Dispersal, vaccination and regression of immune defence organs

The thymus in vertebrates and the bursa of Fabricius in birds regress before reproduction, while the immunological information of these organs is maintained as cell memory. Regression at a certain age presupposes that individuals have achieved exposure to a large fraction of parasites in the environment. Here we present a new scenario for regression of immune defence organs, based on optimality reasoning. This scenario links early involution of immune defence organs with (1) effects of exposure to parasites on adaptive immune responses to these parasites, (2) exposure to local parasite communities during natal dispersal and migration as a means of "vaccination" against local parasites, and (3) the function of visits to future breeding sites by juveniles as a means of exposure to local parasites. This scenario provides explanations for why natal dispersal is longer than breeding dispersal, for sex differences in dispersal, and for why the bursa of Fabricius regresses relatively early in life among bird species with delayed start of reproduction.     

Orientation of the Cigarette Beetle, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lasioderma serricorne</Emphasis> (F.) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) to Plant-Derived Volatiles

Experiments were conducted to study the orientation of adult cigarette beetles,Lasioderma serricorne (F.), to plant volatiles in a walking bioassay. Seven out of sixteen test materials that displayed attractive responses were further studied for (1) responses to whole extracts from three types of solvents and (2) the effects of sex and mating status of L. serricorne on responses to plant volatiles. Bioassays with extracts revealed that responses of L. serricorne varied among the type of solvent extract. Volatiles from different Capsicum products attracted significantly more adult beetles than did volatiles from other materials. When virgin males, virgin females and mated females were bioassayed, mated females responded significantly more than the other groups to plant volatiles. Semiochemical-based pest management methods may be developed for L. serricorne with plant volatile-based attractants that may be identified and used alone or combined with a synthetic sex pheromone to manipulate beetle behavior. Mention of product or trade name in this paper does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for its use by Oklahoma State University     

Nocturnal migration of dragonflies over the Bohai Sea in northern China

Abstract.  1. A sudden increase and subsequent sharp decrease of catches of dragonflies in a searchlight trap, with Pantala flavescens Fabricius (Odonata: Libellulidae) predominating, observed at Beihuang Island in the centre of the Bohai Gulf, in 2003 and 2004, indicated a seasonal migration of these insects over the sea during the night in China. The movements were associated with the onset of fog.
2. Simultaneous radar observations indicated that the nocturnally migrating dragonflies generally flew at altitudes of up to 1000 m above sea level, with high density concentrations at about 200–300 or 500 m; these concentrations were coincident with the temperature inversion.
3. During early summer, the dragonflies oriented in a downwind direction, so that the displacement direction varied between different altitudes. In contrast, during late summer, the dragonflies were able to compensate for wind drift, even headwind drift, so as to orient south-westward no matter how the wind changed, and thus the displacement direction was towards the south-west.
4. The duration of flight, estimated from the variation of area density derived from radar data and hourly catches in the searchlight trap through the night, was about 9–10 h. The displacement speed detected using radar was ≈5–11 m s⁻¹. Therefore, the dragonflies might migrate 150–400 km in a single flight.
5. The dragonflies were thought to originate in Jiangsu province and they migrated into north-east China to exploit the temporary environment of paddy fields in early summer. Their offspring probably migrated back south during late summer and autumn.     

Proteome dynamics in primary target organ of infectious bursal disease virus

Viruses induce dramatic changes in target tissue during pathogenesis, including host cellular responses that either limit or support the pathogen. The infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) targets primarily the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of chickens, causing severe immunodeficiency. Here, we characterized the cellular proteome changes of the BF caused by IBDV replication in vivo using 2DE followed MALDI-TOF MS identification. Comparative analysis of multiple 2DE gels revealed that the majority of protein expression changes appeared between 24 and 96 h after IBDV infection. MS identified 54 altered cell proteins, 12 of which were notably upregulated by IBDV infection. Meanwhile, the other 42 cellular proteins were considerably suppressed by IBDV infection and are involved in protein degradation, energy metabolism, stress response, host macromolecular biosynthesis, and transport process. The upregulation of β-actin and downregulation of dynamin during IBDV infection were also confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. These altered protein expressions provide a response profile of chicken BF to virulent IBDV infection. Further functional study on these altered proteins may lead to better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms of virulent IBDV infection and to new potential therapeutic targets.     

