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Sipos T, Glavák C, Turbók J, Somfalvi-Tóth K, Donkó T, Keszthelyi S. Analysis of X-ray irradiation effects on the mortality values and hemolymph immune cell composition of Apis mellifera and its parasite, Varroa destructor. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 204:108109. [PMID: 38631557 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108109] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Varroa destructor is one of the most destructive enemies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera all around the world. Several control methods are known to control V. destructor, but the efficacy of several alternative control methods remains unexplored. Irradiation can be one of these unknown solutions but before practical application, the effectiveness, and the physiological effects of ionizing radiation on the host and the parasite are waiting to be tested. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate the effects of different doses (15, 50, 100, and 150 Gy) of high-energy X-ray irradiation through mortality rates and hemocyte composition changes in A. mellifera workers and record the mortality rates of the parasite. The mortality rate was recorded during short-term (12, 24, and 48 h) and long-term periods (3, 6, 12, 18, and 24d). The sensitivity of the host and the parasite in case of the higher doses of radiation tested (50, 100, and 150 Gy) been demonstrated by total mortality of the host and 90 % of its parasite has been observed on the 18th day after the irradiation. V. destructor showed higher sensitivity (1.52-times higher than the adult honey bee workers) at the lowest dose (15 Gy). A. mellifera hemocytes were influenced significantly by radiation dosage and the elapsed time after treatment. The higher radiation doses increased plasmatocyte numbers in parallel with the decrease in prohemocyte numbers. On the contrary, the numbers of granulocytes and oencoytes increased in the treated samples, but the putative effects of the different dosages on the recorded number of these hemocyte types could not be statistically proven. In summary, based on the outcome of our study X-ray irradiation can be deemed an effective tool for controlling phoretic V. destructor. However, further research is needed to understand the physiological response of the affected organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Sipos
- Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Guba Sándor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary; Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, H-2100 Gödöllő, Hungary.
| | - Csaba Glavák
- Moritz Kaposi Teaching Hospital, Dr. József Baka Diagnostic, Radiation Oncology, Research and Teaching Center, Guba Sandor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary.
| | - Janka Turbók
- Department of Physiology and Animal Health, Institute of Physiology and Nutrition, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Guba Sándor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary.
| | - Katalin Somfalvi-Tóth
- Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Guba Sándor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary.
| | - Tamás Donkó
- Medicopus Nonprofit Ltd., Guba Sándor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary.
| | - Sándor Keszthelyi
- Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus, Guba Sándor str. 40., H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary.
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Rodríguez MA, Fernández LA, Daisley BA, Reynaldi FJ, Allen-Vercoe E, Thompson GJ. Probiotics and in-hive fermentation as a source of beneficial microbes to support the gut microbial health of honey bees. J Insect Sci 2023; 23:19. [PMID: 38055943 PMCID: PMC10699873 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead093] [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] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Managed populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) are regularly exposed to infectious diseases. Good hive management including the occasional application of antibiotics can help mitigate infectious outbreaks, but new beekeeping tools and techniques that bolster immunity and help control disease transmission are welcome. In this review, we focus on the applications of beneficial microbes for disease management as well as to support hive health and sustainability within the apicultural industry. We draw attention to the latest advances in probiotic approaches as well as the integration of fermented foods (such as water kefir) with disease-fighting properties that might ultimately be delivered to hives as an alternative or partial antidote to antibiotics. There is substantial evidence from in vitro laboratory studies that suggest beneficial microbes could be an effective method for improving disease resistance in honey bees. However, colony level evidence is lacking and there is urgent need for further validation via controlled field trials experimentally designed to test defined microbial compositions against specific diseases of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- María A Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Estudios Apícolas (LabEA-CIC), Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Leticia A Fernández
- Laboratorio de Estudios Apícolas (LabEA-CIC), Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Brendan A Daisley
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Francisco J Reynaldi
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Centro de Microbiología Básica y Aplicada (CEMIBA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Emma Allen-Vercoe
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Graham J Thompson
- Department of Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Guo L, Tang J, Tang M, Luo S, Zhou X. Reactive oxygen species are regulated by immune deficiency and Toll pathways in determining the host specificity of honeybee gut bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219634120. [PMID: 37556501 PMCID: PMC10438842 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219634120] [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] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Host specificity is observed in gut symbionts of diverse animal lineages. But how hosts maintain symbionts while rejecting their close relatives remains elusive. We use eusocial bees and their codiversified gut bacteria to understand host regulation driving symbiotic specificity. The cross-inoculation of bumblebee Gilliamella induced higher prostaglandin in the honeybee gut, promoting a pronounced host response through immune deficiency (IMD) and Toll pathways. Gene silencing and vitamin C treatments indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS), not antimicrobial peptides, acts as the effector in inhibiting the non-native strain. Quantitative PCR and RNAi further reveal a regulatory function of the IMD and Toll pathways, in which Relish and dorsal-1 may regulate Dual Oxidase (Duox) for ROS production. Therefore, the honeybee maintains symbiotic specificity by creating a hostile gut environment to exotic bacteria, through differential regulation of its immune system, reflecting a co-opting of existing machinery evolved to combat pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Guo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya572000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junbo Tang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
| | - Min Tang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou215100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shiqi Luo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing100083, People’s Republic of China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya572000, People’s Republic of China
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Wu Y, Guo Y, Fan X, Zhao H, Zhang Y, Guo S, Jing X, Liu Z, Feng P, Liu X, Zou P, Li Q, Na Z, Zhang K, Chen D, Guo R. ame-miR-34 Modulates the Larval Body Weight and Immune Response of Apis mellifera Workers to Ascosphara apis Invasion. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021214. [PMID: 36674732 PMCID: PMC9863880 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021214] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
MiRNAs are critical regulators of numerous physiological and pathological processes. Ascosphaera apis exclusively infects bee larvae and causes chalkbrood disease. However, the function and mechanism of miRNAs in the bee larval response to A. apis infection is poorly understood. Here, ame-miR-34, a previously predicted miRNA involved in the response of Apis mellifera larvae to A. apis invasion, was subjected to molecular validation, and overexpression and knockdown were then conducted to explore the regulatory functions of ame-miR-34 in larval body weight and immune response. Stem-loop RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed the authenticity of ame-miR-34 in the larval gut of A. mellifera. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that compared with that in the uninfected larval guts, the expression level of ame-miR-34 was significantly downregulated (p < 0.001) in the guts of A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larvae, indicative of the remarkable suppression of host ame-miR-34 due to A. apis infection. In comparison with the corresponding negative control (NC) groups, the expression level of ame-miR-34 in the larval guts in the mimic-miR-34 group was significantly upregulated (p < 0.001), while that in the inhibitor-miR-34 group was significantly downregulated (p < 0.01). Similarly, effective overexpression and knockdown of ame-miR-34 were achieved. In addition, the body weights of 5- and 6-day-old larvae were significantly increased compared with those in the mimic-NC group; the weights of 5-day-old larvae in the inhibitor-miR-34 group were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the inhibitor-NC group, while the weights of 4- and 6-day-old larvae in the inhibitor-miR-34 group were significantly increased, indicating the involvement of ame-miR-34 in modulating larval body weight. Furthermore, the expression levels of both hsp and abct in the guts of A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larvae were significantly upregulated after ame-miR-34 overexpression. In contrast, after ame-miR-34 knockdown, the expression levels of the aforementioned two key genes in the A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts were significantly downregulated. Together, the results demonstrated that effective overexpression and knockdown of ame-miR-34 in both noninfected and A. apis-infected A. mellifera larval guts could be achieved by the feeding method, and ame-miR-34 exerted a regulatory function in the host immune response to A. apis invasion through positive regulation of the expression of hsp and abct. Our findings not only provide a valuable reference for the functional investigation of bee larval miRNAs but also reveal the regulatory role of ame-miR-34 in A. mellifera larval weight and immune response. Additionally, the results of this study may provide a promising molecular target for the treatment of chalkbrood disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yilong Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Haodong Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yiqiong Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Sijia Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xin Jing
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhitan Liu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Peilin Feng
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Peiyuan Zou
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Qiming Li
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zhihao Na
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Kuihao Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (R.G.); Tel./Fax: +86-0591-87640197 (D.C. & R.G.)
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Correspondence: (D.C.); (R.G.); Tel./Fax: +86-0591-87640197 (D.C. & R.G.)
