Journal Article

Parasitoid Calyx Fluid and Venom Affect Bacterial Communities in Their Lepidopteran Host Labial Salivary Glands

Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences ; Università degli studi di Palermo - University of Palermo (UNIPA), Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations (UMR CBGP) ; Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier ; Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Cuny, Maximilien, A. C, KU Leuven Plant Institute (LPI) ; Catholic University of Leuven = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Gloder, Gabriele, Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics (CMPG) ; Catholic University of Leuven = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Crauwels, Sam, Poel

2025

Overview

The influence of gut and gonad bacterial communities on insect physiology, behaviour, and ecology is increasingly recognised. Parasitism by parasitoid wasps alters many physiological processes in their hosts, including gut bacterial communities. However, it remains unclear whether these changes are restricted to the gut or also occur in other tissues and fluids, and the mechanisms underlying such changes are unknown. We hypothesise that host microbiome changes result from the injection of calyx fluid (that contain symbiotic viruses known as polydnaviruses) and venom during parasitoid oviposition and that these effects vary by host tissue. To test this, we microinjected Pieris brassicae caterpillars with calyx fluid and venom from Cotesia glomerata, using saline solution and natural parasitism by C. glomerata as controls. We analysed changes in the bacterial community composition in the gut, regurgitate, haemolymph, and labial salivary glands of the host insects. Multivariate analysis revealed distinct bacterial communities across tissues and fluids, with high diversity in the salivary glands and haemolymph. Parasitism and injection of calyx fluid and venom significantly altered bacterial communities in the salivary glands. Differential abundance analysis showed that parasitism affected bacterial relative abundance in the haemolymph, and that Wolbachia was only found in the haemolymph of parasitized caterpillars. Altogether, our findings reveal that parasitism influences the host haemolymph microbiome, and both parasitism and injection of calyx fluid and venom drive changes in the bacterial community composition within the host salivary glands. Given that the composition of salivary glands can influence plant response to herbivory, we discuss these results in the broader context of plant-parasitoid interactions.

• Publisher: Springer Verlag,CCSD,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Abundance / Animal biology / Animals / Bacteria / Bacteria - classification / Bacteria - drug effects / Bacteria - genetics / Bacteria - isolation & purification / bacterial communities / Bacteriology / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Butterflies - microbiology / Butterflies - parasitology / calyx / Calyx fluid / Caterpillars / Community composition / community structure / Composition / Cotesia glomerata / digestive system / Ecology / Ecology, environment / Exocrine glands / Fluids / Geoecology/Natural Processes / Glands / Gonads / Haemolymph / Hemolymph / Hemolymph - microbiology / herbivores / Herbivory / Host-Parasite Interactions / Human health and pathology / Injection / Insect ecology / insect physiology / Insects / Invertebrate Zoology / Larva - microbiology / Larva - parasitology / Life Sciences / Microbial Ecology / Microbiology / Microbiology and Parasitology / microbiome / Microbiomes / Microbiota / Moths - microbiology / Moths - parasitology / Multivariate analysis / Nature Conservation / Oviposition / Parasitism / Parasitoids / Parasitology / Physiology / Pieris brassicae / plant response / Polydnaviridae / Polydnaviridae - physiology / Relative abundance / Saline solutions / Salivary gland / Salivary glands / Salivary Glands - microbiology / sodium chloride / Symbionts / Symbiosis / Tissue / Tissues and Organs / Venom / venoms / Viruses / Wasp Venoms - pharmacology / Wasps - physiology / Water Quality/Water Pollution / Wolbachia
• ISBN: 0014730374000