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Peña-Chora G, Toledo-Hernández E, Sotelo-Leyva C, Damian-Blanco P, Villanueva-Flores AG, Alvarez-Fitz P, Palemón-Alberto F, Ortega-Acosta SÁ. Presence and distribution of pests and diseases of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Mexico: a review. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2023.2182920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- G. Peña-Chora
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, México
| | - E. Toledo-Hernández
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, México
| | - C. Sotelo-Leyva
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, México
| | - P. Damian-Blanco
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, México
| | - A. G. Villanueva-Flores
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, México
| | - P. Alvarez-Fitz
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Chilpancingo, México
| | - F. Palemón-Alberto
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Iguala de la Independencia, México
| | - S. Á. Ortega-Acosta
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Iguala de la Independencia, México
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Fellows CJ, Simone-Finstrom M, Anderson TD, Swale DR. Potassium ion channels as a molecular target to reduce virus infection and mortality of honey bee colonies. Virol J 2023; 20:134. [PMID: 37349817 PMCID: PMC10286336 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02104-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Declines in managed honey bee populations are multifactorial but closely associated with reduced virus immunocompetence and thus, mechanisms to enhance immune function are likely to reduce viral infection rates and increase colony viability. However, gaps in knowledge regarding physiological mechanisms or 'druggable' target sites to enhance bee immunocompetence has prevented therapeutics development to reduce virus infection. Our data bridge this knowledge gap by identifying ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium (KATP) channels as a pharmacologically tractable target for reducing virus-mediated mortality and viral replication in bees, as well as increasing an aspect of colony-level immunity. Bees infected with Israeli acute paralysis virus and provided KATP channel activators had similar mortality rates as uninfected bees. Furthermore, we show that generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and regulation of ROS concentrations through pharmacological activation of KATP channels can stimulate antiviral responses, highlighting a functional framework for physiological regulation of the bee immune system. Next, we tested the influence of pharmacological activation of KATP channels on infection of 6 viruses at the colony level in the field. Data strongly support that KATP channels are a field-relevant target site as colonies treated with pinacidil, a KATP channel activator, had reduced titers of seven bee-relevant viruses by up to 75-fold and reduced them to levels comparable to non-inoculated colonies. Together, these data indicate a functional linkage between KATP channels, ROS, and antiviral defense mechanisms in bees and define a toxicologically relevant pathway that can be used for novel therapeutics development to enhance bee health and colony sustainability in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Fellows
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Michael Simone-Finstrom
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820, USA
| | - Troy D Anderson
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA
| | - Daniel R Swale
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, PO Box 100009, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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McCormick EC, Cohen OR, Dolezal AG, Sadd BM. Consequences of microsporidian prior exposure for virus infection outcomes and bumble bee host health. Oecologia 2023:10.1007/s00442-023-05394-x. [PMID: 37284861 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05394-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Host-parasite interactions do not occur in a vacuum, but in connected multi-parasite networks that can result in co-exposures and coinfections of individual hosts. These can affect host health and disease ecology, including disease outbreaks. However, many host-parasite studies examine pairwise interactions, meaning we still lack a general understanding of the influence of co-exposures and coinfections. Using the bumble bee Bombus impatiens, we study the effects of larval exposure to a microsporidian Nosema bombi, implicated in bumble bee declines, and adult exposure to Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), an emerging infectious disease from honey bee parasite spillover. We hypothesize that infection outcomes will be modified by co-exposure or coinfection. Nosema bombi is a potentially severe, larval-infecting parasite, and we predict that prior exposure will result in decreased host resistance to adult IAPV infection. We predict double parasite exposure will also reduce host tolerance of infection, as measured by host survival. Although our larval Nosema exposure mostly did not result in viable infections, it partially reduced resistance to adult IAPV infection. Nosema exposure also negatively affected survival, potentially due to a cost of immunity in resisting the exposure. There was a significant negative effect of IAPV exposure on survivorship, but prior Nosema exposure did not alter this survival outcome, suggesting increased tolerance given the higher IAPV infections in the bees previously exposed to Nosema. These results again demonstrate that infection outcomes can be non-independent when multiple parasites are present, even when exposure to one parasite does not result in a substantial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elyse C McCormick
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA
| | - Olivia R Cohen
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA
| | - Adam G Dolezal
- School of Integrated Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790, USA.
