Variation in social behavior within a spider mite genus, Stigmaeopsis (Acari: Tetranychidae)

The spider mites belonging to the genus Stigmaeopsis constructextremely dense oval woven roofs (web-nests) over depressionson the lower surface of host leaves and are known to have akind of sociality. The four species that occur on bamboo plantsin Japan show different nest areas. The nest area of Stigmaeopsislongus is the largest, followed by that of S. celarius, S. takahashii,and S. saharai in decreasing order. Smaller nests effectivelyprevent adults of several predator mite species from intruding.We hypothesized that variation in nest size reflects differentanti-intruder adaptations of this mite group in relation totheir sociality. The larger nest makers may adopt an alternativeanti-intruder strategy, namely, counterattack by a large group,so as to compensate for the disadvantage of large nests. S.longus and S. celarius adults effectively defended their largenests against potential predators, and the effects of nest defenseincreased with the number of individuals in a nest. S. takahashiiand S. saharai revealed no counterattack effect. Counterattackabilities that increase with the adult density, and thus, socialitymay compensate for the vulnerability of larger nests.     

Indirect nontarget effects of host-specific biological control agents: Implications for biological control

Classical biological control of weeds currently operates under the assumption that biological control agents are safe (i.e., low risk) if they do not directly attack nontarget species. However, recent studies indicate that even highly host-specific biological control agents can impact nontarget species through indirect effects. This finding has profound implications for biological control. To better understand the causes of these interactions and their implications, we evaluate recent case studies of indirect nontarget effects of biological control agents in the context of theoretical work in community ecology. We find that although particular indirect nontarget effects are extremely difficult to predict, all indirect nontarget effects of host specific biological control agents derive from the nature and strength of the interaction between the biological control agent and the pest. Additionally, recent theoretical work suggests that the degree of impact of a biological control agent on nontarget species is proportional to the agent’s abundance, which will be highest for moderately successful control agents. Therefore, the key to safeguarding against indirect nontarget effects of host-specific biological control agents is to ensure the biological control agents are not only host specific, but also efficacious. Biological control agents that greatly reduce their target species while remaining host-specific will reduce their own populations through density-dependent feedbacks that minimize risks to nontarget species.     

Supplemental risk evaluations and status of Puccinia carduorum for biological control of musk thistle

Tests of seven rare and endangered native North American Cirsium species and four modern artichoke lines were requested in response to a proposal for introduction of Puccinia carduorum into the United States for biological control of musk thistle (Carduus nutans ssp. leiophyllus). These tests were supplemental to an earlier extensive host-range study that established P. carduorum from musk thistle as host specific, useful for biological control, and suitable for limited field tests in Virginia. Test plants in the current study were evaluated in support of a proposal to use the rust in the western United States, and particularly, in California. None of the test plants in this study had been evaluated in previous assessments and all were either rare, endangered or threatened in California. Tests were conducted in both field and greenhouse settings. Field tests were run for two seasons, and test plants were inoculated by natural spread of the pathogen from source plants inside rings of test plants. Greenhouse tests involved direct inoculation under optimal conditions of dew and temperature (18–20 °C, 16 h) for infection. None of the seven Cirsium species or subspecies tested became infected by P. carduorum, either in field or greenhouse tests, compared to infection of 98% of the individual musk thistle plants (n = 102) from all the studies. Modern artichoke cultivars were tested only by direct inoculation under optimal greenhouse conditions. All artichoke plants (n = 115) either were immune (no macroscopic symptoms, n = 69) or at most, resistant (n = 46); pustules on all but two of the resistant plants were very small (0.30 mm diam). Despite infections on artichokes, P. carduorum could not be maintained on artichokes under optimal greenhouse conditions. These results confirm earlier findings from host-range tests and risk assessments of P. carduorum. This information suggests that rare, threatened, or endangered Cirsium spp. and modern artichoke cultivars are not likely to be adversely affected by the use of P. carduorum for biological control of musk thistle. These data have been reviewed by grower groups and regulatory agencies in a proposal for permission to use the rust for musk thistle control throughout the United States.     

