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Caldas-Garcia GB, Santos VC, Fonseca PLC, de Almeida JPP, Costa MA, Aguiar ERGR. The Viromes of Six Ecosystem Service Provider Parasitoid Wasps. Viruses 2023; 15:2448. [PMID: 38140687 PMCID: PMC10747428 DOI: 10.3390/v15122448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps are fundamental insects for the biological control of agricultural pests. Despite the importance of wasps as natural enemies for more sustainable and healthy agriculture, the factors that could impact their species richness, abundance, and fitness, such as viral diseases, remain almost unexplored. Parasitoid wasps have been studied with regard to the endogenization of viral elements and the transmission of endogenous viral proteins that facilitate parasitism. However, circulating viruses are poorly characterized. Here, RNA viromes of six parasitoid wasp species are studied using public libraries of next-generation sequencing through an integrative bioinformatics pipeline. Our analyses led to the identification of 18 viruses classified into 10 families (Iflaviridae, Endornaviridae, Mitoviridae, Partitiviridae, Virgaviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Chuviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Xinmoviridae, and Narnaviridae) and into the Bunyavirales order. Of these, 16 elements were described for the first time. We also found a known virus previously identified on a wasp prey which suggests viral transmission between the insects. Altogether, our results highlight the importance of virus surveillance in wasps as its service disruption can affect ecology, agriculture and pest management, impacting the economy and threatening human food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela B. Caldas-Garcia
- Virus Bioinformatics Laboratory, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Brazil; (G.B.C.-G.); (P.L.C.F.)
| | - Vinícius Castro Santos
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30270-901, Brazil; (V.C.S.); (J.P.P.d.A.)
| | - Paula Luize Camargos Fonseca
- Virus Bioinformatics Laboratory, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Brazil; (G.B.C.-G.); (P.L.C.F.)
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30270-901, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Pereira de Almeida
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30270-901, Brazil; (V.C.S.); (J.P.P.d.A.)
| | - Marco Antônio Costa
- Departament of Biological Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Brazil;
| | - Eric Roberto Guimarães Rocha Aguiar
- Virus Bioinformatics Laboratory, Centro de Biotecnologia e Genética, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus 45662-900, Brazil; (G.B.C.-G.); (P.L.C.F.)
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2
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Qi YH, Ye ZX, Zhang CX, Chen JP, Li JM. Diversity of RNA viruses in agricultural insects. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4312-4321. [PMID: 37711182 PMCID: PMC10497914 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and bioinformatics tools have revealed a vast array of viral diversity in insects, particularly RNA viruses. However, our current understanding of insect RNA viruses has primarily focused on hematophagous insects due to their medical importance, while research on the viromes of agriculturally relevant insects remains limited. This comprehensive review aims to address the gap by providing an overview of the diversity of RNA viruses in agricultural pests and beneficial insects within the agricultural ecosystem. Based on the NCBI Virus Database, over eight hundred RNA viruses belonging to 39 viral families have been reported in more than three hundred agricultural insect species. These viruses are predominantly found in the insect orders of Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Thysanoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Orthoptera. These findings have significantly enriched our understanding of RNA viral diversity in agricultural insects. While further virome investigations are necessary to expand our knowledge to more insect species, it is crucial to explore the biological roles of these identified RNA viruses within insects in future studies. This review also highlights the limitations and challenges for the effective virus discovery through NGS and their potential solutions, which might facilitate for the development of innovative bioinformatic tools in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hua Qi
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Zhuang-Xin Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Chuan-Xi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jian-Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jun-Min Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
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3
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Power K, Martano M, Ragusa E, Altamura G, Maiolino P. Detection of honey bee viruses in larvae of Vespa orientalis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1207319. [PMID: 37424785 PMCID: PMC10326897 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1207319] [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: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) is one of the major predators of honey bees. It has been demonstrated that adults of V. orientalis can harbor honey bee viruses, however the transmission route of infection is still not clear. The aim of this study was to study the possible presence of honey bee viruses in V. orientalis larvae and honey bees collected from the same apiary. Therefore, 29 samples of V. orientalis larvae and 2 pools of honey bee (Apis mellifera). samples were analyzed by multiplex