The perfect invader: a parthenogenic crayfish poses a new threat to Madagascar’s freshwater biodiversity

In 2007 an unusual crayfish found in food markets in the capital of Madagascar was preliminarily identified as Procambarus ‘Marmorkrebs’: a new world taxa and the only decapod known to reproduce by parthenogenesis. We present information on the identity, distribution and ecology of this recent invader and attempt to evaluate the threat it poses to Madagascar’s biodiversity and to livelihoods. The species appears to be currently limited to the area close to Antananarivo, but is being sold alive on major transport routes. We present molecular evidence of its taxonomic relationships and confirm that the Procambarus present in Madagascar is indeed the parthenogenic taxa. We investigate its reproductive ecology and find Procambarus ‘Marmorkrebs’ to have an extremely high fecundity; more than six times that of the native crayfish Astacoides. The limited evidence we have suggests that this species poses a serious threat to freshwater biodiversity and that it is likely to damage human livelihoods (through its impact on fishing and possibly rice agriculture). More research is urgently needed but in the meantime action is needed to reduce the rate of spread before it is too late.     

蜜蜂残翅病研究进展

蜜蜂残翅病病毒(Deformed Wing Virus, DWV)是蜜蜂残翅病的病原体,能够侵染各个发育阶段的蜜蜂,严重时导致蜂蛹发育缓慢,成蜂翅膀畸形、体型萎缩、行动乏力,蜂群早衰;不严重的隐形感染也会缩短蜜蜂寿命。DWV借助于狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor在全球广泛传播,并产生DWV-B和DWV-C等变异体,它们的共同作用促使蜂群群势急剧衰弱,是导致"越冬蜂群的消失(OCL)"和"蜂群崩溃失调症(CCD)"的主要病因之一,给养蜂业造成巨大损失,而目前尚没有特异性的有效治疗药物。DWV的自身特征、与狄斯瓦螨的关系、以及单独或者和狄斯瓦螨共同作用对蜜蜂的影响等研究都是开发防治技术方法的基础,本文从生物学、流行学、病理学和防治技术等方面对残翅病病毒的最新研究成果进行了综述。     

Zika virus: a new threat from mosquitoes

正In the winter of 2015,the first dengue vaccine(Dengvaxia)was approved for clinical use.Dengue virus is the most prevalent mosquito-transmitted viral pathogen in humans(Qin and Shi,2014).Even though the approved Dengvaxia has its weaknesses(e.g.,low protection against serotype-2virus),it has been recently licensed to Mexico,Philippines,     

Negative correlation between Nosema ceranae spore loads and deformed wing virus infection levels in adult honey bee workers

Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. Here we investigated if there is an association between the microsporidian Nosema ceranae and the deformed wing virus (DWV) in different body sections of individual honey bee workers (Apis mellifera ligustica) under exclusion of the vector Varroa destructor. Our data provide correlational evidence for antagonistic interactions between the two pathogens in the midgut of the bees.     

New evidence that deformed wing virus and black queen cell virus are multi-host pathogens

The host-range breadth of pathogens can have important consequences for pathogens' long term evolution and virulence, and play critical roles in the emergence and spread of the new diseases. Black queen cell virus (BQCV) and Deformed wing virus (DWV) are the two most common and prevalent viruses in European honey bees, Apis mellifera. Here we provide the evidence that BQCV and DWV infect wild species of honey bees, Apis florea and Apis dorsata. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that these viruses might have moved from A. mellifera to wild bee species and that genetic relatedness as well as the geographical proximity of host species likely play an important role in host range of the viruses. The information obtained from this present study can have important implication for understanding the population structure of bee virus as well as host-virus interactions.     