扩增片断长度多态性(AFLP)荧光标记和银染技术的比较分析

实验采用AFLP的荧光标记分析技术和常规的AFLP银染技术,对施用农药和未施用农药的狼蛛基因多态性进行分析.用4对引物扩增和银染法共检测出32条带,荧光标记技术共检测出223条带.荧光技术比银染方法在每个位点上多检测到24条带,检测效果更为理想,更适于进行遗传多样性分析和研究;对两种方法的费用和工作效率做了初步分析,AFLP荧光标记技术的检测效率是银染法的690倍,同时对AFLP荧光标记技术中低成本、高通量多重PCR体系的建立及Genescan软件数据分析中出现的一些具体问题进行了探讨.     

蜘蛛丝蛋白研究进展

由于蜘蛛丝蛋白分子高度重复的一级结构、特殊的溶解特性和分子折叠行为以及具有形成非凡力学特性丝纤维的能力而引人注目。本文从蛛丝蛋白基因、天然蛛丝形成过程、蛛丝蛋白的基因工程生产及蛛丝蛋白的应用前景等几个方面着重介绍了近20年来对蛛丝蛋白的研究进展。围绕蛛丝蛋白展开的研究将有助于揭示蛋白质一级结构、蛋白质分子折叠与蛋白质大分子特性之间的内在联系。     

Host suitability and preference studies of Trichogramma cordubensis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Studies of host suitability and preferences of Trichogramma cordubensis Vargas and Cabello (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) were performed with eggs of six Lepidoptera (Noctuidae) species: Thysanoplusia orichalcea Fabricius, Peridroma saucia (Hübner), Xestia c-nigrum L., Phlogophora meticulosa (L.), Noctua pronuba (L.), and N. atlantica (Warren). Host suitability was studied by analysing separately the effects of the attacked host species and the influence of the rearing host species on different biological parameters of T. cordubensis. Host preference was analysed by offering eggs of two host species simultaneously to a single female wasp without previous oviposition experience (dual-choice tests). Results show that P. saucia, followed by P. meticulosa were the least suitable hosts for T. cordubensis, since on these species the preimaginal development of the parasitoids was significantly longer and, the number of parasitized eggs as well the number of offspring per female were significantly lower. Contrarily, T. cordubensis parasitized at a higher rate the eggs of the endemic non-target species, N. atlantica. Dual choice tests showed that the option of the first host to be accepted by the wasp was random; however, the mean number of parasitized eggs differed significantly when two host species were offered simultaneously to T. cordubensis, always being the host species with heavier eggs the most parasitized.     

Horizontal transmission of a microsporidium from the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), to three coccinellid species of Nova Scotia

Convergent lady beetles, Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville, are a popular choice for aphid control in North America. An unidentified microsporidium was found in H. convergens adults that were purchased from a commercial insectary in 2004. This study examined egg cannibalism and egg predation as a means of horizontal transmission of the unidentified microsporidium among H. convergens larvae and three coccinellid species found in Nova Scotia: Coccinella septempunctata (seven-spotted lady beetle), C. trifasciata perplexa (three-banded lady beetle), and Harmonia axyridis (multicolored Asian lady beetle). The microsporidium was transmitted with 100% efficiency when first instars fed on microsporidia-infected eggs. Mean spore count data from smear preparations of infected beetles suggest that the infection was as heavy in C. trifasciata perplexa (a native coccinellid) (11.2 ± 0.96 spores/100 μm²) as it was in H. convergens (the natural host) (12.8 ± 1.16) but lighter in the introduced species C. septempunctata (7.5 ± 0.65) and H. axyridis (0.8 ± 0.11). For all of the beetle species examined, larval development was significantly longer for microsporidia-infected individuals than for their uninfected cohorts. The microsporidium had no effect on larval mortality. Based on the results of this study, field-collected H. convergens should be examined for microsporidia and uninfected individuals should be used to rear individuals for release in biological control programs. However, this is unlikely to happen because H. convergens are relatively easy and inexpensive to collect from their overwintering sites for redistribution.     

