1
|
Smriti, Rana A, Singh G, Gupta G. Prospects of probiotics in beekeeping: a review for sustainable approach to boost honeybee health. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:205. [PMID: 38573383 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-03926-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Honeybees are vital for global crop pollination, making indispensable contributions to agricultural productivity. However, these vital insects are currently facing escalating colony losses on a global scale, primarily attributed to parasitic and pathogenic attacks. The prevalent response to combat these infections may involve the use of antibiotics. Nevertheless, the application of antibiotics raises concerns regarding potential adverse effects such as antibiotic resistance and imbalances in the gut microbiota of bees. In response to these challenges, this study reviews the utilization of a probiotic-supplemented pollen substitute diet to promote honeybee gut health, enhance immunity, and overall well-being. We systematically explore various probiotic strains and their impacts on critical parameters, including survival rate, colony strength, honey and royal jelly production, and the immune response of bees. By doing so, we emphasize the significance of maintaining a balanced gut microbial community in honeybees. The review also scrutinizes the factors influencing the gut microbial communities of bees, elucidates the consequences of dysbiosis, and evaluates the potential of probiotics to mitigate these challenges. Additionally, it delineates different delivery mechanisms for probiotic supplementation and elucidates their positive effects on diverse health parameters of honeybees. Given the alarming decline in honeybee populations and the consequential threat to global food security, this study provides valuable insights into sustainable practices aimed at supporting honeybee populations and enhancing agricultural productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Smriti
- Department of Biosciences (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India
| | - Anita Rana
- Department of Biosciences (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India.
| | - Gagandeep Singh
- Department of Biosciences (UIBT), Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India
| | - Garima Gupta
- Department of Agriculture (UIAS), Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhu L, Wang K, Wu X, Zheng H, Liao X. Association of specific gut microbiota with polyethylene microplastics caused gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens in honeybees. Sci Total Environ 2024; 918:170642. [PMID: 38320694 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of microplastics as contaminants has raised concerns regarding their potential toxicity. Recent studies on microplastic pollution caused by food packaging have drawn attention to its impact on health. However, despite being used extensively in food packaging, there is little knowledge about the toxicity of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs). Here, we studied the toxicity of PE-MPs on the model animal honeybees using different particle sizes (1 μm, 10 μm, 100 μm in diameter). Oral exposure to 100-μm PE-MPs resulted in elevated honeybee mortality and increased their susceptibility to pathogens. This is likely due to the mechanical disruption and gut microbial dysbiosis by PE-MPs. Snodgrassella, a core functional gut bacteria, was specifically enriched on the surface of PE-MPs, which perturbs the gut microbial communities in honeybees. Furthermore, the increased mortality in challenge trials with the opportunistic pathogen Hafnia alvei for PE-MPs pre-exposed honeybees revealed a potential health risk. These findings provide fresh insights into evaluating the potential hazards associated with PE-MPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liya Zhu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Kewen Wang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xiaojun Liao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100085, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Motta EVS, Moran NA. The honeybee microbiota and its impact on health and disease. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:122-137. [PMID: 38049554 PMCID: PMC10998682 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00990-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are key pollinators that support global agriculture and are long-established models for developmental and behavioural research. Recently, they have emerged as models for studying gut microbial communities. Earlier research established that hindguts of adult worker bees harbour a conserved set of host-restricted bacterial species, each showing extensive strain variation. These bacteria can be cultured axenically and introduced to gnotobiotic hosts, and some have basic genetic tools available. In this Review, we explore the most recent research showing how the microbiota establishes itself in the gut and impacts bee biology and health. Microbiota members occupy specific niches within the gut where they interact with each other and the host. They engage in cross-feeding and antagonistic interactions, which likely contribute to the stability of the community and prevent pathogen invasion. An intact gut microbiota provides protection against diverse pathogens and parasites and contributes to the processing of refractory components of the pollen coat and dietary toxins. Absence or disruption of the microbiota results in altered expression of genes that underlie immunity, metabolism, behaviour and development. In the field, such disruption by agrochemicals may negatively impact bees. These findings demonstrate a key developmental and protective role of the microbiota, with broad implications for bee health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hotchkiss MZ, Forrest JRK, Poulain AJ. Exposure to a fungicide for a field-realistic duration does not alter bumble bee fecal microbiota structure. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0173923. [PMID: 38240563 PMCID: PMC10880609 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01739-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Social bees are frequently exposed to pesticides when foraging on nectar and pollen. Recent research has shown that pesticide exposure not only impacts social bee host health but can also alter the community structure of social bee gut microbiotas. However, most research on pesticide-bee gut microbiota interactions has been conducted in honey bees; bumble bees, native North American pollinators, have received less attention and, due to differences in their ecology, may be exposed to certain pesticides for shorter durations than honey bees. Here, we examine how exposure to the fungicide chlorothalonil for a short, field-realistic duration alters bumble bee fecal microbiotas (used as a proxy for gut microbiotas) and host performance. We expose small groups of Bombus impatiens workers (microcolonies) to field-realistic chlorothalonil concentrations for 5 days, track changes in fecal microbiotas during the exposure period and a recovery period, and compare microcolony offspring production between treatments at the end of the experiment. We also assess the use of fecal microbiotas as a gut microbiota proxy by comparing community structures of fecal and gut microbiotas. We find that chlorothalonil exposure for a short duration does not alter bumble bee fecal microbiota structure or affect microcolony production at any concentration but that fecal and gut microbiotas differ significantly in community structure. Our results show that, at least when exposure durations are brief and unaccompanied by other stressors, bumble bee microbiotas are resilient to fungicide exposure. Additionally, our work highlights the importance of sampling gut microbiotas directly, when possible.IMPORTANCEWith global pesticide use expected to increase in the coming decades, studies on how pesticides affect the health and performance of animals, including and perhaps especially pollinators, will be crucial to minimize negative environmental impacts of pesticides in agriculture. Here, we find no effect of exposure to chlorothalonil for a short, field-realistic period on bumble bee fecal microbiota community structure or microcolony production regardless of pesticide concentration. Our results can help inform pesticide use practices to minimize negative environmental impacts on the health and fitness of bumble bees, which are key native, commercial pollinators in North America. We also find that concurrently sampled bumble bee fecal and gut microbiotas contain similar microbes but differ from one another in community structure and consequently suggest that using fecal microbiotas as a proxy for gut microbiotas be done cautiously; this result contributes to our understanding of proxy use in gut microbiota research.
Collapse
|
5
|
Li Z, Guo D, Wang C, Chi X, Liu Z, Wang Y, Wang H, Guo X, Wang N, Xu B, Gao Z. Toxic effects of the heavy metal Cd on Apis cerana cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae): Oxidative stress, immune disorders and disturbance of gut microbiota. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:169318. [PMID: 38143006 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic non-essential metal element that can enter the honey bee body through air, water and soil. Currently, there is a lack of sufficient research on the effects of Cd on A. cerana cerana, especially the potential risks of long-term exposure to sublethal concentrations. In order to ascertain the toxicological effects of the heavy metal Cd on bees, we performed laboratory-based toxicity experiments on worker bees and conducted analyses from three distinctive facets: antioxidative, immunological, and gut microbiota. The results showed that exposure of bees to high concentrations of Cd resulted in acute mortality, and the increase in mortality was concentration dependent. In long-term exposure to sublethal concentrations, Cd reduced the number of transcripts of antioxidant genes (AccSOD1, AccTPx3 and AccTPx4) and superoxide dismutase activity, causing an increase in malondialdehyde content. Simultaneously, the transcription of immune-related genes (AccAbaecin and AccApidaecin) and acetylcholinesterase activities was inhibited. Furthermore, Cd changes the structural characteristics of bacterial and fungal communities in the gut, disrupting the balance of microbial communities. In conclusion, the health and survival of honey bees are affected by Cd. This study provides a scientific basis for investigating the toxicological mechanisms and control strategies of the heavy metal Cd on honey bees, while facilitating a better understanding and protection of these valuable honey bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyu Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Dezheng Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuepeng Chi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningxin Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zheng Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Agarbati A, Gattucci S, Canonico L, Ciani M, Comitini F. Yeast communities related to honeybees: occurrence and distribution in flowers, gut mycobiota, and bee products. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:175. [PMID: 38276993 PMCID: PMC10817854 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12942-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is an important agricultural pollinator and a model for sociality. In this study, a deep knowledge on yeast community characterizing the honeybees' environmental was carried out. For this, a total of 93 samples were collected: flowers as food sources, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products (bee pollen, bee bread, propolis), and processed using culture-dependent techniques and a molecular approach for identification. The occurrence of yeast populations was quantitatively similar among flowers, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products. Overall, 27 genera and 51 species were identified. Basidiomycetes genera were predominant in the flowers while the yeast genera detected in all environments were Aureobasidium, Filobasidium, Meyerozyma, and Metschnikowia. Fermenting species belonging to the genera Debaryomyces, Saccharomyces, Starmerella, Pichia, and Lachancea occurred mainly in the gut, while most of the identified species of bee products were not found in the gut mycobiota. Five yeast species, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Starmerella roseus, were present in both summer and winter, thus indicating them as stable components of bee mycobiota. These findings can help understand the yeast community as a component of the bee gut microbiota and its relationship with related environments, since mycobiota characterization was still less unexplored. In addition, the gut microbiota, affecting the nutrition, endocrine signaling, immune function, and pathogen resistance of honeybees, represents a useful tool for its health evaluation and could be a possible source of functional yeasts. KEY POINTS: • The stable yeast populations are represented by M. guilliermondii, D. hansenii, H. uvarum, H. guilliermondii, and S. roseus. • A. pullulans was the most abondance yeast detective in the flowers and honeybee guts. • Aureobasidium, Meyerozyma, Pichia, and Hanseniaspora are the main genera resident in gut tract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Agarbati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Silvia Gattucci
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Canonico
