Phenotypic plasticity and nutrition in a phytophagous insect: consequences of colonizing a new host

The European rose-hip fruit fly Rhagoletis alternata (Diptera, Tephritidae) infests hips of Rosa species. This fly includes R. rugosa, an Asian species now cultivated all over Europe, in its host range. Differences in size and biomass of hips between the ancestral host R. canina and the new host translate into better growth, shorter larval development of larvae within hips of R. rugosa and larger body size and fertility of flies which developing in the new host. In turn this causes different interactions with other organisms of the food-web centred on the host plant. The importance of nutrition and phenotypic plasticity is twofold: they generate a considerable part of life-history diversity within a species and reinforce differences in the ecological context of the ancestral and new host.     

Climate change,nutrition and immunity: Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on the immune function of an insect herbivore

Balanced nutrition is fundamental to health and immunity. For herbivorous insects, nutrient-compositional shifts in host plants due to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and temperature may compromise this balance. Therefore, understanding their immune responses to such shifts is vital if we are to predict the outcomes of climate change for plant–herbivore–parasitoid and pathogen interactions. We tested the immune response of Paropsis atomaria Olivier (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feeding on Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. seedlings exposed to elevated CO₂ (640 μmol mol⁻¹; C_E) and temperature (ambient plus 4 °C; T_E). Larvae were immune-challenged with a nylon monofilament in order to simulate parasitoid or pathogen attack without other effects of actual parasitism or pathology. The cellular (in vivo melanisation) and humoral (in vitro phenoloxidase PO activity) immune responses were assessed, and linked to changes in leaf chemistry. C_E reduced foliar nitrogen (N) concentrations and increased C:N ratios and concentrations of total phenolics. The humoral response was reduced at C_E. PO activity and haemolymph protein concentrations decreased at C_E, while haemolymph protein concentrations were positively correlated with foliar N concentrations. However, the cellular response increased at C_E and this was not correlated with any foliar traits. Immune parameters were not impacted by T_E. Our study revealed that opposite cellular and humoral immune responses occurred as a result of plant-mediated effects at C_E. In contrast, elevated temperatures within the tested range had minimal impact on immune responses. These complex interactions may alter the outcomes of parasitoid and pathogen attack in future climates.     

A conserved gene cluster as a putative functional unit in insect innate immunity

The Nimrod gene superfamily is an important component of the innate immune response. The majority of its member genes are located in close proximity within the Drosophila melanogaster genome and they lie in a larger conserved cluster (“Nimrod cluster”), made up of non-related groups (families, superfamilies) of genes. This cluster has been a part of the Arthropod genomes for about 300-350 million years. The available data suggest that the Nimrod cluster is a functional module of the insect innate immune response.     

Search for effective substances against parasitic protozoa: An attempt to develop a new screening model

Abstract The effect of various substances on parasitic protozoa was tested on Eucoccidium dinophili , which is a specific parasite in archiannelidium Dinophilus gyrociliatus . Most of the tested substances were toxic for the host, and inactive against Eucoccidium . Seven of the tested substances caused a delay and two of them caused a complete inhibition of the infection.     

Cellulolytic activity in a phytophagous lepidopteran insect Philosamia ricini: The origin of the enzymes

The presence of cellulases in a phytophagous insect hitherto considered as devoid of any cellulolytic enzymes, has been reported for the first time in the phytophagous lepidopteran, the eri silkworm Philosamia ricini. Cellulose digestion in Philosamia ricini appears to occur independently of its gut flora and via enzymes synthesized by the insect itself. The failure of three wide spectrum antibiotics to induce any change in the cellulolytic activity in this insect at any stage of its development evinces the non-participation of its gut flora in cellulose digestion. Culturing the antibiotic-fed larval gut fluids in appropriate media revealed the ability of tetracycline to effect complete inactivation of all bacteria and fungi by day 4 whereas penicillin and streptomycin could achieve it only partially. The cellulolytic activity, however, in all insect groups remained unaffected. The suggests that it is the endogenous enzymes of P. ricini that catalyze cellulose hydrolysis. This has been further confirmed by long term feeding of antibiotics to the insects.     

