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An Emerging Threat to Honey Bees from the Parasitic Phorid Fly Apocephalus borealis

ABSTRACT: Pathogen detection microarrays analyzing honeybee samples taken after parasitization with a predatory fly, oligos correspond to specific pathogens or pathogen families of viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists, and other parasites Samples were analyzed with the E-Predict analysis package.

ORGANISM(S): Betabaculovirus unidentified baculovirus Ascovirus Ambidensovirus Luteovirus Birnaviridae Apis mellifera Fungi Cypovirus Black beetle virus Gammabaculovirus Iridovirus unclassified viruses unidentified entomopoxvirus

PROVIDER: GSE29749 | GEO | 2012/08/01

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA140955

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, feeds directly on honey bees and serves as a vector for transmitting viruses among them. The Varroa mite causes relatively little damage to its natural host, the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) but it is the most devastating pest for the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera). Using Illumina HiSeq sequencing technology, we conducted a metatranscriptome analysis of the microbial community associated with Varroa mites. This study led to the identification of a new Chinese strain of Varroa destructor virus-2 (VDV-2), which is a member of the Iflaviridae family and was previously reported to be specific to Varroa mites. A subsequent epidemiological investigation of Chinese strain of VDV-2 (VDV-2-China) showed that the virus was highly prevalent among Varroa populations and was not identified in any of the adult workers from both A. mellifera and A.cerana colonies distributed in six provinces in China, clearly indicating that VDV-2-China is predominantly a Varroa-adapted virus. While A. mellifera worker pupae exposed to less than two Varroa mites tested negative for VDV-2-China, VDV-2-China was detected in 12.5% of the A. mellifera worker pupae that were parasitized by more than 10 Varroa mites, bringing into play the possibility of a new scenario where VDV-2 could be transmitted to the honey bees during heavy Varroa infestations. Bioassay for the VDV-2-China infectivity showed that A. cerana was not a permissive host for VDV-2-China, yet A. mellifera could be a biological host that supports VDV-2-China's replication. The different replication dynamics of the virus between the two host species reflect their variation in terms of susceptibility to the virus infection, posing a potential threat to the health of the Western honey bee. The information gained from this study contributes to the knowledge concerning genetic variabilities and evolutionary dynamics of Varroa-borne viruses, thereby enhancing our understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms governing honey bee Varroosis.

Project description:BackgroundVarroa destructor mites, and the numerous viruses they vector to their honey bee hosts, are among the most serious threats to honey bee populations, causing mortality and morbidity to both the individual honey bee and colony, the negative effects of which convey to the pollination services provided by honey bees worldwide. Here we use a combination of targeted assays and deep RNA sequencing to determine host and microbial changes in resistant and susceptible honey bee lineages. We focus on three study sets. The first involves field sampling of sympatric western bees, some derived from resistant stock and some from stock susceptible to mites. The second experiment contrasts three colonies more deeply, two from susceptible stock from the southeastern U.S. and one from mite-resistant bee stock from Eastern Texas. Finally, to decouple the effects of mites from those of the viruses they vector, we experimentally expose honey bees to DWV in the laboratory, measuring viral growth and host responses.ResultsWe find strong differences between resistant and susceptible bees in terms of both viral loads and bee gene expression. Interestingly, lineages of bees with naturally low levels of the mite-vectored Deformed wing virus, also carried lower levels of viruses not vectored by mites. By mapping gene expression results against current ontologies and other studies, we describe the impacts of mite parasitism, as well as viruses on bee health against two genetic backgrounds. We identify numerous genes and processes seen in other studies of stress and disease in honey bee colonies, alongside novel genes and new patterns of expression.ConclusionsWe provide evidence that honey bees surviving in the face of parasitic mites do so through their abilities to resist the presence of devastating viruses vectored by these mites. In all cases, the most divergence between stocks was seen when bees were exposed to live mites or viruses, suggesting that gene activation, rather than constitutive expression, is key for these interactions. By revealing responses to viral infection and mite parasitism in different lineages, our data identify candidate proteins for the evolution of mite tolerance and virus resistance.

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An Emerging Threat to Honey Bees from the Parasitic Phorid Fly Apocephalus borealis

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