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ciani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Comitini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Favaro R, Garrido PM, Bruno D, Braglia C, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Tettamanti G, Porrini MP, Di Gioia D, Angeli S. Combined effect of a neonicotinoid insecticide and a fungicide on honeybee gut epithelium and microbiota, adult survival, colony strength and foraging preferences. Sci Total Environ 2023; 905:167277. [PMID: 37741399 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Fungicides, insecticides and herbicides are widely used in agriculture to counteract pathogens and pests. Several of these molecules are toxic to non-target organisms such as pollinators and their lethal dose can be lowered if applied as a mixture. They can cause large and unpredictable problems, spanning from behavioural changes to alterations in the gut. The present work aimed at understanding the synergistic effects on honeybees of a combined in-hive exposure to sub-lethal doses of the insecticide thiacloprid and the fungicide penconazole. A multidisciplinary approach was used: honeybee mortality upon exposure was initially tested in cage, and the colonies development monitored. Morphological and ultrastructural analyses via light and transmission electron microscopy were carried out on the gut of larvae and forager honeybees. Moreover, the main pollen foraging sources and the fungal gut microbiota were studied using Next Generation Sequencing; the gut core bacterial taxa were quantified via qPCR. The mortality test showed a negative effect on honeybee survival when exposed to agrochemicals and their mixture in cage but not confirmed at colony level. Microscopy analyses on the gut epithelium indicated no appreciable morphological changes in larvae, newly emerged and forager honeybees exposed in field to the agrochemicals. Nevertheless, the gut microbial profile showed a reduction of Bombilactobacillus and an increase of Lactobacillus and total fungi upon mixture application. Finally, we highlighted for the first time a significant honeybee diet change after pesticide exposure: penconazole, alone or in mixture, significantly altered the pollen foraging preference, with honeybees preferring Hedera pollen. Overall, our in-hive results showed no severe effects upon administration of sublethal doses of thiacloprid and penconazole but indicate a change in honeybees foraging preference. A possible explanation can be that the different nutritional profile of the pollen may offer better recovery chances to honeybees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Favaro
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Daniele Bruno
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Chiara Braglia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gianluca Tettamanti
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy; Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
| | - Martin Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina; Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sergio Angeli
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen, Bolzano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Damico ME, Beasley B, Greenstein D, Raymann K. Testing the Effectiveness of a Commercially Sold Probiotic on Restoring the Gut Microbiota of Honey Bees: a Field Study. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2023:10.1007/s12602-023-10203-1. [PMID: 38112994 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-023-10203-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic use in apiculture is often necessary to ensure the survival of honey bee colonies. However, beekeepers are faced with the dilemma of needing to combat bacterial brood infections while also knowing that antibiotics kill beneficial bacteria important for bee health. In recent years, bee probiotics have become increasingly purchased by beekeepers because of product claims like being able to "replenish the microbes lost due to agricultural modifications of honey bees' environment" or "promote optimal gut health." Unfortunately, these products have little scientific evidence to support their efficacy, and previous lab experiments have refuted some of their claims. Here, we performed hive-level field experiments to test the effectiveness of SuperDFM-HoneyBee™ - the most commonly purchased honey bee probiotic in the United States - on restoring the honey bee gut microbiota after antibiotic treatment. We found slight but significant changes in the microbiota composition of bees following oxytetracycline (TerraPro) treatment and no difference between the microbiota of antibiotic treated bees with or without subsequent probiotic supplementation. Moreover, the microorganisms in the probiotic supplement were never found in the guts of the worker bee samples. These results highlight that more research is needed to test the efficacy and outcomes of currently available commercial honey bee probiotic supplements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Damico
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA
| | - Burton Beasley
- North Carolina State Beekeepers Association, Hurdle Mills, NC, 27541, USA
| | - Drew Greenstein
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA
| | - Kasie Raymann
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27412, USA.
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Nouvian M, Foster JJ, Weidenmüller A. Glyphosate impairs aversive learning in bumblebees. Sci Total Environ 2023; 898:165527. [PMID: 37451452 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Agrochemicals represent prominent anthropogenic stressors contributing to the ongoing global insect decline. While their impact is generally assessed in terms of mortality rates, non-lethal effects on fitness are equally important to insect conservation. Glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide, is toxic to many animal species, and thought to impact a range of physiological functions. In this study, we investigate the impact of long-term exposure to glyphosate on locomotion, phototaxis and learning abilities in bumblebees, using a fully automated high-throughput assay. We find that glyphosate exposure had a very slight and transient impact on locomotion, while leaving the phototactic drive unaffected. Glyphosate exposure also reduced attraction towards UV light when blue was given as an alternative and, most strikingly, impaired learning of aversive stimuli. Thus, glyphosate had specific actions on sensory and cognitive processes. These non-lethal perceptual and cognitive impairments likely represent a significant obstacle to foraging and predator avoidance for wild bumblebees exposed to glyphosate. Similar effects in other species could contribute to a widespread reduction in foraging efficiency across ecosystems, driven by the large-scale application of this herbicide. The high-throughput paradigm presented in this study can be adapted to investigate sublethal effects of other agrochemicals on bumblebees or other important pollinator species, opening up a critical new avenue for the study of anthropogenic stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Nouvian
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - James J Foster
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Anja Weidenmüller
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Araújo RDS, Viana TA, Botina LL, Bastos DSS, da Silva Alves BC, Machado-Neves M, Bernardes RC, Martins GF. Investigating the effects of mesotrione/atrazine-based herbicide on honey bee foragers. Sci Total Environ 2023; 898:165526. [PMID: 37451454 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
A mixture of the herbicides mesotrione and atrazine (Calaris®) is a widely used herbicide in agriculture in several countries. However, the possible toxicological effects of this formulation on non-target organisms require investigation. In this study, the effects of acute oral exposure to Calaris® were evaluated in Apis mellifera foragers. The effect of seven different concentrations of Calaris® on survival and sucrose consumption was studied, while the recommended concentration for field use (FC) and its 10× dilution (0.1 FC) were used to assess overall locomotor activity, respiratory rate, flight, midgut morphology, oxidative and nitrosative stresses, and hemocyte counting. The exposure to FC or 0.1 FC decreased locomotor activity and induced damage to the midgut epithelium. Additionally, the two tested concentrations reduced superoxide dismutase activity, nitric oxide levels, and total hemocyte count. FC also increased malondialdehyde content and 0.1 FC increased respiratory rate and decreased the proportion of prohemocytes. Overall, our findings evidenced significant harmful effects on A. mellifera foragers resulting from the ingestion of the Calaris® herbicide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renan Dos Santos Araújo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, 78698-000 Pontal do Araguaia, MT, Brazil.
| | - Thaís Andrade Viana
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | - Lorena Lisbetd Botina
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Mariana Machado-Neves
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Vázquez DE, Villegas Martínez LE, Medina V, Latorre-Estivalis JM, Zavala JA, Farina WM. Glyphosate affects larval gut microbiota and metamorphosis of honey bees with differences between rearing procedures. Environ Pollut 2023; 334:122200. [PMID: 37460013 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee Apis mellifera is a sentinel species of the pollinator community which is exposed to a wide variety of pesticides. In the last half-century, the pesticide most applied worldwide has been the herbicide glyphosate (GLY) used for weed control and with microbiocide effects. After its application in crops, the GLY residues have been detected in flowers visited by honey bees as well as in the stored food of their hives. Therefore, the honey bee brood can ingest the herbicide during larval development. Recent studies proved that GLY has detrimental effects on adult honey bees and other insects associated with the disturbance of their gut microbiota. GLY induces changes in the growth, metabolism and survival of honey bees and stingless bees reared in vitro. However, the effect of GLY on larval microbiota is unknown so far and there are few studies with an in-hive exposure to GLY. For these reasons, this study aims to determine whether GLY induces dysbiosis in honey bee larvae and affects their metamorphosis during the exposure period (pre-defecation) and the post-exposure period. Furthermore, we assessed this herbicide in vitro and in the hive to compare its effects on different rearing procedures. Finally, we tested the pigment BLUE1 as an indirect exposure marker to detect and estimate the in-hive intake concentration of GLY. Our results indicate that the intake of field-relevant concentrations of GLY induced a slowdown in growth with dysbiosis in the larval gut microbiota followed by late effects on their metamorphosis such as teratogenesis and mortality of newly emerged bees. Nevertheless, brood from the same colonies expressed different signs of toxicity depending on the rearing procedure and in a dose-dependent manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego E Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Virginia Medina
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Bioquímica, Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales, (INBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jose M Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge A Zavala
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, Cátedra de Bioquímica, Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biociencias Agrícolas y Ambientales, (INBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Walter M Farina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ferreira LMN, Hrncir M, de Almeida DV, Bernardes RC, Lima MAP. Effects of acephate and glyphosate-based agrochemicals on the survival and flight of Plebeia lucii Moure, 2004 (Apidae: Meliponini). Ecotoxicology 2023; 32:926-936. [PMID: 37728837 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02698-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
The conservation of terrestrial ecosystems depends largely on the preservation of pollinators, mainly bees. Stingless bees are among the main pollinators of native plants and crops in tropical regions, where they can be exposed to agrochemicals while foraging on contaminated flowers. In the present study, we investigated the effects on stingless bees of both a commonly used insecticide and herbicide in Brazil. Plebeia lucii Moure, 2004 (Apidae: Meliponini) foragers were orally chronically exposed to food contaminated with different concentrations of commercial formulations of the insecticide acephate or the herbicide glyphosate. Bee mortality increased with increasing agrochemical concentrations. Depending on its concentration, the acephate-based formulation reduced the lifespan and impaired the flight ability of bees. The glyphosate-based formulation was toxic only under unrealistic concentrations. Our results demonstrate that realistic concentrations of acephate-based insecticides harm the survival and alter the mobility of stingless bees. The ingestion of glyphosate-based herbicides was safe for forager bees under realistic concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Maria Negrini Ferreira
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Entomologia, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
| | - Michael Hrncir
- Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Fisiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo Vieira de Almeida
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Agronomia, Curso de Graduação em Agronomia, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Muñoz JP, Silva-Pavez E, Carrillo-Beltrán D, Calaf GM. Occurrence and exposure assessment of glyphosate in the environment and its impact on human beings. Environ Res 2023; 231:116201. [PMID: 37209985 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum and one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, which has led to its high environmental dissemination. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that glyphosate was a probable human carcinogen. Since then, several studies have provided new data about the environmental exposure of glyphosate and its consequences on human health. Thus, the carcinogenic effects of glyphosate are still under debate. This work aimed to review glyphosate occurrence and exposure since 2015 up to date, considering studies associated with either environmental or occupational exposure and the epidemiological assessment of cancer risk in humans. These articles showed that herbicide residues were detectable in all spheres of the earth and studies on the population showed an increase in the concentration of glyphosate in biofluids, both in the general population and in the occupationally exposed population. However, the epidemiological studies under review provided limited evidence for the carcinogenicity of glyphosate, which was consistent with the International Agency for Research on Cancer classification as a probable carcinogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan P Muñoz
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile.