黄曲条跳甲成虫挥发物成分及其活性研究

应用固相微萃取方法分别收集黄曲条跳甲Phyllotreta striolata Fabricius雌雄成虫的虫体挥发物,用GC-MS(气相色谱-质谱)技术对挥发物进行分析和比较。结果显示,雌虫和雄虫挥发性化学物质含有烷烃类、烯烃类、醇类,主要组分以烷烃类和烯烃类物质为主,其中两者共同含有且含量较大的为2-异丙基-5-甲基-1-庚醇和2,4-二甲基-1-癸烯。雌、雄成虫释放的挥发性物质种类差异较大,有12种仅存在于雌虫中,25种仅存在于雄虫中。同时,两者都释放的挥发物含量差异也比较明显。选取了雄虫挥发物中特有的化合物异胡薄荷醇和壬醛,应用四臂嗅觉仪测定黄曲条跳甲成虫对其嗅觉反应。结果表明:两种物质在不同浓度、流速下对黄曲条跳甲的作用不同,雌雄虫对两种物质的反应也不同。异胡薄荷醇在流速150 m L/min、浓度10 u L/m L时对雌虫具有显著的吸引作用,而对雄虫没有显著效果;壬醛在流速100 m L/min、浓度10μL/m L时对雌虫具有显著的驱避作用,而在流速200 m L/min、浓度0.1和1μL/m L时对雄虫具有一定的吸引作用。     

Selenoproteins and heat shock proteins play important roles in immunosuppression in the bursa of Fabricius of chickens with selenium deficiency

Selenium (Se) is necessary for the immune system in chicken and mediates its physiological functions through selenoproteins. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are indispensable for maintaining normal cell function and for directing the immune response. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Se deficiency on the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels of selenoproteins and Hsps as well as immune functions in the chicken bursa of Fabricius. Two groups of chickens, namely the control and Se-deficient (L group) groups, were reared for 55 days. The chickens were offered a basal diet, which contained 0.15 mg Se/kg in the diet fed to the control group and 0.033 mg Se/kg in the diet fed to the L group. We performed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactionto detect the mRNA expression levels of selenoproteins and Hsps on days 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55. Western blotting was used to determine the protein expression levels of Hsps on days 35, 45 and 55, and immune functions were assessed through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on days 15, 35, and 55. The data showed that the mRNA expression levels of selenoproteins, such as Txnrd1, Txnrd2, Txnrd3, Dio1, Dio2, Dio3, GPx1, GPx2, GPx3 GPx4, Sepp1, Selo, Sel-15, Sepx1, Sels, Seli, Selu, Selh, and SPS2, were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the L group compared with the control group. Additionally, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Hsps (Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90) were also significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the L group. The expression levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-1β, IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ were significantly lower (P < 0.05) and TNF-α was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the L group compared with the control group. Our results show that immunosuppression was accompanied by a downregulation of mRNA expression levels of selenoproteins and an upregulation of the Hsp mRNA expression levels. Thus, Se deficiency causes defects in the chicken bursa of Fabricius, and selenoproteins and Hsps play important roles in immunosuppression in the bursa of Fabricius of chickens with Se deficiency.     

Covariation between brain size and immunity in birds: implications for brain size evolution

Parasitism can negatively affect learning and cognition, setting the scene for coevolution between brain and immunity. Greater susceptibility to parasitism by males may impair their cognitive ability, and relatively greater male investment in immunity could compensate for greater susceptibility to parasites, in particular when males have a relatively large brain. We analysed covariation between relative size of immune defence organs and brain in juvenile and adult birds. The relative size of the bursa of Fabricius and the spleen in adults covaried positively with relative brain size across bird species. The relative size of these two immune defence organs covaried with sex differences in relative size of the brain, indicating that the relationship between immune defence and brain size was stronger for males. In contrast, liver and heart size or sexual size dimorphism in size did not covary with immune defence. Thus, species in which males have relatively large brains also have relatively large immune defence organs.     

