Salivary secretions from the ectoparasitic wasp, Eulophus pennicornis contain hydrolases, and kill host hemocytes by apoptosis

The current work demonstrates that larvae of the ectoparasitic wasp, Eulophus pennicornis, produce salivary secretions (Ep S) that contain a variety of hydrolases. This includes medium to high levels of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase activity, relatively low levels of esterase (C 4) and lipase (C 14) activity, and trace levels of esterase lipase (C 8), acid phosphatise, β-galactosidase, β-glucuronidase, and α-glucosidase activity. In addition, in vitro monolayer assays indicate that both a 4 h and an 18 h incubation of hemocytes from host Lacanobia oleracea larvae in Ep S significantly increases (P < 0.001) the percentage of cells dying by apoptosis compared to the controls. Moreover, an 18 h incubation of hemocytes in Ep S (but not a 4 h incubation), also significantly increased the percentage of dead cells detected using a trypan-blue exclusion assay. The role of ectoparasitoid salivary secretions in conditioning the host by disabling hemocyte-mediated wound healing responses, and providing food for the developing wasp larvae is discussed.