| | - Eduardo Silva-Pavez
- Facultad de Odontología y Ciencias de La Rehabilitación, Universidad San Sebastián, Bellavista, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Carrillo-Beltrán
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
| | - Gloria M Calaf
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Matsuzaki R, Gunnigle E, Geissen V, Clarke G, Nagpal J, Cryan JF. Pesticide exposure and the microbiota-gut-brain axis. ISME J 2023:10.1038/s41396-023-01450-9. [PMID: 37328570 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01450-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota exist within a dynamic ecosystem shaped by various factors that includes exposure to xenobiotics such as pesticides. It is widely regarded that the gut microbiota plays an essential role in maintaining host health, including a major influence on the brain and behaviour. Given the widespread use of pesticides in modern agriculture practices, it is important to assess the long-term collateral effects these xenobiotic exposures have on gut microbiota composition and function. Indeed, exposure studies using animal models have shown that pesticides can induce negative impacts on the host gut microbiota, physiology and health. In tandem, there is a growing body of literature showing that the effects of pesticide exposure can be extended to the manifestation of behavioural impairments in the host. With the increasing appreciation of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, in this review we assess whether pesticide-induced changes in gut microbiota composition profiles and functions could be driving these behavioural alterations. Currently, the diversity of pesticide type, exposure dose and variation in experimental designs hinders direct comparisons of studies presented. Although many insights presented, the mechanistic connection between the gut microbiota and behavioural changes remains insufficiently explored. Future experiments should therefore focus on causal mechanisms to examine the gut microbiota as the mediator of the behavioural impairments observed in the host following pesticide exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rie Matsuzaki
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - Eoin Gunnigle
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - Violette Geissen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioural Sciences, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jatin Nagpal
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
- School of Pharmacy and Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland
| | - John F Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland.
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, T12 YT20, Cork, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Motta EVS, Arnott RLW, Moran NA. Caffeine Consumption Helps Honey Bees Fight a Bacterial Pathogen. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0052023. [PMID: 37212661 PMCID: PMC10269917 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00520-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Caffeine has long been used as a stimulant by humans. Although this secondary metabolite is produced by some plants as a mechanism of defense against herbivores, beneficial or detrimental effects of such consumption are usually associated with dose. The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, can also be exposed to caffeine when foraging at Coffea and Citrus plants, and low doses as are found in the nectar of these plants seem to boost memory learning and ameliorate parasite infection in bees. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeine consumption on the gut microbiota of honey bees and on susceptibility to bacterial infection. We performed in vivo experiments in which honey bees, deprived of or colonized with their native microbiota, were exposed to nectar-relevant concentrations of caffeine for a week, then challenged with the bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. We found that caffeine consumption did not impact the gut microbiota or survival rates of honey bees. Moreover, microbiota-colonized bees exposed to caffeine were more resistant to infection and exhibited increased survival rates compared to microbiota-colonized or microbiota-deprived bees only exposed to the pathogen. Our findings point to an additional benefit of caffeine consumption in honey bee health by protecting against bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE The consumption of caffeine is a remarkable feature of the human diet. Common drinks, such as coffee and tea, contain caffeine as a stimulant. Interestingly, honey bees also seem to like caffeine. They are usually attracted to the low concentrations of caffeine found in nectar and pollen of Coffea plants, and consumption improves learning and memory retention, as well as protects against viruses and fungal parasites. In this study, we expanded these findings by demonstrating that caffeine can improve survival rates of honey bees infected with Serratia marcescens, a bacterial pathogen known to cause sepsis in animals. However, this beneficial effect was only observed when bees were colonized with their native gut microbiota, and caffeine seemed not to directly affect the gut microbiota or survival rates of bees. Our findings suggest a potential synergism between caffeine and gut microbial communities in protection against bacterial pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V. S. Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan L. W. Arnott
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nancy A. Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Motta EVS, Moran NA. The effects of glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, on bumble bees and their gut microbial communities. Sci Total Environ 2023; 872:162102. [PMID: 36764553 PMCID: PMC11050743 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of glyphosate-based formulations to eliminate unwanted vegetation has increased concerns regarding their effects on non-target organisms, such as honey bees and their gut microbial communities. These effects have been associated with both glyphosate and co-formulants, but it is still unknown whether they translate to other bee species. In this study, we tested whether glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, can affect the gut microbiota and survival rates of the eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens. We performed mark-recapture experiments with bumble bee workers from four different commercial colonies, which were exposed to field relevant concentrations of glyphosate or a glyphosate-based formulation (0.01 mM to 1 mM). After a 5-day period of exposure, we returned the bees to their original colonies, and they were sampled at days 0, 3 and 7 post-exposure to investigate changes in microbial community and microbiota resilience by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and quantitative PCR. We found that exposure to glyphosate, pure or in herbicide formulation, reduced the relative abundance of a beneficial bee gut bacterium, Snodgrassella, in bees from two of four colonies when compared to control bees at day 0 post-exposure, but this reduction became non-significant at days 3 and 7 post-exposure, suggesting microbiota resilience. We did not find significant changes in total bacteria between control and exposed bees. Moreover, we observed an overall trend in decreased survival rates in bumble bees exposed to 1 mM herbicide formulation during the 7-day post-exposure period, suggesting a potential negative effect of this formulation on bumble bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Li Y, Chang L, Xu K, Zhang S, Gao F, Fan Y. Research Progresses on the Function and Detection Methods of Insect Gut Microbes. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1208. [PMID: 37317182 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The insect gut is home to an extensive array of microbes that play a crucial role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as in the protection against pathogenic microorganisms. The variety of these gut microbes is impacted by factors such as age, diet, pesticides, antibiotics, sex, and caste. Increasing evidence indicates that disturbances in the gut microbiota can lead to compromised insect health, and that its diversity has a far-reaching impact on the host's health. In recent years, the use of molecular biology techniques to conduct rapid, qualitative, and quantitative research on the host intestinal microbial diversity has become a major focus, thanks to the advancement of metagenomics and bioinformatics technologies. This paper reviews the main functions, influencing factors, and detection methods of insect gut microbes, in order to provide a reference and theoretical basis for better research utilization of gut microbes and management of harmful insects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yazi Li
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| | - Liyun Chang
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| | - Shuhong Zhang
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| | - Fengju Gao
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| | - Yongshan Fan
- Tangshan Key Laboratory of Agricultural Pathogenic Fungi and Toxins, Department of Life Science, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan 063000, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Botina LL, Barbosa WF, Acosta JPL, Bernardes RC, Cortes JEQ, Pylro VS, Mendonça AC, Barbosa RC, Lima MAP, Martins GF. The impact of early-life exposure to three agrochemicals on survival, behavior, and gut microbiota of stingless bees (Partamona helleri). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27385-4. [PMID: 37147541 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27385-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, agrochemicals have been partially associated with a global reduction in bees' population. Toxicological assessment is therefore crucial for understanding the overall agrochemical risks to stingless bees. Therefore, the lethal and sublethal effects of agrochemicals commonly used in crops (copper sulfate, glyphosate, and spinosad) on the behavior and gut microbiota of the stingless bee, Partamona helleri, were assessed using chronic exposure during the larval stage. When used at the field-recommended rates, both copper sulfate (200 µg of active ingredient/bee; a.i µg bee-1) and spinosad (8.16 a.i µg bee-1) caused a decrease in bee survival, while glyphosate (148 a.i µg bee-1) did not show any significant effects. No significant adverse effects on bee development were observed in any treatment with CuSO4 or glyphosate, but spinosad (0.08 or 0.03 a.i µg bee -1) increased the number of deformed bees and reduced their body mass. Agrochemicals changed the behavior of bees and composition of the gut microbiota of adult bees, and metals such as copper accumulated in the bees' bodies. The response of bees to agrochemicals depends on the class or dose of the ingested compound. In vitro rearing of stingless bees' larvae is a useful tool to elucidate the sublethal effects of agrochemicals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Lisbetd Botina
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - Wagner Faria Barbosa
- Departamento de Estatística, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Lima Acosta
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Victor Satler Pylro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Lavras, MG, 37200-900, Brazil
| | - Adriana Corrêa Mendonça
- Departamento de Ciência de Solos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Renata Cristina Barbosa
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Han W, Ye Z, Gu Y, Zhong Y, Gao J, Zhao S, Wang S. Gut microbiota composition and gene expression changes induced in the Apis cerana exposed to acetamiprid and difenoconazole at environmentally realistic concentrations alone or combined. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1174236. [PMID: 37256066 PMCID: PMC10226273 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1174236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Apis cerana is an important pollinator of agricultural crops in China. In the agricultural environment, A. cerana may be exposed to acetamiprid (neonicotinoid insecticide) and difenoconazole (triazole fungicide), alone or in combination because they are commonly applied to various crops. At present, our understanding of the toxicological effects of acetamiprid and difenoconazole on honey bee gut microbiomes is limited. The primary objective of this study was to explore whether these two pesticides affect honey bees' gut microbiota and to analyze the transcriptional effects of these two pesticides on honey bees' head and gut. In this study, adults of A. cerana were exposed to acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole by contaminated syrup at field-realistic concentrations for 10 days. Results indicated that acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole chronic exposure did not affect honey bees' survival and food consumption, whereas difenoconazole decreased the weight of honey bees. 16S rRNA sequencing suggested that difenoconazole and the mixture of difenoconazole and acetamiprid decreased the diversity index and shaped the composition of gut bacteria microbiota, whereas acetamiprid did not impact the gut bacterial community. The ITS sequence data showed that neither of the two pesticides affected the fungal community structure. Meanwhile, we also observed that acetamiprid or difenoconazole significantly altered the expression of genes related to detoxification and immunity in honey bees' tissues. Furthermore, we observed that the adverse effect of the acetamiprid and difenoconazole mixture on honey bees' health was greater than that of a single mixture. Taken together, our study demonstrates that acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole exposure at field-realistic concentrations induced changes to the honey bee gut microbiome and gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wensu Han
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Zheyuan Ye
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Yifan Gu
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yihai Zhong
