Entomology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 129 Garden Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
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15
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Yañez O, Piot N, Dalmon A, de Miranda JR, Chantawannakul P, Panziera D, Amiri E, Smagghe G, Schroeder D, Chejanovsky N. Bee Viruses: Routes of Infection in Hymenoptera. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:943. [PMID: 32547504 PMCID: PMC7270585 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have recently reported on the discovery of bee viruses in different arthropod species and their possible transmission routes, vastly increasing our understanding of these viruses and their distribution. Here, we review the current literature on the recent advances in understanding the transmission of viruses, both on the presence of bee viruses in Apis and non-Apis bee species and on the discovery of previously unknown bee viruses. The natural transmission of bee viruses will be discussed among different bee species and other insects. Finally, the research potential of in vivo (host organisms) and in vitro (cell lines) serial passages of bee viruses is discussed, from the perspective of the host-virus landscape changes and potential transmission routes for emerging bee virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Niels Piot
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRAE, Unité de Recherche Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | | | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Delphine Panziera
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Halle-Jena-Leipzig, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Esmaeil Amiri
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Declan Schroeder
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Entomology Department, Institute of Plant Protection, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
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16
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Dobelmann J, Felden A, Lester PJ. Genetic Strain Diversity of Multi-Host RNA Viruses that Infect a Wide Range of Pollinators and Associates is Shaped by Geographic Origins. Viruses 2020; 12:E358. [PMID: 32213950 PMCID: PMC7150836 DOI: 10.3390/v12030358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging viruses have caused concerns about pollinator population declines, as multi-host RNA viruses may pose a health threat to pollinators and associated arthropods. In order to understand the ecology and impact these viruses have, we studied their host range and determined to what extent host and spatial variation affect strain diversity. Firstly, we used RT-PCR to screen pollinators and associates, including honey bees (Apis mellifera) and invasive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), for virus presence and replication. We tested for the black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), and Kashmir bee virus (KBV) that were initially detected in bees, and the two recently discovered Linepithema humile bunya-like virus 1 (LhuBLV1) and Moku virus (MKV). DWV, KBV, and MKV were detected and replicated in a wide range of hosts and commonly co-infected hymenopterans. Secondly, we placed KBV and DWV in a global phylogeny with sequences from various countries and hosts to determine the association of geographic origin and host with shared ancestry. Both phylogenies showed strong geographic rather than host-specific clustering, suggesting frequent inter-species virus transmission. Transmission routes between hosts are largely unknown. Nonetheless, avoiding the introduction of non-native species and diseased pollinators appears important to limit spill overs and disease emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Dobelmann
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand; (A.F.); (P.J.L.)
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17
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Schläppi D, Chejanovsky N, Yañez O, Neumann P. Foodborne Transmission and Clinical Symptoms of Honey Bee Viruses in Ants Lasius spp. Viruses 2020; 12:E321. [PMID: 32192027 PMCID: PMC7150850 DOI: 10.3390/v12030321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are often the products of host shifts, where a pathogen jumps from its original host to a novel species. Viruses in particular cross species barriers frequently. Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and deformed wing virus (DWV) are viruses described in honey bees (Apis mellifera) with broad host ranges. Ants scavenging on dead honey bees may get infected with these viruses via foodborne transmission. However, the role of black garden ants, Lasius niger and Lasius platythorax, as alternative hosts of ABPV and DWV is not known and potential impacts of these viruses have not been addressed yet. In a laboratory feeding experiment, we show that L. niger can carry DWV and ABPV. However, negative-sense strand RNA, a token of virus replication, was only detected for ABPV. Therefore, additional L. niger colonies were tested for clinical symptoms of ABPV infections. Symptoms were detected at colony (fewer emerging workers) and individual level (impaired locomotion and movement speed). In a field survey, all L. platythorax samples carried ABPV, DWV-A and -B, as well as the negative-sense strand RNA of ABPV. These results show that L. niger and L. platythorax are alternative hosts of ABPV, possibly acting as a biological vector of ABPV and as a mechanical one for DWV. This is the first study showing the impact of honey bee viruses on ants. The common virus infections of ants in the field support possible negative consequences for ecosystem functioning due to host shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schläppi
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (N.C.); (O.Y.); (P.N.)
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (N.C.); (O.Y.); (P.N.)
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, 50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (N.C.); (O.Y.); (P.N.)
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, 3097 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (N.C.); (O.Y.); (P.N.)
