An Inert Pesticide Adjuvant Synergizes Viral Pathogenicity and Mortality in Honey Bee Larvae

Fine, Julia D.; Cox-Foster, Diana; Mullin, Christopher A.

doi:10.1038/srep40499

Cited by 86 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…It is also possible that immune system dynamics in relationship to aggression vary with the type of stressor experienced (Gregory et al 2005;Fine et al 2017); low aggression bees may be more susceptible to a pesticide, but less susceptible to a pathogen (the latter was not measured).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

Rittschof

Rubin

Palmer

2020

Preprint

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Background: Behavior reflects an organism's health status. Many organisms display a generalized suite of behaviors that indicate infection or predict infection susceptibility. We apply this concept to honey bee aggression, a behavior that has been associated with positive health outcomes in previous studies. We sequenced the transcriptomes of the brain, fat body, and midgut of adult sibling worker bees who developed as pre-adults in relatively high versus low aggression colonies. Previous studies showed that this pre-adult experience impacts both aggressive behavior and resilience to pesticides. We performed enrichment analyses on differentially expressed genes to determine whether variation in aggression resembles the molecular response to infection. We further assessed whether the transcriptomic signature of aggression in the brain is similar to the neuromolecular response to acute predator threat, exposure to a high-aggression environment as an adult, or adult behavioral maturation. Results: Across all three tissues assessed, genes that are differentially expressed as a function of aggression significantly overlap with genes whose expression is modulated by a variety of pathogens and parasitic feeding. In the fat body, and to some degree the midgut, our data specifically support the hypothesis that low aggression resembles a diseased or parasitized state. However, we find little evidence of active infection in individuals from the low aggression group. We also find little evidence that the brain molecular signature of aggression is enriched for genes modulated by social cues that induce aggression in adults. However, we do find evidence that genes associated with adult behavioral maturation are enriched in our brain samples. Conclusions: Results support the hypothesis that low aggression resembles a molecular state of infection. This pattern is most robust in the peripheral fat body, an immune responsive tissue in the honey bee. We find no evidence of acute infection in bees from the low aggression group, suggesting the physiological state characterizing low aggression may instead predispose bees to negative health outcomes when they are exposed to additional stressors. The similarity of molecular signatures associated with the seemingly disparate traits of aggression and disease suggests that these characteristics may, in fact, be intimately tied.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

Rittschof

Rubin

Palmer

2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

Rittschof

Rubin

Palmer

2019

Preprint

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“…Additional research into the bees' response to simultaneous Varroa infestation and DWV infection proved that honey bees are able to promptly produce high immune and homeostatic response, which does not last long and is followed by downregulation of these pathways, rendering the bees susceptible to extensive virus replication [56]. Fine et al [67] reported that even inert substances in agrochemicals may also add to some negative effects on bees, including increased virus-induced mortality. Herbicides, although designed to inhibit weed growth, limit the availability of fl oral resources and adversely affect the bees` nutritional status, indirectly infl uencing the outcome of bee virus infections.…”

Section: Infestation With Varroa Destructor and Mixed Virus Infectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Looking for the causes of and solutions to the issue of honey bee colony losses

et al. 2019

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Colony losses, including those induced by the colony collapse disorder, are an urgent problem of contemporary apiculture which has been capturing the attention of both apiculturists and the research community. CCD is characterized by the absence of adult dead bees in the hive in which few workers and a queen remain, the ratio between the brood quantity and the number of workers is heavily disturbed in favor of the former, and more than enough food is present. Robbing behavior and pests usually attacking the weakened colony do not occur. In the present paper, the causes of the emergence of this problem are discussed, as well as the measures of its prevention. The following factors, which lead to colony losses, are analyzed: shortage of high-quality food (pollen and honey); infestation with parasites, primarily with Varroa destructor, and mixed virus infections; bacterial infections (American and European foulbrood), fungal infections (nosemosis and ascosphaerosis) and trypanosomal infections (lotmariosis); and, finally, general management of the apiary. Certain preventive measures are proposed: (1) providing ample high-quality forage and clean water, (2) avoiding sugarisation, i.e. superfluous use of sugar syrup, (3) meeting the nutritional needs of the colony, (4) when feeding bees, taking care of the timing and the composition of diet, avoiding pure sugar syrup which in excessive quantities may induce energetic and oxidative stress, (5) when there is a shortage of natural feed – honey in the brood chamber – use sugar syrup with natural/artificial supplements to avoid protein starvation, (6) organized control of V. destructor in the colonies is obligatory due to its vector role, and (7) compliance with hygienic and sanitary measures and principles of good apiculture practice and management in apiaries. To conclude, all preventive measures are feasible in compliance with rules and regulations concerning regular spring and autumn bee health monitoring by licensed veterinarians, who can propose adequate treatments if necessary.

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An Inert Pesticide Adjuvant Synergizes Viral Pathogenicity and Mortality in Honey Bee Larvae

Cited by 86 publications

References 70 publications

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

The transcriptomic signature of low aggression honey bees resembles a response to infection

Looking for the causes of and solutions to the issue of honey bee colony losses

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