The structure of feeding behavior in a phytophagous insect (Hylobius abietis)

Analysis of the feeding behavior of animals using such a high temporal resolution that meals can be defined may improve our understanding of the mechanisms regulating feeding. Meals can be distinguished in an ethologically meaningful manner by using the ‘meal criterion’, the shortest non‐feeding interval between feeding bouts recognized as meals. However, such a criterion has only been determined for a few insect species. Applying a recent method developed for assessing meal criteria for vertebrates, we determined the meal criterion for Hylobius abietis (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) based on data from video recordings of single individuals feeding on seedlings of Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karst. (Pinaceae). The pine weevil is an economically important pest insect, because it feeds on the stem bark of planted conifer seedlings. Weevils had 4–5 meals per day. Each meal lasted about 24 min during which about 13 mm² of bark per meal were removed. Females had longer total meal durations and longer non‐feeding intervals within meals than males. Girdling seedlings did not affect the weevils' feeding properties. The size of meals was significantly correlated with the duration of non‐feeding intervals before and after them. This study is one of few describing the feeding behavior of an insect at a temporal resolution that allows individual meals to be distinguished. With more meal‐related data from insects available, differences in meal properties may be interpreted based on phylogeny, ecology, and physiology. Our results may also assist in the setup and interpretation of studies of plant‐insect interactions, and facilitate the evaluation and development of methods to protect plants against herbivores.     

Decrease in mitochondrial energy coupling by thyroid hormones: a physiological effect rather than a pathological hyperthyroidism consequence

The effect of the in vivo thyroid status on mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) in isolated rat hepatocytes was studies by means of a cytofluorimetric technique and the ΔΨ_m-specific probe JC-1. It is shown that the ΔΨ_m level decreases in the order hypothyroid>euthyroid>hyperthyroid. Polarographic measurement of the hepatocyte respiratory rates revealed an opposite trend of values: the highest respiratory rate in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid animals, the lowest in those from hypothyroid ones. This means that mitochondrial energy coupling is highest in hypothyroid hepatocytes and lowest in hyperthyroid hepatocytes. 6-Ketocholestanol added to hepatocytes failed to counterbalance the uncoupling effect of thyroid hormones on ΔΨ_m and respiration rate. Under the same conditions, 6-ketocholestanol appeared to be effective in recoupling of respiration uncoupled by low concentrations of the artificial protonophore FCCP. The mechanism and possible physiological functions of the thyroid hormone-induced decrease in mitochondrial energy coupling are discussed.     

N-acyl-homoserine lactone-mediated quorum-sensing in Azospirillum: an exception rather than a rule

Forty Azospirillum strains were tested for their ability to synthesize N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). AHL production was detected for four strains belonging to the lipoferum species and isolated from a rice rhizosphere. AHL molecules were structurally identified for two strains: Azospirillum lipoferum TVV3 produces 3O,C(8)-HSL (N-3-oxo-octanoyl-homoserine-lactone), C(8)-HSL (N-3-octanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3O,C(10)-HSL (N-3-oxo-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3OH,C(10)-HSL (N-3-hydroxy-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone) and C(10)-HSL (N-3-decanoyl-homoserine-lactone), whereas A. lipoferum B518 produced 3O,C(6)-HSL (N-3-oxo-hexanoyl-homoserine-lactone), C(6)-HSL (N-3-hexanoyl-homoserine-lactone), 3O,C(8)-HSL, 3OH,C(8)-HSL and C(8)-HSL. Genes involved in AHL production were characterized for A. lipoferum TVV3 by generating a genomic library and complementing an AHL-deficient strain with sensor capabilities. Those genes, designated alpI and alpR, were found to belong to the luxI and luxR families, respectively. When cloned in a suitable heterologous host, alpI and alpR could direct the synthesis of the five cognate AHLs present in A. lipoferum TVV3. These two adjacent genes were found to be located on a 85 kb plasmid. Southern hybridization experiments with probes alpI/R indicated that genes involved in AHL production in the three other AHL-producing strains were not closely related to alpI and alpR. This study demonstrates that AHL-based quorum-sensing is not widespread among the genus Azospirillum and could be found only in some A. lipoferum strains.     