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, 3097 Bern, Switzerland
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18
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Payne AN, Shepherd TF, Rangel J. The detection of honey bee (Apis mellifera)-associated viruses in ants. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2923. [PMID: 32076028 PMCID: PMC7031503 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59712-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Interspecies virus transmission involving economically important pollinators, including honey bees (Apis mellifera), has recently sparked research interests regarding pollinator health. Given that ants are common pests within apiaries in the southern U.S., the goals of this study were to (1) survey ants found within or near managed honey bee colonies, (2) document what interactions are occurring between ant pests and managed honey bees, and 3) determine if any of six commonly occurring honey bee-associated viruses were present in ants collected from within or far from apiaries. Ants belonging to 14 genera were observed interacting with managed honey bee colonies in multiple ways, most commonly by robbing sugar resources from within hives. We detected at least one virus in 89% of the ant samples collected from apiary sites (n = 57) and in 15% of ant samples collected at non-apiary sites (n = 20). We found that none of these ant samples tested positive for the replication of Deformed wing virus, Black queen cell virus, or Israeli acute paralysis virus, however. Future studies looking at possible virus transmission between ants and bees could determine whether ants can be considered mechanical vectors of honey bee-associated viruses, making them a potential threat to pollinator health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria N Payne
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
| | - Tonya F Shepherd
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA
| | - Juliana Rangel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843-2475, USA.
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19
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Abril S, Jurvansuu J. Season- and caste-specific variation in RNA viruses in the invasive Argentine ant European supercolony. J Gen Virol 2020; 101:322-333. [PMID: 31985392 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, Mayr) is a highly invasive species. Recently, several RNA viruses have been identified in samples from invasive Argentine ant colonies. Using quantitative PCR, we investigated variation in the levels of these viruses in the main European supercolony over the course of a year. We discovered that virus prevalence and amounts of viral RNA were affected by season and caste: ants had more virus types during warm versus cold months, and queens had more virus types and higher virus prevalence than did workers or males. This seasonal variation was largely due to the appearance of positive-strand RNA viruses in the summer and their subsequent disappearance in the winter. The prevalences of positive-strand RNA viruses were positively correlated with worker foraging activity. We hypothesise that during warmer months, ants are more active and more numerous and, as a result, they have more conspecific and heterospecific interactions that promote virus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia Abril
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Jaana Jurvansuu
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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20
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Hsu HW, Chiu MC, Lee CC, Lee CY, Yang CCS. The Association between Virus Prevalence and Intercolonial Aggression Levels in the Yellow Crazy Ant, Anoplolepis Gracilipes (Jerdon). INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10120436. [PMID: 31817209 PMCID: PMC6956197 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The recent discovery of multiple viruses in ants, along with the widespread infection of their hosts across geographic ranges, provides an excellent opportunity to test whether viral prevalence in the field is associated with the complexity of social interactions in the ant population. In this study, we examined whether the association exists between the field prevalence of a virus and the intercolonial aggression of its ant host, using the yellow crazy ant (Anoplolepis gracilipes) and its natural viral pathogen (TR44839 virus) as a model system. We delimitated the colony boundary and composition of A. gracilipes in a total of 12 study sites in Japan (Okinawa), Taiwan, and Malaysia (Penang), through intercolonial aggression assay. The spatial distribution and prevalence level of the virus was then mapped for each site. The virus occurred at a high prevalence in the surveyed colonies of Okinawa and Taiwan (100% infection rate across all sites), whereas virus prevalence was variable (30%–100%) or none (0%) at the sites in Penang. Coincidentally, colonies in Okinawa and Taiwan displayed a weak intercolonial boundary, as aggression between colonies is generally low or moderate. Contrastingly, sites in Penang were found to harbor a high proportion of mutually aggressive colonies, a pattern potentially indicative of complex colony composition. Our statistical analyses further confirmed the observed correlation, implying that intercolonial interactions likely contribute as one of the effective facilitators of/barriers to virus prevalence in the field population of this ant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Wei Hsu
- Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan;
| | - Ming-Chung Chiu
- Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Kobe 657-8501, Japan;
| | - Ching-Chen Lee
- Center for Ecology and Environment, Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 40704, Taiwan;
| | - Chow-Yang Lee
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA;
| | - Chin-Cheng Scotty Yang
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-70-4144-2823
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21
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Schläppi D, Lattrell P, Yañez O, Chejanovsky N, Neumann P. Foodborne Transmission of Deformed Wing Virus to Ants ( Myrmica rubra). INSECTS 2019; 10:E394. [PMID: 31703426 PMCID: PMC6920936 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Virus host shifts occur frequently, but the whole range of host species and the actual transmission pathways are often poorly understood. Deformed wing virus (DWV), an RNA virus described from honeybees (Apis mellifera), has been shown to have a broad host range. Since ants are often scavenging on dead honeybees, foodborne transmission of these viruses may occur. However, the role of the ant Myrmica rubra as an alternative host is not known and foodborne transmission to ants has not been experimentally addressed yet. Here, we show with a 16-week feeding experiment that foodborne transmission enables DWV type-A and -B to infect M. rubra and that these ants may serve as a virus reservoir. However, the titers of both plus- and minus-sense viral RNA strands decreased over time. Since the ants were fed with highly virus-saturated honeybee pupae, this probably resulted in initial viral peaks, then approaching lower equilibrium titers in infected individuals later. Since DWV infections were also found in untreated field-collected M. rubra colonies, our results support the wide host range of DWV and further suggest foodborne transmission as a so far underestimated spread mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schläppi
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (P.L.); (O.Y.); (N.C.); (P.N.)