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5
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Gregory CL, Fell RD, Belden LK, Walke JB. Classic Hoarding Cages Increase Gut Bacterial Abundance and Reduce the Individual Immune Response of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Workers. J Insect Sci 2022; 22:6. [PMID: 35303101 PMCID: PMC8932410 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac016] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory experiments have advanced our understanding of honey bee (Apis mellifera) responses to environmental factors, but removal from the hive environment may also impact physiology. To examine whether the laboratory environment alters the honey bee gut bacterial community and immune responses, we compared bacterial community structure (based on amplicon sequence variant relative abundance), total bacterial abundance, and immune enzyme (phenoloxidase and glucose oxidase) activity of cohort honey bee workers kept under laboratory and hive conditions. Workers housed in the laboratory showed differences in the relative abundance of their core gut taxa, an increase in total gut bacterial abundance, and reduced phenoloxidase activity, compared to bees housed in hives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey L Gregory
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA,USA
| | - Richard D Fell
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA,USA
| | - Lisa K Belden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA,USA
| | - Jenifer B Walke
- Department of Biology, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA
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Simone-Finstrom M, Strand MK, Tarpy DR, Rueppell O. Impact of Honey Bee Migratory Management on Pathogen Loads and Immune Gene Expression is Affected by Complex Interactions With Environment, Worker Life History, and Season. J Insect Sci 2022; 22:6523145. [PMID: 35137136 PMCID: PMC8825759 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieab096] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The effects of honey bee management, such as intensive migratory beekeeping, are part of the ongoing debate concerning causes of colony health problems. Even though comparisons of disease and pathogen loads among differently managed colonies indicate some effects, the direct impact of migratory practices on honey bee pathogens is poorly understood. To test long- and short-term impacts of managed migration on pathogen loads and immunity, experimental honey bee colonies were maintained with or without migratory movement. Individuals that experienced migration as juveniles (e.g., larval and pupal development), as adults, or both were compared to control colonies that remained stationary and therefore did not experience migratory relocation. Samples at different ages and life-history stages (hive bees or foragers), taken at the beginning and end of the active season, were analyzed for pathogen loads and physiological markers of health. Bees exposed to migratory management during adulthood had increased levels of the AKI virus complex (Acute bee paralysis, Kashmir bee, and Israeli acute bee paralysis viruses) and decreased levels of antiviral gene expression (dicer-like). However, those in stationary management as adults had elevated gut parasites (i.e. trypanosomes). Effects of environment during juvenile development were more complex and interacted with life-history stage and season. Age at collection, life-history stage, and season all influenced numerous factors from viral load to immune gene expression. Although the factors that we examined are not independent, the results illuminate potential factors in both migratory and nonmigratory beekeeping that are likely to contribute to colony stress, and also indicate potential mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Simone-Finstrom
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
| | - Micheline K Strand
- Life Sciences Branch, U.S. Army Research Office, 800 Park Office Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, USA
| | - David R Tarpy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, 100 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- The W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 112 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Current address: Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, 100 Eugene Brooks Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
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7
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Abstract
Honey bees are eusocial animals that exhibit both individual and social immune responses, which influence colony health. This is especially well-studied regarding the mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Parasitiformes: Varroidae), a parasite of honey bee brood and disease vector. Varroa was introduced relatively recently to Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and is a major driver of the catastrophic die-off of honey bee colonies in the last decade. In contrast, the original host species, Apis cerana Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is able to survive mite infestations with little effect on colony health and survival. This resilience is due in part to a newly identified social immune response expressed by developing worker brood. Varroa infested female A. cerana brood experience delayed development and eventually die in a process called 'social apoptosis'. Here, an individual's susceptibility to Varroa results in colony level resistance. We tested for the presence of the social apoptosis trait in two Varroa resistant stocks of A. mellifera (Pol-line and Russian) with different selection histories and compared them to a known Varroa-susceptible stock (Italian). We assessed the survival and development of worker brood reared in either highly or lightly infested host colonies, then receiving one of three treatments: uninfested, experimentally inoculated with a Varroa mite, or wounded to simulate Varroa damage. We found that response to treatment was only differentiated in brood reared in lightly infested host colonies, where experimentally infested Russian honey bees had decreased survival relative to the mite-susceptible Italian stock. This is the first evidence that social apoptosis can exist in Western honey bee populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E Ihle
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
| | - Lilia I de Guzman
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
| | - Robert G Danka
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
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Lang S, Simone-Finstrom M, Healy K. Context-Dependent Viral Transgenerational Immune Priming in Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Insect Sci 2022; 22:6523140. [PMID: 35137131 PMCID: PMC8826052 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational immune priming is the process of increased resistance to infection in offspring due to parental pathogen exposure. Honey bees (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) are hosts to multiple pathogens, and this complex immune function could help protect against overwhelming infection. Honey bees have demonstrated transgenerational immune priming for the bacterial pathogen Paenibacillus larvae; however, evidence for viral transgenerational immune priming is lacking across insects in general. Here we test for the presence of transgenerational immune priming in honey bees with Deformed wing virus (DWV) by injecting pupae from DWV-exposed queens and measuring virus titer and immune gene expression. Our data suggest that there is evidence for viral transgenerational immune priming in honey bees, but it is highly context-dependent based on route of maternal exposure and potentially host genetics or epigenetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lang
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University and AgCenter Louisiana State University 404 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- USDA ARS Honey Bee, Breeding and Physiology Lab, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
| | - Michael Simone-Finstrom
- USDA ARS Honey Bee, Breeding and Physiology Lab, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
| | - Kristen Healy
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University and AgCenter Louisiana State University 404 Life Sciences Building, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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Powner MB, Priestley G, Hogg C, Jeffery G. Improved mitochondrial function corrects immunodeficiency and impaired respiration in neonicotinoid exposed bumblebees. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256581. [PMID: 34437613 PMCID: PMC8389381 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonicotinoid pesticides undermine pollinating insects including bumblebees. However, we have previously shown that mitochondrial damage induced by neonicotinoids can be corrected by 670nm light exposure. But we do not know if this protection extends to immunity or what the minimum effective level of 670nm light exposure is necessary for protection. We use whole body bee respiration in vivo as a metric of neonicotinoid damage and assess the amount of light exposure needed to correct it. We reveal that only 1 min of 670nm exposure is sufficient to correct respiratory deficits induced by pesticide and that this also completely repairs damaged immunocompetence measured by haemocyte counts and the antibacterial action of hemolymph. Further, this single 1 min exposure remains effective for 3–6 days. Longer exposures were not more effective. Such data are key for development of protective light strategies that can be delivered by relatively small economic devices placed in hives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Barry Powner
- Centre for Applied Vision Research, City University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chris Hogg
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Glen Jeffery
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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10
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Burzyńska M, Piasecka-Kwiatkowska D. A Review of Honeybee Venom Allergens and Allergenicity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168371. [PMID: 34445077 PMCID: PMC8395074 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Honeybee venom is a source of proteins with allergenic properties which can result in in various symptoms, ranging from local reactions through to systematic life-threatening anaphylaxis, or even death. According to the World Allergy Organization (WAO), honeybee venom allergy is one of the most common causes of anaphylaxis. Among the proteins present in honeybee venom, 12 protein fractions were registered by the World Health Organization’s Allergen Nomenclature Sub-Committee (WHO/IUIS) as allergenic. Most of them are highly immunogenic glycoproteins that cross-react with IgE and, as a consequence, may give false positive results in allergy diagnosis. Allergenic fractions are different in terms of molecular weight and biological activity. Eight of these allergenic fractions have also been identified in honey. This explains frequent adverse reactions after consuming honey in people allergic to venom and sheds new light on the causes of allergic symptoms in some individuals after honey consumption. At the same time, it also indicates the possibility of using honey as a natural source of allergen in specific immunotherapy.
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11
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Henriques D, Lopes AR, Chejanovsky N, Dalmon A, Higes M, Jabal-Uriel C, Le Conte Y, Reyes-Carreño M, Soroker V, Martín-Hernández R, Pinto MA. A SNP assay for assessing diversity in immune genes in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Sci Rep 2021; 11:15317. [PMID: 34321557 PMCID: PMC8319136 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94833-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
With a growing number of parasites and pathogens experiencing large-scale range expansions, monitoring diversity in immune genes of host populations has never been so important because it can inform on the adaptive potential to resist the invaders. Population surveys of immune genes are becoming common in many organisms, yet they are missing in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), a key managed pollinator species that has been severely affected by biological invasions. To fill the gap, here we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a wide range of honey bee immune genes and developed a medium-density assay targeting a subset of these genes. Using a discovery panel of 123 whole-genomes, representing seven A. mellifera subspecies and three evolutionary lineages, 180 immune genes were scanned for SNPs in exons, introns (< 4 bp from exons), 3' and 5´UTR, and < 1 kb upstream of the transcription start site. After application of multiple filtering criteria and validation, the final medium-density assay combines 91 quality-proved functional SNPs marking 89 innate immune genes and these can be readily typed using the high-sample-throughput iPLEX MassARRAY system. This medium-density-SNP assay was applied to 156 samples from four countries and the admixture analysis clustered the samples according to their lineage and subspecies, suggesting that honey bee ancestry can be delineated from functional variation. In addition to allowing analysis of immunogenetic variation, this newly-developed SNP assay can be used for inferring genetic structure and admixture in the honey bee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Henriques
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Ana R Lopes
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel
| | - Anne Dalmon
- INRAE, Unité Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Mariano Higes
- IRIAF, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Clara Jabal-Uriel
- IRIAF, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRAE, Unité Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | | | - Victoria Soroker
- Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- IRIAF, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Marchamalo, Spain
- Instituto de Recursos Humanos para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (INCRECYT-FEDER), Fundación Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Castilla-La Mancha, 02006, Albacete, Spain
| | - M Alice Pinto
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal.
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12
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Dai J, Shu R, Liu J, Xia J, Jiang X, Zhao P. Transcriptome analysis of Apis mellifera under benomyl stress to discriminate the gene expression in response to development and immune systems. J Environ Sci Health B 2021; 56:594-605. [PMID: 34082650 DOI: 10.1080/03601234.2021.1930795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The health and safety of the honeybees are seriously threatened due to the abuse of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture and apiculture. In this study, the RNA Seq approach was used to assess the effects of the honeybees treated with benomyl. The results showed that there were a total of 11,902 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among them, 5,759 DEGs were up-regulated and involved in the functions of immunity, detoxification, biological metabolism, and regulation. The DEGs were clustered in the GO terms of epidermal structure and response to external stimuli, and most of the DEGs were enriched in 15 pathways, such as light conduction, MAPK, calcium ion pathway, and so on. Moreover, the pathway of the toll signal transduction was activated. The data investigated that the expression of functional genes involved in the growth, development, foraging, and immunity of honeybees were significantly affected by benomyl stress, which would seriously threaten the health of the honeybees. This study provided a theoretical basis for revealing the response mechanism of honeybees to pesticides stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Dai
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Shu
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Jiafeng Xia
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Xiasen Jiang
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- Sericultural Research Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, China
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13
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Lourenço AP, Guidugli-Lazzarini KR, de Freitas NHA, Message D, Bitondi MMG, Simões ZLP, Teixeira ÉW. Immunity and physiological changes in adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) infected with Nosema ceranae: The natural colony environment. J Insect Physiol 2021; 131:104237. [PMID: 33831437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nosema ceranae is a microsporidium that infects Apis mellifera, causing diverse physiological and behavioral alterations. Given the existence of individual and social mechanisms to reduce infection and fungal spread in the colony, bees may respond differently to infection depending on their rearing conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of N. ceranae in honey bee foragers naturally infected with different fungal loads in a tropical region. In addition, we explored the effects of N. ceranae artificially infected young bees placed in a healthy colony under field conditions. Honey bees naturally infected with higher loads of N. ceranae showed downregulation of genes from Toll and IMD immune pathways and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes, but hemolymph total protein amount and Vitellogenin (Vg) titers were not affected. Artificially infected bees spread N. ceranae to the controls in the colony, but fungal loads were generally lower than those observed in cages, probably because of social immunity. Although no significant changes in mRNA levels of AMP-encoding were observed, N. ceranae artificially infected bees showed downregulation of miR-989 (an immune-related microRNA), lower vitellogenin gene expression, and decreased hemolymph Vg titers. Our results demonstrate for the first time that natural infection by N. ceranae suppresses the immune system of honey bee foragers in the field. This parasite is detrimental to the immune system of young and old bees, and disease spread, mitigation and containment will depend on the colony environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anete P Lourenço
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, MG, Brazil.