Susceptibility to entomopathogens and modulation of basal immunity in two insect models at different temperatures

In this work, we analysed the efficacy of different commercial bio-insecticides (Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Bacillus thuringiensis) by valuating the mortality induced on two insect models, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) and Sarcophaga africa (Diptera) after exposure to different temperatures (10, 20 and 30 °C). Moreover, we investigated the effects of temperature on the basal humoral immunity of the two target insects; particularly, phenoloxidase (PO) and lysozyme activity. Our results show that G. mellonella is susceptible to all bio-insecticides at all the examined temperatures, except when infected at 10 °C with S. carpocapsae and at 30 °C with S. feltiae and B. thuringiensis. S. africa is more susceptible at 30 °C to all bioinsecticides; whereas, when infected at 10 and 20 °C, H. bacteriophora is the most efficient. Temperature modulates PO activity of both G. mellonella and S. africa, otherwise variations in lysozyme activity is observed only in G. mellonella. Except for a possible correlation between the increased lysozyme activity and the delayed Bt efficacy recorded on G. mellonella at 30 °C, a different resistance to bio-insecticides at different temperatures does not seem to be associated to variations of the host basal immunity, probably due to immunoevasive and immunodepressive strategies of these entomopathogens.     

Intraspecific competition as a selective pressure on the choice of oviposition site in a phytophagous insect

Our aim was to clarify the factors providing selective pressures on the choice of oviposition sites in phytophagous insects. To this end, we examined the spatial distribution of eggs of the sawfly leaf miner, Profenusa japonica . The study was conducted over five consecutive years on three subpopulations found in riverbeds in central Japan. Profenusa japonica lays eggs on leaflets of Rosa multiflora , and its larvae mine a single leaflet for the entire larval stage. The egg distribution among leaflets was uniform (regular) at all sites examined in each year. The distribution within leaflets was also uniform, and it appeared that females avoided ovipositing on areas of the leaf that already contained eggs. Few parasitoids were found in eggs or larval stages, despite intensive examination. Larval mortality increased, mainly as a result of exploitative competition, when there were two or three larvae per leaflet. Starvation caused by resource competition for leaflet tissues was an important mortality factor. Therefore, we suggest that P. japonica females avoided ovipositing on areas of the leaflet that already contained eggs to prevent exploitative competition among larvae sharing the same leaflet.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 641–650.     

A positive effect of flowers rather than eye images in a large-scale, cross-cultural dictator game

People often consider how their behaviour will be viewed by others, and may cooperate to avoid gaining a bad reputation. Sensitivity to reputation may be elicited by subtle social cues of being watched: previous studies have shown that people behave more cooperatively when they see images of eyes rather than control images. Here, we tested whether eye images enhance cooperation in a dictator game, using the online labour market Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). In contrast to our predictions and the results of most previous studies, dictators gave away more money when they saw images of flowers rather than eye images. Donations in response to eye images were not significantly different to donations under control treatments. Dictator donations varied significantly across cultures but there was no systematic variation in responses to different image types across cultures. Unlike most previous studies, players interacting via AMT may feel truly anonymous when making decisions and, as such, may not respond to subtle social cues of being watched. Nevertheless, dictators gave away similar amounts as in previous studies, so anonymity did not erase helpfulness. We suggest that eye images might only promote cooperative behaviour in relatively public settings and that people may ignore these cues when they know their behaviour is truly anonymous.     

The relative abundance of hemocyte types in a polyphagous moth larva depends on diet

Hemocytes are crucial cells of the insect immune system because of their involvement in multiple immune responses including coagulation, phagocytosis and encapsulation. There are various types of hemocytes, each having a particular role in immunity, such that variation in their relative abundance affects the outcome of the immune response. This study aims to characterize these various types of hemocytes in larvae of the grapevine pest insect Eupoecilia ambiguella, and to assess variation in their concentration as a function of larval diet and immune challenge. Four types of hemocytes were found in the hemolymph of 5th instar larvae: granulocytes, oenocytoids, plasmatocytes and spherulocytes. We found that the total concentration of hemocytes and the concentration of each hemocyte type varied among diets and in response to the immune challenge. Irrespective of the diet, the concentration of granulocytes increased following a bacterial immune challenge, while the concentration of plasmatocytes and spherulocytes differentially varied between larval diets. The concentration of oenocytoids did not vary among diets before the immune challenge but varied between larval diets in response to the challenge. These results suggest that the resistance of insect larvae to different natural enemies critically depends on the effect of larval diet on the larvae’s investment into the different types of hemocytes.     