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Jinglin Gao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shan Zhao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shijie Wang
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Steinigeweg C, Alkassab AT, Erler S, Beims H, Wirtz IP, Richter D, Pistorius J. Impact of a Microbial Pest Control Product Containing Bacillus thuringiensis on Brood Development and Gut Microbiota of Apis mellifera Worker Honey Bees. Microb Ecol 2023; 85:1300-1307. [PMID: 35389085 PMCID: PMC10167108 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02004-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
To avoid potential adverse side effects of chemical plant protection products, microbial pest control products (MPCP) are commonly applied as biological alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the biosafety of a MPCP with the active organism Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. aizawai (strain: ABTS-1857). An in-hive feeding experiment was performed under field-realistic conditions to examine the effect of B. thuringiensis (B. t.) on brood development and the bacterial abundance of the core gut microbiome (Bifidobacterium asteroids, Gilliamella apicola, the group of Lactobacillus and Snodgrasella alvi) in Apis mellifera worker bees. We detected a higher brood termination rate and a non-successful development into worker bees of treated colonies compared to those of the controls. For the gut microbiome, all tested core members showed a significantly lower normalized abundance in bees of the treated colonies than in those of the controls; thus, a general response of the gut microbiome may be assumed. Consequently, colony exposure to B. t. strain ABTS-1857 had a negative effect on brood development under field-realistic conditions and caused dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. Further studies with B. t.-based products, after field-realistic application in bee attractive crops, are needed to evaluate the potential risk of these MPCPs on honey bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdulrahim T Alkassab
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - FederalResearch Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Silvio Erler
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - FederalResearch Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Hannes Beims
- Institute for Apiculture, Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), Celle, Germany
| | - Ina P Wirtz
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - FederalResearch Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dania Richter
- Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jens Pistorius
- Institute for Bee Protection, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) - FederalResearch Centre for Cultivated Plants, Braunschweig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Fernandez De Landa G, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Fernandez De Landa M, Revainera PD, Porrini LP, Brasesco C, Quintana S, Zumpano F, Eguaras MJ, Maggi MD, Di Gioia D. The gut microbiome of solitary bees is mainly affected by pathogen assemblage and partially by land use. Environ Microbiome 2023; 18:38. [PMID: 37098635 PMCID: PMC10131457 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00494-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Pollinators, including solitary bees, are drastically declining worldwide. Among the factors contributing to this decline, bee pathogens and different land uses are of relevance. The link between the gut microbiome composition and host health has been recently studied for social pollinators (e.g. honeybees), whereas the information related to solitary bees is sparse. This work aimed at the characterization of the gut microbiome of the solitary bees Xylocopa augusti, Eucera fervens and Lasioglossum and attempted to correlate the gut microbial composition with the presence and load of different pathogens and land uses. Solitary bees were sampled in different sites (i.e. a farm, a natural reserve, and an urban plant nursery) showing different land uses. DNA was extracted from the gut, 16S rRNA gene amplified and sequenced. Eight pathogens, known for spillover from managed bees to wild ones, were quantified with qPCR. The results showed that the core microbiome profile of the three solitary bees significantly varied in the different species. Pseudomonas was found as the major core taxa in all solitary bees analyzed, whereas Lactobacillus, Spiroplasma and Sodalis were the second most abundant taxa in X. augusti, E. fervens and Lasioglossum, respectively. The main pathogens detected with qPCR were Nosema ceranae, Nosema bombi and Crithidia bombi, although differently abundant in the different bee species and sampling sites. Most microbial taxa did not show any correlation with the land use, apart from Snodgrassella and Nocardioides, showing higher abundances on less anthropized sites. Conversely, the pathogens species and load strongly affected the gut microbial composition, with Bifidobacterium, Apibacter, Serratia, Snodgrassella and Sodalis abundance that positively or negatively correlated with the detected pathogens load. Therefore, pathogens presence and load appear to be the main factor shaping the gut microbiome of solitary bees in Argentina.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Fernandez De Landa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mateo Fernandez De Landa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Pablo Damian Revainera
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Leonardo Pablo Porrini
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Constanza Brasesco
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Silvina Quintana
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Francisco Zumpano
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Funes 3350, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martìn Javier Eguaras
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Matias Daniel Maggi
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Defarge N, Otto M, Hilbeck A. A Roundup herbicide causes high mortality and impairs development of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Sci Total Environ 2023; 865:161158. [PMID: 36572288 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate has and is being used extensively in herbicide formulations worldwide. Thus, glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) substantially add to the environmental load of pesticides and warrant a strict risk assessment. Ecotoxicological testing of herbicides focuses on non-target plants and higher animals while direct effects on arthropods are only cursory tested on the premise of contact exposure. However, oral exposure, as we show in our case, can be highly relevant for systemic pesticides, such as GBH. Specifically, in crop systems including genetically modified crops that are tolerant to GBH, these herbicides and their breakdown products are present both internally and externally of the crop plants and, therefore, are ingested by the crop-associated arthropod fauna. We tested the effects of oral uptake of the Roundup formulation WeatherMax on larvae of the lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, a model organism in ecotoxicity testing programs. Long-term oral exposure of C. carnea larvae throughout its juvenile life stages was tested with concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 1 % dilution, thus, lower than the 1.67 % recommended for field applications. Inhibition of metamorphosis was observable at 0.1 % but at a concentration of 0.5 %, GBH significantly impaired cocoon formation and led to massive lethal malformations. At GBH concentration of 1 % half of the individuals remained permanent larvae and no adult hatched alive. The effects observed followed a clear dose-response relationship. The hazard caused by direct insecticidal action of GHB after oral uptake is highly relevant for the environmental safety and reveals a gap in regulatory risk assessments that should urgently be addressed, specifically in light of the on-going insect decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Defarge
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Institute of Integrative Biology IBZ, Universitätstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - M Otto
- Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Konstantinstrasse 110, DE-53179 Bonn, Germany
| | - A Hilbeck
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Institute of Integrative Biology IBZ, Universitätstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sarton-Lohéac G, Nunes da Silva CG, Mazel F, Baud G, de Bakker V, Das S, El Chazli Y, Ellegaard K, Garcia-Garcera M, Glover N, Liberti J, Nacif Marçal L, Prasad A, Somerville V, Bonilla-Rosso G, Engel P. Deep Divergence and Genomic Diversification of Gut Symbionts of Neotropical Stingless Bees. mBio 2023; 14:e0353822. [PMID: 36939321 PMCID: PMC10128065 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03538-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Social bees harbor conserved gut microbiotas that may have been acquired in a common ancestor of social bees and subsequently codiversified with their hosts. However, most of this knowledge is based on studies on the gut microbiotas of honey bees and bumblebees. Much less is known about the gut microbiotas of the third and most diverse group of social bees, the stingless bees. Specifically, the absence of genomic data from their microbiotas presents an important knowledge gap in understanding the evolution and functional diversity of the social bee microbiota. Here, we combined community profiling with culturing and genome sequencing of gut bacteria from six neotropical stingless bee species from Brazil. Phylogenomic analyses show that most stingless bee gut isolates form deep-branching sister clades of core members of the honey bee and bumblebee gut microbiota with conserved functional capabilities, confirming the common ancestry and ecology of their microbiota. However, our bacterial phylogenies were not congruent with those of the host, indicating that the evolution of the social bee gut microbiota was not driven by strict codiversification but included host switches and independent symbiont gain and losses. Finally, as reported for the honey bee and bumblebee microbiotas, we found substantial genomic divergence among strains of stingless bee gut bacteria, suggesting adaptation to different host species and glycan niches. Our study offers first insights into the genomic diversity of the stingless bee microbiota and highlights the need for broader samplings to understand the evolution of the social bee gut microbiota. IMPORTANCE Stingless bees are the most diverse group of the corbiculate bees and represent important pollinator species throughout the tropics and subtropics. They harbor specialized microbial communities in their gut that are related to those found in honey bees and bumblebees and that are likely important for bee health. Few bacteria have been cultured from the gut of stingless bees, which has prevented characterization of their genomic diversity and functional potential. Here, we established cultures of major members of the gut microbiotas of six stingless bee species and sequenced their genomes. We found that most stingless bee isolates belong to novel bacterial species distantly related to those found in honey bees and bumblebees and encoding similar functional capabilities. Our study offers a new perspective on the evolution of the social bee gut microbiota and presents a basis for characterizing the symbiotic relationships between gut bacteria and stingless bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Garance Sarton-Lohéac
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Florent Mazel
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gilles Baud
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent de Bakker
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sudip Das
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yassine El Chazli
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kirsten Ellegaard
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Natasha Glover
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joanito Liberti
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lorena Nacif Marçal
- Department of Morphology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Aiswarya Prasad
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Somerville
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Germán Bonilla-Rosso
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cullen MG, Bliss L, Stanley DA, Carolan JC. Investigating the effects of glyphosate on the bumblebee proteome and microbiota. Sci Total Environ 2023; 864:161074. [PMID: 36566850 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides globally. It acts by inhibiting an enzyme in an aromatic amino acid synthesis pathway specific to plants and microbes, leading to the view that it poses no risk to other organisms. However, there is growing concern that glyphosate is associated with health effects in humans and an ever-increasing body of evidence that suggests potential deleterious effects on other animals including pollinating insects such as bees. Although pesticides have long been considered a factor in the decline of wild bee populations, most research on bees has focussed on demonstrating and understanding the effects of insecticides. To assess whether glyphosate poses a risk to bees, we characterised changes in survival, behaviour, sucrose solution consumption, the digestive tract proteome, and the microbiota in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris after chronic exposure to field relevant doses of technical grade glyphosate or the glyphosate-based formulation, RoundUp Optima+®. Regardless of source, there were changes in response to glyphosate exposure in important cellular and physiological processes in the digestive tract of B. terrestris, with proteins associated with oxidative stress regulation, metabolism, cellular adhesion, the extracellular matrix, and various signalling pathways altered. Interestingly, proteins associated with endocytosis, oxidative phosphorylation, the TCA cycle, and carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism were differentially altered depending on whether the exposure source was glyphosate alone or RoundUp Optima+®. In addition, there were alterations to the digestive tract microbiota of bees depending on the glyphosate source No impacts on survival, behaviour, or food consumption were observed. Our research provides insights into the potential mode of action and consequences of glyphosate exposure at the molecular, cellular and organismal level in bumblebees and highlights issues with the current honeybee-centric risk assessment of pesticides and their formulations, where the impact of co-formulants on non-target organisms are generally overlooked.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Merissa G Cullen
