Article
Biology
Jean-Michel Drezen, Annie Bezier, Gaelen R. Burke, Michael R. Strand
Summary: This paper discusses the evolution of bracoviruses, ichnoviruses, and virus-like particles in parasitoid wasps, and how it impacts the definition of viruses. Researchers suggest that bracoviruses and ichnoviruses are domesticated endogenous viruses that differ from other known EVEs in several important ways.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yali Hou, Shilei Zhao, Qi Liu, Xiaolong Zhang, Tong Sha, Yankai Su, Wenming Zhao, Yiming Bao, Yongbiao Xue, Hua Chen
Summary: SARS-CoV-2 is a new RNA virus that has been spreading extensively since its first outbreak in December, 2019. The evolution of the virus and its impact on transmission and pathogenicity in humans are still under debate. Understanding the evolutionary mechanism is essential for predicting the epidemic trend and guiding disease control and treatments.
GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Review
Entomology
Minghui Fei, Rieta Gols, Jeffrey A. Harvey
Summary: Parasitoid wasps play an important role in insect food chains and biological control programs. They parasitize both herbivorous and predatory insects and arthropods, manipulating their behavior, biology, and ecology to increase their own survival and fitness. Understanding the dynamics of parasitoid-predator interactions is crucial for effective pest control.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinhua Xiao, Xianqin Wei, Yi Zhou, Zhaozhe Xin, Yunheng Miao, Hongxia Hou, Jiaxing Li, Dan Zhao, Jing Liu, Rui Chen, Liming Niu, Guangchang Ma, Wenquan Zhen, Shunmin He, Jianxia Wang, Xunfan Wei, Weihao Dou, Zhuoxiao Sui, Haikuan Zhang, Shilai Xing, Miao Shi, Dawei Huang
Summary: Figs and fig pollinators exhibit obligate pollination mutualism, with genomic evidence revealing differentiation between pollinators and nonpollinators. Pollinators lack certain genes related to environmental stress and immune activation, while showing streamlined gene repertoires in innate immune system, chemosensory toolbox, and detoxification system. This suggests long-term adaptation to figs has led to gene loss in pollinators.
JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND GENOMICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hazel Byrne, Timothy H. Webster, Sarah F. Brosnan, Patricia Izar, Jessica W. Lynch
Summary: The Cebidae family, including capuchin and squirrel monkeys, has the largest primate encephalization quotients and exhibits notable lineage-specific traits. Comparative genomics analysis reveals shifts and sustained selective pressures on genes related to brain development, longevity, reproduction, and morphology, highlighting cumulative and diversifying neurobiological adaptations during cebid evolution.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Xinhai Ye, Shijiao Xiong, Ziwen Teng, Yi Yang, Jiale Wang, Kaili Yu, Huizi Wu, Yang Mei, Cheng Xue, Zhichao Yan, Chuanlin Yin, Fang Wang, Hongwei Yao, Qi Fang, Qisheng Song, Gongyin Ye, Fei Li
Summary: The study sequenced the genome of the parasitoid wasp Cotesia chilonis and revealed the loss of amino acid biosynthesis ability. The findings provide important insights into the amino acid exploitation by parasitoid wasps and could be used for the design of artificial diets for mass rearing of parasitoids for pest control.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiaoqiao Liu, Yao D. Cai, Ling Ma, Hangrui Liu, Tianye Linghu, Shaokun Guo, Shujun Wei, Fan Song, Li Tian, Wanzhi Cai, Hu Li
Summary: Research found that thrips mitochondrial genomes have highly rearranged gene orders, with Tubulifera having more complex pathways in gene order evolution compared to Terebrantia. Molecular calibration showed that the divergence of the two suborders occurred in the middle Triassic, and the radiation of thrips was associated with the rise and flourish of angiosperms. The study also found that gene inversion increases nonsynonymous substitution rates and provides an evolutionary hypothesis for driving diverse gene orders.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Masayoshi Uefune, Kinuyo Yoneya, Masaki Yamamoto, Junji Takabayashi
Summary: The field study conducted over two years showed that using C. vestalis attractants had potential effectiveness in controlling diamondback moth larvae on cabbage plants, especially when the density of DBM larvae exceeded economic injury levels. However, the treatment did not significantly affect the incidences of other arthropods such as Pieris rapae larvae and Plusiinae spp. The number of aphids in the treated and control plots showed inconsistent results between the two years.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Dandan Xiao, Ziqi Wang, Jiachen Zhu, Xiaogui Zhou, Pu Tang, Xuexin Chen
Summary: Parapanteles hypsidrae and Protapanteles immunis are important parasitic wasps of Ectropis grisescens and Ectropis obliqua. We sequenced and annotated their mitochondrial genomes, which are 17,063 bp and 16,397 bp in length, respectively, and contain 37 mitochondrial genes. We identified two novel types of gene rearrangement within the mitogenomes of Braconidae.