PCR to detect the presence of six honeybee viruses: Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) and Sac Brood Virus (SBV). Biomolecular analysis of V. orientalis larvae revealed that DWV was present in 24/29 samples, SBV in 10/29, BQCV in 7/29 samples and ABPV in 5/29 samples, while no sample was found positive for CBPV or KBV. From biomolecular analysis of honey bee samples DWV was the most detected virus, followed by SBV, BQCV, ABPV. No honey bee sample was found positive for CBPV or KBV. Considering the overlapping of positivities between V.orientalis larvae and honey bee samples, and that V.orientalis larvae are fed insect proteins, preferably honey bees, we can suggest the acquisition of viral particles through the ingestion of infected bees. However, future studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis and rule out any other source of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Power
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Manuela Martano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Ernesto Ragusa
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gennaro Altamura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Maiolino
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
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4
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Inwood SN, Harrop TWR, Dearden PK. The venom composition and parthenogenesis mechanism of the parasitoid wasp Microctonus hyperodae, a declining biocontrol agent. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 153:103897. [PMID: 36584929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A biocontrol system in New Zealand using the endoparasitoid Microctonus hyperodae is failing, despite once being one of the most successful examples of classical biocontrol worldwide. Though it is of significant economic importance as a control agent, little is known about the genetics of M. hyperodae. In this study, RNA-seq was used to characterise two key traits of M. hyperodae in this system, the venom, critical for the initial success of biocontrol, and the asexual reproduction mode, which influenced biocontrol decline. Expanded characterisation of M. hyperodae venom revealed candidates involved in manipulating the host environment to source nutrition for the parasitoid egg, preventing a host immune response against the egg, as well as two components that may stimulate the host's innate immune system. Notably lacking from the venom-specific expression list was calreticulin, as it also had high expression in the ovaries. In-situ hybridisation revealed this ovarian expression was localised to the follicle cells, which may result in the deposition of calreticulin into the egg exochorion. Investigating the asexual reproduction of M. hyperodae revealed core meiosis-specific genes had conserved expression patterns with the highest expression in the ovaries, suggesting M. hyperodae parthenogenesis involves meiosis and that the potential for sexual reproduction may have been retained. Upregulation of genes involved in endoreduplication provides a potential mechanism for the restoration of diploidy in eggs after meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Inwood
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand
| | - Thomas W R Harrop
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand; Melbourne Bioinformatics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Peter K Dearden
- Bioprotection Aotearoa, Genomics Aotearoa, and the Biochemistry Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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5
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Rodríguez-Flores MS, Mazzei M, Felicioli A, Diéguez-Antón A, Seijo MC. Emerging Risk of Cross-Species Transmission of Honey Bee Viruses in the Presence of Invasive Vespid Species. INSECTS 2022; 14:6. [PMID: 36661935 PMCID: PMC9866884 DOI: 10.3390/insects14010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The increase in invasive alien species is a concern for the environment. The establishment of some of these species may be changing the balance between pathogenicity and host factors, which could alter the defense strategies of native host species. Vespid species are among the most successful invasive animals, such as the genera Vespa, Vespula and Polistes. Bee viruses have been extensively studied as an important cause of honey bee population losses. However, knowledge about the transmission of honey bee viruses in Vespids is a relevant and under-researched aspect. The role of some mites such as Varroa in the transmission of honey bee viruses is clearer than in the case of Vespidae. This type of transmission by vectors has not yet been clarified in Vespidae, with interspecific relationships being the main hypotheses accepted for the transmission of bee viruses. A majority of studies describe the presence of viruses or their replicability, but aspects such as the symptomatology in Vespids or the ability to infect other hosts from Vespids are scarcely discussed. Highlighting the case of Vespa velutina as an invader, which is causing huge losses in European beekeeping, is of special interest. The pressure caused by V. velutina leads to weakened hives that become susceptible to pathogens. Gathering this information is necessary to promote further research on the spread of bee viruses in ecosystems invaded by invasive species of Vespids, as well as to prevent the decline of bee populations due to bee viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maurizio Mazzei
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Ana Diéguez-Antón
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, University of Vigo, Campus As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - María Carmen Seijo