| | - Karina R Guidugli-Lazzarini
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Nayara H A de Freitas
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Dejair Message
- Laboratório Especializado de Sanidade Apícola (LASA), Instituto Biológico, APTA, SAA-SP, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia M G Bitondi
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Zilá L P Simões
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Érica W Teixeira
- Laboratório Especializado de Sanidade Apícola (LASA), Instituto Biológico, APTA, SAA-SP, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brazil
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14
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Hurd PJ, Grübel K, Wojciechowski M, Maleszka R, Rössler W. Novel structure in the nuclei of honey bee brain neurons revealed by immunostaining. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6852. [PMID: 33767244 PMCID: PMC7994413 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86078-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In the course of a screen designed to produce antibodies (ABs) with affinity to proteins in the honey bee brain we found an interesting AB that detects a highly specific epitope predominantly in the nuclei of Kenyon cells (KCs). The observed staining pattern is unique, and its unfamiliarity indicates a novel previously unseen nuclear structure that does not colocalize with the cytoskeletal protein f-actin. A single rod-like assembly, 3.7-4.1 µm long, is present in each nucleus of KCs in adult brains of worker bees and drones with the strongest immuno-labelling found in foraging bees. In brains of young queens, the labelling is more sporadic, and the rod-like structure appears to be shorter (~ 2.1 µm). No immunostaining is detectable in worker larvae. In pupal stage 5 during a peak of brain development only some occasional staining was identified. Although the cellular function of this unexpected structure has not been determined, the unusual distinctiveness of the revealed pattern suggests an unknown and potentially important protein assembly. One possibility is that this nuclear assembly is part of the KCs plasticity underlying the brain maturation in adult honey bees. Because no labelling with this AB is detectable in brains of the fly Drosophila melanogaster and the ant Camponotus floridanus, we tentatively named this antibody AmBNSab (Apis mellifera Brain Neurons Specific antibody). Here we report our results to make them accessible to a broader community and invite further research to unravel the biological role of this curious nuclear structure in the honey bee central brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Hurd
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK.
| | - Kornelia Grübel
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marek Wojciechowski
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Ryszard Maleszka
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia.
| | - Wolfgang Rössler
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology (Zoology II), Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
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15
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Liu Y, Wang C, Qi S, He J, Bai Y. The sublethal effects of ethiprole on the development, defense mechanisms, and immune pathways of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Environ Geochem Health 2021; 43:461-473. [PMID: 33026583 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-020-00736-7] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ethiprole has been widely used in agriculture, but there have been few studies on the adverse effects of ethiprole on nontarget organisms. This study focused on the mechanism of the sublethal effects of ethiprole on the development, antioxidation mechanisms, detoxification mechanisms and immune-related gene expression of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Honeybee larvae were found to be more sensitive than pupae to ethiprole. It was found that ethiprole inhibited the pupation and eclosion of bee larvae in a dose-dependent manner, with ethiprole doses of 1 × 10-3 mg/L decreasing pupation and eclosion rates to 50.00 ± 8.84% and 20.83 ± 10.62%, respectively. The activities of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and detoxification factors (glutathione and glutathione S-transferase) were also significantly increased in ethiprole-exposed honeybees, indicating that a sublethal dose of ethiprole also induced oxidative stress in honeybees. In the 1 × 10-3 mg/L ethiprole-exposure group, the expression of pathogen recognition-related gene PGRP-4300 was upregulated 11.10 ± 0.45-fold, and that of detoxification-related gene CYP4G11 was upregulated 8.84 ± 0.11-fold, indicating that ethiprole induced an immune reaction in honeybees. To the best our knowledge, this study represents the first demonstration that sublethal concentrations of ethiprole inhibit honeybee development and activate honeybee defense and immune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Liu
- Lab of Environmental Geochemistry, College of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Suzhen Qi
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Jiang He
- Lab of Environmental Geochemistry, College of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010000, China
| | - Yingchen Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
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16
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Becchimanzi A, Tatè R, Campbell EM, Gigliotti S, Bowman AS, Pennacchio F. A salivary chitinase of Varroa destructor influences host immunity and mite's survival. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009075. [PMID: 33275645 PMCID: PMC7744053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Varroa destructor is an ectoparasite of honey bees and an active disease vector, which represents one of the most severe threats for the beekeeping industry. This parasitic mite feeds on the host’s body fluids through a wound in the cuticle, which allows food uptake by the mother mite and its progeny, offering a potential route of entrance for infecting microorganisms. Mite feeding is associated with saliva injection, whose role is still largely unknown. Here we try to fill this gap by identifying putative host regulation factors present in the saliva of V. destructor and performing a functional analysis for one of them, a chitinase (Vd-CHIsal) phylogenetically related to chitinases present in parasitic and predatory arthropods, which shows a specific and very high level of expression in the mite’s salivary glands. Vd-CHIsal is essential for effective mite feeding and survival, since it is apparently involved both in maintaining the feeding wound open and in preventing host infection by opportunistic pathogens. Our results show the important role in the modulation of mite-honey bee interactions exerted by a host regulation factor shared by different evolutionary lineages of parasitic arthropods. We predict that the functional characterization of Varroa sialome will provide new background knowledge on parasitism evolution in arthropods and the opportunity to develop new bioinspired strategies for mite control based on the disruption of their complex interactions with a living food source. Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of honey bees and a major driver of honey bee colony losses. The feeding mites inject a salivary blend of poorly known molecules, which regulate host physiology. Here, we have identified in silico putative host regulation factors occurring in Varroa saliva and characterized the functional role of a highly expressed chitinase, which is conserved across different evolutionary lineages of parasitic arthropods. This enzyme influences host immune response and mite’s survival. An in-depth functional analysis of Varroa saliva will shed light on parasitism evolution in arthropods and will pave the way towards the development of new bioinspired strategies for mite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Becchimanzi
- Laboratorio di Entomologia “E. Tremblay”, Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Napoli “Federico II”, Portici (NA), Italy
| | - Rosarita Tatè
- Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica “Adriano Buzzati Traverso”, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli, Italy
| | - Ewan M. Campbell
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Gigliotti
- Istituto di Bioscienze e Biorisorse, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alan S. Bowman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Laboratorio di Entomologia “E. Tremblay”, Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Napoli “Federico II”, Portici (NA), Italy
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), University of Napoli “Federico II”, Portici (NA), Italy
- * E-mail:
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17
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Yi Y, He XJ, Barron AB, Liu YB, Wang ZL, Yan WY, Zeng ZJ. Transgenerational accumulation of methylome changes discovered in commercially reared honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 127:103476. [PMID: 33053387 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Whether a female honey bee (Apis mellifera) develops into a worker or a queen depends on her nutrition during development, which changes the epigenome to alter the developmental trajectory. Beekeepers typically exploit this developmental plasticity to produce queen bee by transplanting worker larvae into queen cells to be reared as queens, thus redirecting a worker developmental pathway to a queen developmental pathway. We studied the consequences of this manipulation for the queen phenotype and methylome over four generations. Queens reared from worker larvae consistently had fewer ovarioles than queens reared from eggs. Over four generations the methylomes of lines of queens reared from eggs and worker larvae diverged, accumulating increasing differences in exons of genes related to caste differentiation, growth and immunity. We discuss the consequences of these cryptic changes to the honey bee epigenome for the health and viability of honey bee stocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Yi
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China; Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330004, PR China
| | - Xu Jiang He
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China
| | - Andrew B Barron
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Yi Bo Liu
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China
| | - Zi Long Wang
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China
| | - Wei Yu Yan
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China
| | - Zhi Jiang Zeng
- Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330045, PR China.
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18
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Annoscia D, Di Prisco G, Becchimanzi A, Caprio E, Frizzera D, Linguadoca A, Nazzi F, Pennacchio F. Neonicotinoid Clothianidin reduces honey bee immune response and contributes to Varroa mite proliferation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5887. [PMID: 33208729 PMCID: PMC7675992 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The neonicotinoid Clothianidin has a negative impact on NF-κB signaling and on immune responses controlled by this transcription factor, which can boost the proliferation of honey bee parasites and pathogens. This effect has been well documented for the replication of deformed wing virus (DWV) induced by Clothianidin in honey bees bearing an asymptomatic infection. Here, we conduct infestation experiments of treated bees to show that the immune-suppression exerted by Clothianidin is associated with an enhanced fertility of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, as a possible consequence of a higher feeding efficiency. A conceptual model is proposed to describe the synergistic interactions among different stress agents acting on honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desiderato Annoscia
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Gennaro Di Prisco
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Napoli, Italy
- CREA, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Becchimanzi
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - Emilio Caprio
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Napoli, Italy
| | - Davide Frizzera
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Alberto Linguadoca
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Napoli, Italy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
| | - Francesco Nazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy.
| | - Francesco Pennacchio
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Laboratorio di Entomologia "E. Tremblay", Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Portici, Napoli, Italy.