Ecotope effect in Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) suggests phenotypic plasticity rather than adaptation

Triatoma brasiliensis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is an important vector of Chagas' disease in both sylvatic and peridomestic ecotopes. Discriminating between these populations of Triatominae has been proposed as a means of investigating re‐infestation rates of human dwellings. Geometric morphometrics have been widely applied in the study of Triatominae polymorphisms at species and population levels. This study characterizes morphometric differences between sylvatic and peridomestic populations, as well as between sexes in T. brasiliensis specimens from Jaguaruana, Ceará, in northeastern Brazil. No differences in either the shape or size of the cephalic capsule were apparent between sexes or ecotopes. However, the wings showed differentiation in shape and size. Sexual dimorphism was detected, with females presenting significantly higher values and conformations. Size differentiation was also evident, with sylvatic specimens being generally larger than peridomestic examples. These results indicate that differences in the wings of T. brasiliensis may be related to the existence of phenotypic plasticity, and variations in size and shape may be associated with different ecotopes, possibly as a result of conditions in each micro‐habitat, such as temperature, relative humidity, food supply and density.     

From QTL to QTN identification in livestock--winning by points rather than knock-out: a review

Many quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting economic traits in livestock have now been identified. However, the confidence interval (CI) of individual QTL as determined by linkage analysis often spans tens of map units, containing hundreds of genes. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping can reduce the CI to individual map units, but this reduced interval will still contain tens of genes. Methods suitable for model animals to find and validate specific quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN) underlying the QTL cannot be easily applied to livestock species because of their long generation intervals, the cost of maintaining each animal and the difficulty of producing transgenics or 'knock-outs'. Considering these limitations, we review successful approaches for identifying QTN in livestock and outline a schematic strategy for QTN determination and verification. In addition to linkage and LD mapping, the methods include positional cloning, selection of candidate genes, DNA sequencing and statistical analyses. Concordance determination and functional assays are the critical tests for validation of a QTN; we provide a generalized formula for the probability of concordance by chance. Three genes that meet the burden of proof for QTN identification--DGAT1 in cattle, IGF2 in swine and GDF8 in sheep--are discussed in detail. The genetic and economic ramifications of identified QTN and the horizon for selection and introgression are also considered.     

The effect of aging on cellular immunity against cancer in SR/CR mice

SR/CR mice are capable of mounting a highly effective response of leukocytes to large doses of lethal transplantable mouse cancer cells. This response is conferred by a dominant, germline-transmissible mutation independent of sex chromosomes. The resistance can be extended to a broad array of mouse and human cancer cells without harming normal cells. The effector cells are primarily composed of the leukocytes from the innate immune system including macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells. The mice are cancer-free and healthy without detectable abnormality or shortened life span. However, the immune response mechanism of these SR/CR mice is dramatically modulated by the aging process. In this article, we summarize the lessons learned from these mice and discuss possible implications of these findings in our understanding of the effects of aging on the immunity against cancer.     

The population dynamics of Cheilosia fasciata (Diptera,Syrphidae): significance of environmental factors and behavioural adaptations in a phytophagous insect