| | - Patrick Lattrell
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (P.L.); (O.Y.); (N.C.); (P.N.)
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (P.L.); (O.Y.); (N.C.); (P.N.)
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (P.L.); (O.Y.); (N.C.); (P.N.)
- Department of Entomology, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3097 Bern, Switzerland; (P.L.); (O.Y.); (N.C.); (P.N.)
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, 3097 Bern, Switzerland
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22
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Felden A, Paris C, Chapple DG, Suarez AV, Tsutsui ND, Lester PJ, Gruber MAM. Native and introduced Argentine ant populations are characterised by distinct transcriptomic signatures associated with behaviour and immunity. NEOBIOTA 2019. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.49.36086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Biological invasions can be influenced by trait variation in the invader, such as behavioural traits and ecological factors, such as variation in pathogen pressure. High-throughput nucleotide sequencing has increased our capacity to investigate the genomic basis of the functional changes associated with biological invasions. Here, we used RNA-sequencing in Argentina and California, Australia and New Zealand to investigate if native and introduced Argentine ant populations were characterised by distinct transcriptomic signatures. We focused our analysis on viral pressure and immunity, as well as genes associated with biogenic amines known to modulate key behaviour in social insects. Using a combination of differential expression analysis, gene co-expression network analysis and candidate gene approach, we show that native and introduced populations have distinct transcriptomic signatures. Genes associated with biogenic amines were overall up-regulated in the native range compared to introduced populations. Although we found no significant variation in overall viral loads amongst regions for viruses known to infect Argentine ants, viral diversity was lower in most of the introduced range which was interestingly associated with down-regulation of the RNAi immune pathway, primarily directed against viruses. Altogether, our data show that Argentine ant populations exhibit range-specific transcriptomic signatures, perhaps reflecting regional adaptations that may contribute to the ecological success of introduced populations.
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23
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Lester PJ, Buick KH, Baty JW, Felden A, Haywood J. Different bacterial and viral pathogens trigger distinct immune responses in a globally invasive ant. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5780. [PMID: 30962470 PMCID: PMC6453929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species populations periodically collapse from high to low abundance, sometimes even to extinction. Pathogens and the burden they place on invader immune systems have been hypothesised as a mechanism for these collapses. We examined the association of the bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas spp.) and the viral community with immune gene expression in the globally invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile (Mayr)). RNA-seq analysis found evidence for 17 different viruses in Argentine ants from New Zealand, including three bacteriophages with one (Pseudomonas phage PS-1) likely to be attacking the bacterial host. Pathogen loads and prevalence varied immensely. Transcriptomic data showed that immune gene expression was consistent with respect to the viral classification of negative-sense, positive-sense and double-stranded RNA viruses. Genes that were the most strongly associated with the positive-sense RNA viruses such as the Linepithema humile virus 1 (LHUV-1) and the Deformed wing virus (DWV) were peptide recognition proteins assigned to the Toll and Imd pathways. We then used principal components analysis and regression modelling to determine how RT-qPCR derived immune gene expression levels were associated with viral and bacterial loads. Argentine ants mounted a substantial immune response to both Pseudomonas and LHUV-1 infections, involving almost all immune pathways. Other viruses including DWV and the Kashmir bee virus appeared to have much less immunological influence. Different pathogens were associated with varying immunological responses, which we hypothesize to interact with and influence the invasion dynamics of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand.