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19
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Castelli L, Branchiccela B, Garrido M, Invernizzi C, Porrini M, Romero H, Santos E, Zunino P, Antúnez K. Impact of Nutritional Stress on Honeybee Gut Microbiota, Immunity, and Nosema ceranae Infection. Microb Ecol 2020; 80:908-919. [PMID: 32666305 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01538-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [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: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees are important pollinators, having an essential role in the ecology of natural and agricultural environments. Honeybee colony losses episodes reported worldwide and have been associated with different pests and pathogens, pesticide exposure, and nutritional stress. This nutritional stress is related to the increase in monoculture areas which leads to a reduction of pollen availability and diversity. In this study, we examined whether nutritional stress affects honeybee gut microbiota, bee immunity, and infection by Nosema ceranae, under laboratory conditions. Consumption of Eucalyptus grandis pollen was used as a nutritionally poor-quality diet to study nutritional stress, in contraposition to the consumption of polyfloral pollen. Honeybees feed with Eucalyptus grandis pollen showed a lower abundance of Lactobacillus mellifer and Lactobacillus apis (Firm-4 and Firm-5, respectively) and Bifidobacterium spp. and a higher abundance of Bartonella apis, than honeybees fed with polyfloral pollen. Besides the impact of nutritional stress on honeybee microbiota, it also decreased the expression levels of vitellogenin and genes associated to immunity (glucose oxidase, hymenoptaecin and lysozyme). Finally, Eucalyptus grandis pollen favored the multiplication of Nosema ceranae. These results show that nutritional stress impacts the honeybee gut microbiota, having consequences on honeybee immunity and pathogen development. Those results may be useful to understand the influence of modern agriculture on honeybee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Castelli
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - B Branchiccela
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - M Garrido
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS). Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM-CONICET-CIC). Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - C Invernizzi
- Sección Etología, Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - M Porrini
- Centro de Investigación en Abejas Sociales (CIAS). Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM-CONICET-CIC). Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - H Romero
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Laboratorio de Organización y Evolución del Genoma. Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - E Santos
- Sección Etología, Facultad de Ciencias, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - P Zunino
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - K Antúnez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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20
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Gábor E, Cinege G, Csordás G, Rusvai M, Honti V, Kolics B, Török T, Williams MJ, Kurucz É, Andó I. Identification of reference markers for characterizing honey bee (Apis mellifera) hemocyte classes. Dev Comp Immunol 2020; 109:103701. [PMID: 32320738 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Cell mediated immunity of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) involves the activity of several hemocyte populations, currently defined by morphological features and lectin binding characteristics. The objective of the present study was to identify molecular markers capable of characterizing subsets of honey bee hemocytes. We developed and employed monoclonal antibodies with restricted reactions to functionally distinct hemocyte subpopulations. Melanizing cells, known as oenocytoids, were defined by an antibody to prophenoloxidase, aggregating cells were identified by the expression of Hemolectin, and phagocytic cells were identified by a marker expressed on granulocytes. We anticipate that this combination of antibodies not only allows for the detection of functionally distinct hemocyte subtypes, but will help to further the exploration of hematopoietic compartments, as well as reveal details of the honey bee cellular immune defense against parasites and microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Gábor
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
| | - Gyöngyi Cinege
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Csordás
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
| | - Miklós Rusvai
- University of Veterinary Medicine, 1078, Budapest, István u. 2., Hungary.
| | - Viktor Honti
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
| | - Balázs Kolics
- Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, University of Pannonia, Georgikon Faculty, Deák F. u. 16., 8360, Keszthely, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Török
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Michael J Williams
- Functional Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Éva Kurucz
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
| | - István Andó
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, P.O.Box 521, Szeged, H-6701, Hungary.
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21
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Cini A, Bordoni A, Cappa F, Petrocelli I, Pitzalis M, Iovinella I, Dani FR, Turillazzi S, Cervo R. Increased immunocompetence and network centrality of allogroomer workers suggest a link between individual and social immunity in honeybees. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8928. [PMID: 32488140 PMCID: PMC7265547 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65780-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [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: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The significant risk of disease transmission has selected for effective immune-defense strategies in insect societies. Division of labour, with individuals specialized in immunity-related tasks, strongly contributes to prevent the spread of diseases. A trade-off, however, may exist between phenotypic specialization to increase task efficiency and maintenance of plasticity to cope with variable colony demands. We investigated the extent of phenotypic specialization associated with a specific task by using allogrooming in the honeybee, Apis mellifera, where worker behaviour might lower ectoparasites load. We adopted an integrated approach to characterize the behavioural and physiological phenotype of allogroomers, by analyzing their behavior (both at individual and social network level), their immunocompetence (bacterial clearance tests) and their chemosensory specialization (proteomics of olfactory organs). We found that allogroomers have higher immune capacity compared to control bees, while they do not differ in chemosensory proteomic profiles. Behaviourally, they do not show differences in the tasks performed (other than allogrooming), while they clearly differ in connectivity within the colonial social network, having a higher centrality than control bees. This demonstrates the presence of an immune-specific physiological and social behavioural specialization in individuals involved in a social immunity related task, thus linking individual to social immunity, and it shows how phenotypes may be specialized in the task performed while maintaining an overall plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Cini
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy.
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Adele Bordoni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Federico Cappa
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Martina Pitzalis
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Immacolata Iovinella
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Francesca Romana Dani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
- CISM, Mass Spectrometry Centre, Università di Firenze, Via U. Schiff 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Stefano Turillazzi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
| | - Rita Cervo
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
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22
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Medina RG, Paxton RJ, Hernández-Sotomayor SMT, Pech-Jiménez C, Medina-Medina LA, Quezada-Euán JJG. Heat stress during development affects immunocompetence in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102541. [PMID: 32364969 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Though social insects generally seem to have a reduced individual immunoresponse compared to solitary species, the impact of heat stress on that response has not been studied. In the honey bee, the effect of heat stress on reproductives (queens and males/drones) may also vary compared to workers, but this is currently unknown. Here, we quantified the activity of an enzyme linked to the immune response in insects and known to be affected by heat stress in solitary species: phenoloxidase (PO), in workers, queens and drones of Africanized honey bees (AHBs) experimentally subjected to elevated temperatures during the pupal stage. Additionally, we evaluated this marker in individuals experimentally infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Differences in PO activity were found between sexes and castes, with PO activity generally higher in workers and lower in reproductives. Such differences are associated with the likelihood of exposure to infection and the role of different individuals in the colony. Contrary to our expectation, heat stress did not cause an increase in PO activity equally in all classes of individual. Heat stress during the pupal stage significantly decreased the PO activity of AHB queens, but not that of workers or drones, which more frequently engage in extranidal activity. Experimental infection with Metarhizium anisopliae reduced PO activity in queens and workers, but increased it in drones. Notably, heat stressed workers lived significantly shorter after infection despite exhibiting greater PO activity than queens or drones. We suggest that this discrepancy may be related to trade-offs among immune response cascades in honey bees such as between heat shock proteins and defensin peptides used in microbial defence. Our results provide evidence for complex relationships among humoral immune responses in AHBs and suggest that heat stress could result in a reduced life expectancy of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén G Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico; Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Campo Experimental Edzna, Campeche, Mexico.
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - S M Teresa Hernández-Sotomayor
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Cristina Pech-Jiménez
- Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular de Plantas, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Luis A Medina-Medina
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - José Javier G Quezada-Euán
- Departamento de Apicultura, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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23
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Colgan TJ, Carolan JC, Sumner S, Blaxter ML, Brown MJF. Infection by the castrating parasitic nematode Sphaerularia bombi changes gene expression in Bombus terrestris bumblebee queens. Insect Mol Biol 2020; 29:170-182. [PMID: 31566835 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Parasitism can result in dramatic changes in host phenotype, which are themselves underpinned by genes and their expression. Understanding how hosts respond at the molecular level to parasites can therefore reveal the molecular architecture of an altered host phenotype. The entomoparasitic nematode Sphaerularia bombi is a parasite of bumblebee (Bombus) hosts where it induces complex behavioural changes and host castration. To examine this interaction at the molecular level, we performed genome-wide transcriptional profiling using RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) of S. bombi-infected Bombus terrestris queens at two critical time-points: during and just after overwintering diapause. We found that infection by S. bombi affects the transcription of genes underlying host biological processes associated with energy usage, translation, and circadian rhythm. We also found that the parasite affects the expression of immune genes, including members of the Toll signalling pathway providing evidence for a novel interaction between the parasite and the host immune response. Taken together, our results identify host biological processes and genes affected by an entomoparasitic nematode providing the first steps towards a molecular understanding of this ecologically important host-parasite interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Colgan
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - J C Carolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland
| | - S Sumner
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - M L Blaxter
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - M J F Brown
- Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
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24
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Abstract
The honey bee queen is the central hub of a colony to produce eggs and release pheromones to maintain social cohesion. Among many environmental stresses, viruses are a major concern to compromise the queen's health and reproductive vigor. Viruses have evolved numerous strategies to infect queens either via vertical transmission from the queens' parents or horizontally through the worker and drones with which she is in contact during development, while mating, and in the reproductive period in the colony. Over 30 viruses have been discovered from honey bees but only few studies exist on the pathogenicity and direct impact of viruses on the queen's phenotype. An apparent lack of virus symptoms and practical problems are partly to blame for the lack of studies, and we hope to stimulate new research and methodological approaches. To illustrate the problems, we describe a study on sublethal effects of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) that led to inconclusive results. We conclude by discussing the most crucial methodological considerations and novel approaches for studying the interactions between honey bee viruses and their interactions with queen health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeil Amiri
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, USA;
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA;
| | - Micheline K. Strand
- Life Sciences Division, U.S. Army Research Office, CCDC-ARL, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211, USA;
| | - David R. Tarpy
- Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA;
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, USA;
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25
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Brandt A, Hohnheiser B, Sgolastra F, Bosch J, Meixner MD, Büchler R. Immunosuppression response to the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid in females and males of the red mason bee Osmia bicornis L. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4670. [PMID: 32170171 PMCID: PMC7070012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61445-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Solitary bees are frequently exposed to pesticides, which are considered as one of the main stress factors that may lead to population declines. A strong immune defence is vital for the fitness of bees. However, the immune system can be weakened by environmental factors that may render bees more vulnerable to parasites and pathogens. Here we demonstrate for the first time that field-realistic concentrations of the commonly used neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid can severely affect the immunocompetence of Osmia bicornis. In detail, males exposed to thiacloprid solutions of 200 and 555 µg/kg showed a reduction in hemocyte density. Moreover, functional aspects of the immune defence - the antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph - were impaired in males. In females, however, only a concentration of 555 µg/kg elicited similar immunosuppressive effects. Although males are smaller than females, they consumed more food solution. This leads to a 2.77 times higher exposure in males, probably explaining the different concentration thresholds observed between the sexes. In contrast to honeybees, dietary exposure to thiacloprid did not affect melanisation or wound healing in O. bicornis. Our results demonstrate that neonicotinoid insecticides can negatively affect the immunocompetence of O. bicornis, possibly leading to an impaired disease resistance capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annely Brandt
- LLH Bee Institute, Erlenstr. 9, 35274, Kirchhain, Germany.