- Department of Plant Biology and Soil Sciences, University of Vigo, Campus As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
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6
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An X, Zhang W, Ye C, Smagghe G, Wang JJ, Niu J. Discovery of a widespread presence bunyavirus that may have symbiont-like relationships with different species of aphids. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:1120-1134. [PMID: 34874617 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aphids are important agricultural pests, vectors of many plant viruses and have sophisticated relationships with symbiotic microorganisms. Abundant asymptomatic RNA viruses have been reported in aphids due to the application of RNA-seq, but aphid-virus interactions remain unclear. Bunyavirales is the most abundant RNA virus order, which can infect mammals, arthropods, and plants. However, many bunyaviruses have specific hosts, such as insects. Here, we discovered 18 viruses from 10 aphid species by RNA-seq. Importantly, a widespread presence bunyavirus, Aphid bunyavirus 1 (ABV-1), was determined to have a wide host range, infecting and replicating in all 10 tested aphid species. ABV-1 may be transmitted horizontally during feeding on plant leaves and vertically through reproduction. In a comparison of the physiological parameters of ABV-1high and ABV-1low strains of pea aphid, higher ABV-1 titers reduced the total nymphal duration and induced the reproduction. Moreover, viral titer significantly affected the lipid and protein contents in pea aphids. In summary, we proposed that ABV-1 may have stable symbiont-like relationships with aphids, and these observations may provide a new direction for studying bunyaviruses in aphids and establishing a model for virus-aphid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin An
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chao Ye
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory of China-Belgium on Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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7
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Power K, Altamura G, Martano M, Maiolino P. Detection of Honeybee Viruses in Vespa orientalis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:896932. [PMID: 35601108 PMCID: PMC9114811 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.896932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) is spreading across the Italian territory threatening the health and wellbeing of honeybees by feeding on adult individuals and larvae and by plundering hive resources. Considering the capacity of other hornets in harboring honeybee viruses, the aim of this study was to identify the possible role of the Oriental hornet as a vector for honeybee viruses. Adult hornets were subjected to macroscopical examination to identify the presence of lesions, and to biomolecular investigation to detect the presence of six honeybee viruses: Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), Sac Brood Virus (SBV). No macroscopical alterations were found while biomolecular results showed that DWV was the most detected virus (25/30), followed by ABPV (19/30), BQCV (13/30), KBV (1/30) and SBV (1/30). No sample was found positive for CBPV. In 20/30 samples several co-infections were identified. The most frequent (17/30) was the association between DWV and ABPV, often associated to BQCV (9/17). One sample (1/30) showed the presence of four different viruses namely DWV, ABPV, BQCV and KBV. The detected viruses are the most widespread in apiaries across the Italian territory suggesting the possible passage from honeybees to V. orientalis, by predation of infected adult honeybees and larvae, and cannibalization of their carcasses. However, to date, it is still not clear if these viruses are replicative but we can suggest a role as mechanical vector of V. orientalis in spreading these viruses.
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8
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Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Arthropod, Fungal, Protozoan, Bacterial and Viral Pathogens of Honeybees. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9050221. [PMID: 35622749 PMCID: PMC9145064 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9050221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The honeybee Apis mellifera is highly appreciated worldwide because of its products, but also as it is a pollinator of crops and wild plants. The beehive is vulnerable to infections due to arthropods, fungi, protozoa, bacteria and/or viruses that manage to by-pass the individual and social immune mechanisms of bees. Due to the close proximity of bees in the beehive and their foraging habits, infections easily spread within and between beehives. Moreover, international trade of bees has caused the global spread of infections, several of which result in significant losses for apiculture. Only in a few cases can infections be diagnosed with the naked eye, by direct observation of the pathogen in the case of some arthropods, or by pathogen-associated distinctive traits. Development of molecular methods based on the amplification and analysis of one or more genes or genomic segments has brought significant progress to the study of bee pathogens, allowing for: (i) the precise and sensitive identification of the infectious agent; (ii) the analysis of co-infections; (iii) the description of novel species; (iv) associations between geno- and pheno-types and (v) population structure studies. Sequencing of bee pathogen genomes has allowed for the identification of new molecular targets and the development of specific genotypification strategies.