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Castellanos NL, Smagghe G, Taning CNT, Oliveira EE, Christiaens O. Risk assessment of RNAi-based pesticides to non-target organisms: Evaluating the effects of sequence similarity in the parasitoid wasp Telenomus podisi. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154746. [PMID: 35337872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi)-based pesticides are promising novel pest management products that might reduce environmental impacts compared to other pesticides. Their sequence-guided mode of action facilitates a high species-selectivity, preventing harm on non-target organisms. However, there is currently no consensus on the minimum needed sequence similarity for efficient RNAi in insects and studies have shown that adverse effects in non-targets cannot always be ruled out a priori. This study investigates the effects of exposing the parasitoid wasp Telenomus podisi to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) which is lethal to its host, the Neotropical brown stink bug Euschistus heros. Feeding T. podisi with wasp-specific dsRNA targeting the vATPase A and actin-2 genes led to 76.4 ± 9.9% and 76.7 ± 8.8% mortality respectively, demonstrating that dietary RNAi is functional in T. podisi. When feeding T. podisi with E. heros-specific dsRNA targeting the same genes, no lethal or sublethal effects were observed. To link sequence similarity to potential gene silencing effects in the parasitoids, the expression of genes showing the highest degree of similarity (17-21 nucleotide matches) with these two target genes was monitored and was found unaffected by the E. heros-specific dsRNA. Our study confirms that RNAi was in this case highly specific and that for E. heros, RNAi-based pesticides can be used complementary to biological control in an integrated pest management context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaly L Castellanos
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Eugênio E Oliveira
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - Olivier Christiaens
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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McMenamin AJ, Brutscher LM, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. The Honey Bee Gene Bee Antiviral Protein-1 Is a Taxonomically Restricted Antiviral Immune Gene. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:749781. [PMID: 38468887 PMCID: PMC10926557 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.749781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Insects have evolved a wide range of strategies to combat invading pathogens, including viruses. Genes that encode proteins involved in immune responses often evolve under positive selection due to their co-evolution with pathogens. Insect antiviral defense includes the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism, which is triggered by recognition of non-self, virally produced, double-stranded RNAs. Indeed, insect RNAi genes (e.g., dicer and argonaute-2) are under high selective pressure. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are eusocial insects that respond to viral infections via both sequence specific RNAi and a non-sequence specific dsRNA triggered pathway, which is less well-characterized. A transcriptome-level study of virus-infected and/or dsRNA-treated honey bees revealed increased expression of a novel antiviral gene, GenBank: MF116383, and in vivo experiments confirmed its antiviral function. Due to in silico annotation and sequence similarity, MF116383 was originally annotated as a probable cyclin-dependent serine/threonine-protein kinase. In this study, we confirmed that MF116383 limits virus infection, and carried out further bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses to better characterize this important gene-which we renamed bee antiviral protein-1 (bap1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that bap1 is taxonomically restricted to Hymenoptera and Blatella germanica (the German cockroach) and that the majority of bap1 amino acids are evolving under neutral selection. This is in-line with the results from structural prediction tools that indicate Bap1 is a highly disordered protein, which likely has relaxed structural constraints. Assessment of honey bee gene expression using a weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed that bap1 expression was highly correlated with several immune genes-most notably argonaute-2. The coexpression of bap1 and argonaute-2 was confirmed in an independent dataset that accounted for the effect of virus abundance. Together, these data demonstrate that bap1 is a taxonomically restricted, rapidly evolving antiviral immune gene. Future work will determine the role of bap1 in limiting replication of other viruses and examine the signal cascade responsible for regulating the expression of bap1 and other honey bee antiviral defense genes, including coexpressed ago-2, and determine whether the virus limiting function of bap1 acts in parallel or in tandem with RNAi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Laura M. Brutscher
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Katie F. Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Michelle L. Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
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6
