Identifying the Gut Virome of Diaphorina citri from Florida Groves

Abstract

Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) transmits the bacterial pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), the putative causative agent of citrus Huanglongbing disease (HLB). Insect-specific viruses can act against insects as their natural enemies, and recently, several D. citri-associated viruses were discovered. The insect gut plays an important role as not only a pool for diverse microbes but also as a physical barrier to prevent the spread of pathogens such as CLas. However, there is little evidence of the presence of D. citri-associated viruses in the gut and of the interaction between them and CLas. Here, we dissected psyllid guts collected from five growing regions in Florida, and the gut virome was analyzed by high throughput sequencing. Four insect viruses, including D. citri-associated C virus (DcACV), D. citri densovirus (DcDV), D. citri reovirus (DcRV), and D. citri flavi-like virus (DcFLV), were identified, and their presence in the gut, including an additional D. citri cimodo-like virus (DcCLV), were confirmed with PCR-based assays. Microscopic analysis showed that DcFLV infection leads to morphological abnormalities in the nuclear structure in the infected psyllid gut cells. The complex and diverse composition of microbiota in the psyllid gut suggests a possible interaction and dynamics between CLas and the D. citri-associated viruses. Our study identified various D. citri-associated viruses that localized in the psyllid gut and provided more information that helps to evaluate the potential vectors for manipulating CLas in the psyllid gut.

Bactericera cockerelli Picorna-like Virus and Three New Viruses Found Circulating in Populations of Potato/Tomato Psyllids (Bactericera cockerelli)

“…However, the circulation of BcPLV in field populations of PoP was not addressed at the time, and a systematic high-throughput sequencing (HTS) survey of PoP for the presence of viruses circulating in the psyllid was not conducted. In a related pathosystem, the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vectoring another Liberibacter species, ‘ Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, responsible for the citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB; [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]), was found to host several viruses that were suggested as potential biocontrol agents for managing psyllid populations [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Viruses found in Asian citrus psyllids belong to the families Parvoviridae , Reoviridae , Flaviviridae , and Iflaviridae [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 ].…”

“…In a related pathosystem, the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vectoring another Liberibacter species, ‘ Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, responsible for the citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB; [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]), was found to host several viruses that were suggested as potential biocontrol agents for managing psyllid populations [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. Viruses found in Asian citrus psyllids belong to the families Parvoviridae , Reoviridae , Flaviviridae , and Iflaviridae [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 ]. In another related pathosystem, the wild lime psyllid ( Leuronota fagarae Burckhardt) was found to host Leuronota fagarae picorna-like virus (LfPLV), which is closely related to BcPLV [ 18 ].…”

Possible economic losses on the oranges production chain of Peru due to introduction of Huanglongbing (HLB): Simulation of prospective scenarios to 2045

“…The disease was first reported in Brazil, specifically in the State of São Paulo in 2004 (De Carvalho et al, 2019;Zorzenon et al, 2021), followed by cases in Minas Gerais in 2005 (Alves et al, 2022;Sulzbach et al, 2018) and Paraná in 2006 (Cruz et al, 2021;Sauer et al, 2015). In the United States, it emerged in Florida in 2005 (Lin et al, 2023;Lopez & Durborow, 2014;Zapien-Macias et al, 2022) and California in 2008(McRoberts et al, 2019Nguyen et al, 2023). Cuba reported cases in 2007 (Bertaccini et al, 2019;Paredes-Tomás et al, 2023), and it entered Yucatán, Mexico, in 2009(López-Collado et al, 2013Pérez-Valencia et al, 2019).…”