| | | | - Fabio Sgolastra
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Ralph Büchler
- LLH Bee Institute, Erlenstr. 9, 35274, Kirchhain, Germany
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26
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Zhu L, Qi S, Xue X, Niu X, Wu L. Nitenpyram disturbs gut microbiota and influences metabolic homeostasis and immunity in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Environ Pollut 2020; 258:113671. [PMID: 31855676 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recently, environmental risk and toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticides to honey bees have attracted extensive attention. However, toxicological understanding of neonicotinoid insecticides on gut microbiota is limited. In the present study, honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) were exposed to a series of nitenpyram for 14 days. Results indicated that nitenpyram exposure decreased the survival and food consumption of honey bees. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that nitenpyram caused significant alterations in the relative abundance of several key gut microbiotas, which contribute to metabolic homeostasis and immunity. Using high-throughput RNA-Seq transcriptomic analysis, we identified a total of 526 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were significantly altered between nitenpyram-treated and control honey bee gut, including several genes related to metabolic, detoxification and immunity. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed nitenpyram affected several biological processes, of which most were related to metabolism. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the dysbiosis of gut microbiota in honey bee caused by nitenpyram may influence metabolic homeostasis and immunity of bees, and further decrease food consumption and survival of bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhu
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China; Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Suzhen Qi
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofeng Xue
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyue Niu
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Liming Wu
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China.
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27
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McMenamin AJ, Daughenbaugh KF, Flenniken ML. The Heat Shock Response in the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is Antiviral. Viruses 2020; 12:E245. [PMID: 32098425 PMCID: PMC7077298 DOI: 10.3390/v12020245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees (Apismellifera) are an agriculturally important pollinator species that live in easily managed social groups (i.e., colonies). Unfortunately, annual losses of honey bee colonies in many parts of the world have reached unsustainable levels. Multiple abiotic and biotic stressors, including viruses, are associated with individual honey bee and colony mortality. Honey bees have evolved several antiviral defense mechanisms including conserved immune pathways (e.g., Toll, Imd, JAK/STAT) and dsRNA-triggered responses including RNA interference and a non-sequence specific dsRNA-mediated response. In addition, transcriptome analyses of virus-infected honey bees implicate an antiviral role of stress response pathways, including the heat shock response. Herein, we demonstrate that the heat shock response is antiviral in honey bees. Specifically, heat-shocked honey bees (i.e., 42 °C for 4 h) had reduced levels of the model virus, Sindbis-GFP, compared with bees maintained at a constant temperature. Virus-infection and/or heat shock resulted in differential expression of six heat shock protein encoding genes and three immune genes, many of which are positively correlated. The heat shock protein encoding and immune gene transcriptional responses observed in virus-infected bees were not completely recapitulated by administration of double stranded RNA (dsRNA), a virus-associated molecular pattern, indicating that additional virus-host interactions are involved in triggering antiviral stress response pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (K.F.D.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Katie F. Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (K.F.D.)
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Michelle L. Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA; (A.J.M.); (K.F.D.)
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
- Pollinator Health Center, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
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28
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Dong J, Wu J, Han L, Huang J, Wang D. Novel Characteristics of Immune Responsive Protein IRP30 in the Bumble Bee Bombus lantschouensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Insect Sci 2020; 20:5812898. [PMID: 32219449 PMCID: PMC7136008 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Immune responsive protein 30 (IRP30) is a Hymenoptera-specific protein first identified from honey bee hemolymph in response to bacterial infection. However, its function remains elusive. Here, we cloned the full-length IRP30 gene and clarified its expression pattern in the bumble bee Bombus lantschouensis (Vogt). The full-length IRP30 gene measures 1443 bp and contains two exons and one intron. The length of the cDNA is 1082 bp, including a 36-bp 5'-UTR and a 218-bp 3'-UTR, and it encodes a putative protein of 275 amino acids. As expected, the sequence of the B. lantschouensis IRP30 protein was clustered with the bumble bee group, which appeared as a single clade next to honey bees. The family shared similar conserved protein domains. Moreover, bumble bee IRP30 belongs to a recently diverged clade that has four leucine-rich repeat (LRR) conserved domains. IRP30 is highly expressed in the worker caste, during pupal developmental stages, and in the head and thorax tissues. Interestingly, its expression increases 20- to 90-fold when female bumble bees (B. lantschouensis) and honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) begin laying eggs. Overall, based on the expression of IRP30 during development and egg laying in female bumble bees, this protein not only responds to immune challenge but also may play an important role in metamorphosis and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Dong
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jie Wu
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Lei Han
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Jiaxing Huang
- Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Deqian Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, P.R. China
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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29
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Ryabov EV, Childers AK, Lopez D, Grubbs K, Posada-Florez F, Weaver D, Girten W, vanEngelsdorp D, Chen Y, Evans JD. Dynamic evolution in the key honey bee pathogen deformed wing virus: Novel insights into virulence and competition using reverse genetics. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000502. [PMID: 31600204 PMCID: PMC6805011 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The impacts of invertebrate RNA virus population dynamics on virulence and infection outcomes are poorly understood. Deformed wing virus (DWV), the main viral pathogen of honey bees, negatively impacts bee health, which can lead to colony death. Despite previous reports on the reduction of DWV diversity following the arrival of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, the key DWV vector, we found high genetic diversity of DWV in infested United States honey bee colonies. Phylogenetic analysis showed that divergent US DWV genotypes are of monophyletic origin and were likely generated as a result of diversification after a genetic bottleneck. To investigate the population dynamics of this divergent DWV, we designed a series of novel infectious cDNA clones corresponding to coexisting DWV genotypes, thereby devising a reverse-genetics system for an invertebrate RNA virus quasispecies. Equal replication rates were observed for all clone-derived DWV variants in single infections. Surprisingly, individual clones replicated to the same high levels as their mixtures and even the parental highly diverse natural DWV population, suggesting that complementation between genotypes was not required to replicate to high levels. Mixed clone–derived infections showed a lack of strong competitive exclusion, suggesting that the DWV genotypes were adapted to coexist. Mutational and recombination events were observed across clone progeny, providing new insights into the forces that drive and constrain virus diversification. Accordingly, our results suggest that Varroa influences DWV dynamics by causing an initial selective sweep, which is followed by virus diversification fueled by negative frequency-dependent selection for new genotypes. We suggest that this selection might reflect the ability of rare lineages to evade host defenses, specifically antiviral RNA interference (RNAi). In support of this hypothesis, we show that RNAi induced against one DWV strain is less effective against an alternate strain from the same population. Deformed wing virus, a key pathogen of honey bees, shows rapid diversification after genetic bottlenecks; a novel reverse-genetic system provides insights into the forces that shape virus diversity, suggesting that virus quasi-species diversification may be driven by selection of genotypes capable of evading host RNAi defences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene V. Ryabov
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Anna K. Childers
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dawn Lopez
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kyle Grubbs
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Francisco Posada-Florez
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel Weaver
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
- Beeweaver Apiaries, Navasota, Texas, United States of America
| | - William Girten
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry, Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Dennis vanEngelsdorp
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yanping Chen
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jay D. Evans
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
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30
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Krongdang S, Evans JD, Chen Y, Mookhploy W, Chantawannakul P. Comparative susceptibility and immune responses of Asian and European honey bees to the American foulbrood pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae. Insect Sci 2019; 26:831-842. [PMID: 29578641 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
American foulbrood (AFB) disease is caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Currently, this pathogen is widespread in the European honey bee-Apis mellifera. However, little is known about infectivity and pathogenicity of P. larvae in the Asiatic cavity-nesting honey bees, Apis cerana. Moreover, comparative knowledge of P. larvae infectivity and pathogenicity between both honey bee species is scarce. In this study, we examined susceptibility, larval mortality, survival rate and expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including defensin, apidaecin, abaecin, and hymenoptaecin in A. mellifera and A. cerana when infected with P. larvae. Our results showed similar effects of P. larvae on the survival rate and patterns of AMP gene expression in both honey bee species when bee larvae are infected with spores at the median lethal concentration (LC50 ) for A. mellifera. All AMPs of infected bee larvae showed significant upregulation compared with noninfected bee larvae in both honey bee species. However, larvae of A. cerana were more susceptible than A. mellifera when the same larval ages and spore concentration of P. larvae were used. It also appears that A. cerana showed higher levels of AMP expression than A. mellifera. This research provides the first evidence of survival rate, LC50 and immune response profiles of Asian honey bees, A. cerana, when infected by P. larvae in comparison with the European honey bee, A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasiprapa Krongdang
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Interdisciplinary Program in Biotechnology, Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Jay D Evans
- USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Yanping Chen
- USDA-ARS, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Wannapha Mookhploy
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Environmental Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Christen V, Vogel MS, Hettich T, Fent K. A Vitellogenin Antibody in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera): Characterization and Application as Potential Biomarker for Insecticide Exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019; 38:1074-1083. [PMID: 30714192 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The insect yolk precursor vitellogenin is a lipoglycoprotein synthesized and stored in the fat body and secreted into the hemolymph. In honey bees, vitellogenin displays crucial functions in hormone signaling, behavioral transition of nurse bees to foragers, stress resistance, and longevity in workers. Plant protection products such as neonicotinoids, pyrethroids, and organophosphates alter the transcriptional expression of vitellogenin. To assess plant protection product-induced alterations on the protein level, we developed a rabbit polyclonal vitellogenin antibody. After characterization, we assessed its specificity and vitellogenin levels in different tissues of worker bees. The vitellogenin antibody recognized full-length 180-kDa vitellogenin and the lighter fragment of 150 kDa in fat body, hemolymph, and brain. In hemolymph, a band of approximately 75 kDa was detected. Subsequent mass spectrometric analysis (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) confirmed the 180- and 150-kDa bands as vitellogenin. Subsequently, we evaluated vitellogenin expression in brain, fat body, and hemolymph on 24-h exposure of bees to 3 ng/bee to the neonicotinoid clothianidin. Full-length vitellogenin was upregulated 3-fold in the fat body, and the 150-kDa fragment was upregulated in the brain of exposed honey bees, whereas no alteration occurred in the hemolymph. Upregulation of the vitellogenin protein by the neonicotinoid clothianidin is in line with the previously shown induction of its transcript. We conclude that vitellogenin might serve as a potential biomarker for neonicotinoid and other pesticide exposure in bees. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;00:1-10. © 2019 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Christen