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Jones LJ, Ford RP, Schilder RJ, López-Uribe MM. Honey bee viruses are highly prevalent but at low intensities in wild pollinators of cucurbit agroecosystems. J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 185:107667. [PMID: 34560106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Managed and wild bee populations are in decline around the globe due to several biotic and abiotic stressors. Pathogenic viruses associated with the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) have been identified as key contributors to losses of managed honey bee colonies, and are known to be transmitted to wild bee populations through shared floral resources. However, little is known about the prevalence and intensity of these viruses in wild bee populations, or how bee visitation to flowers impacts viral transmission in agroecosystems. This study surveyed honey bee, bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) and wild squash bee (Eucera (Peponapis) pruinosa) populations in Cucurbita agroecosystems across Pennsylvania (USA) for the prevalence and intensity of five honey bee viruses: acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), deformed wing virus (DWV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), and slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV). We investigated the potential role of bee visitation rate to flowers on DWV intensity among species in the pollinator community, with the expectation that increased bee visitation to flowers would increase the opportunity for transmission events between host species. We found that honey bee viruses are highly prevalent but in lower titers in wild E. pruinosa and B. impatiens than in A. mellifera populations throughout Pennsylvania (USA). DWV was detected in 88% of B. impatiens, 48% of E. pruinosa, and 95% of A. mellifera. IAPV was detected in 5% of B. impatiens and 4% of E. pruinosa, compared to 9% in A. mellifera. KBV was detected in 1% of B. impatiens and 5% of E. pruinosa, compared to 32% in A. mellifera. Our results indicate that DWV titers are not correlated with bee visitation in Cucurbita fields. The potential fitness impacts of these low viral titers detected in E. pruinosa remain to be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Jones
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Ryan P Ford
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Rudolf J Schilder
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA; Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Margarita M López-Uribe
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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IAPV-Induced Paralytic Symptoms Associated with Tachypnea via Impaired Tracheal System Function. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810078. [PMID: 34576241 PMCID: PMC8469059 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it had been reported that Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can cause systemic infection in honey bees, little is known about how it establishes this infection and results in the typical symptoms, paralysis and trembling. Here, we used our previously constructed IAPV infectious clone to investigate viral loads in different tissues of honey bees and further identify the relation between tissue tropism and paralytic symptoms. Our results showed that tracheae showed a greater concentration of viral abundance than other tissues. The abundance of viral protein in the tracheae was positively associated with viral titers, and was further confirmed by immunological and ultrastructural evidence. Furthermore, higher viral loads in tracheae induced remarkable down-regulation of succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase genes, and progressed to causing respiratory failure of honey bees, resulting in the appearance of typical symptoms, paralysis and body trembling. Our results showed that paralysis symptoms or trembling was actually to mitigate tachypnea induced by IAPV infection due to the impairment of honey bee tracheae, and revealed a direct causal link between paralysis symptoms and tissue tropism. These findings provide new insights into the understanding of the underlying mechanism of paralysis symptoms of honey bees after viral infection and have implications for viral disease prevention and specific therapeutics in practice.
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Bhatia S, Baral SS, Vega Melendez C, Amiri E, Rueppell O. Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12010060. [PMID: 33445412 PMCID: PMC7827508 DOI: 10.3390/insects12010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Honey bees and other pollinators are threatened by numerous stressors, including virus infections. Currently, no effective treatments are available, stressing the importance of natural defenses. These defenses may be enhanced through selective breeding. This study sought to evaluate the potential for breeding, while also testing a few potential mechanisms of natural immune responses and assessing how widespread viruses are in commercial honey bee queens in the U.S. We identified significant differences in survival of virus infection among and within U.S honey bee stocks, indicating that selective breeding may be able to decrease the virus susceptibility of honey bees. Survival differences may be related to differences in the natural immune system of honey bees and could relate to how much virus stress bees have experienced in the past. Abstract Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (Apis mellifera), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offspring from selected queens in a common apiary were inoculated with IAPV by topical applications after emergence to assess subsequent survival. Differences among stocks were small compared to variation within stocks, indicating the potential for improving honey bee survival of virus infections in all stocks. A positive relation between worker survival and virus load among stocks further suggested that honey bees may be able to adapt to better cope with viruses, while our molecular studies indicate that toll-6 may be related to survival differences among virus-infected worker bees. Together, these findings highlight the importance of viruses in queen breeding operations and provide a promising starting point for the quest to improve honey bee health by selectively breeding stock to be better able to survive virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpi Bhatia
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27403, USA; (S.B.); (S.S.B.); (C.V.M.); (E.A.)
