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Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees.

ABSTRACT: Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (Apis mellifera), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offspring from selected queens in a common apiary were inoculated with IAPV by topical applications after emergence to assess subsequent survival. Differences among stocks were small compared to variation within stocks, indicating the potential for improving honey bee survival of virus infections in all stocks. A positive relation between worker survival and virus load among stocks further suggested that honey bees may be able to adapt to better cope with viruses, while our molecular studies indicate that toll-6 may be related to survival differences among virus-infected worker bees. Together, these findings highlight the importance of viruses in queen breeding operations and provide a promising starting point for the quest to improve honey bee health by selectively breeding stock to be better able to survive virus infections.

SUBMITTER: Bhatia S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7827508 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees.

Bhatia Shilpi S Baral Saman S SS Vega Melendez Carlos C Amiri Esmaeil E Rueppell Olav O

Insects 20210112 1

Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offs ...[more]

PMID: 33445412

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Project description:UnlabelledThe pollination services provided by the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) are critical for agricultural production and the diversity of wild flowering plants. However, honeybees suffer from environmental pollution, habitat loss, and pathogens, including viruses that can cause fatal diseases. Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV), from the family Dicistroviridae, has been shown to cause colony collapse disorder in the United States. Here, we present the IAPV virion structure determined to a resolution of 4.0 Å and the structure of a pentamer of capsid protein protomers at a resolution of 2.7 Å. IAPV has major capsid proteins VP1 and VP3 with noncanonical jellyroll β-barrel folds composed of only seven instead of eight β-strands, as is the rule for proteins of other viruses with the same fold. The maturation of dicistroviruses is connected to the cleavage of precursor capsid protein VP0 into subunits VP3 and VP4. We show that a putative catalytic site formed by the residues Asp-Asp-Phe of VP1 is optimally positioned to perform the cleavage. Furthermore, unlike many picornaviruses, IAPV does not contain a hydrophobic pocket in capsid protein VP1 that could be targeted by capsid-binding antiviral compounds.ImportanceHoneybee pollination is required for agricultural production and to sustain the biodiversity of wild flora. However, honeybee populations in Europe and North America are under pressure from pathogens, including viruses that cause colony losses. Viruses from the family Dicistroviridae can cause honeybee infections that are lethal, not only to individual honeybees, but to whole colonies. Here, we present the virion structure of an Aparavirus, Israeli acute bee paralysis virus (IAPV), a member of a complex of closely related viruses that are distributed worldwide. IAPV exhibits unique structural features not observed in other picorna-like viruses. Capsid protein VP1 of IAPV does not contain a hydrophobic pocket, implying that capsid-binding antiviral compounds that can prevent the replication of vertebrate picornaviruses may be ineffective against honeybee virus infections.

Dataset Information

Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees.

Publications

Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees.

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