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Maren Susanne Vogel
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Timm Hettich
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Karl Fent
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Muttenz, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollution Dynamics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
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O’Neal ST, Reeves AM, Fell RD, Brewster CC, Anderson TD. Chlorothalonil Exposure Alters Virus Susceptibility and Markers of Immunity, Nutrition, and Development in Honey Bees. J Insect Sci 2019; 19:14. [PMID: 31120492 PMCID: PMC6532139 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iez051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Chlorothalonil is a broad spectrum chloronitrile fungicide that has been identified as one of the most common pesticide contaminants found in managed honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis mellifera L.), their food stores, and the hive environment. While not acutely toxic to honey bees, several studies have identified potential sublethal effects, especially in larvae, but comprehensive information regarding the impact of chlorothalonil on adults is lacking. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure to a field relevant level of chlorothalonil on honey bee antiviral immunity and biochemical markers of general and social immunity, as well as macronutrient markers of nutrition and morphological markers of growth and development. Chlorothalonil exposure was found to have an effect on 1) honey bee resistance and/or tolerance to viral infection by decreasing the survival of bees following a viral challenge, 2) social immunity, by increasing the level of glucose oxidase activity, 3) nutrition, by decreasing levels of total carbohydrate and protein, and 4) development, by decreasing the total body weight, head width, and wing length of adult nurse and forager bees. Although more research is required to better understand how chlorothalonil interacts with bee physiology to increase mortality associated with viral infections, this study clearly illustrates the sublethal effects of chlorothalonil exposure on bee immunity, nutrition, and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott T O’Neal
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
| | | | | | - Carlyle C Brewster
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
| | - Troy D Anderson
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
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Osterman J, Wintermantel D, Locke B, Jonsson O, Semberg E, Onorati P, Forsgren E, Rosenkranz P, Rahbek-Pedersen T, Bommarco R, Smith HG, Rundlöf M, de Miranda JR. Clothianidin seed-treatment has no detectable negative impact on honeybee colonies and their pathogens. Nat Commun 2019; 10:692. [PMID: 30741934 PMCID: PMC6370849 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between multiple stressors have been implicated in elevated honeybee colony losses. Here, we extend our landscape-scale study on the effects of placement at clothianidin seed-treated oilseed rape fields on honeybees with an additional year and new data on honeybee colony development, swarming, mortality, pathogens and immune gene expression. Clothianidin residues in pollen, nectar and honeybees were consistently higher at clothianidin-treated fields, with large differences between fields and years. We found large variations in colony development and microbial composition and no observable negative impact of placement at clothianidin-treated fields. Clothianidin treatment was associated with an increase in brood, adult bees and Gilliamella apicola (beneficial gut symbiont) and a decrease in Aphid lethal paralysis virus and Black queen cell virus - particularly in the second year. The results suggest that at colony level, honeybees are relatively robust to the effects of clothianidin in real-world agricultural landscapes, with moderate, natural disease pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Osterman
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
- Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ Leipzig, ESCALATE, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
- INRA, UE 1255 APIS, Le Magneraud, 17700, Surgères, France
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372, CNRS & Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Barbara Locke
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ove Jonsson
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Chemical Pesticides, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emilia Semberg
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Piero Onorati
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Forsgren
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Rosenkranz
- Apicultural State Institute, University of Hohenheim, August-von-Hartmannstrasse 13, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Riccardo Bommarco
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maj Rundlöf
- Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Joachim R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Gao L, Wang L, Yang X, Wang Y, Liu Z, Xu B, Guo X. Role of a serine protease gene (AccSp1) from Apis cerana cerana in abiotic stress responses and innate immunity. Cell Stress Chaperones 2019; 24:29-43. [PMID: 30413995 PMCID: PMC6363618 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-018-0934-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [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: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Clip-domain serine proteases (Clip-SPs) mediate innate immunity and embryonic development in insects. However, the function of Clip-SPs in Apis cerana cerana is little known. Here, a Clip-SP gene, AccSp1, was identified. AccSp1 was mainly detected in third and sixth day instar larvae, dark-eyed pupae, and adults (1and 30 days post-emergence). In addition, AccSp1 was expressed at its highest level in the venom gland and epidermis than tentacle, abdomen, muscle, honey sac, head, leg, chest, hemolymph, rectum, and midgut. AccSp1 was induced by 4, 24, and 44 °C; H2O2; CdCl2; HgCl2; and pesticides (paraquat, pyridaben, and methomyl) and was inhibited by UV light and cyhalothrin treatments. When adults that had been pretreated with dsRNA 6 h prior (knocking AccSp1 down) were challenged with Bacillus bombysepticus for 18 h, the survival rate of bees greatly decreased, the activity of PO (phenoloxidase) was reduced, revealing that AccSp1 may play a critical role in assisting bees to survive the microbial infection and participate in regulating PO activity. The antioxidant enzymatic activities of catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase; the contents of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde; and the ratio of NADP+/NADPH were all lower in samples containing dsRNA-AccSp1 interference than in control groups, but the content of carbonyl was not significantly different. These findings suggest the knockdown of AccSp1 may influence melanization so that the antioxidant enzyme activities and the harmful metabolites decreased. These results collectively suggest that AccSp1 plays critical roles in abiotic stresses responses and resistance to pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- College of Life Sciences, Taishan Medical University, Taian, 271016, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinxin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, 271018, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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Harwood G, Amdam G, Freitak D. The role of Vitellogenin in the transfer of immune elicitors from gut to hypopharyngeal glands in honey bees (Apis mellifera). J Insect Physiol 2019; 112:90-100. [PMID: 30578811 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 06/18/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Female insects that survive a pathogen attack can produce more pathogen-resistant offspring in a process called trans-generational immune priming. In the honey bee (Apis mellifera), the egg-yolk precursor protein Vitellogenin transports fragments of pathogen cells into the egg, thereby setting the stage for a recruitment of immunological defenses prior to hatching. Honey bees live in complex societies where reproduction and communal tasks are divided between a queen and her sterile female workers. Worker bees metabolize Vitellogenin to synthesize royal jelly, a protein-rich glandular secretion fed to the queen and young larvae. We ask if workers can participate in trans-generational immune priming by transferring pathogen fragments to the queen or larvae via royal jelly. As a first step toward answering this question, we tested whether worker-ingested bacterial fragments can be transported to jelly-producing glands, and what role Vitellogenin plays in this transport. To do this, we fed fluorescently labelled Escherichia coli to workers with experimentally manipulated levels of Vitellogenin. We found that bacterial fragments were transported to the glands of control workers, while they were not detected at the glands of workers subjected to RNA interference-mediated Vitellogenin gene knockdown, suggesting that Vitellogenin plays a role in this transport. Our results provide initial evidence that trans-generational immune priming may operate at a colony-wide level in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyan Harwood
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281 USA.
| | - Gro Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281 USA; Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-1432 Aas, Norway
| | - Dalial Freitak
- Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Institute of Biology, Division of Zoology, University of Graz, A8010 Graz, Austria
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Gattinger P, Mittermann I, Lupinek C, Hofer G, Keller W, Bidovec Stojkovic U, Korosec P, Koessler C, Novak N, Valenta R. Recombinant glycoproteins resembling carbohydrate-specific IgE epitopes from plants, venoms and mites. EBioMedicine 2018; 39:33-43. [PMID: 30581149 PMCID: PMC6354707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background N-linked glycans present in venoms, pollen and mites are recognized by IgE antibodies from >20% of allergic patients but have low or no allergenic activity. Objectives To engineer recombinant glycoproteins resembling carbohydrate-specific IgE epitopes from venoms, pollen and mites which can discriminate carbohydrate-specific IgE from allergenic, peptide-specific IgE. Methods One or two N-glycosylation sites were engineered into the N-terminus of the non-allergenic protein horse heart myoglobin (HHM) using synthetic gene technology. HHM 1 and HHM 2 containing one or two N-glycosylation sites were expressed in baculovirus-infected High-Five™ insect cells and a non-glycosylated version (HHM 0) was obtained by mutating the glycosylation motif. Recombinant HHM proteins were analyzed regarding fold and aggregation by circular dichroism and gel filtration, respectively. IgE reactivity was assessed by ELISA, immunoblotting and quantitative ImmunoCAP measurements. IgE inhibition assays were performed to study cross-reactivity with venom, plant and mite-derived carbohydrate IgE epitopes. Results HHM-glycovariants were expressed and purified from insect cells as monomeric and folded proteins. The HHM-glycovariants exhibited strictly carbohydrate-specific IgE reactivity, designed to quantify carbohydrate-specific IgE and resembled IgE epitopes of pollen, venom and mite-derived carbohydrates. IgE-reactivity and inhibition experiments established a hierarchy of plant glcyoallergens (nPhl p 4 > nCyn d 1 > nPla a 2 > nJug r 2 > nCup a 1 > nCry j 1) indicating a hitherto unknown heterogeneity of carbohydrate IgE epitopes in plants which were completely represented by HHM 2. Conclusion Defined recombinant HHM-glycoproteins resembling carbohydrate-specific IgE epitopes from plants, venoms and mites were engineered which made it possible to discriminate carbohydrate- from peptide-specific IgE reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Gattinger
- Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Irene Mittermann
- Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Lupinek
- Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Hofer
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, BioTechMed Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Walter Keller
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, BioTechMed Graz, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Peter Korosec
- University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Golnik, Slovenia
| | - Christine Koessler
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Natalija Novak
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rudolf Valenta
- Division of Immunopathology, Department of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; NRC Institute of Immunology FMBA of Russia, Moscow, Russia; Laboratory for Immunopathology, Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
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Lourenço AP, Florecki MM, Simões ZLP, Evans JD. Silencing of Apis mellifera dorsal genes reveals their role in expression of the antimicrobial peptide defensin-1. Insect Mol Biol 2018; 27:577-589. [PMID: 29663584 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Like all other insects, two key signalling pathways [Toll and immune deficiency (Imd)] regulate the induction of honey bee immune effectors that target microbial pathogens. Amongst these effectors are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are presumed to be produced by the nuclear factors kappa B (NF-κB) Dorsal and Relish from the Toll and Imd pathways, respectively. Using in silico analysis, we previously proposed that the honey bee AMP defensin-1 was regulated by the Toll pathway, whereas hymenoptaecin was regulated by Imd and abaecin by both the Toll and Imd pathways. Here we use an RNA interference (RNAi) assay to determine the role of Dorsal in regulating abaecin and defensin-1. Honey bees have two dorsal genes (dorsal-1 and dorsal-2) and two splicing isoforms of dorsal-1 (dorsal-1A and dorsal-1B). Accordingly, we used both single and multiple (double or triple) isoform knockdown strategies to clarify the roles of dorsal proteins and their isoforms. Down-regulation of defensin-1 was observed for dorsal-1A and dorsal-2 knockdowns, but abaecin expression was not affected by dorsal RNAi. We conclude that defensin-1 is regulated by Dorsal (Toll pathway).