| | - Kaitlin H Buick
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington, 6242, New Zealand
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Antoine Felden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - John Haywood
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
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24
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Dhaygude K, Johansson H, Kulmuni J, Sundström L. Genome organization and molecular characterization of the three Formica exsecta viruses-FeV1, FeV2 and FeV4. PeerJ 2019; 6:e6216. [PMID: 30809424 PMCID: PMC6387575 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We present the genome organization and molecular characterization of the three Formica exsecta viruses, along with ORF predictions, and functional annotation of genes. The Formica exsecta virus-4 (FeV4; GenBank ID: MF287670) is a newly discovered negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus representing the first identified member of order Mononegavirales in ants, whereas the Formica exsecta virus-1 (FeV1; GenBank ID: KF500001), and the Formica exsecta virus-2 (FeV2; GenBank ID: KF500002) are positive single-stranded RNA viruses initially identified (but not characterized) in our earlier study. The new virus FeV4 was found by re-analyzing data from a study published earlier. The Formica exsecta virus-4 genome is 9,866 bp in size, with an overall G + C content of 44.92%, and containing five predicted open reading frames (ORFs). Our bioinformatics analysis indicates that gaps are absent and the ORFs are complete, which based on our comparative genomics analysis suggests that the genomes are complete. Following the characterization, we validate virus infection for FeV1, FeV2 and FeV4 for the first time in field-collected worker ants. Some colonies were infected by multiple viruses, and the viruses were observed to infect all castes, and multiple life stages of workers and queens. Finally, highly similar viruses were expressed in adult workers and queens of six other Formica species: F. fusca, F. pressilabris, F. pratensis, F. aquilonia, F. truncorum and F. cinerea. This research indicates that viruses can be shared between ant species, but further studies on viral transmission are needed to understand viral infection pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Dhaygude
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Johansson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jonna Kulmuni
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Liselotte Sundström
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Tvärminne Zoological Station, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Hanko, Finland
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25
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Loope KJ, Baty JW, Lester PJ, Wilson Rankin EE. Pathogen shifts in a honeybee predator following the arrival of the Varroa mite. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182499. [PMID: 30963859 PMCID: PMC6367166 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a global threat to honeybees, and spillover from managed bees threaten wider insect populations. Deformed wing virus (DWV), a widespread virus that has become emergent in conjunction with the spread of the mite Varroa destructor, is thought to be partly responsible for global colony losses. The arrival of Varroa in honeybee populations causes a dramatic loss of viral genotypic diversity, favouring a few virulent strains. Here, we investigate DWV spillover in an invasive Hawaiian population of the wasp, Vespula pensylvanica, a honeybee predator and honey-raider. We show that Vespula underwent a parallel loss in DWV variant diversity upon the arrival of Varroa, despite the mite being a honeybee specialist. The observed shift in Vespula DWV and the variant-sharing between Vespula and Apis suggest that these wasps can acquire DWV directly or indirectly from honeybees. Apis prey items collected from Vespula foragers were positive for DWV, indicating predation is a possible route of transmission. We also sought cascading effects of DWV shifts in a broader Vespula pathogen community. We identified concurrent changes in a suite of additional pathogens, as well as shifts in the associations between these pathogens in Vespula. These findings reveal how hidden effects of the Varroa mite can, via spillover, transform the composition of pathogens in interacting species, with potential knock-on effects for entire pathogen communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Loope
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - James W. Baty
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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Lester PJ, Sébastien A, Suarez AV, Barbieri RF, Gruber MAM. Symbiotic bacterial communities in ants are modified by invasion pathway bottlenecks and alter host behavior. Ecology 2018; 98:861-874. [PMID: 28039867 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Biological invasions are a threat to global biodiversity and provide unique opportunities to study ecological processes. Population bottlenecks are a common feature of biological invasions and the severity of these bottlenecks is likely to be compounded as an invasive species spreads from initial invasion sites to additional locations. Despite extensive work on the genetic consequences of bottlenecks, we know little about how they influence microbial communities of the invaders themselves. Due to serial bottlenecks, invasive species may lose microbial symbionts including pathogenic taxa (the enemy release hypothesis) and/or may accumulate natural enemies with increasing time after invasion (the pathogen accumulation and invasive decline hypothesis). We tested these alternate hypotheses by surveying bacterial communities of Argentine ants (Linepithema humile). We found evidence for serial symbiont bottlenecks: the bacterial community richness declined over the invasion pathway from Argentina to New Zealand. The abundance of some genera, such as Lactobacillus, also significantly