应用等温环介导扩增方法检测蜜蜂残翅病毒的研究

本文的目的在于建立用于临床检测残翅病病毒(Deformed wing virus,DWV)的等温环介导扩增技术(Loopmediated isothermal amplification,LAMP),为该疾病的预防和控制提供理论依据。在DWV基因保守序列设计4条引物,探究LAMP扩增的最优条件,并与常规的PCR(polymerase chain reaction)检测方法进行比较。建立的LAMP方法检测下限为0.89 pg,灵敏度比PCR高100倍而且特异性好。临床检测显示建立的LAMP方法可行、准确、方便、灵敏。针对DWV的LAMP建立的检测方法为养蜂生产第一线检测和预防DWV提供了技术支持,有一定的应用价值。     

蜜蜂残翅病毒在中华蜜蜂及其蜂箱奇露尾甲的发生与进化分析

蜜蜂残翅病毒(Deformed wing virus,DWV)广泛存在于我国规模化养殖的蜂群中,具有明显的季节流行特征.近年来,DWV不断向野生授粉昆虫及其它昆虫传播,包括蜜蜂新的寄生性病害蜂箱奇露尾甲Aethina tumida.前期本实验室已鉴定来源于中华蜜蜂Apis cerana与意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera的蜂箱奇露尾甲均感染了蜜蜂病毒,但未调查来源于同一群的蜜蜂与蜂箱奇露尾甲是否感染了同一病毒,且在进化上有无差异.本研究调查了来源于同一群的中蜂及蜂箱奇露尾甲感染病毒情况,发现只感染了蜜蜂残翅病毒A型(DWV-A),未发现其它病毒.对DWV-A的3个片段进化分析表明,虽然DWV-A同时感染了中华蜜蜂和蜂箱奇露尾甲,但是VP3基因在不同的寄主中呈现明显不同的亲缘关系.这一结果为蜜蜂残翅病毒在蜜蜂及寄生病害中的进化提供了数据,为进一步研究病毒在不同寄主间的传播与进化奠定了基础.     

Detection of deformed wing virus in the greenhouse for possible horizontal transmission of virus in honey bee colony

The honey bee Apis mellifera L. is a crucial insect in the agricultural industry and natural ecosystem by being a major pollinator. Nevertheless, honey bee population has been recently facing a decline. Among the several factors responsible for this decline, deformed wing virus (DWV) is considered a primary cause that negatively affects honey bee health. DWV is a cosmopolitan honey bee pathogen and causes morphological disadvantages in individual honey bees and colony collapse. Regarding the horizontal transmission of DWV, in addition to Varroa destructor, a well-known major vector of DWV, flowers have recently been implied as a transmission route. Therefore, in this study, we detected DWV from various substances, including flowers, honey bee feces, pupa, larva, nurse bee, surface of nurse bee, pollen collected by forager bee, and forager bee samples in four strawberry greenhouses, which could suggest the potential for the horizontal transmission of DWV in the semi-field condition. We also detected DWV in pollen collected by DWV-negative forager bees, implying that flowers can serve as a potential source of virus infection. These findings suggest that the surrounding environment such as shared floral sources affects the spread of DWV.     

Molecular and biological characterization of deformed wing virus of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)

Deformed wing virus (DWV) of honeybees (Apis mellifera) is closely associated with characteristic wing deformities, abdominal bloating, paralysis, and rapid mortality of emerging adult bees. The virus was purified from diseased insects, and its genome was cloned and sequenced. The genomic RNA of DWV is 10,140 nucleotides in length and contains a single large open reading frame encoding a 328-kDa polyprotein. The coding sequence is flanked by a 1,144-nucleotide 5' nontranslated leader sequence and a 317-nucleotide 3' nontranslated region, followed by a poly(A) tail. The three major structural proteins, VP1 (44 kDa), VP2 (32 kDa), and VP3 (28 kDa), were identified, and their genes were mapped to the N-terminal section of the polyprotein. The C-terminal part of the polyprotein contains sequence motifs typical of well-characterized picornavirus nonstructural proteins: an RNA helicase, a chymotrypsin-like 3C protease, and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The genome organization, capsid morphology, and sequence comparison data indicate that DWV is a member of the recently established genus Iflavirus.     