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Lourenço
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - M M Florecki
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Z L P Simões
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - J D Evans
- Bee Research Lab, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, USA
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Reeves AM, O’Neal ST, Fell RD, Brewster CC, Anderson TD. In-Hive Acaricides Alter Biochemical and Morphological Indicators of Honey Bee Nutrition, Immunity, and Development. J Insect Sci 2018; 18:5110836. [PMID: 30272218 PMCID: PMC6163029 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iey086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee is a widely managed crop pollinator that provides the agricultural industry with the sustainability and economic viability needed to satisfy the food and fiber needs of our society. Excessive exposure to apicultural pesticides is one of many factors that has been implicated in the reduced number of managed bee colonies available for crop pollination services. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of exposure to commonly used, beekeeper-applied apicultural acaricides on established biochemical indicators of bee nutrition and immunity, as well as morphological indicators of growth and development. The results described here demonstrate that exposure to tau-fluvalinate and coumaphos has an impact on 1) macronutrient indicators of bee nutrition by reducing protein and carbohydrate levels, 2) a marker of social immunity, by increasing glucose oxidase activity, and 3) morphological indicators of growth and development, by altering body weight, head width, and wing length. While more work is necessary to fully understand the broader implications of these findings, the results suggest that reduced parasite stress due to chemical interventions may be offset by nutritional and immune stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Reeves
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | - Scott T O’Neal
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
| | - Richard D Fell
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
| | | | - Troy D Anderson
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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McMenamin AJ, Daughenbaugh KF, Parekh F, Pizzorno MC, Flenniken ML. Honey Bee and Bumble Bee Antiviral Defense. Viruses 2018; 10:E395. [PMID: 30060518 PMCID: PMC6115922 DOI: 10.3390/v10080395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bees are important plant pollinators in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Managed and wild bees have experienced high average annual colony losses, population declines, and local extinctions in many geographic regions. Multiple factors, including virus infections, impact bee health and longevity. The majority of bee-infecting viruses are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Bee-infecting viruses often cause asymptomatic infections but may also cause paralysis, deformity or death. The severity of infection is governed by bee host immune responses and influenced by additional biotic and abiotic factors. Herein, we highlight studies that have contributed to the current understanding of antiviral defense in bees, including the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera), the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) and bumble bee species (Bombus spp.). Bee antiviral defense mechanisms include RNA interference (RNAi), endocytosis, melanization, encapsulation, autophagy and conserved immune pathways including Jak/STAT (Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription), JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase), MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinases) and the NF-κB mediated Toll and Imd (immune deficiency) pathways. Studies in Dipteran insects, including the model organism Drosophila melanogaster and pathogen-transmitting mosquitos, provide the framework for understanding bee antiviral defense. However, there are notable differences such as the more prominent role of a non-sequence specific, dsRNA-triggered, virus limiting response in honey bees and bumble bees. This virus-limiting response in bees is akin to pathways in a range of organisms including other invertebrates (i.e., oysters, shrimp and sand flies), as well as the mammalian interferon response. Current and future research aimed at elucidating bee antiviral defense mechanisms may lead to development of strategies that mitigate bee losses, while expanding our understanding of insect antiviral defense and the potential evolutionary relationship between sociality and immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J McMenamin
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Center for Pollinator Health, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Katie F Daughenbaugh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Center for Pollinator Health, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Fenali Parekh
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Center for Pollinator Health, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Marie C Pizzorno
- Biology Department, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA.
| | - Michelle L Flenniken
- Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
- Center for Pollinator Health, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
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Walderdorff L, Laval-Gilly P, Bonnefoy A, Falla-Angel J. Imidacloprid intensifies its impact on honeybee and bumblebee cellular immune response when challenged with LPS (lippopolysacharide) of Escherichia coli. J Insect Physiol 2018; 108:17-24. [PMID: 29758240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Insect hemocytes play an important role in insects' defense against environmental stressors as they are entirely dependent on their innate immune system for pathogen defense. In recent years a dramatic decline of pollinators has been reported in many countries. The drivers of this declines appear to be associated with pathogen infections like viruses, bacteria or fungi in combination with pesticide exposure. The aim of this study was thus to investigate the impact of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, on the cellular immune response of two pollinators (Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris) during simultaneous immune activation with LPS (lipopolysaccharide) of Escherichia coli. For this purpose the phagocytosis capacity as well as the production of H2O2 and NO of larval hemocytes, exposed to five different imidacloprid concentrations in vitro, was measured. All used pesticide concentrations showed a weakening effect on phagocytosis with but also without LPS activation. Imidacloprid decreased H2O2 and increased NO production in honeybees. Immune activation by LPS clearly reinforced the effect of imidacloprid on the immune response of hemocytes in all three immune parameters tested. Bumblebee hemocytes appeared more sensitive to imidacloprid during phagocytosis assays while imidacloprid showed a greater impact on honeybee hemocytes during H2O2 and NO production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Walderdorff
- Université de Lorraine, Inra, LSE, F-54000 Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, IUT de Thionville-Yutz, F-57970 Yutz, France.
| | - Philippe Laval-Gilly
- Université de Lorraine, Inra, LSE, F-54000 Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, IUT de Thionville-Yutz, F-57970 Yutz, France
| | - Antoine Bonnefoy
- Université de Lorraine, IUT de Thionville-Yutz, F-57970 Yutz, France
| | - Jaïro Falla-Angel
- Université de Lorraine, Inra, LSE, F-54000 Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, IUT de Thionville-Yutz, F-57970 Yutz, France
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Traver BE, Feazel-Orr HK, Catalfamo KM, Brewster CC, Fell RD. Seasonal Effects and the Impact of In-Hive Pesticide Treatments on Parasite, Pathogens, and Health of Honey Bees. J Econ Entomol 2018; 111:517-527. [PMID: 29471479 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toy026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Honey bee, Apis mellifera (L.; Hymenoptera: Apidae), populations are in decline and their losses pose a serious threat for crop pollination and food production. The specific causes of these losses are believed to be multifactorial. Pesticides, parasites and pathogens, and nutritional deficiencies have been implicated in the losses due to their ability to exert energetic stress on bees. While our understanding of the role of these factors in honey bee colony losses has improved, there is still a lack of knowledge of how they impact the immune system of the honey bee. In this study, honey bee colonies were exposed to Fumagilin-B, Apistan (tau-fluvalinate), and chlorothalonil at field realistic levels. No significant effects of the antibiotic and two pesticides were observed on the levels of varroa mite, Nosema ceranae (Fries; Microsporidia: Nosematidae), black queen cell virus, deformed wing virus, or immunity as measured by phenoloxidase and glucose oxidase activity. Any effects on the parasites, pathogens, and immunity we observed appear to be due mainly to seasonal changes within the honey bee colonies. The results suggest that Fumagilin-B, Apistan, and chlorothalonil do not significantly impact the health of honey bee colonies, based on the factors analyzed and the concentration of chemicals tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna E Traver
- Department of Biology, Penn State Schuylkill, Schuylkill Haven, PA
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Sinpoo C, Paxton RJ, Disayathanoowat T, Krongdang S, Chantawannakul P. Impact of Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis on individual worker bees of the two host species (Apis cerana and Apis mellifera) and regulation of host immune response. J Insect Physiol 2018; 105:1-8. [PMID: 29289505 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [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: 08/10/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are obligate intracellular microsporidian parasites infecting midgut epithelial cells of host adult honey bees, originally Apis mellifera and Apis cerana respectively. Each microsporidia cross-infects the other host and both microsporidia nowadays have a worldwide distribution. In this study, cross-infection experiments using both N. apis and N. ceranae in both A. mellifera and A. cerana were carried out to compare pathogen proliferation and impact on hosts, including host immune response. Infection by N. ceranae led to higher spore loads than by N. apis in both host species, and there was greater proliferation of microsporidia in A. mellifera compared to A. cerana. Both N. apis and N. ceranae were pathogenic in both host Apis species. N. ceranae induced subtly, though not significantly, higher mortality than N. apis in both host species, yet survival of A. cerana was no different to that of A. mellifera in response to N. apis or N. ceranae. Infections of both host species with N. apis and N. ceranae caused significant up-regulation of AMP genes and cellular mediated immune genes but did not greatly alter apoptosis-related gene expression. In this study, A. cerana enlisted a higher immune response and displayed lower loads of N. apis and N. ceranae spores than A. mellifera, suggesting it may be better able to defend itself against microsporidia infection. We caution against over-interpretation of our results, though, because differences between host and parasite species in survival were insignificant and because size differences between microsporidia species and between host Apis species may alternatively explain the differential proliferation of N. ceranae in A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chainarong Sinpoo
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Robert J Paxton
- Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand
| | - Sasiprapa Krongdang
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory (BeeP), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand; Center of Excellence in Bioresources for Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; International College of Digital Innovation, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.