Summary A population of Cheilosia fasciata Schin. & Egg., 1853 was studied in a beech forest (Melico-Fagetum allietosum) near Göttingen (FRG). This syrphid species is closely associated with ramson (Allium ursinum L.), as the larvae mine the plant's leaves. Adult abundance was determined using emergence traps (1981–1986); egg and larval abundance was determined by examining ramson leaves: puparia were extracted from soil samples (1984 and 1986). Cheilosia fasciata is a univoltine species; the imagines emerge in late April/early May. Larval development took five (1986) to six (1984) weeks. In late June/early July the larvae enter the soil for pupariation. A linear relationship was found between the area of the mines and larval biomass (dry wt.). It was concluded that one larva had to mine 51.90 cm² of leaf area in order to gain the mean maximum dry weight (11.15 mg). Furthermore, it was shown that ovipositing females, laying just one egg per leaf, tended to select large leaves providing this minimum amount of food. It is hypothesized that females probably follow straight-lined routes on their oviposition flights, rather than ovipositing on leaves chosen at random. By applying such a strategy, females can almost completely avoid competition for food among their own offspring. Furthermore, competition among the progeny of the whole population is also reduced, particularly in years when adult abundance is very low. The significance of certain factors influencing the population dynamics of Cheilosia fasciata was evaluated by applying a rank correlation analysis. It was shown that high precipitation rates in April reduced the time available for mating and oviposition resulting in low emergence abundance in the next spring. Larval survivorship was enhanced by high precipitation rates in May and June, indicating that drought may be unfavourable to larvae and reduce food availability. Predation by a parasitoid Phygadeuon ursini Horstmann, 1986 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), appears to be just an imperfect (Milne 1984) density-dependent control mechanism; in fact, it was shown that food limitation is the only significant mechanism of density-dependent population control.     

香菇酶解物对小鼠免疫及肠道菌群的影响研究

【目的】研究香菇酶解物对小鼠免疫及肠道菌群的影响。【方法】首先采用环磷酰胺(CY)造模法制作小鼠免疫抑制模型,然后对其中两组分别灌胃香菇未酶解物和香菇酶解物,最后观察疗效、测定免疫指标和试验小鼠肠道中细菌总数、大肠杆菌数、乳酸菌数和真菌总数等。【结果】香菇酶解物可使受免疫抑制的小鼠(活跃度、粪便、毛皮、体重)恢复到正常水平,促进免疫器官脾脏及胸腺的发育(P<0.05),增强腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬活性(P<0.01)。同时提高小鼠肠道中以乳酸菌为主的有益菌数量(P<0.01),抑制大肠杆菌等致病菌的生长(P<0.01)。【结论】香菇酶解物可以提高小鼠的免疫功能,改善肠道菌群环境,对肠道功能有一定的调节作用,有较高的食用和药用价值。     

The sodium/hydrogen exchanger: a possible mediator of immunity

Immune cells such as macrophages and neutrophils provide the first line of defence of the immune system using phagocytosis, cytokine and chemokine synthesis and release, as well as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation. Many of these functions are positively coupled with cytoplasmic pH (pHi) and/or phagosomal pH (pHp) modification; an increase in pHi represents an important signal for cytokine and chemokine release, whereas a decrease in pHp can induce an efficient antigen presentation. However, the relationship between pHi and ROS generation is not well understood. In immune cells two main transport systems have been shown to regulate pHi: the Na+/H+ Exchanger (NHE) and the plasmalemmal V-type H+ ATPase. NHE is a family of proteins which exchange Na+ for H+ according to their concentration gradients in an electroneutral manner. The exchanger also plays a key role in several other cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and cytoskeletal organization. Since not much is known on the relationship between NHE and immunity, this review outlines the contribution of NHE to different aspects of innate and adaptive immune responses such as phagosomal acidification, NADPH oxidase activation and ROS generation, cytokine and chemokine release as well as T cell apoptosis. The possibility that several pro-inflammatory diseases may be modulated by NHE activity is evaluated.     

The role of TNF in parasitic diseases: Still more questions than answers

The inhibition of TNF with therapeutic monoclonal antibodies or antibody/receptor fusion proteins in rheumatoid arthritis still constitutes the benchmark for a successful intervention in an ongoing auto-immune-inflammatory disease and underlines the importance of this cytokine. TNF plays a central role in the defence against intracellular infections and is responsible for the promotion of different aspects of the innate immune response such as inflammatory cell recruitment and cell differentiation. While this cytokine generally displays pro-inflammatory activities supporting the early stages of the inflammatory response, it has been demonstrated to be especially important during infection with intracellular pathogens and, consequently, leishmaniasis of TNF^−/− mice ends fatally. However, the specific activities of TNF that confer protection are not yet fully understood. This review will summarize the current understanding of TNF function and signalling, and will discuss recent work in the models of malaria, toxoplasmosis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis with particular emphasis on work with gene-deficient mouse models.