Sterile Insect Technique and Incompatible Insect Technique for the Integrated Drosophila suzukii Management

Sassù, Fabiana; Nikolouli, Katerina; Stauffer, Christian; Bourtzis, Kostas; Cáceres, Carlos

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-62692-1_9

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 194 publications

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“…D. suzukii is challenging to control with pesticides because the larvae burrow inside ripening fruit and are not affected by chemicals on the surface 3 , 4 . Alternative, environmentally sustainable control measures such as the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been proposed or investigated for this pest 5 , 6 . SIT involves the release of mass-produced radiation-sterilized insects into the designated area and works on the basis that mating between sterile males and wild, fertile females produces no offspring 7 , 8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A transgenic female killing system for the genetic control of Drosophila suzukii

Schetelig

Schwirz

Yan

2021

Sci Rep

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The spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is an invasive pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. It is rapidly transmitted in Europe and North America, causing widespread agricultural losses. Genetic control strategies such as the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been proposed as environment-friendly and species-restricted approaches for this pest. However, females are inefficient agents in SIT programs. Here we report a conditional female-killing (FK) strategy based on the tetracycline-off system. We assembled sixteen genetic constructs for testing in vitro and in vivo. Twenty-four independent transgenic strains of D. suzukii were generated and tested for female-specific lethality. The strongest FK effect in the absence of tetracycline was achieved by the construct containing D. suzukii nullo promoter for early gene expression, D. suzukii pro-apoptotic gene hidAla4 for lethality, and the transformer gene intron from the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata for female-specific splicing. One strain carrying this construct eliminated 100% of the female offspring during embryogenesis and produced only males. However, homozygous females from these FK strains were not viable on a tetracycline-supplemented diet, possibly due to the basal expression of hidAla4. Potential improvements to the gene constructs and the use of such FK strains in an SIT program are discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A transgenic female killing system for the genetic control of Drosophila suzukii

Schetelig

Schwirz

Yan

2021

Sci Rep

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“…Therefore, the overall effects of antibiotics, including parental and transgenerational effects, on the engineered lethality and insect fitness need to be carefully evaluated in a species- and strain-specific manner for a safe and efficient practical application. Together with other genetic control programs such as SIT and incompatible insect technique ( Nikolouli et al, 2018 ; Sassù et al, 2020 ), genetically engineered lethal strains could facilitate the sustainable management of this global pest D. suzukii .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of antibiotics on the in vitro expression of tetracycline-off constructs and the performance of Drosophila suzukii female-killing strains

Yan

Hosseini²,

Scheld³

et al. 2023

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

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Genetic control strategies such as the Release of Insects Carrying a Dominant Lethal (RIDL) gene and Transgenic Embryonic Sexing System (TESS) have been demonstrated in the laboratory and/or deployed in the field. These strategies are based on tetracycline-off (Tet-off) systems which are regulated by antibiotics such as Tet and doxycycline (Dox). Here, we generated several Tet-off constructs carrying a reporter gene cassette mediated by a 2A peptide. Different concentrations (0.1, 10, 100, 500, and 1,000 μg/mL) and types (Tet or Dox) of antibiotics were used to evaluate their effects on the expression of the Tet-off constructs in the Drosophila S2 cells. One or both of the two concentrations, 100 and 250 μg/mL, of Tet or Dox were used to check the influence on the performances of a Drosophila suzukii wild-type strain and female-killing (FK) strains employing TESS. Specifically, the Tet-off construct for these FK strains contains a Drosophila suzukii nullo promoter to regulate the tetracycline transactivator gene and a sex-specifically spliced pro-apoptotic gene hidAla4 to eliminate females. The results suggested that the in vitro expression of the Tet-off constructs was controlled by antibiotics in a dose-dependent manner. ELISA experiments were carried out identifying Tet at 34.8 ng/g in adult females that fed on food supplemented with Tet at 100 μg/mL. However, such method did not detect Tet in the eggs produced by antibiotic-treated flies. Additionally, feeding Tet to the parents showed negative impact on the fly development but not the survival in the next generation. Importantly, we demonstrated that under certain antibiotic treatments females could survive in the FK strains with different transgene activities. For the strain V229_M4f1 which showed moderate transgene activity, feeding Dox to fathers or mothers suppressed the female lethality in the next generation and feeding Tet or Dox to mothers generated long-lived female survivors. For the strain V229_M8f2 which showed weak transgene activity, feeding Tet to mothers delayed the female lethality for one generation. Therefore, for genetic control strategies employing the Tet-off system, the parental and transgenerational effects of antibiotics on the engineered lethality and insect fitness must be carefully evaluated for a safe and efficient control program.

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“…As SWD spreads almost worldwide, many countries have immediately adopted preventive and intervention measures to minimize economic losses. Thus, SWD mitigation strategies, including exclusion netting, mass trapping supported on attractant-based traps, crop sanitation, and chemical and biological controls, were implemented [ 13 ], while the sterile insect technique is currently being evaluated [ 17 ]. Concerning biological control, natural enemies may be particularly important as an eco-friendly tool in a network of SWD management strategies, maximizing ecosystem services’ benefits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of the Niche Partitioning and Coexistence of Two Resident Parasitoids for Drosophila suzukii Management in Non-Crop Areas

Biancheri

Nuñéz-Campero

Suárez

et al. 2023

Insects

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Understanding the mechanisms associated with the coexistence of competing parasitoid species is critical in approaching any biological control strategy against the globally invasive pest spotted-wing drosophila (=SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). This study assessed the coexistence of two resident pupal parasitoids, Trichopria anastrephae Lima and Pachycrepoideus vindemiae Rondani, in SWD-infested fruit, in disturbed wild vegetation areas of Tucumán, northwestern Argentina, based on niche segregation. Drosophilid puparia were collected between December/2016 and April/2017 from three different pupation microhabitats in fallen feral peach and guava. These microhabitats were “inside flesh (mesocarp)”, “outside flesh”, but associated with the fruit, and “soil”, i.e., puparia buried close to fruit. Saprophytic drosophilid puparia (=SD) belonging to the Drosophila melanogaster group and SWD were found in all tested microhabitats. SD predominated in both inside and outside flesh, whereas SWD in soil. Both parasitoids attacked SWD puparia. However, T. anastrephae emerged mainly from SD puparia primarily in the inside flesh, whereas P. vindemiae mostly foraged SWD puparia in less competitive microhabitats, such as in the soil or outside the flesh. Divergence in host choice and spatial patterns of same-resource preferences between both parasitoids may mediate their coexistence in non-crop environments. Given this scenario, both parasitoids have potential as SWD biocontrol agents.

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Sterile Insect Technique and Incompatible Insect Technique for the Integrated Drosophila suzukii Management

Cited by 7 publications

References 194 publications

A transgenic female killing system for the genetic control of Drosophila suzukii

A transgenic female killing system for the genetic control of Drosophila suzukii

Effects of antibiotics on the in vitro expression of tetracycline-off constructs and the performance of Drosophila suzukii female-killing strains

Implications of the Niche Partitioning and Coexistence of Two Resident Parasitoids for Drosophila suzukii Management in Non-Crop Areas

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