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
| | - Liam Bliss
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Dara A Stanley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 2, Ireland; Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - James C Carolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Mehtiyev T, Karaman EF, Ozden S. Alterations in cell viability, reactive oxygen species production, and modulation of gene expression involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulating kinase signaling pathway by glyphosate and its commercial formulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Toxicol Ind Health 2023; 39:81-93. [PMID: 36625791 DOI: 10.1177/07482337221149571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine) is a non-selective, organophosphate herbicide widely used in agriculture and forestry. We investigated the possible toxic effects of the glyphosate active compound and its commercial formulation (Roundup Star®) in the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line, including their effects on the cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and expression of oxidative stress-related genes such as HO-1, Hsp70 Nrf2, L-FABP, and Keap1. MTT and NRU tests indicated that the IC50 values of Roundup Star® were 219 and 140 μM, respectively, and because glyphosate failed to induce cell death at the studied concentrations, an IC50 value could not be determined for this cell line. Roundup Star at concentrations of 50 and 100 μM significantly increased (39.58% and 52%, respectively) cell proliferation, which 200 μM of glyphosate increased by 35.38%. ROS levels increased by 27.97% and 44.77% for 25 and 100 μM of Roundup Star and 32.74% and 38.63% for 100 and 200 μM of glyphosate exposure. In conclusion, Roundup Star and glyphosate significantly increased expression levels of selected genes related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway. This suggests that ROS production and the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway may be key molecular mechanisms in the toxicity of glyphosate in liver cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toghrul Mehtiyev
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 37516Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Institute of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ecem Fatma Karaman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 37516Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 420479Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sibel Ozden
- Department of Pharmaceutical Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 37516Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Helander M, Lehtonen TK, Saikkonen K, Despains L, Nyckees D, Antinoja A, Solvi C, Loukola OJ. Field-realistic acute exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide impairs fine-color discrimination in bumblebees. Sci Total Environ 2023; 857:159298. [PMID: 36216073 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pollinator decline is a grave challenge worldwide. One of the main culprits for this decline is the widespread use of, and pollinators' chronic exposure to, agrochemicals. Here, we examined the effect of a field-realistic dose of the world's most commonly used pesticide, glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH), on bumblebee cognition. We experimentally tested bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) color and scent discrimination using acute GBH exposure, approximating a field-realistic dose from a day's foraging in a patch recently sprayed with GBH. In a 10-color discrimination experiment with five learning bouts, GBH treated bumblebees' learning rate fell to zero by third learning bout, whereas the control bees increased their performance in the last two bouts. In the memory test, the GBH treated bumblebees performed to near chance level, indicating that they had lost everything they had learned during the learning bouts, while the control bees were performing close to the level in their last learning bout. However, GBH did not affect bees' learning in a 2-color or 10-odor discrimination experiment, which suggests that the impact is limited to fine color learning and does not necessarily generalize to less specific tasks or other modalities. These results indicate that the widely used pesticide damages bumblebees' fine-color discrimination, which is essential to the pollinator's individual success and to colony fitness in complex foraging environments. Hence, our study suggests that acute sublethal exposure to GBH poses a greater threat to pollination-based ecosystem services than previously thought, and that tests for learning and memory should be integrated into pesticide risk assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marjo Helander
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.
| | - Topi K Lehtonen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland; Natural Resources Institute Finland, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland
| | - Kari Saikkonen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Léo Despains
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Danae Nyckees
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Antinoja
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland
| | - Cwyn Solvi
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland
| | - Olli J Loukola
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Tang QH, Li WL, Wang JP, Li XJ, Li D, Cao Z, Huang Q, Li JL, Zhang J, Wang ZW, Guo J, Li JL. Effects of spinetoram and glyphosate on physiological biomarkers and gut microbes in Bombus terrestris. Front Physiol 2023; 13:1054742. [PMID: 36699673 PMCID: PMC9868390 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1054742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The sublethal effects of pesticide poisoning will have significant negative impacts on the foraging and learning of bees and bumblebees, so it has received widespread attention. However, little is known about the physiological effects of sublethal spinetoram and glyphosate exposure on bumblebees. We continuously exposed Bombus terrestris to sublethal (2.5 mg/L) spinetoram or glyphosate under controlled conditions for 10 days. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, carboxylesterase, prophenoloxidase, α-amylase and protease activities, and changes in gut microbes were measured to understand the effects of sublethal pesticide exposure on the physiology and gut microbes of bumblebees. Sublethal pesticide exposure to significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity and significantly decreased gut α-amylase activity in bumblebees but had no significant effect on glutathione-S-transferase, carboxylesterase or gut protease activities. In addition, glyphosate increased the activity of prophenoloxidase. Interestingly, we observed that neither of the two pesticides had a significant effect on dominant gut bacteria, but glyphosate significantly altered the structure of the dominant gut fungal community, and reduced the relative abundance of Zygosaccharomyces associated with fat accumulation. These results suggest that sublethal spinetoram and glyphosate do not significantly affect the detoxification system of bumblebees, but may affect bumblebee health by inhibiting energy acquisition. Our results provide information on the sublethal effects of exposure to low concentrations of glyphosate and spinetoram on bumblebees in terms of physiology and gut microbes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi-He Tang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China,Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Wan-Li Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jie-Ping Wang
- ChongQing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, China
| | - Xi-Jie Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Dan Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Zhe Cao
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Qi Huang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jia-Li Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Zheng-Wei Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jinghong, China,*Correspondence: Zheng-Wei Wang, ; Jun Guo, ; Ji-Lian Li,
| | - Jun Guo
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China,*Correspondence: Zheng-Wei Wang, ; Jun Guo, ; Ji-Lian Li,
| | - Ji-Lian Li
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Zheng-Wei Wang, ; Jun Guo, ; Ji-Lian Li,
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gaggìa F, Jakobsen RR, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Cutajar S, Mifsud D, Nielsen DS, Di Gioia D. Environment or genetic isolation? An atypical intestinal microbiota in the Maltese honey bee Apis mellifera spp. ruttneri. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1127717. [PMID: 36910174 PMCID: PMC9995969 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1127717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Apis mellifera evolved mainly in African, Asian, and European continents over thousands of years, leading to the selection of a considerable number of honey bees subspecies that have adapted to various environments such as hot semi-desert zones and cold temperate zones. With the evolution of honey bee subspecies, it is possible that environmental conditions, food sources, and microbial communities typical of the colonized areas have shaped the honey bee gut microbiota. Methods In this study the microbiota of two distinct lineages (mitochondrial haplotypes) of bees Apis mellifera ruttneri (lineage A) and Apis mellifera ligustica and carnica (both lineage C) were compared. Honey bee guts were collected in a dry period in the respective breeding areas (the island of Malta and the regions of Emilia-Romagna and South Tyrol in Italy). Microbial DNA from the honey bee gut was extracted and amplified for the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and for ITS2 for fungi. Results The analyses carried out show that the Maltese lineage A honey bees have a distinctive microbiota when compared to Italian lineage C honey bees, with the most abundant genera being Bartonellaceae and Lactobacillaceae, respectively. Lactobacillaceae in Maltese Lineage A honey bees consist mainly of Apilactobacillus instead of Lactobacillus and Bombilactobacillus in the lineage C. Lineage A honey bee gut microbiota also harbors higher proportions of Arsenophonus, Bombella, Commensalibacter, and Pseudomonas when compared to lineage C. Discussion The environment seems to be the main driver in the acquisition of these marked differences in the gut microbiota. However, the influence of other factors such as host genetics, seasonality or geography may still play a significant role in the microbiome shaping, in synergy with the environmental aspects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gaggìa
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rasmus Riemer Jakobsen
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simone Cutajar
- Institute of Earth Systems, L-Università tà Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - David Mifsud
- Institute of Earth Systems, L-Università tà Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Dennis Sandris Nielsen
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Motta EVS, Gage A, Smith TE, Blake KJ, Kwong WK, Riddington IM, Moran N. Host-microbiome metabolism of a plant toxin in bees. eLife 2022; 11:82595. [PMID: 36472498 PMCID: PMC9897726 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While foraging for nectar and pollen, bees are exposed to a myriad of xenobiotics, including plant metabolites, which may exert a wide range of effects on their health. Although the bee genome encodes enzymes that help in the metabolism of xenobiotics, it has lower detoxification gene diversity than the genomes of other insects. Therefore, bees may rely on other components that shape their physiology, such as the microbiota, to degrade potentially toxic molecules. In this study, we show that amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside found in honey bee-pollinated almond trees, can be metabolized by both bees and members of the gut microbiota. In microbiota-deprived bees, amygdalin is degraded into prunasin, leading to prunasin accumulation in the midgut and hindgut. In microbiota-colonized bees, on the other hand, amygdalin is degraded even further, and prunasin does not accumulate in the gut, suggesting that the microbiota contribute to the full degradation of amygdalin into hydrogen cyanide. In vitro experiments demonstrated that amygdalin degradation by bee gut bacteria is strain-specific and not characteristic of a particular genus or species. We found strains of Bifidobacterium, Bombilactobacillus, and Gilliamella that can degrade amygdalin. The degradation mechanism appears to vary since only some strains produce prunasin as an intermediate. Finally, we investigated the basis of degradation in Bifidobacterium wkB204, a strain that fully degrades amygdalin. We found overexpression and secretion of several carbohydrate-degrading enzymes, including one in glycoside hydrolase family 3 (GH3). We expressed this GH3 in Escherichia coli and detected prunasin as a byproduct when cell lysates were cultured with amygdalin, supporting its contribution to amygdalin degradation. These findings demonstrate that both host and microbiota can act together to metabolize dietary plant metabolites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick VS Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Alejandra Gage
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Thomas E Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Kristin J Blake
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | | | - Ian M Riddington