declined over the invasion pathway. Argentine ants from populations in the United States shared the most genera with ants from their native range in Argentina, while New Zealand shared the least (120 vs. 57, respectively). Nine genera were present in all sites around the globe possibly indicating a core group of obligate microbes. In accordance with the pathogen accumulation and invasive decline hypothesis, Argentine ants acquired genera unique to each specific invaded country. The United States had the most unique genera, though even within New Zealand these ants acquired symbionts. In addition to our biogeographic sampling, we administered antibiotics to Argentine ants to determine if changes in the micro-symbiont community could influence behavior and survival in interspecific interactions. Treatment with the antibiotics spectinomycin and kanamycin only slightly increased Argentine ant interspecific aggression, but this increase significantly decreased survival in interspecific interactions. The survival of the native ant species also decreased when the symbiotic microbial community within Argentine ants was modified by antibiotics. Our work offers support for both the enemy release hypothesis and that invasive species accumulate novel microbial taxa within their invaded range. These changes appear likely to influence invader behavior and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Alexandra Sébastien
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Andrew V Suarez
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Rafael F Barbieri
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Monica A M Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
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Viljakainen L, Holmberg I, Abril S, Jurvansuu J. Viruses of invasive Argentine ants from the European Main supercolony: characterization, interactions and evolution. J Gen Virol 2018; 99:1129-1140. [DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lumi Viljakainen
- 1Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ida Holmberg
- 1Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Sílvia Abril
- 2Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Jaana Jurvansuu
- 1Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Cooling MD, Hoffmann BD, Gruber MAM, Lester PJ. Indirect evidence of pathogen-associated altered oocyte production in queens of the invasive yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, in Arnhem Land, Australia. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2018; 108:451-460. [PMID: 28920560 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317000967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Anoplolepis gracilipes is one of the six most widespread and pestiferous invasive ant species. Populations of this invader in Arnhem Land, Australia have been observed to decline, but the reasons behind these declines are not known. We investigated if there is evidence of a pathogen that could be responsible for killing ant queens or affecting their reproductive output. We measured queen number per nest, fecundity and fat content of queens from A. gracilipes populations in various stages of decline or expansion. We found no significant difference in any of these variables among populations. However, 23% of queens were found to have melanized nodules, a cellular immune response, in their ovaries and fat bodies. The melanized nodules found in dissected queens are highly likely to indicate the presence of pathogens or parasites capable of infecting A. gracilipes. Queens with nodules had significantly fewer oocytes in their ovaries, but nodule presence was not associated with low ant population abundances. Although the microorganism responsible for the nodules is as yet unidentified, this is the first evidence of the presence of a pathogenic microorganism in the invasive ant A. gracilipes that may be affecting reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Cooling
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
| | - B D Hoffmann
- CSIRO,Tropical Ecosystems Research Centre,PMB 44,Winnellie,NT 0822,Australia
| | - M A M Gruber
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
| | - P J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences,Victoria University of Wellington,PO Box 600,Wellington 6140,New Zealand
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29
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The origins of global invasions of the German wasp (Vespula germanica) and its infection with four honey bee viruses. Biol Invasions 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-018-1786-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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McMenamin AJ, Flenniken ML. Recently identified bee viruses and their impact on bee pollinators. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 26:120-129. [PMID: 29764651 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bees are agriculturally and ecologically important plant pollinators. Recent high annual losses of honey bee colonies, and reduced populations of native and wild bees in some geographic locations, may impact the availability of affordable food crops and the diversity and abundance of native and wild plant species. Multiple factors including viral infections affect pollinator health. The majority of well-characterized bee viruses are picorna-like RNA viruses, which may be maintained as covert infections or cause symptomatic infections or death. Next generation sequencing technologies have been utilized to identify additional bee-infecting viruses including the Lake Sinai viruses and Rhabdoviruses. In addition, sequence data is instrumental for defining specific viral strains and characterizing associated pathogenicity, such as the recent characterization of Deformed wing virus master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C) and their impact on bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA; Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA; Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA.