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9
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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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10
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Wilson Rankin EE. Emerging patterns in social wasp invasions. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 46:72-77. [PMID: 33667693 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species are a main driver of biodiversity loss and ecological change globally. Consequently, there is a need to understand how invaders damage ecosystems and to develop effective management strategies. Social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) include some of the world's most ecologically damaging invasive insects. In recent decades, the invasive social wasp literature has grown rapidly. This may be due in part to increased rate of introduction as well as greater public awareness of invasive wasps and their potential negative impacts on bees. Here, we investigate trends in invasive social wasp research, identifying the emergence of Vespa invasions, the mechanism-based inquiry into Vespula invasions, and the increased application of molecular methods to track invasive species through the invasion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Wilson Rankin
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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11
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Microbiome of the wasp Vespula pensylvanica in native and invasive populations, and associations with Moku virus. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255463. [PMID: 34324610 PMCID: PMC8321129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species present a worldwide concern as competition and pathogen reservoirs for native species. Specifically, the invasive social wasp, Vespula pensylvanica, is native to western North America and has become naturalized in Hawaii, where it exerts pressures on native arthropod communities as a competitor and predator. As invasive species may alter the microbial and disease ecology of their introduced ranges, there is a need to understand the microbiomes and virology of social wasps. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the microbiome of V. pensylvanica samples pooled by colony across two geographically distinct ranges and found that wasps generally associate with taxa within the bacterial genera Fructobacillus, Fructilactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Zymobacter, and likely associate with environmentally-acquired bacteria. Furthermore, V. pensylvanica harbors-and in some cases were dominated by-many endosymbionts including Wolbachia, Sodalis, Arsenophonus, and Rickettsia, and were found to contain bee-associated taxa, likely due to scavenging on or predation upon honey bees. Next, we used reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR to assay colony-level infection intensity for Moku virus (family: Iflaviridae), a recently-described disease that is known to infect multiple Hymenopteran species. While Moku virus was prevalent and in high titer, it did not associate with microbial diversity, indicating that the microbiome may not directly interact with Moku virus in V. pensylvanica in meaningful ways. Collectively, our results suggest that the invasive social wasp V. pensylvanica associates with a simple microbiome, may be infected with putative endosymbionts, likely acquires bacterial taxa from the environment and diet, and is often infected with Moku virus. Our results suggest that V. pensylvanica, like other invasive social insects, has the potential to act as a reservoir for bacteria pathogenic to other pollinators, though this requires experimental demonstration.
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12
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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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Wang X, Gu Q, Zhang W, Jiang H, Chen S, Smagghe G, Niu J, Wang JJ. Prevalence of a Novel Bunyavirus in Tea Tussock Moth Euproctis pseudoconspersa (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2021; 21:6324099. [PMID: 34280294 PMCID: PMC8288992 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Euproctis pseudoconspersa is a major pest of tea plants, and also causes a skin rash on workers in tea plantations. Research on virus could provide fundamental insights for classification, genetic diversity, evolution, and host-virus interaction mechanisms. Here, we identified a novel RNA virus, Euproctis pseudoconspersa bunyavirus (Phenuiviridae), and found that it is widely distributed in field populations of E. pseudoconspersa. The replication of virus in E. pseudoconspersa was indicated by Tag-PCR. These results contribute to the classification of bunyaviruses and provide insight into the diversity of commensal E. pseudoconspersa bunyavirus and the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Tea Research Institute of Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Science, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory on China-Belgium Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiaoying Gu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory on China-Belgium Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hongyan Jiang
- Tea Research Institute of Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Science, Chongqing, China
| | - Shichun Chen
- Tea Research Institute of Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Science, Chongqing, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory on China-Belgium Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinzhi Niu
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory on China-Belgium Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jin-Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control Engineering, College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- International Joint Laboratory on China-Belgium Sustainable Crop Pest Control, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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14
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Viral load, not food availability or temperature, predicts colony longevity in an invasive eusocial wasp with plastic life history. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10087. [PMID: 33980970 PMCID: PMC8115236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89607-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Social insect colonies exhibit a variety of life history strategies, from the annual, semelparous colonies of temperate bees and wasps to the long-lived colonies of many ants and honeybees. Species introduced to novel habitats may exhibit plasticity in life history strategies as a result of the introduction, but the factors governing these changes often remain obscure. Vespula pensylvanica, a yellowjacket wasp, exhibits such plasticity in colony longevity. Multi-year (perennial) colonies are relatively common in introduced populations in Hawaii, while source populations in the western United States are typically on an annual cycle. Here, we use experiments and observational data to examine how diet, disease, nest thermal environment, and nest location influence colony longevity in a population with both annual and perennial colonies. Counter to our predictions, experimental feeding and warming did not increase colony survival in the winter in the introduced range. However, Moku Virus load and wasp colony density predicted colony survival in one year, suggesting a potential role for disease in modulating colony phenology. We also found that local V. pensylvanica colony density was positively correlated with Moku Virus loads, and that Arsenophonus sp. bacterial loads in V. pensylvanica colonies were positively associated with proximity to feral honeybee (Apis mellifera) hives, suggesting potential transmission routes for these poorly understood symbionts. The factors influencing colony longevity in this population are likely multiple and interactive. More important than food availability, we propose winter precipitation as a critical factor that may explain temporal and spatial variation in colony longevity in these invasive wasps.
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15
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Advances in Honey Bee Virus Research. Viruses 2020; 12:v12101149. [PMID: 33050489 PMCID: PMC7600749 DOI: 10.3390/v12101149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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