Article
Microbiology
Karissa L. Cross, Brittany A. Leigh, E. Anne Hatmaker, Aram Mikaelyan, Asia K. Miller, Seth R. Bordenstein
Summary: Phylosymbiosis is a cross-system trend where microbial community relationships mirror host phylogeny. In Nasonia parasitoid wasps, phylosymbiosis affects development and survival, particularly in hybrids. Research shows significant differences in bacterial genomes in Nasonia and identical bacteria in hybrids and parental species, supporting the impact of the microbiome on phylosymbiosis and hybrid breakdown.
Article
Microbiology
Zhichao Yan, Qi Fang, Jiqiang Song, Lei Yang, Shan Xiao, Jiale Wang, Gongyin Ye
Summary: This study reveals the contributions of alternative splicing (AS) and gene duplication (GD) to protein diversity in eukaryotes. AS and GD show divergent features in parasitoids and other insects and AS enhances the adaptability of parasitoids to parasitic lifestyles and the regulation of host immunity.
Article
Biology
George E. Heimpel, Paul K. Abram, Jacques Brodeur
Summary: The interactions that shape parasitoid host ranges are influenced by the phylogenetic history of both hosts and parasitoids. Speciation of parasitoids associated with hosts can lead to increased host specificity or a broadening of the host range. Estimating host range has shifted from traditional lists to analyses detecting host phylogenetic signals and useful indices reflecting the breadth of host range in phylogenetic terms. These considerations have significant implications for biological control and risk assessment.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jovana M. Jasso-Martinez, Bernardo F. Santos, Alejandro Zaldivar-Riveron, Jose L. Fernandez-Triana, Barbara J. Sharanowski, Robin Richter, Jeremy R. Dettman, Bonnie B. Blaimer, Sean G. Brady, Robert R. Kula
Summary: The parasitoid lifestyle is considered as a key factor in the evolutionary success and species richness of Hymenoptera. This study used genomic data and comprehensive taxon sampling to estimate the evolutionary relationships of Braconidae, the second largest family of Hymenoptera. The study confirmed subfamilial placements and proposed taxonomic changes, and also tested the correlation between parasitoid life history and biological traits in a phylogenetic context. The study suggests that the ancestor of the braconoid complex was a koinobiont endoparasitoid and provides evidence for transitions and reversals in parasitism strategies within the cyclostome lineage.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ying Ma, Zixiao Guo, Liyang Wang, Bingyang Wang, Tingfa Huang, Bingjie Tang, Guren Zhang, Qiang Zhou
Summary: In this study, we sequenced and assembled the genome of Anagrus nilaparvatae, an insect species of the Mymaridae family, using PacBio single-molecule real-time sequencing. The analysis revealed a small number of chemosensory and mechanosensory genes in A. nilaparvatae, suggesting that its host detection and oviposition behavior may be regulated by relatively simple molecular pathways.
Article
Zoology
Rilquer Mascarenhas, Pedro Milet Meirelles, Henrique Batalha-Filho
Summary: This study investigated whether local adaptation has occurred in urban populations of a Neotropical bird species and examined the correlation between behavioral adaptations and genetic signatures of natural selection. The results suggest that urban environments may have an impact on both behavioral and genetic adaptations in bird populations, with selected genes related to energy metabolism, genetic expression regulation, and the immune system.
