Discovery and identification of a male-killing agent in the Japanese ladybird Propylea japonica (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Majerus, Tamsin M. O.; Majerus, Michael E. N.

doi:10.1186/1471-2148-10-37

Cited by 24 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Recognizable rates of natural horizontal transfer of malekillers between different host species were shown to exist [20,21]. Moreover, frequent HT from infected to uninfected individuals of another reproductive parasite, a parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachia, was observed in the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma kaykai [22,23].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of early male-killing in horizontally transmitted parasites

Bernhauerová

Berec²,

Maxin

2015

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Early male-killing (MK) bacteria are vertically transmitted reproductive parasites which kill male offspring that inherit them. Whereas their incidence is well documented, characteristics allowing originally non-MK bacteria to gradually evolve MK ability remain unclear. We show that horizontal transmission is a mechanism enabling vertically transmitted bacteria to evolve fully efficient MK under a wide range of host and parasite characteristics, especially when the efficacy of vertical transmission is high. We also show that an almost 100% vertically transmitted and 100% effective male-killer may evolve from a purely horizontally transmitted non-MK ancestor, and that a 100% efficient male-killer can form a stable coexistence only with a non-MK bacterial strain. Our findings are in line with the empirical evidence on current MK bacteria, explain their high efficacy in killing infected male embryos and their variability within and across insect taxa, and suggest that they may have evolved independently in phylogenetically distinct species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of early male-killing in horizontally transmitted parasites

Bernhauerová

Berec²,

Maxin

2015

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…) and Rickettsia (Majerus et al . ; Majerus & Majerus ), are known to kill the infected male embryos; a systematics of male‐killing bacteria is provided in Hurst & Jiggins ().…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male‐killing bacteria as agents of insect pest control

Berec

Maxin

Bernhauerová

2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary Continual effort is needed to reduce the impact of exotic species in the context of increased globalization. Any innovation in this respect would be an asset. We assess the potential of combining two pest control techniques: the well‐established sterile insect technique (SIT) and a novel male‐killing technique (MKT), which comprises inoculation of a pest population with bacteria that kill the infected male embryos. Population models are developed to assess the efficiency of using the MKT for insect pest control, either alone or together with the SIT. We seek for conditions under which the MKT weakens requirements on the SIT. Regarding the SIT, we consider both non‐heritable and inherited sterility. In both cases, the MKT and SIT benefit one another. The MKT may prevent the SIT from failing when not enough sterilized males are released due to high production costs and/or uncertainty on their mating ability following a high irradiation dose. Conversely, with already established SIT, pest eradication can be achieved after introduction of male‐killing bacteria with lower vertical transmission efficiency than if the MKT was applied alone. For tephritid fruit flies with non‐heritable sterility, maximal impact of the SIT is achieved when the released males are fully sterile. Conversely, for lepidopterans with inherited sterility, maximal impact of the SIT is achieved for intermediate irradiation doses. In both cases, increasing vertical transmission efficiency of male‐killing bacteria benefits the SIT; high enough vertical transmission efficiency allows for pest eradication where the SIT is absent or induces only pest suppression when used alone. Synthesis and applications. While both techniques can suppress or eliminate the pest on their own, combined application of the male‐killing technique and the sterile insect technique substantially increases pest control efficiency. If male‐killing bacteria are already established in the pest, any assessment of the sterile insect technique needs to account for their presence; otherwise, management recommendations could be exaggerated and unnecessarily costly.

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“…Some groups, such as aphidophagous coccinellids, milkweed bugs and nymphalid butterflies, particularly of the genus Acraea, are especially prone to invasion [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Strains of Male-Killing Wolbachia in a Ladybird, Coccinella undecimpunctata, from a Hot Climate

2013

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Ladybirds are a hot-spot for the invasion of male-killing bacteria. These maternally inherited endosymbionts cause the death of male host embryos, to the benefit of female sibling hosts and the bacteria that they contain. Previous studies have shown that high temperatures can eradicate male-killers from ladybirds, leaving the host free from infection. Here we report the discovery of two maternally inherited sex ratio distorters in populations of a coccinellid, Coccinella undecimpunctata, from a hot lowland region of the Middle East. DNA sequence analysis indicates that the male killing is the result of infection by Wolbachia, that the trait is tetracycline sensitive, and that two distinct strains of Wolbachia co-occur within one beetle population. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of male-killing and suggest avenues for future field-work on this system.

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Discovery and identification of a male-killing agent in the Japanese ladybird Propylea japonica (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Cited by 24 publications

References 35 publications

Evolution of early male-killing in horizontally transmitted parasites

Evolution of early male-killing in horizontally transmitted parasites

Male‐killing bacteria as agents of insect pest control

Two Strains of Male-Killing Wolbachia in a Ladybird, Coccinella undecimpunctata, from a Hot Climate

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