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Amiri E, Kryger P, Meixner MD, Strand MK, Tarpy DR, Rueppell O. Quantitative patterns of vertical transmission of deformed wing virus in honey bees. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195283. [PMID: 29596509 PMCID: PMC5875871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is an important pathogen in a broad range of insects, including honey bees. Concordant with the spread of Varroa, DWV is present in the majority of honey bee colonies and can result in either low-level infections with asymptomatic bees that nonetheless exhibit increased colony loss under stress, or high-level infections with acute effects on bee health and viability. DWV can be transmitted vertically or horizontally and evidence suggests that horizontal transmission via Varroa is associated with acute symptomatic infections. Vertical transmission also occurs and is presumably important for the maintenance of DWV in honey bee populations. To further our understanding the vertical transmission of DWV through queens, we performed three experiments: we studied the quantitative effectiveness of vertical transmission, surveyed the prevalence of successful egg infection under commercial conditions, and distinguished among three possible mechanisms of transmission. We find that queen-infection level predicts the DWV titers in their eggs, although the transmission is not very efficient. Our quantitative assessment of DWV demonstrates that eggs in 1/3 of the colonies are infected with DWV and highly infected eggs are rare in newly-installed spring colonies. Additionally, our results indicate that DWV transmission occurs predominantly by virus adhering to the surface of eggs (transovum) rather than intracellularly. Our combined results suggest that the queens' DWV vectoring capacity in practice is not as high as its theoretical potential. Thus, DWV transmission by honey bee queens is part of the DWV epidemic with relevant practical implications, which should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeil Amiri
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States of America
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Per Kryger
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Marina D. Meixner
- Bieneninstitut Kirchhain, Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen, Kirchhain, Germany
| | - Micheline K. Strand
- Life Sciences Division, U.S. Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - David R. Tarpy
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States of America
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Evidence of Varroa-mediated deformed wing virus spillover in Hawaii. J Invertebr Pathol 2018; 151:126-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 11/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Bigot D, Dalmon A, Roy B, Hou C, Germain M, Romary M, Deng S, Diao Q, Weinert LA, Cook JM, Herniou EA, Gayral P. The discovery of Halictivirus resolves the Sinaivirus phylogeny. J Gen Virol 2017; 98:2864-2875. [DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Diane Bigot
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRA UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, Centre de recherche Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Site Agroparc, Domaine St Paul 228, Route de l'aérodrome CS40509 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Bronwen Roy
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100093, PR China
| | - Michèle Germain
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Manon Romary
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Shuai Deng
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100093, PR China
| | - Qingyun Diao
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100093, PR China
| | - Lucy A. Weinert
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution UMR5554, Université Montpellier–CNRS–IRD–EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Present address: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - James M. Cook
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith NSW 2751, Australia
| | - Elisabeth A. Herniou
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Gayral
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS, Université de Tours, 37200 Tours, France
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Gruber MAM, Cooling M, Baty JW, Buckley K, Friedlander A, Quinn O, Russell JFEJ, Sébastien A, Lester PJ. Single-stranded RNA viruses infecting the invasive Argentine ant, Linepithema humile. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3304. [PMID: 28607437 PMCID: PMC5468335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03508-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insects host a diversity of viruses. We examined New Zealand populations of the globally widely distributed invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) for RNA viruses. We used metatranscriptomic analysis, which identified six potential novel viruses in the Dicistroviridae family. Of these, three contigs were confirmed by Sanger sequencing as Linepithema humile virus-1 (LHUV-1), a novel strain of Kashmir bee virus (KBV) and Black queen cell virus (BQCV), while the others were chimeric or misassembled sequences. We extended the known sequence of LHUV-1 to confirm its placement in the Dicistroviridae and categorised its relationship to closest relatives, which were all viruses infecting Hymenoptera. We examined further for known viruses by mapping our metatranscriptomic sequences to all viral genomes, and confirmed KBV, BQCV, LHUV-1 and Deformed wing virus (DWV) presence using qRT-PCR. Viral replication was confirmed for DWV, KBV and LHUV-1. Viral titers in ants were higher in the presence of honey bee hives. Argentine ants appear to host a range of' honey bee' pathogens in addition to a virus currently described only from this invasive ant. The role of these viruses in the population dynamics of the ant remain to be determined, but offer potential targets for biocontrol approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica A M Gruber
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand.
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Meghan Cooling
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - James W Baty
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, PO Box 7060, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Buckley
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anna Friedlander
- School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Oliver Quinn
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jessica F E J Russell
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Alexandra Sébastien
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Philip J Lester
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
- Pacific Biosecurity, Victoria Link Limited, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 1762, Wellington, New Zealand
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Tehel A, Brown MJF, Paxton RJ. Impact of managed honey bee viruses on wild bees. Curr Opin Virol 2016; 19:16-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2016.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Marauding ants bring disease. Nature 2015. [DOI: 10.1038/525293d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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