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | - Nancy Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Xu F, Zhao Z, Wang X, Guan W, Liu M, Yu N, Tian H, Li J, Zhang S, Gu Y, Kong Q. Cladophora can mitigate the shock of glyphosate-containing wastewater on constructed wetlands coupled with microbial fuel cells. Chemosphere 2022; 308:136273. [PMID: 36064020 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the performance of constructed wetlands coupled with microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) treating agricultural wastewater containing glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine, PMG), and the use of Cladophora as a cathode plant in this system. Ten devices were divided into Cladophora groups (CGs) and no Cladophora groups (NGs), with five PMG concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg/L). PMG removal efficiency significantly decreased with increasing PMG (P < 0.01) and was higher in CG devices than in NG devices at low PMG concentrations (<50 mg/L). The removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and NH4+ in CGs was significantly higher than in NGs (P < 0.01). The highest power densities of 6.37 (CGs) and 6.26 mW/m2 (NGs) were obtained at 50 mg/L PMG, and the average voltage was significantly higher in CGs than in NGs (p < 0.01). Moreover, PMG had a negative effect on the enrichment of electrochemically active bacteria, but Cladophora could mitigate this effect. The abundance of the resistance gene epsps was stabilized; The phnJ gene increased with increasing PMG in NGs and was downregulated at high PMG concentration in CGs, indicating better microbial adaptation to PMG in CGs throughout the experiment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xu
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Zheng Zhao
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Wei Guan
- Shandong Jining Eco-environment Monitoring Center, Jining, 272004, Shandong, PR China
| | - Mengyu Liu
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Ningning Yu
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Haihan Tian
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Jingying Li
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Siju Zhang
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Yuchen Gu
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China
| | - Qiang Kong
- College of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, 88 Wenhua Donglu, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, PR China; Dongying Institute, Shandong Normal University, Dongying, 257092, Shandong, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Al Naggar Y, Singavarapu B, Paxton RJ, Wubet T. Bees under interactive stressors: the novel insecticides flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor along with the fungicide azoxystrobin disrupt the gut microbiota of honey bees and increase opportunistic bacterial pathogens. Sci Total Environ 2022; 849:157941. [PMID: 35952893 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiome plays an important role in bee health and disease. But it can be disrupted by pesticides and in-hive chemicals, putting honey bee health in danger. We used a controlled and fully crossed laboratory experimental design to test the effects of a 10-day period of chronic exposure to field-realistic sublethal concentrations of two nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist insecticides (nACHRs), namely flupyradifurone (FPF) and sulfoxaflor (Sulf), and a fungicide, azoxystrobin (Azoxy), individually and in combination, on the survival of individual honey bee workers and the composition of their gut microbiota (fungal and bacterial diversity). Metabarcoding was used to examine the gut microbiota on days 0, 5, and 10 of pesticide exposure to determine how the microbial response varies over time; to do so, the fungal ITS2 fragment and the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA were targeted. We found that FPF has a negative impact on honey bee survival, but interactive (additive or synergistic) effects between either insecticide and the fungicide on honey bee survival were not statistically significant. Pesticide treatments significantly impacted the microbial community composition. The fungicide Azoxy substantially reduced the Shannon diversity of fungi after chronic exposure for 10 days. The relative abundance of the top 10 genera of the bee gut microbiota was also differentially affected by the fungicide, insecticides, and fungicide-insecticide combinations. Gut microbiota dysbiosis was associated with an increase in the relative abundance of opportunistic pathogens such as Serratia spp. (e.g. S. marcescens), which can have devastating consequences for host health such as increased susceptibility to infection and reduced lifespan. Our findings raise concerns about the long-term impact of novel nACHR insecticides, particularly FPF, on pollinator health and recommend a novel methodology for a refined risk assessment that includes the potential effects of agrochemicals on the gut microbiome of bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Al Naggar
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
| | - Bala Singavarapu
- Department of Community Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Department of Community Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Antonelli P, Duval P, Luis P, Minard G, Valiente Moro C. Reciprocal interactions between anthropogenic stressors and insect microbiota. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:64469-64488. [PMID: 35864395 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21857-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Insects play many important roles in nature due to their diversity, ecological role, and impact on agriculture or human health. They are directly influenced by environmental changes and in particular anthropic activities that constitute an important driver of change in the environmental characteristics. Insects face numerous anthropogenic stressors and have evolved various detoxication mechanisms to survive and/or resist to these compounds. Recent studies highligted the pressure exerted by xenobiotics on insect life-cycle and the important role of insect-associated bacterial microbiota in the insect responses to environmental changes. Stressor exposure can have various impacts on the composition and structure of insect microbiota that in turn may influence insect biology. Moreover, bacterial communities associated with insects can be directly or indirectly involved in detoxification processes with the selection of certain microorganisms capable of degrading xenobiotics. Further studies are needed to assess the role of insect-associated microbiota as key contributor to the xenobiotic metabolism and thus as a driver for insect adaptation to polluted habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Antonelli
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pénélope Duval
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Patricia Luis
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Guillaume Minard
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Claire Valiente Moro
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Ecologie Microbienne, 69622, Villeurbanne, France.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Zhang ZJ, Zheng H. Bumblebees with the socially transmitted microbiome: A novel model organism for gut microbiota research. Insect Sci 2022; 29:958-976. [PMID: 35567381 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial bumble and honey bees are important pollinators for global ecology and the agricultural economy. Although both the bumble and honey bees possess similar and host-restricted gut microbiota, they differ in aspects of morphology, autonomy, physiology, behavior, and life cycle. The social bee gut bacteria exhibit host specificity that is likely a result of long-term co-evolution. The unique life cycle of bumblebees is key for the acquisition and development of their gut microbiota, and affects the strain-level diversity of the core bacterial species. Studies on bumblebee gut bacteria show that they retain less functional capacity for carbohydrate metabolism compared with that of the honeybee. We discuss the potential roles of the bumblebee gut microbiota against pathogenic threats and the application of host-specific probiotics for bumblebees. Given the advantages of the bumblebee microbiome, including the simple structure and host specificity, and the ease of manipulating bumblebee colonies, we propose that bumblebees may provide a valuable system for understanding the general principles of host-microbe interactions, gut-brain axis, and vertical transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Bellec L, Le Du-Carré J, Almeras F, Durand L, Cambon-Bonavita MA, Danion M, Morin T. Glyphosate-based herbicide exposure: effects on gill microbiota of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the aquatic bacterial ecosystem. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:fiac076. [PMID: 35749560 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The herbicide glyphosate has been widely used in the past 40 years, under the assumption that side effects were minimal. In recent years, its impact on microbial compositions and potential indirect effects on plant, animal and human health have been strongly suspected. Glyphosate and co-formulates have been detected in various water sources, but our understanding of their potential effects on aquatic animals is still in its infancy compared with mammals. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of glyphosate on bacterial communities of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Gills, gut contents and gut epithelia were then analyzed by metabarcoding targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Our results revealed that rainbow trout has its own bacterial communities that differ from their surrounding habitats and possess microbiomes specific to these three compartments. The glyphosate-based herbicide treatment significantly affected the gill microbiome, with a decrease in diversity. Glyphosate treatments disrupted microbial taxonomic composition and some bacteria seem to be sensitive to this environmental pollutant. Lastly, co-occurrence networks showed that microbial interactions in gills tended to decrease with chemical exposure. These results demonstrate that glyphosate could affect microbiota associated with aquaculture fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laure Bellec
- University of Bordeaux - UMR EPOC 5805 CNRS - Aquatic Ecotoxicology team - Place du Dr Peyneau, F-33120 Arcachon, France
| | - Jessy Le Du-Carré
- ANSES, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail - Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Unité Virologie, immunologie et écotoxicologie des poissons, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Fabrice Almeras
- ANSES, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail - Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Unité Virologie, immunologie et écotoxicologie des poissons, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Lucile Durand
- University of Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Marie-Anne Cambon-Bonavita
- University of Brest, Ifremer, CNRS, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Morgane Danion
- ANSES, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail - Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Unité Virologie, immunologie et écotoxicologie des poissons, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Thierry Morin
- ANSES, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail - Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Unité Virologie, immunologie et écotoxicologie des poissons, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Abstract
Social corbiculate bees are major pollinators. They have characteristic bacterial microbiomes associated with their hives and their guts. In honeybees and bumblebees, worker guts contain a microbiome composed of distinctive bacterial taxa shown to benefit hosts. These benefits include stimulating immune and metabolic pathways, digesting or detoxifying food, and defending against pathogens and parasites. Stressors including toxins and poor nutrition disrupt the microbiome and increase susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens. Administering probiotic bacterial strains may improve the health of individual bees and of hives, and several commercial probiotics are available for bees. However, evidence for probiotic benefits is lacking or mixed. Most bacterial species used in commercial probiotics are not native to bee guts. We present new experimental results showing that cultured strains of native bee gut bacteria colonize robustly while bacteria in a commercial probiotic do not establish in bee guts. A defined community of native bee gut bacteria resembles unperturbed native gut communities in its activation of genes for immunity and metabolism in worker bees. Although many questions remain unanswered, the development of natural probiotics for honeybees, or for commercially managed bumblebees, is a promising direction for protecting the health of managed bee colonies. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - J Elijah Powell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Sean P Leonard
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Puigbò P, Leino LI, Rainio MJ, Saikkonen K, Saloniemi I, Helander M. Does Glyphosate Affect the Human Microbiota? Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12050707. [PMID: 35629374 PMCID: PMC9145961 DOI: 10.3390/life12050707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used agrochemical. Its use in agriculture and gardening has been proclaimed safe because humans and other animals do not have the target enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). However, increasing numbers of studies have demonstrated risks to humans and animals because the shikimate metabolic pathway is present in many microbes. Here, we assess the potential effect of glyphosate on healthy human microbiota. Our results demonstrate that more than one-half of human microbiome are intrinsically sensitive to glyphosate. However, further empirical studies are needed to determine the effect of glyphosate on healthy human microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pere Puigbò
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland; (L.I.L.); (M.J.R.); (I.S.); (M.H.)