- Department of Applied Science & Technology, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University, 1601 E Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
| | - Saman S. Baral
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27403, USA; (S.B.); (S.S.B.); (C.V.M.); (E.A.)
| | - Carlos Vega Melendez
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27403, USA; (S.B.); (S.S.B.); (C.V.M.); (E.A.)
- US Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS, 1925 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Esmaeil Amiri
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27403, USA; (S.B.); (S.S.B.); (C.V.M.); (E.A.)
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27403, USA; (S.B.); (S.S.B.); (C.V.M.); (E.A.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-336-2022349
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Li T, Xia Y, Xu X, Wei G, Wang L. Functional analysis of Dicer-2 gene in Bombyx mori resistance to BmNPV virus. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 105:e21724. [PMID: 32623793 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a primary pathogen in silkworm, and the molecular mechanism of B. mori defense to BmNPV infection is still unclear. RNA interference (RNAi) is well-known as an intracellular conserved mechanism that is critical in gene regulation and cell defense. The antiviral RNAi pathway processes viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into viral small interfering RNAs that guide the recognition and cleavage of complementary viral target RNAs. In this study, a Dicer-2 (Dcr2) gene was identified in B. mori and its antiviral function was explored. Dcr2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was the highest in hemocytes and expressed in all stages of silkworm growth. After infection with BmNPV, the expression of Dcr2 mRNA was significantly increased after infection in midgut and hemocytes. The expression of Dcr2 was significantly upregulated by injecting dsRNA (dsBmSPH-1) into silkworm after 48 hr. Knocking down the expression level of Dcr2 using specific dsRNA in silkworm, which modestly enhanced the production of viral genomic DNA. Our results suggested that the Dcr2 gene in B. mori plays an important role in against BmNPV invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taohong Li
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuchen Xia
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Xinyue Xu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Guoqing Wei
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
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10
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Christiaens O, Niu J, Nji Tizi Taning C. RNAi in Insects: A Revolution in Fundamental Research and Pest Control Applications. INSECTS 2020; 11:E415. [PMID: 32635402 PMCID: PMC7411770 DOI: 10.3390/insects11070415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In this editorial for the Special Issue on 'RNAi in insect pest control', three important applications of RNA interference (RNAi) in insects are briefly discussed and linked to the different studies published in this Special Issue. The discovery of the RNAi mechanism revolutionized entomological research, as it presented researchers with a tool to knock down genes, which is easily applicable in a wide range of insect species. Furthermore, RNAi also provides crop protection with a novel and promising pest control mode-of-action. The sequence-dependent nature allows RNAi-based control strategies to be highly species selective and the active molecule, a natural biological molecule known as double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), has a short environmental persistence. However, more research is needed to investigate different cellular and physiological barriers, such as cellular uptake and dsRNA degradation in the digestive system in insects, in order to provide efficient control methods against a wide range of insect pest species. Finally, the RNAi pathway is an important part of the innate antiviral immune defence of insects, and could even lead to applications targeting viruses in beneficial insects such as honeybees in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China;
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11
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Structural and Functional Analysis of PGRP-LC Indicates Exclusive Dap-Type PGN Binding in Bumblebees. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072441. [PMID: 32244587 PMCID: PMC7177551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) play an important role in the defense against invading microbes via the recognition of the immunogenic substance peptidoglycan (PGN). Bees possess fewer PGRPs than Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae but retain two important immune pathways, the Toll pathway and the Imd pathway, which can be triggered by the recognition of Dap-type PGN by PGRP-LCx with the assistance of PGRP-LCa in Drosophila. There are three isoforms of PGRP-LC including PGRP-LCx, PGRP-LCa and PGRP-LCy in Drosophila. Our previous study showed that a single PGRP-LC exists in bumblebees. In this present study, we prove that the bumblebee Bombus lantschouensis PGRP-LC (Bl-PGRP-LC) can respond to an infection with Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli through binding to the Dap-type PGNs directly, and that E. coli infection induces the quick and strong upregulation of PGRP-LC, abaecin and defensin. Moreover, the Bl-PGRP-LC exhibits a very strong affinity for the Dap-type PGN, much stronger than the affinity exhibited by the PGRP-LC from the more eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera (Am-PGRP-LC). In addition, mutagenesis experiments showed that the residue His390 is the anchor residue for the binding to the Dap-type PGN and forms a hydrogen bond with MurNAc rather than meso-Dap, which interacts with the anchor residue Arg413 of PGRP-LCx in Drosophila. Therefore, bumblebee PGRP-LC possesses exclusive characteristics for the immune response among insect PGRPs.
