Metabolomics Provides New Insights into Host Manipulation Strategies by Asobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Fruit Fly Parasitoid

Abstract

Asobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an endoparasitoid wasp that can successfully parasitize a wide range of host species across the Drosophila genus, including the invasive crop pest Drosophila suzukii. Parasitoids are capable of regulating the host metabolism to produce the nutritional metabolites for the survival of their offspring. Here, we intend to investigate the metabolic changes in D. melanogaster hosts after parasitization by A. japonica, using the non-targeted LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) metabolomics analysis. In total, 3043 metabolites were identified, most of which were not affected by A. japonica parasitization. About 205 metabolites were significantly affected in parasitized hosts in comparison to non-parasitized hosts. The changed metabolites were divided into 10 distinct biochemical groups. Among them, most of the lipid metabolic substances were significantly decreased in parasitized hosts. On the contrary, most of metabolites associated with the metabolism of amino acids and sugars showed a higher abundance of parasitized hosts, and were enriched for a wide range of pathways. In addition, eight neuromodulatory-related substances were upregulated in hosts post A. japonica parasitization. Our results reveal that the metabolites are greatly changed in parasitized hosts, which might help uncover the underlying mechanisms of host manipulation that will advance our understanding of host–parasitoid coevolution.

Effects of Antheraea pernyi on Parasitization of Kriechbaumerella dendrolimi by Using Immunology and Metabolomics

“…For instance, in their study, Liu et al utilized metabolomics analysis to identify key metabolites, including lipids and amino acids, which can reduce the immune response of Drosophila hosts. Certain specific lipids and amino acids, such as L-histidine, L-proline, and L-glutamate, were crucial in this process [82]. These pathway alterations reflected the host insect's metabolic adaptation to parasitization.…”

Parasitoid-induced changes in metabolic rate and feeding activity of the emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): implications for biological control

“…It is well documented that parasitoids must rely on resources obtained from single parasitized hosts for successful completion of larval development 27 because of their inability to obtain essential nutrients independently after parasitism. Limited by the host resource, parental female parasitoids must determine the brood size and host use strategy when attacking a potential host to balance the fertility and food resource 28 . Therefore, like many other species of gregarious parasitoids 5 , 10 , optimization of offspring development and fitness by T. planipennisi must be accomplished at the time of parasitism primarily by parental adult wasps through selection of suitable stages of host larvae (late 3rd or 4th instars) for parasitism and allocation of adequate number of eggs and progeny sexes to each parasitized host larva 14 , 15 .…”

Transcriptomic Insights into Host Metabolism and Immunity Changes after Parasitization by Leptopilina myrica

“…The former lay eggs inside hosts, while the latter deposit eggs on the host body surface [5,6]. Since the host nutrition and quality directly determine the fitness correlates of offspring wasps, both endoparasitoids and ectoparasitoids possess the ability to manipulate their host's nutrition metabolism and immunity, facilitating the development of their offspring [7][8][9][10][11][12]. The parasitoid wasps utilize various factors to accomplish this manipulation, such as venom, teratocytes, larval secretions, polydnaviruses (PDVs), and virus-like particles (VLPs) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”