The sex ratio distortion in the human head louse is conserved over time

Perotti, M. Alejandra; Catalá, Silvia; Ormeño, Analía del V; Żelazowska, Monika; Biliński, S; Braig, Henk R.

doi:10.1186/1471-2156-5-10

Cited by 32 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Most non-social haplodiploid species are parasitoids and have sex ratios ranging from highly male-biased 28 to highly female-biased 29 . In sexually reproducing diplodiploid species, sex ratio biases of intrinsic genetic origin (e.g., not due to manipulation by endosymbionts) are extremely rare 30 . However, haplodiploid cyclically parthenogenetic species have often been overlooked.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ghost sex-life of the paedogenetic beetle Micromalthus debilis

Perotti

Young

Braig

2016

Sci Rep

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Genetic and sexual systems can be evolutionarily dynamic within and among clades. However, identifying the processes responsible for switches between, for instance, sexual and asexual reproduction, or cyclic and non-cyclic life histories remains challenging. When animals evolve parthenogenetic reproduction, information about the sexual mating system becomes lost. Here we report an extraordinary case where we have been able to resurrect sexual adults in a species of beetle that reproduces by parthenogenetic paedogenesis, without the production of adults. Via heat treatment, we were able to artificially induce adult beetles of Micromalthus debilis in order to describe its pre-paedogenetic mating system. Adults showed a highly female biased sex ratio, out-breeding behaviour, and sex-role reversal. Paedogenetic larvae of Micromalthus are infected with the endosymbiotic bacteria Rickettsia and Wolbachia. Clear signs of vestigialization in adults are concurrent with the loss of adults. Our data suggest an ancient female sex ratio bias that predates the loss of adults, perhaps associated with endosymbionts. We propose a model for the transition from a haplodiploid cyclical parthenogenetic life history to parthenogenetic paedogenesis. Paedogenetic development induces a new mechanism of sex ratio bias in midges, wasps and beetles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 60 above described larvae and 60 non-impaired adult beetles (randomly picked from all adult producing colonies) were screened by PCR amplification using rDNA16S primers for sex ratio distorting bacteria and wsp A primers for Wolbachia following previously described protocols 30 64 .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ghost sex-life of the paedogenetic beetle Micromalthus debilis

Perotti

Young

Braig

2016

Sci Rep

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“…Mated females in isolation were able to produce daughters for up to 14 days [19]. Under natural conditions mated NFMs may produce daughters over a longer period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arrhenotoky and oedipal mating in the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) (Acari: Gamasida: Macronyssidae)

McCulloch

Owen

2012

Parasites Vectors

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BackgroundThe northern fowl mite (NFM; Ornithonyssus sylviarum) is a blood-feeding ectoparasite of birds and a major pest of poultry in the United States. Mite populations spread rapidly in commercial flocks, reach peak burdens of >70,000 mites per bird and have developed resistance to many pesticides. Despite decades as a pest in the United States, the reproductive biology of NFM remains unclear. Based on karyotypes, the NFM has haplodiploid sex determination, which suggests unmated females could produce male offspring (arrhenotoky). Thus, unmated females could disseminate to a new host and initiate an infestation by producing and mating with sons (oedipal mating).MethodsWe used small capsules to isolate and recover NFM on host chickens. Mites in capsules could blood feed, develop and reproduce, but could not contact other mites. Individual larvae were matured in isolation to produce known, unmated females. We evaluated reproduction of (I) previously mated females (i) in isolation, or (ii) paired with a male, and (II) unmated (virgin) females in isolation. In each treatment we recorded the number and sexes of offspring produced over time.ResultsMated NFM produced female and male offspring in isolation, or when paired with a male. When paired with a male, females produced a female-biased sex ratio of the offspring (F:M ratio ~5:1). Unmated, female NFM produced exclusively male offspring when in isolation. When paired with their sons that had developed to maturity, the "virgin" females were able to mate and subsequently produce female offspring.ConclusionsThis study found that females with immediate access to sperm produced mostly female offspring. Virgin female NFM initially produced only male offspring and subsequently used oedipal mating to produce female offspring. Using this reproductive system NFM could successfully colonize new hosts as immature, or unmated females. The strong female-biased sex ratio of NFM populations suggests a large proportion of the parasite population is capable of disseminating to new hosts, which is essential for an obligate parasite to persist.

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“…Genetic studies have associated ASD with abnormalities in subunits of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) (27–30), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) (31), and kainate (32, 33) receptors and the mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier (34–36). Genetic syndromes that have a high prevalence of ASD features demonstrate abnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Medications Approved for Alzheimerâ€™s Disease in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Rossignol¹,

Frye

2014

Front. Pediatr.

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 68 children in the United States. Even though it is a common disorder, only two medications (risperidone and aripiprazole) are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat symptoms associated with ASD. However, these medications are approved to treat irritability, which is not a core symptom of ASD. A number of novel medications, which have not been approved by the FDA to treat ASD have been used off-label in some studies to treat ASD symptoms, including medications approved for Alzheimer’s disease. Interestingly, some of these studies are high-quality, double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) studies. This article systematically reviews studies published through April, 2014, which examined the use of Alzheimer’s medications in ASD, including donepezil (seven studies, two were DBPC, five out of seven reported improvements), galantamine (four studies, two were DBPC, all reported improvements), rivastigmine (one study reporting improvements), tacrine (one study reporting improvements), and memantine (nine studies, one was DBPC, eight reported improvements). An evidence-based scale was used to rank each medication. Collectively, these studies reported improvements in expressive language and communication, receptive language, social interaction, irritability, hyperactivity, attention, eye contact, emotional lability, repetitive or self-stimulatory behaviors, motor planning, disruptive behaviors, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, lethargy, overall ASD behaviors, and increased REM sleep. Reported side effects are reviewed and include irritability, gastrointestinal problems, verbal or behavioral regression, headaches, irritability, rash, tremor, sedation, vomiting, and speech problems. Both galantamine and memantine had sufficient evidence ranking for improving both core and associated symptoms of ASD. Given the lack of medications approved to treat ASD, further studies on novel medications, including Alzheimer’s disease medications, are needed.

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The sex ratio distortion in the human head louse is conserved over time

Cited by 32 publications

References 51 publications

The ghost sex-life of the paedogenetic beetle Micromalthus debilis

The ghost sex-life of the paedogenetic beetle Micromalthus debilis

Arrhenotoky and oedipal mating in the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) (Acari: Gamasida: Macronyssidae)

The Use of Medications Approved for Alzheimerâ€™s Disease in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

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