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12
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Klinger EG, Camp AA, Strange JP, Cox-Foster D, Lehmann DM. Bombus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Microcolonies as a Tool for Biological Understanding and Pesticide Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 48:1249-1259. [PMID: 31603491 PMCID: PMC9206168 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Bumble bees provide valuable pollination services to many wild and agricultural plants. Populations of some bumble bee species are in decline, prompting the need to better understand bumble bee biology and to develop methodologies for assessing the effects of environmental stressors on these bees. Use of bumble bee microcolonies as an experimental tool is steadily increasing. This review closely examines the microcolony model using peer-reviewed published literature identified by searching three databases through November 2018. Microcolonies have been successfully used for investigating a range of endpoints including behavior, the gut microbiome, nutrition, development, pathogens, chemical biology, and pesticides/xenobiotics. Methods for the initiation and monitoring of microcolonies, as well as the recorded variables were catalogued and described. From this information, we identified a series of recommendations for standardizing core elements of microcolony studies. Standardization is critical to establishing the foundation needed to support use of this model for biological response investigations and particularly for supporting use in pesticide risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen G. Klinger
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit; North Logan, UT, 84341, USA
| | - Allison A. Camp
- ORISE Researcher, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - James P. Strange
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit; North Logan, UT, 84341, USA
| | - Diana Cox-Foster
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect Research Unit; North Logan, UT, 84341, USA
| | - David M. Lehmann
- National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, US - Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
- Author for correspondence ()
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13
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Abstract
Bees-including solitary, social, wild, and managed species-are key pollinators of flowering plant species, including nearly three-quarters of global food crops. Their ecological importance, coupled with increased annual losses of managed honey bees and declines in populations of key wild species, has focused attention on the factors that adversely affect bee health, including viral pathogens. Genomic approaches have dramatically expanded understanding of the diversity of viruses that infect bees, the complexity of their transmission routes-including intergenus transmission-and the diversity of strategies bees have evolved to combat virus infections, with RNA-mediated responses playing a prominent role. Moreover, the impacts of viruses on their hosts are exacerbated by the other major stressors bee populations face, including parasites, poor nutrition, and exposure to chemicals. Unraveling the complex relationships between viruses and their bee hosts will lead to improved understanding of viral ecology and management strategies that support better bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, and Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA;
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology and Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717, USA;
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14
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Wang H, Smagghe G, Meeus I. The Single von Willebrand factor C-domain protein (SVC) coding gene is not involved in the hymenoptaecin upregulation after Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) injection in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 81:152-155. [PMID: 29170046 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Within insects, inductions of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been reported after different virus challenges. It is believed that this link is not directly induced by the virus itself, but rather indirectly induced by secondary effects of virus infection. Here we explored if direct sensing of the virus could trigger AMP expression. Recently, a cytokine-like molecule vago, a member of the Single von Willebrand factor C-domain (SVC) protein family, has been shown to be induced by virus infection in a Dicer-2 dependent manner. SVCs are also reported to be responsive in relation to multiple environmental challenges including bacterial infections and the nutritional status in the model species Drosophila melanogaster. Within the bumblebee Bombus terrestris only one SVC member has been identified and is proven to be involved in both the host antiviral defense and the basal expression of AMP genes, thereby it is a possible candidate linking virus infection and AMPs induction. Here we showed that the injection of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) resulted in a higher hymenoptaecin expression at 1dpi. This expression is IAPV specific as neither injection of slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV) nor random dsRNA results in a similar induction at 1dpi. We could not prove that hymenoptaecin expression after IAPV treatment was related to BtSVC, as a silencing experiment did not lower hymenoptaecin induction. This leaves indirect activation by secondary effects of IAPV infection as a mechanism of AMP genes induction, or that IAPV infection influences the AMP expression dynamics which is initially induced by non-virus related triggers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidong Wang
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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15