- Nutrition and Health Unit, Eurecat Technology Centre of Catalonia, 43204 Reus, Catalonia, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Rovira i Virgili University, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Lyydia I. Leino
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland; (L.I.L.); (M.J.R.); (I.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Miia J. Rainio
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland; (L.I.L.); (M.J.R.); (I.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Kari Saikkonen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland;
| | - Irma Saloniemi
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland; (L.I.L.); (M.J.R.); (I.S.); (M.H.)
| | - Marjo Helander
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland; (L.I.L.); (M.J.R.); (I.S.); (M.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Faita MR, Chaves A, Corrêa CCG, Silveira V, Nodari RO. Proteomic profiling of royal jelly produced by Apis mellifera L. exposed to food containing herbicide-based glyphosate. Chemosphere 2022; 292:133334. [PMID: 34958784 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.133334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Royal jelly (RJ) is rich in protective elements associated with collective immune defenses in the hive of Apis mellifera. Exposure of bees to glyphosate-based herbicides causes ultrastructural changes in the hypopharyngeal glands and a reduction in the production of RJ. However, the effects of glyphosate-based herbicides on the protein composition of RJ and consequences for the hive are unknown. Thus, we performed proteomic profiling of royal jelly produced in hives of A. mellifera exposed to food containing 1,5 μL of Roundup® (2.16 mg. g-1 of glyphosate). The production of RJ was carried out in six hives, following the method of artificial production of queens. The combs containing 80 grafting cells were introduced into the hives, and the collection of royal jelly was performed after 72 h. Two treatments were determined based on hive feeding and the hive as the experimental unit: Control and "Roundup®". Royal jelly from the Roundup® treatment hives was compared to the Control hives. Proteins with differences in expression were identified by mass spectrometry. Only the proteins present in all three biological replicates were considered in the differential abundance analysis, using Student's t-test (p-value < 0.05, two-tailed). Hives that received food containing Roundup®, analysis showed alterations in protein profile in the RJ produced therein. In total, 24 proteins were identified, and the accumulation of Major royal jelly protein 3 (MRJP3) was downregulated, showing a significant reduction in hives exposed to food containing Roundup® in relation to control hives (t = 0.0017). MRJP3 acts analogously to polyclonal antigen-antibody reactions, performing functions related to immunity in bees of different ages and castes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate changes in the proteomic profile of RJ caused by glyphosate-based herbicides, indicating its negative effects on the nutrition and social immunity of bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Regina Faita
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais - PPGRGV, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1346 - Bairro Itacorubi, 88.034-001, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | - Adriana Chaves
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais - PPGRGV, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1346 - Bairro Itacorubi, 88.034-001, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | - Caio Cézar Guedes Corrêa
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia, Unidade de Biologia Integrativa, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia (CBB), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Avenida Alberto Lamego 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
| | - Vanildo Silveira
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia, Unidade de Biologia Integrativa, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia (CBB), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro (UENF), Avenida Alberto Lamego 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.
| | - Rubens Onofre Nodari
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Programa de Pós-graduação em Recursos Genéticos Vegetais - PPGRGV, Rodovia Admar Gonzaga, 1346 - Bairro Itacorubi, 88.034-001, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Almasri H, Liberti J, Brunet JL, Engel P, Belzunces LP. Mild chronic exposure to pesticides alters physiological markers of honey bee health without perturbing the core gut microbiota. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4281. [PMID: 35277551 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08009-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies highlighted that exposure to glyphosate can affect specific members of the core gut microbiota of honey bee workers. However, in this study, bees were exposed to relatively high glyphosate concentrations. Here, we chronically exposed newly emerged honey bees to imidacloprid, glyphosate and difenoconazole, individually and in a ternary mixture, at an environmental concentration of 0.1 µg/L. We studied the effects of these exposures on the establishment of the gut microbiota, the physiological status, the longevity, and food consumption of the host. The core bacterial species were not affected by the exposure to the three pesticides. Negative effects were observed but they were restricted to few transient non-core bacterial species. However, in the absence of the core microbiota, the pesticides induced physiological disruption by directly altering the detoxification system, the antioxidant defenses, and the metabolism of the host. Our study indicates that even mild exposure to pesticides can directly alter the physiological homeostasis of newly emerged honey bees and particularly if the individuals exhibit a dysbiosis (i.e. mostly lack the core microbiota). This highlights the importance of an early establishment of a healthy gut bacterial community to strengthen the natural defenses of the honey bee against xenobiotic stressors.
Collapse
|
39
|
Pal E, Almasri H, Paris L, Diogon M, Pioz M, Cousin M, Sené D, Tchamitchian S, Tavares DA, Delbac F, Blot N, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Toxicity of the Pesticides Imidacloprid, Difenoconazole and Glyphosate Alone and in Binary and Ternary Mixtures to Winter Honey Bees: Effects on Survival and Antioxidative Defenses. Toxics 2022; 10:toxics10030104. [PMID: 35324729 PMCID: PMC8954695 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10030104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
To explain losses of bees that could occur after the winter season, we studied the effects of the insecticide imidacloprid, the herbicide glyphosate and the fungicide difenoconazole, alone and in binary and ternary mixtures, on winter honey bees orally exposed to food containing these pesticides at concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 µg/L. Attention was focused on bee survival, food consumption and oxidative stress. The effects on oxidative stress were assessed by determining the activity of enzymes involved in antioxidant defenses (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) in the head, abdomen and midgut; oxidative damage reflected by both lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation was also evaluated. In general, no significant effect on food consumption was observed. Pesticide mixtures were more toxic than individual substances, and the highest mortalities were induced at intermediate doses of 0.1 and 1 µg/L. The toxicity was not always linked to the exposure level and the number of substances in the mixtures. Mixtures did not systematically induce synergistic effects, as antagonism, subadditivity and additivity were also observed. The tested pesticides, alone and in mixtures, triggered important, systemic oxidative stress that could largely explain pesticide toxicity to honey bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Pal
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Hanine Almasri
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Laurianne Paris
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Marie Diogon
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Maryline Pioz
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Déborah Sené
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Daiana Antonia Tavares
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Frédéric Delbac
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Nicolas Blot
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Luc P. Belzunces
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)43272-2604
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Similar to many other animals, the honey bee Apis mellifera relies on a beneficial gut microbiota for regulation of immune homeostasis. Honey bees exposed to agrochemicals, such as the herbicide glyphosate or antibiotics, usually exhibit dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to bacterial infection. Considering the relevance of the microbiota-immunity axis for host health, we hypothesized that glyphosate exposure could potentially affect other components of the honey bee physiology, such as the immune system. RESULTS In this study, we investigated whether glyphosate, besides affecting the gut microbiota, could compromise two components of honey bee innate immunity: the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (humoral immunity) and the melanization pathway (cellular immunity). We also compared the effects of glyphosate on the bee immune system with those of tylosin, an antibiotic commonly used in beekeeping. We found that both glyphosate and tylosin decreased the expression of some antimicrobial peptides, such as apidaecin, defensin and hymenoptaecin, in exposed honey bees, but only glyphosate was able to inhibit melanization in the bee hemolymph. CONCLUSIONS Exposure of honey bees to glyphosate or tylosin can reduce the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria and lead to immune dysregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V S Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - J Elijah Powell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Nancy A Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2506 Speedway, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Hotchkiss MZ, Poulain AJ, Forrest JRK. Pesticide-induced disturbances of bee gut microbiotas. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6517452. [PMID: 35107129 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social bee gut microbiotas play key roles in host health and performance. Worryingly, a growing body of literature shows that pesticide exposure can disturb these microbiotas. Most studies examine changes in taxonomic composition in Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiotas caused by insecticide exposure. Core bee gut microbiota taxa shift in abundance after exposure but are rarely eliminated, with declines in Bifidobacteriales and Lactobacillus near melliventris abundance being the most common shifts. Pesticide concentration, exposure duration, season and concurrent stressors all influence whether and how bee gut microbiotas are disturbed. Also, the mechanism of disturbance-i.e. whether a pesticide directly affects microbial growth or indirectly affects the microbiota by altering host health-likely affects disturbance consistency. Despite growing interest in this topic, important questions remain unanswered. Specifically, metabolic shifts in bee gut microbiotas remain largely uninvestigated, as do effects of pesticide-disturbed gut microbiotas on bee host performance. Furthermore, few bee species have been studied other than A. mellifera, and few herbicides and fungicides have been examined. We call for these knowledge gaps to be addressed so that we may obtain a comprehensive picture of how pesticides alter bee gut microbiotas, and of the functional consequences of these changes.