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43
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyun Diao
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Haidian District, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Haidian District, Beijing, P. R. China
- * E-mail:
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Zaobidna EA, Żółtowska K, Łopieńska-Biernat E. Varroa destructor induces changes in the expression of immunity-related genes during the development of Apis mellifera worker and drone broods. Acta Parasitol 2017; 62:779-789. [PMID: 29035869 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2017-0094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has emerged as the major pest of honeybees. Despite extensive research efforts, the pathogenesis of varroosis has not been fully explained. Earlier studies suggested that V. destructor infestation leads to the suppression of the host's immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze the immune responses of 14 genes in the Toll signal transduction pathways, including effector genes of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), in developing Apis mellifera workers and drones infested with V. destructor. Four developmental stages (L5 larvae, prepupae, and 2 pupal stages) and newly emerged imagines were analyzed. In workers, the most significant changes were observed in L5 larvae in the initial stages of infestation. A significant increase in the relative expression of 10 of the 14 analyzed genes, including defensin-1 and defensin-2, was observed in infested bees relative to non-infested individuals. The immune response in drones developed at a slower rate. The expression of genes regulating cytoplasmic signal transduction increased in prepupae, whereas the expression of defensin-1 and defensin-2 effector genes increased in P3 pupae with red eyes. The expression of many immunity-related genes was silenced in successive life stages and in imagines, and it was more profound in workers than in drones. The results indicate that V. destructor significantly influences immune responses regulated by the Toll signal transduction pathway in bees. In infested bees, the observed changes in Toll pathway genes varied between life stages and the sexes.
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Wang H, Smagghe G, Meeus I. The role of a single gene encoding the Single von Willebrand factor C-domain protein (SVC) in bumblebee immunity extends beyond antiviral defense. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 91:10-20. [PMID: 29074090 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The Single von Willebrand factor C-domain proteins (SVCs) are a group of short proteins mainly found in arthropods. They are proposed to be responsive in relation to environmental challenges including the nutritional status, bacterial and viral infections. The SVC protein Vago acts as a cross-talk molecule between the small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway and the Jak/STAT pathway upon viral infection in Drosophila melanogaster and Culex mosquito cells. Unlike flies and mosquitoes that possess diverse SVCs, most bee species only have one of which the function remains unclear. Here we investigated whether this single SVC within the genome of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris is also involved in the host antiviral immunity and whether links with other immune pathways can be found. We can show the presence of two key characteristics of Vago linked with the single SVC in B. terrestris (BtSVC). The antiviral character is proven by silencing BtSVC, which lead to increased Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) levels in the fat body. Second, the silencing of BtDicer-2 resulted in a lower expression of BtSVC and increased IAPV levels, confirming the link between Dicer-2 and BtSVC. We were, however, unable to demonstrate a third known role of Vago in the activation of the Jak/STAT pathway. This is probably because we lack good markers for this pathway in bumblebees. Interestingly, we found that BtSVC contributes to the basal expression levels of four antimicrobial peptide (AMP)-coding genes in the fat body of the bumblebees. Therefore, the single SVC gene in bumblebees may be involved in both host antiviral immunity and basal AMPs expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haidong Wang
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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Glavinic U, Stankovic B, Draskovic V, Stevanovic J, Petrovic T, Lakic N, Stanimirovic Z. Dietary amino acid and vitamin complex protects honey bee from immunosuppression caused by Nosema ceranae. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187726. [PMID: 29117233 PMCID: PMC5678887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Microsporidium Nosema ceranae is well known for exerting a negative impact on honey bee health, including down-regulation of immunoregulatory genes. Protein nutrition has been proven to have beneficial effects on bee immunity and other aspects of bee health. Bearing this in mind, the aim of our study was to evaluate the potential of a dietary amino acid and vitamin complex “BEEWELL AminoPlus” to protect honey bees from immunosuppression induced by N. ceranae. In a laboratory experiment bees were infected with N. ceranae and treated with supplement on first, third, sixth and ninth day after emergence. The expression of genes for immune-related peptides (abaecin, apidaecin, hymenoptaecin, defensin and vitellogenin) was compared between groups. The results revealed significantly lower (p<0.01 or p<0.001) numbers of Nosema spores in supplemented groups than in the control especially on day 12 post infection. With the exception of abacein, the expression levels of immune-related peptides were significantly suppressed (p<0.01 or p<0.001) in control group on the 12th day post infection, compared to bees that received the supplement. It was supposed that N. ceranae had a negative impact on bee immunity and that the tested amino acid and vitamin complex modified the expression of immune-related genes in honey bees compromised by infection, suggesting immune-stimulation that reflects in the increase in resistance to diseases and reduced bee mortality. The supplement exerted best efficacy when applied simultaneously with Nosema infection, which can help us to assume the most suitable period for its application in the hive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- * E-mail:
| | - Biljana Stankovic
- Laboratory for Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir Draskovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tamas Petrovic
- Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Nada Lakic
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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47
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Tritschler M, Vollmann JJ, Yañez O, Chejanovsky N, Crailsheim K, Neumann P. Protein nutrition governs within-host race of honey bee pathogens. Sci Rep 2017; 7:14988. [PMID: 29118416 PMCID: PMC5678143 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15358-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple infections are common in honey bees, Apis mellifera, but the possible role of nutrition in this regard is poorly understood. Microsporidian infections, which are promoted by protein-fed, can negatively correlate with virus infections, but the role of protein nutrition for the microsporidian-virus interface is unknown. Here, we challenged naturally deformed wing virus - B (DWV-B) infected adult honey bee workers fed with or without pollen ( = protein) in hoarding cages, with the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. Bee mortality was recorded for 14 days and N. ceranae spore loads and DWV-B titers were quantified. Amongst the groups inoculated with N. ceranae, more spores were counted in protein-fed bees. However, N. ceranae infected bees without protein-diet had reduced longevity compared to all other groups. N. ceranae infection had no effect on protein-fed bee's longevity, whereas bees supplied only with sugar-water showed reduced survival. Our data also support that protein-feeding can have a significant negative impact on virus infections in insects. The negative correlation between N. ceranae spore loads and DWV-B titers was stronger expressed in protein-fed hosts. Proteins not only enhance survival of infected hosts, but also significantly shape the microsporidian-virus interface, probably due to increased spore production and enhanced host immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Tritschler
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Freiburg (CVUA), Bienengesundheit, 79108, Freiburg i. Br., Germany
| | | | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nor Chejanovsky
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Plant Protection, The Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel
| | | | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland.
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48
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Gao L, Wang H, Liu Z, Liu S, Zhao G, Xu B, Guo X. The initial analysis of a serine proteinase gene (AccSp10) from Apis cerana cerana: possible involvement in pupal development, innate immunity and abiotic stress responses. Cell Stress Chaperones 2017; 22:867-877. [PMID: 28695333 PMCID: PMC5655375 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-017-0818-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine proteinases play important roles in innate immunity and insect development. We isolated a serine proteinase gene, designated AccSp10, from the Chinese honeybees (Apis cerana cerana). RT-qPCR and a Western blot analysis at different pupal development stages indicated that AccSp10 might be involved in melanin formation in pupae and promote pupal development. In adult workers, the expression of AccSp10 was upregulated by treatments mimicking harmful environments such as the presence of Bacillus bombysepticus, different temperatures (4, 24 and 42 °C), HgCl2, H2O2 and paraquat; the exception was treatment with VC (vitamin C), which did not upregulate AccSp10 expression. Western blot confirmed the results. A disc diffusion assay indicated that recombinant AccSp10 accelerated E. coli cell death during stimulation with harmful substances (HgCl2, paraquat and cumene hydroperoxide). These findings suggest that AccSp10 may be involved in the pupal development of Chinese honeybees and protection against microorganisms and abiotic harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China
- College of Life Sciences, Taishan Medical University, Taian, Shandong, 271016, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuchang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangdong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xingqi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, People's Republic of China.
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49
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Gábor E, Cinege G, Csordás G, Török T, Folkl-Medzihradszky K, Darula Z, Andó I, Kurucz É. Hemolectin expression reveals functional heterogeneity in honey bee (Apis mellifera) hemocytes. Dev Comp Immunol 2017; 76:403-411. [PMID: 28713010 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The identification of molecular markers considerably facilitated the classification and functional analysis of blood cell types. Apis mellifera hemocytes have been classified by morphological criteria and lectin binding properties; however, the use of molecular markers has been minimal. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody to a non-phagocytic subpopulation of A. mellifera hemocytes and to a constituent of the hemolymph clot. We demonstrate that the antibody identifies the A. mellifera hemolectin, a protein carrying human von Willebrand factor homology domains, characteristic of proteins involved in blood coagulation and platelet aggregation in mammals. Hemolectin expressing A. mellifera hemocytes contain the protein as cytoplasmic granules and contribute to the formation of a protein matrix, building up around foreign particles. Consequently, hemolectin as a marker molecule reveals a clear functional heterogeneity of hemocytes, allowing for the analytical separation of hemocyte classes, and could promote the molecular identification of hemocyte lineages in A. mellifera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Gábor
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Gyöngyi Cinege
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Csordás
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Török
- Department of Genetics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, 6726 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Katalin Folkl-Medzihradszky
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Darula
- Laboratory of Proteomics Research, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - István Andó
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Éva Kurucz
- Immunology Unit, Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 521, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
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50
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Palmer-Young EC, Tozkar CÖ, Schwarz RS, Chen Y, Irwin RE, Adler LS, Evans JD. Nectar and Pollen Phytochemicals Stimulate Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Immunity to Viral Infection. J Econ Entomol 2017; 110:1959-1972. [PMID: 28981688 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tox193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cansu Ö Tozkar
- Bee Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
| | - Ryan S Schwarz
- Bee Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
| | - Yanping Chen
- Bee Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
| | - Rebecca E Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Lynn S Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Jay D Evans
- Bee Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD
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