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Wang H, Smagghe G, Meeus I. The role of a single gene encoding the Single von Willebrand factor C-domain protein (SVC) in bumblebee immunity extends beyond antiviral defense. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 91:10-20. [PMID: 29074090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Single von Willebrand factor C-domain proteins (SVCs) are a group of short proteins mainly found in arthropods. They are proposed to be responsive in relation to environmental challenges including the nutritional status, bacterial and viral infections. The SVC protein Vago acts as a cross-talk molecule between the small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway and the Jak/STAT pathway upon viral infection in Drosophila melanogaster and Culex mosquito cells. Unlike flies and mosquitoes that possess diverse SVCs, most bee species only have one of which the function remains unclear. Here we investigated whether this single SVC within the genome of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris is also involved in the host antiviral immunity and whether links with other immune pathways can be found. We can show the presence of two key characteristics of Vago linked with the single SVC in B. terrestris (BtSVC). The antiviral character is proven by silencing BtSVC, which lead to increased Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) levels in the fat body. Second, the silencing of BtDicer-2 resulted in a lower expression of BtSVC and increased IAPV levels, confirming the link between Dicer-2 and BtSVC. We were, however, unable to demonstrate a third known role of Vago in the activation of the Jak/STAT pathway. This is probably because we lack good markers for this pathway in bumblebees. Interestingly, we found that BtSVC contributes to the basal expression levels of four antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-coding genes in the fat body of the bumblebees. Therefore, the single SVC gene in bumblebees may be involved in both host antiviral immunity and basal AMPs expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidong Wang
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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16
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Wang H, Meeus I, Piot N, Smagghe G. Systemic Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) infection in bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) through feeding and injection. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 151:158-164. [PMID: 29203138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can cause a systemic infection, resulting in mortality in both Apis and Bombus spp. bees. However, little is known about the virus infection dynamics within bee tissues. Here, we established systemic IAPV infections in reared bumblebee Bombus terrestris workers through feeding and injection and investigated the mortality, tissue tropism and viral localization. Injection of approximately 500 IAPV (IAPVinj stock) particles resulted in acute infection, viral loads within tissues that were relatively stable from bee to bee, and a distinctive tissue tropism, making this method suitable for studying systemic IAPV infection in bumblebees. Feeding with approximately 1 × 106 particles of the same virus stock did not result in systemic infection. A high-concentration stock of IAPV (IAPVfed stock) allowed us to feed bumblebees with approximately 1 × 109 viral particles, which induced both chronic and acute infection. We also observed a higher variability in viral titers within tissues and less clear tissue tropism during systemic infection, making feeding with IAPVfed stock less optimal for studying IAPV systemic infection. Strikingly, both infection methods and stocks with different viral loads gave a similar viral localization pattern in the brain and midgut of bumblebees with an acute infection. The implications of these findings in the study of the local immunity in bees and barriers to oral transmission are discussed. Our data provide useful information on the establishment of a systemic viral infection in bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidong Wang
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Niels Piot
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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17
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Niu J, Meeus I, De Coninck DIM, Deforce D, Etebari K, Asgari S, Smagghe G. Infections of virulent and avirulent viruses differentially influenced the expression of dicer-1, ago-1, and microRNAs in Bombus terrestris. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45620. [PMID: 28374846 PMCID: PMC5379481 DOI: 10.1038/srep45620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The microRNA (miRNA) pathway is well established to be involved in host-pathogen interactions. As key insect pollinators, bees are suffering from widely spreading viruses, especially honeybees and bumblebees. In order to better understand bee-virus interaction, we comparatively analyzed the involvement of the bumblebee miRNA pathway upon infection by two different viruses. In our setup, an avirulent infection is induced by slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV) and a virulent infection is induced by Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV). Our results showed the increased expressions of dicer-1 and ago-1 upon SBPV infection. There were 17 and 12 bumblebee miRNAs differentially expressed upon SBPV and IAPV infections, respectively. These results may indicate the involvement of the host miRNA pathway in bumblebee-virus interaction. However, silencing of dicer-1 did not influence the genome copy number of SBPV. Target prediction for these differentially expressed miRNAs showed their possible involvement in targeting viral genomic RNA and in the regulation of networks in bumblebee. Our study opens a new insight into bee-virus interaction meditated by host miRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter IM De Coninck
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kayvan Etebari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sassan Asgari
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
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