An Invasive Whitefly Feeding on a Virus-Infected Plant Increased Its Egg Production and Realized Fecundity

Abstract

BackgroundPlant-pathogenic begomoviruses have a complex association with their insect vectors. The interactions of begomoviruses and reproduction of their vectors are poorly understood. Bemisia tabaci is known to transmit many begomoviruses, and the spread of B. tabaci, especially the B and Q ‘biotypes’, has been accompanied by the epidemics of begomoviruses. One of these identified disease-causing agents was Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV).Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study, we compared the egg production and realized fecundity of two ‘biotypes’ or putative species of the whitefly B. tabaci, including the alien invasive B and the indigenous ZHJ1 from Zhejiang, China, feeding on either healthy or TYLCCNV-infected tobacco plants. The ovary of the whitefly was composed of 12–22 telotrophic ovarioles. According to the morphology of the oocytes and level of yolk content, oocytes in ovarioles were divided into four developmental phases (I-IV). Significantly higher proportion of immature oocytes (phase II, III) and mature oocytes (phase IV) was observed in ovary of females that fed on TYLCCNV-infected tobacco compared to that on healthy plants. Moreover, there was significant increase of eggs laid of B whitefly that fed on TYLCCNV-infected tobacco plants during the early developmental stages. In contrast, the proportion of oocytes of different developmental phases and eggs laid had no significant differences between ZHJ1 whiteflies feeding on TYLCCNV-infected and non-infected host plants.Conclusions/SignificanceThe invasive B whitefly benefits from feeding on a begomovirus-infected plant through increased egg production and realized fecundity.

Upregulation of temperature susceptibility in Bemisia tabaci upon acquisition of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV)

“…On the other hand, the nymphal growth rate and fecundity of B biotype B. tabaci were shown to be higher upon feeding on tomato plants infected with tomato mottle virus compared to healthy plants (McKenzie, 2002). Further, both longevity and fecundity increase in invaded B biotype but do not change in indigenous ZHJ1 biotype upon feeding on TYLCCNVinfected tobacco plants (Jiu et al, 2007;Guo et al, 2010). Lastly, Liu et al (2009) suggested that invaded biotype is more actively transmitted.…”

Global Analysis of the Transcriptional Response of Whitefly to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl China Virus Reveals the Relationship of Coevolved Adaptations

“…The nonviruliferous and viruliferous female adults of whiteflies feeding on cotton plants for 120 h were collected as described above. Ovarioles of ovaries and fat bodies from the viruliferous and nonviruliferous whiteflies were dissected in PBS as described before (25,33) and then incubated for 3 min in 100 M LysoTracker Red DND-99 (Molecular Probes) and 2 M Hoechst 33342 (Sigma) in PBS. Ovarioles and fat bodies were transferred to PBS on glass slides, covered, and immediately photographed on a confocal microscope (Leica).…”

“…After 0 h and 120 h of feeding on cotton plants, female viruliferous whiteflies were collected. Ovaries and fat bodies from individual whiteflies were dissected in PBS, flushed four times with sterile double-distilled water, and collected according to the methods described before (23,25,33,53). To prevent cross-contamination, we used new needles for each dissection.…”

Vector development and vitellogenin determine the transovarial transmission of begomoviruses

“…The yolk content of oocytes gradually increased by phase (Fig. S1A) (25). Then, we investigated the localization of TYLCV and PaLCuCNV in ovaries of viruliferous MEAM1 adult whiteflies at different developmental stages.…”