Monkeypox virus: a re-emergent threat to humans

Human monkeypox (MPX) is a rare zoonotic infection characterized by smallpox-like signs and symptoms. It is caused by monkeypox virus (MPXV), a double stranded DNA virus belonging to the genus Orthopoxvirus. MPX was first identified in 1970 and mostly prevailed in the rural rainforests of Central and West Africa in the past. Outside Africa, MPX was reported in the United Kingdom, the USA, Israel, and Singapore. In 2022, the resurgence of MPX in Europe and elsewhere posed a potential threat to humans. MPXV was transmitted by the animals-human or human-human pathway, and the symptoms of MPXV infection are similar to that of smallpox, but in a milder form and with lower mortality (1%–10%). Although the smallpox vaccination has been shown to provide 85% protection against MPXV infection, and two anti-smallpox virus drugs have been approved to treat MPXV, there are still no specific vaccines and drugs against MPXV infection. Therefore it is urgent to take active measures including the adoption of novel anti-MPXV strategies to control the spread of MPXV and prevent MPX epidemic. In this review, we summarize the biological features, epidemiology, pathogenicity, laboratory diagnosis, and prevention and treatment strategies on MPXV. This review provides the basic knowledge for prevention and control of future outbreaks of this emerging infection.     

Venereal and vertical transmission of deformed wing virus in honeybees (Apis mellifera L.)

Deformed wing virus (DWV) infected semen was used for artificial insemination of DWV-free virgin queens. High titres of DWV could subsequently be detected not only in the spermatheca, but also in the ovaries, demonstrating venereal transmission of DWV in honey bees. Subsequent vertical transmission of the virus to the progeny of DWV infected queens was also demonstrated. Neither transmission route is 100% effective. Whether venereal transmission of DWV occurs during natural mating remains to be determined. The implications for the use, sale and transport of semen samples for artificial insemination are discussed.     

Cross-species conservation of SEL1L,a human pancreas-specific expressing gene

SEL1L is a recently cloned and organ-specific expressing human gene whose function is still at an embryonic stage but displays several interesting characteristics, among which a remarkable cross-species conservation. During evolution, the gene structural complexity increased, suggesting a diversification of its function; however, several amino acid motifs remain perfectly conserved from the bacteria to the human protein. SEL1L is the human ortholog of the C. elegans gene sel-1; the latter is implicated in the negative regulation of LIN-12/GLP-1/Notch receptor proteins. These receptor proteins play fundamental roles in signal transduction pathways and are key players in cell fate determination during the development of various organs. Studies in model organisms, such as C. elegans, helped to illuminate fundamental mechanisms involved in normal cellular functions and human diseases. This paper describes the conserved nature of SEL1L across a wide range of species suggesting, that the encoded protein most likely exerts a very important biological function; it may belong to a subclass of genes considered to be "essential."     

Orthoptera, a new order of pollinator

Background and Aims

Pollinator-mediated selection and evolution of floral traits have long fascinated evolutionary ecologists. No other plant family shows as wide a range of pollinator-linked floral forms as Orchidaceae. In spite of the large size of this model family and a long history of orchid pollination biology, the identity and specificity of most orchid pollinators remains inadequately studied, especially in the tropics where the family has undergone extensive diversification. Angraecum (Vandeae, Epidendroideae), a large genus of tropical Old World orchids renowned for their floral morphology specialized for hawkmoth pollination, has been a model system since the time of Darwin.

Methods

The pollination biology of A. cadetii, an endemic species of the islands of Mauritius and Reunion (Mascarene Islands, Indian Ocean) displaying atypical flowers for the genus (white and medium-size, but short-spurred) was investigated. Natural pollinators were observed by means of hard-disk camcorders. Pollinator-linked floral traits, namely spur length, nectar volume and concentration and scent production were also investigated. Pollinator efficiency (pollen removal and deposition) and reproductive success (fruit set) were quantified in natural field conditions weekly during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 flowering seasons (January to March).

Key Results

Angraecum cadetii is self-compatible but requires a pollinator to achieve fruit set. Only one pollinator species was observed, an undescribed species of raspy cricket (Gryllacrididae, Orthoptera). These crickets, which are nocturnal foragers, reached flowers by climbing up leaves of the orchid or jumping across from neighbouring plants and probed the most ‘fresh-looking’ flowers on each plant. Visits to flowers were relatively long (if compared with the behaviour of birds or hawkmoths), averaging 16·5 s with a maximum of 41·0 s. At the study site of La Plaine des Palmistes (Pandanus forest), 46·5 % of flowers had pollen removed and 27·5 % had pollinia deposited on stigmas. The proportion of flowers that set fruit ranged from 11·9 % to 43·4 %, depending of the sites sampled across the island.

Conclusions

Although orthopterans are well known for herbivory, this represents the first clearly supported case of orthopteran-mediated pollination in flowering plants.