Article
Microbiology
Ingrid Zanella-Saenz, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Jorge E. Ibarra, Ilse Alejandra Huerta-Arredondo, Ma Cristina Del Rincon-Castro
Summary: Fall armyworm (FAW) is an economically important agricultural pest. This study evaluated six baculovirus strains isolated from infected FAW larvae and found differences in their virulence. In addition, in vitro and genomic analyses were conducted to further understand their potential as biological control agents.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jean-Michel Drezen, Annie Bezier, Gaelen R. Burke, Michael R. Strand
Summary: This paper discusses the evolution of bracoviruses, ichnoviruses, and virus-like particles in parasitoid wasps, and how it impacts the definition of viruses. Researchers suggest that bracoviruses and ichnoviruses are domesticated endogenous viruses that differ from other known EVEs in several important ways.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lucas Sire, Paul Schmidt Yanez, Cai Wang, Annie Bezier, Beatrice Courtial, Jeremy Cours, Diego Fontaneto, Laurent Larrieu, Christophe Bouget, Simon Thorn, Joerg Mueller, Douglas W. Yu, Michael T. Monaghan, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Carlos Lopez-Vaamonde
Summary: This study examines the effects of climate-induced forest dieback and salvage logging on insect diversity in silver fir Pyrenean forests using metabarcoding. While there were no consistent changes in species richness, forest dieback resulted in significant changes in community composition, particularly affecting rare species. The study suggests that forest dieback drives changes in species assemblages that mimic natural forest succession and increases the risk of catastrophic loss of rare species.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Zoology
Jirka M. Petersen, Annie Bezier, Jean-Michel Drezen, Monique M. van Oers
Summary: Nudiviruses are enveloped and rod-shaped double-stranded DNA viruses that can infect various insects and aquatic crustaceans, causing different degrees of disease. This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of nudivirus diversity and phylogeny, as well as the comparison of nudiviruses with related insect viruses.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alexandra Cerqueira de Araujo, Elisabeth Huguet, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Jean-Michel Drezen, Thibaut Josse
Summary: The piRNA system controls transposable element mobility and possibly plays a role in antiviral response in insects. Current studies indicate that this antiviral response is mainly found in mosquitoes.
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
James Whitfield, Jean-Michel Drezen
CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Alexandra Cerqueira de Araujo, Matthieu Leobold, Annie Bezier, Karine Musset, Rustem Uzbekov, Anne-Nathalie Volkoff, Jean-Michel Drezen, Elisabeth Huguet, Thibaut Josse
Summary: This study demonstrates the conservation of viral RNA polymerase function in the endogenized nudivirus genome of a Campopleginae parasitoid wasp, similar to endogenized nudiviruses in braconid parasitoid wasps. The study also shows the successful use of RNA interference (RNAi) to downregulate gene expression in this species, which provides opportunities to investigate the function of genes involved in other important traits for parasitism success. The acquired data on gene function in Venturia canescens are likely transferable to other parasitoid wasp species used in biological control programs. Furthermore, this study opens up possibilities for the investigation of other nudivirus gene functions, for which there is limited data available.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Virology
Robert D. Pienaar, Clement Gilbert, Carole Belliardo, Salvador Herrero, Elisabeth A. Herniou
Summary: This study using bioinformatic approaches discovered viruses specifically associated with black soldier flies (BSFs), including endogenous viral elements (EVEs) and a new exogenous totivirus named hermetia illucens totivirus 1 (HiTV1). This research fills the knowledge gap regarding viruses in BSFs and provides insights into their past and present interactions with viral families.
Article
Ecology
Marina Querejeta, Vincent Herve, Elfie Perdereau, Lorene Marchal, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Stephane Boyer, David Giron
Summary: This study explored the differences in bacterial diversity during the four developmental stages of the black soldier fly (BSF) using a metabarcoding approach. The results showed significant changes in bacterial community composition and species richness along the BSF life cycle, and identified nine prevalent core microbiota. The study also inferred 27 potential metabolic pathways differentially used among the BSF life cycle. This research provides a better understanding of metabolic processes during BSF development and their implications for bio-waste processing.
Article
Agronomy
Giovanni Jesu, Stefania Laudonia, Giuliano Bonanomi, Gavin Flematti, Salvatore Giacinto Germinara, Marco Pistillo, David Giron, Annie Bezier, Francesco Vinale
Summary: The purpose of this study was to identify and test new compounds from various Smoke Waters (SWs) samples for their impact on the key pest of olive production, Bactrocera oleae. Results showed that SWs obtained from different feedstocks could alter the fitness of B. oleae and affect its microbiome, as well as the behavior of adult flies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camille Heisserer, Heloise Muller, Veronique Jouan, Karine Musset, Georges Periquet, Jean-Michel Drezen, Anne-Nathalie Volkoff, Clement Gilbert
Summary: This study reveals that parasitoid wasps transfer genes to host cells through chromosomal integration, which may have significant consequences for butterflies.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Noemie M. -C. Hevin, Gael. J. Kergoat, Anne-Laure Clamens, Bruno Le Ru, Mervyn W. Mansell, Bruno Michel
Summary: In this study, a molecular dataset was used to analyze the taxonomy and geographical distribution of 144 antlion species, revealing that many extant antlion genera are not monophyletic. Molecular dating analyses indicated that the most recent common ancestor of both groups originated about 92 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous. Historical biogeography analyses provided strong support for an origin in Southern Africa, which served as a cradle of diversification and a springboard for northern dispersals.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)