三突花蛛在落叶松人工林内生物学及作用的初步研究

三突花蛛在东北地区一年一代、越冬龄期不整齐。在落叶松林内，早春上树捕食害虫，６月中旬后，下迁至林下的灌木丛和草上，在植物叶上做囊产卵，该幼蛛自孵化起至越冬前，不再主动向高树冠部迁移，而仅在灌木、草上及小树上活动，三突花蛛能捕食多种木害虫，在早春，其种群密度往往高于其它害虫天敌，是一种极有利用前途的天敌。     

Condition‐dependent immune defence in the Magpie: how important is ectoparasitism?

The immune system has high costs of maintenance and production and expression of immune function should be dependent on the condition of the individual. The fitness cost that parasites impose on hosts may then be reflected in the investment that hosts make in immunity. Little is known about sources and consequences of intra- and interspecific variation in the presence and size of organs of the immune system in relation to ectoparasitism. Variation in the presence and size of the bursa of Fabricius and spleen size was measured to assess potential relationships between immune defence, nutritional condition and ectoparasites in the Magpie Pica pica. We found three species of lice (Mallophaga), two species of louse flies (Hippoboscidae), and the larvae of a tick (Ixodidae) infecting magpies. Age explained a significant proportion of variation in prevalence and number of parasite species, first-year birds being more parasitized than adults. Spleen size increased with nutritional condition, and the level of ectoparasitism negatively affected nutritional condition. Only one species of lice (Philopterus picae) was involved; the negative effect of this species on nutritional condition was more pronounced in males than females. These results are consistent with the hypotheses of condition-dependent investment in the immune system and sexual differences in susceptibility to parasite effects. Ectoparasites may thus play a role in modulating the relationship between condition and immune defence. We also found evidence for an interaction between the bursa and the spleen. Magpies with bursa had larger spleens than those where it had atrophied. This interaction did not affect ectoparasitism or nutritional condition.     

叉角厉蝽对斜纹夜蛾生殖行为的干扰胁迫

为探索叉角厉蝽Eocanthecona furcellate (Wolff)对斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura (Fabricius)生殖行为的干扰胁迫作用,实验设置了3种处理来观察这种干扰效应,处理Ⅰ：2对斜纹夜蛾成虫,2头叉角厉蝽雌成虫;处理Ⅱ：2对斜纹夜蛾成虫,2头叉角厉蝽雌成虫,2头处于四龄的斜纹夜蛾幼虫;处理Ⅲ：两对斜纹夜蛾成虫,作为对照。将斜纹夜蛾成虫放置在上述3种条件下,饲养至斜纹夜蛾停止产卵为止,对斜纹夜蛾产卵行为跟踪观察。结果表明,当斜纹夜蛾与叉角厉蝽同处狭小的空间时,叉角厉蝽对斜纹夜蛾正常的生殖活动有一定的干扰作用,斜纹夜蛾采取逃离或躲避的措施来摆脱叉角厉蝽的接触。受叉角厉蝽的干扰胁迫,斜纹夜蛾产卵量减少,处理Ⅰ与处理Ⅱ的平均产卵量均明显少于对照。叉角厉蝽对斜纹夜蛾卵块数量、结构、大小也构成一定的影响。在处理Ⅰ与处理Ⅱ中,卵块主要以单层卵和双层卵卵块为主,卵块数量低于对照,且卵块体积较小。从斜纹夜蛾卵的空间格局来看,处理Ⅰ中的卵块主要分布于产卵笼的上部;处理Ⅱ中的卵块分散于产卵笼的中上部;对照中斜纹夜蛾的卵块则分布于产卵笼的各个区域。叉角厉蝽对斜纹夜蛾成虫产卵的干扰胁迫作用明显。