Juvenile hormone titre and egg production in Tenebrio molitor infected by Hymenolepis diminuta: effect of male and/or female infection, male age and mating

Cole, Tracey J.; Eggleston, Paul; Hurd, Hilary

doi:10.1016/s0022-1910(03)00030-1

Cited by 23 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The phenomenon of fecundity compensation has been demonstrated where, early in infection, host reproductive output is increased, only to be depressed or cease later in the infection (Thornhill et al 1986). This also occurs in H. diminuta-infected female T. molitor between day 3 and day 6 post-infection (Cole et al 2003), although we do not know whether the viability of these eggs was decreased.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

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Infection increases the value of nuptial gifts, and hence male reproductive success, in the Hymenolepis diminuta-Tenebrio molitor association

Hurd

Ardin²

2003

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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During copulation, male insects pass accessory gland components to the female with the spermatophore. These gifts can affect female reproductive behaviour, ovulation and oviposition. Here, we show that female mealworm beetles, Tenebrio molitor, mated with males infected with metacestodes of the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, produced significantly more offspring than those mated with uninfected males. There is a significant positive relationship between parasite intensity in the male and reproductive output in the female. Infection results in a significant increase in bean-shaped accessory gland (BAG) size. We suggest that infected males pass superior nuptial gifts to females and discuss the confounding effects of infection in male and female beetles upon overall fitness costs of infection for the host and the likelihood that the parasite is manipulating host investment in reproduction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…Mating increases JH titre in T. molitor females but this is not enhanced by mating with infected males (Cole et al 2003), thus JH is unlikely to be the causal component in the ejaculate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Infection increases the value of nuptial gifts, and hence male reproductive success, in the Hymenolepis diminuta-Tenebrio molitor association

Hurd

Ardin²

2003

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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“…Could this brief period of survival increase fitness in infected flies? While fecundity is reduced in many insects after infection (Cole et al, 2003;Elsawaf et al, 1994;Zerofsky et al, 2005), females still continue to produce eggs. In fact, some bacteria, such as Wolbachia, can even lead to increased fecundity in flies (Fry et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of temperature on host–pathogen interactions in D. melanogaster: Who benefits?

Linder

Owers

Promislow

2008

Journal of Insect Physiology

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Drosophila melanogaster is widely used to study immune system function in insects. However, little work has been done in D. melanogaster on the effect of temperature on the immune system.Here we describe experiments that demonstrate that cooler temperatures enhance survival after infection and alter expression of immune-related genes in flies. This effect appears to be due not only to the fact that colder temperatures slow down bacterial growth, but also to the beneficial effects of cooler temperature on immune function. We explore the possibility that heat shock proteins, and in particular, Hsp83, may improve immune function at cool temperatures. We have long known that temperature can alter immune responses against microbial pathogens in insects. The approach described here allows us to determine whether this effect is due primarily to temperature-specific effects on the host or on its pathogen. These results suggest that both may be important.

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“…Neurohormones synthesized in the brain regulate directly the endocrine activity of CA and influence synthesis and release of JH, an important modulator of the reproductive cycle in T. molitor (Thomas et al, 2000;Cole et al, 2003). In mealworm females, JH (especially JH III) regulates ovarian maturation, synthesis, and release of specific proteins (vitellogenins-Vg) by the fat body and the absorption of Vg from the hemolymph by developing oocytes (Cole et al, 2003). However, the mode of action of peptides from brain extract is as yet unclear.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of allatostatin‐like factors from the brain of Tenebrio molitor females

Wasielewski

Skonieczna

Kodrı́k

2009

Arch Insect Biochem Physiol

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The effect of brain extract from females of freshly emerged Tenebrio molitor on ovary, oocyte development, total protein content of hemolymph, and ovary was studied in 4-day-old adult mealworm females. Injections of extracts of 2-brain equivalents into intact (unligatured) Tenebrio females did not affect ovarian and oocyte development. Injections of ligated females, however, with 2-brain equivalents on day 1 and 2 after adult emergence strongly inhibited ovarian growth and oocyte development. At day 4, ligated and injected females did not develop their ovaries and pre-vitellogenic oocytes were not found. The changes in ovarian development correlated with an increase in the concentration of soluble proteins in the hemolymph as compared with the saline-injected controls. Additionally, a strong reduction of total protein content in ovarian tissue was observed. Reverse phase HPLC separation of a methanolic brain extract of T. molitor females showed that fraction 5 has a similar retention time to synthetic cockroach allatostatin. Fraction 5 was eluted at 12.88 min, which was closest to the internal standard Dippu-AST I, which eluted at 12.77 min. An ELISA of fraction 5 from the methanolic brain extract using antibodies against allatostatins Grybi-AST A1 and Grybi-AST B1 from cricket Gryllus bimaculatus showed that fraction 5 cross-reacted with Grybi-AST A1 antibodies. The cross-reactivity was similar to the synthetic allatostatin from D. punctata, which was used as a positive control. These observations demonstrate a possible role for allatostatin-like brain factor(s) in regulating the reproductive cycle of Tenebrio molitor.

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Juvenile hormone titre and egg production in Tenebrio molitor infected by Hymenolepis diminuta: effect of male and/or female infection, male age and mating

Cited by 23 publications

References 29 publications

Infection increases the value of nuptial gifts, and hence male reproductive success, in the Hymenolepis diminuta-Tenebrio molitor association

Infection increases the value of nuptial gifts, and hence male reproductive success, in the Hymenolepis diminuta-Tenebrio molitor association

The effects of temperature on host–pathogen interactions in D. melanogaster: Who benefits?

Role of allatostatin‐like factors from the brain of Tenebrio molitor females

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