Collapse
|
42
|
Tan S, Li G, Liu Z, Wang H, Guo X, Xu B. Effects of glyphosate exposure on honeybees. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 90:103792. [PMID: 34971799 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees show an important pollination ability and play vital roles in improving crop yields and increasing plant genetic diversity, thereby generating tremendous economic benefits for humans. However, honeybee survival is affected by a number of biological and abiotic stresses, including the effects of fungi, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and especially agrochemicals. Glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide that is primarily used for weed control in agriculture, has been reported to have lethal and sublethal effects on honeybees. Here, we summarize recent advances in research on the effects of glyphosate on honeybees, including effects on their behaviors, growth and development, metabolic processes, and immune defense, providing a detailed reference for studying the mechanism of action of pesticides. Furthermore, we provide possible directions for future research on glyphosate toxicity to honeybees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Guilin Li
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Bestea L, Paoli M, Arrufat P, Ronsin B, Carcaud J, Sandoz JC, Velarde R, Giurfa M, de Brito Sanchez MG. The short neuropeptide F regulates appetitive but not aversive responsiveness in a social insect. iScience 2022; 25:103619. [PMID: 35005557 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide F (NPF) and its short version (sNPF) mediate food- and stress-related responses in solitary insects. In the honeybee, a social insect where food collection and defensive responses are socially regulated, only sNPF has an identified receptor. Here we increased artificially sNPF levels in honeybee foragers and studied the consequences of this manipulation in various forms of appetitive and aversive responsiveness. Increasing sNPF in partially fed bees turned them into the equivalent of starved animals, enhancing both their food consumption and responsiveness to appetitive gustatory and olfactory stimuli. Neural activity in the olfactory circuits of fed animals was reduced and could be rescued by sNPF treatment to the level of starved bees. In contrast, sNPF had no effect on responsiveness to nociceptive stimuli. Our results thus identify sNPF as a key modulator of hunger and food-related responses in bees, which are at the core of their foraging activities.
Collapse
|
44
|
Singh G, Ramadass K, Sooriyakumar P, Hettithanthri O, Vithange M, Bolan N, Tavakkoli E, Van Zwieten L, Vinu A. Nanoporous materials for pesticide formulation and delivery in the agricultural sector. J Control Release 2022; 343:187-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
45
|
Mbundi MM, Ngondya IB, Ghaui M, Treydte AC. Comparison of the effects of a broad-spectrum herbicide and a bio-herbicide on insect flower visitation in the Serengeti ecosystem, Tanzania. J Nat Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
46
|
Straw EA, Brown MJ. No evidence of effects or interaction between the widely used herbicide, glyphosate, and a common parasite in bumble bees. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12486. [PMID: 34820203 PMCID: PMC8605762 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glyphosate is the world's most used pesticide and it is used without the mitigation measures that could reduce the exposure of pollinators to it. However, studies are starting to suggest negative impacts of this pesticide on bees, an essential group of pollinators. Accordingly, whether glyphosate, alone or alongside other stressors, is detrimental to bee health is a vital question. Bees are suffering declines across the globe, and pesticides, including glyphosate, have been suggested as being factors in these declines. METHODS Here we test, across a range of experimental paradigms, whether glyphosate impacts a wild bumble bee species, Bombus terrestris. In addition, we build upon existing work with honey bees testing glyphosate-parasite interactions by conducting fully crossed experiments with glyphosate and a common bumble bee trypanosome gut parasite, Crithidia bombi. We utilised regulatory acute toxicity testing protocols, modified to allow for exposure to multiple stressors. These protocols are expanded upon to test for effects on long term survival (20 days). Microcolony testing, using unmated workers, was employed to measure the impacts of either stressor on a proxy of reproductive success. This microcolony testing was conducted with both acute and chronic exposure to cover a range of exposure scenarios. RESULTS We found no effects of acute or chronic exposure to glyphosate, over a range of timespans post-exposure, on mortality or a range of sublethal metrics. We also found no interaction between glyphosate and Crithidia bombi in any metric, although there was conflicting evidence of increased parasite intensity after an acute exposure to glyphosate. In contrast to published literature, we found no direct impacts of this parasite on bee health. Our testing focussed on mortality and worker reproduction, so impacts of either or both of these stressors on other sublethal metrics could still exist. CONCLUSIONS Our results expand the current knowledge on glyphosate by testing a previously untested species, Bombus terrestris, using acute exposure, and by incorporating a parasite never before tested alongside glyphosate. In conclusion our results find that glyphosate, as an active ingredient, is unlikely to be harmful to bumble bees either alone, or alongside Crithidia bombi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edward A. Straw
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J.F. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Straw EA. Letter to the editors regarding : Is glyphosate toxic to bees? A meta-analytical review. Sci Total Environ 2021; 790:147556. [PMID: 34147257 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Edward A Straw
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, School for Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Battisti L, Potrich M, Sampaio AR, Ghisi NDC, Costa-Maia FM, Abati R, Dos Reis Martinez CB, Sofia SH. Response to Letter to the Editor "Is glyphosate toxic to bees? A meta-analytical review". Sci Total Environ 2021; 790:147517. [PMID: 33994193 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Battisti
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 km 380, Campus Universitário, 86057-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Michele Potrich
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, LABCON, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 04, Comunidade São Cristóvão, 86660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil.
| | - Amanda Roberta Sampaio
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, LABCON, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 04, Comunidade São Cristóvão, 86660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil
| | - Nédia de Castilhos Ghisi
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 04, Comunidade São Cristóvão, 86660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Martins Costa-Maia
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, UNEPE Apicultura, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 04, Comunidade São Cristóvão, 86660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil
| | - Raiza Abati
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, LABCON, Estrada para Boa Esperança, km 04, Comunidade São Cristóvão, 86660-000 Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil
| | - Claudia Bueno Dos Reis Martinez
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 km 380, Campus Universitário, 86057-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| | - Silvia Helena Sofia
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 km 380, Campus Universitário, 86057-970 Londrina, PR, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
de Brito Sanchez G, Expósito Muñoz A, Chen L, Huang W, Su S, Giurfa M. Adipokinetic hormone (AKH), energy budget and their effect on feeding and gustatory processes of foraging honey bees. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18311. [PMID: 34526585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97851-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The adipokinetic hormone (AKH) of insects is considered an equivalent of the mammalian hormone glucagon as it induces fast mobilization of carbohydrates and lipids from the fat body upon starvation. Yet, in foraging honey bees, which lack fat body storage for carbohydrates, it was suggested that AKH may have lost its original function. Here we manipulated the energy budget of bee foragers to determine the effect of AKH on appetitive responses. As AKH participates in a cascade leading to acceptance of unpalatable substances in starved Drosophila, we also assessed its effect on foragers presented with sucrose solution spiked with salicin. Starved and partially-fed bees were topically exposed with different doses of AKH to determine if this hormone modifies food ingestion and sucrose responsiveness. We found a significant effect of the energy budget (i.e. starved vs. partially-fed) on the decision to ingest or respond to both pure sucrose solution and sucrose solution spiked with salicin, but no effect of AKH per se. These results are consistent with a loss of function of AKH in honey bee foragers, in accordance with a social life that implies storing energy resources in the hive, in amounts that exceed individual needs.
Collapse
|
50
|
Powell JE, Carver Z, Leonard SP, Moran NA. Field-Realistic Tylosin Exposure Impacts Honey Bee Microbiota and Pathogen Susceptibility, Which Is Ameliorated by Native Gut Probiotics. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0010321. [PMID: 34160267 PMCID: PMC8552731 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00103-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibiotics have been applied to honey bee (Apis mellifera) hives for decades to treat Paenibacillus larvae, which causes American foulbrood disease and kills honey bee larvae. One of the few antibiotics approved in apiculture is tylosin tartrate. This study examined how a realistic hive treatment regimen of tylosin affected the gut microbiota of bees and susceptibility to a bacterial pathogen. Tylosin treatment reduced bacterial species richness and phylogenetic diversity and reduced the absolute abundances and strain diversity of the beneficial core gut bacteria Snodgrassella alvi and Bifidobacterium spp. Bees from hives treated with tylosin died more quickly after being fed a bacterial pathogen (Serratia marcescens) in the laboratory. We then tested whether a probiotic cocktail of core bee gut species could bolster pathogen resistance. Probiotic exposure increased survival of bees from both control and tylosin-treated hives. Finally, we measured tylosin tolerance of core bee gut bacteria by plating cultured isolates on media with different tylosin concentrations. We observed highly variable responses, including large differences among strains of both S. alvi and Gilliamella spp. Thus, probiotic treatments using cultured bee gut bacteria may ameliorate harmful perturbations of the gut microbiota caused by antibiotics or other factors. IMPORTANCE The antibiotic tylosin tartrate is used to treat honey bee hives to control Paenibacillus larvae, the bacterium that causes American foulbrood. We found that bees from tylosin-treated hives had gut microbiomes with depleted overall diversity as well as reduced absolute abundances and strain diversity of the beneficial bee gut bacteria Snodgrassella alvi and Bifidobacterium spp. Furthermore, bees from treated hives suffered higher mortality when challenged with an opportunistic pathogen. Bees receiving a probiotic treatment, consisting of a cocktail of cultured isolates of native bee gut bacteria, had increased survival following pathogen challenge. Thus, probiotic treatment with native gut bacteria may ameliorate negative effects of antibiotic exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. Elijah Powell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Zac Carver
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Sean P. Leonard
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nancy A. Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|