Effects of blood-feeding on olfactory sensitivity of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae: Application of mixed linear models to account for repeated measurements

Olfaction plays an important role in the host-seeking behavior of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. After a complete blood meal, female mosquitoes will not engage in host-seeking behavior until oviposition has occurred. We investigated if peripheral olfactory sensitivity changed after a blood meal by recording electroantennograms (EAGs) of female mosquitoes at three time points (2 h, 48 h and 72 h) to 15 volatile kairomones of either human origin or documented to emanate from oviposition sites. The EAG-sensitivity was compared with that of females of similar age post eclosion. As is common practice in electrophysiological studies, the EAG recordings were obtained by repeated stimulation of the same antennal preparations. We introduce mixed linear modeling as an improved statistical analysis for electrophysiological data. Two hours after blood ingestion, olfactory sensitivity as quantified through EAG-recording increased significantly and selectively, i.e. for seven compounds, compared to unfed females of the same age. Such short-term electrophysiological sensitization in the olfactory system as a result of feeding has not been documented before for insects. Sensitization to six compounds persisted until 48 h or 72 h post-blood meal at one or more concentrations. Desensitization was observed at 48 and 72 h pbm in response to two and three kairomones, respectively. For several compounds, sensitization at the EAG-level corresponded with sensitization found previously in single sensillum studies on olfactory neurons in antennal sensilla trichodea of An. gambiae females. These effects are likely to reflect sensitization to oviposition cues, as eggs have matured 48–72 h pbm. Knowledge of changes in olfactory sensitivity to kairomones can be applied to increase trap catches of malaria mosquitoes that have taken a blood meal and need to locate oviposition sites.     

Negative Regulation of Interferon-induced Transmembrane Protein 3 by SET7-mediated Lysine Monomethylation

Although lysine methylation is classically known to regulate histone function, its role in modulating antiviral restriction factor activity remains uncharacterized. Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) was found monomethylated on its lysine 88 residue (IFITM3-K88me1) to reduce its antiviral activity, mediated by the lysine methyltransferase SET7. Vesicular stomatitis virus and influenza A virus infection increased IFITM3-K88me1 levels by promoting the interaction between IFITM3 and SET7, suggesting that this pathway could be hijacked to support infection; conversely, IFN-α reduced IFITM3-K88me1 levels. These findings may have important implications in the design of therapeutics targeting protein methylation against infectious diseases.     

云南苍山火烧迹地不同恢复期地表蜘蛛群落多样性

为了解云南苍山针阔混交林火烧迹地恢复过程地表蜘蛛群落多样性变化,于2009年1月份-2009年12月份,运用陷阱法,以“空间序列代替时间序列”,调查了苍山森林火干扰后不同恢复期样地(火干扰后2、10、18、23、33a和对照样地)地表蜘蛛多样性.研究结果表明,(1)物种组成及相对多度:不同恢复期随着恢复时间的增加优势类群更替趋势明显;(2)多样性:恢复1Oa样地地表蜘蛛群落多度显著大于其他恢复期(P＜0.05),而不同恢复期地表蜘蛛物种多样性却没有显著差异;(3)群落相似性:PCoA相似性分析将地表蜘蛛群落发展过程划分为火烧后2a、火烧后10a和火烧后18-33a 3个阶段;(4)指示物种:西菱头蛛Sibianor sp.1等是阶段1的指示物种,格氏狼蛛Lycosa grahami等是阶段2的指示物种,花蟹蛛Xysticus sp.2等是阶段3的指示物种,弱蛛Leptoneta sp.1等是对照的指示物种.火干扰改变了苍山针阔混交林原有的地表蜘蛛群落多样性;指示物种对生境的选择能够反映出不同恢复阶段地表环境变化;5个不同恢复时期火烧迹地中恢复最久的火烧迹地地表蜘蛛群落仍没有完成恢复,说明云南苍山火迹地地表蜘蛛的恢复需要30a以上.