Wolbachia increases the susceptibility of a parasitoid wasp to hyperparasitism
(2016) In Journal of Experimental Biology 219. p.2984-2990- Abstract
- The success of maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria, such as Wolbachia, is directly linked to their host reproduction but in direct conflict with other parasites that kill the host before it reaches reproductive maturity. Therefore, symbionts that have evolved strategies to increase their host’s ability to evade lethal parasites may have high penetrance, while detrimental symbionts would be selected against, leading to lower penetrance or extinction from the host population. In a natural population of the parasitoid wasp Hyposoter horticola in the Åland Islands (Finland), the Wolbachia strain wHho persists at an intermediate prevalence (∼50%). Additionally, there is a negative correlation between the prevalence of Wolbachia and a... (More)
- The success of maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria, such as Wolbachia, is directly linked to their host reproduction but in direct conflict with other parasites that kill the host before it reaches reproductive maturity. Therefore, symbionts that have evolved strategies to increase their host’s ability to evade lethal parasites may have high penetrance, while detrimental symbionts would be selected against, leading to lower penetrance or extinction from the host population. In a natural population of the parasitoid wasp Hyposoter horticola in the Åland Islands (Finland), the Wolbachia strain wHho persists at an intermediate prevalence (∼50%). Additionally, there is a negative correlation between the prevalence of Wolbachia and a hyperparasitoid wasp, Mesochorus cf. stigmaticus, in the landscape. Using a manipulative field experiment, we addressed the persistence of Wolbachia at this intermediate level, and tested whether the observed negative correlation could be due to Wolbachia inducing either susceptibility or resistance to parasitism. We show that infection with Wolbachia does not influence the ability of the wasp to parasitize its butterfly host, Melitaea cinxia, but that hyperparasitism of the wasp increases in the presence of wHho. Consequently, the symbiont is detrimental, and in order to persist in the host population, must also have a positive effect on fitness that outweighs the costly burden of susceptibility to widespread parasitism. (Less)
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/9846cb60-3afa-4f7f-8a02-1f32c9a3ba6d
- author
- van Nouhuys, Saskya ; Kohonen, Minna and Duplouy, Anne LU
- publishing date
- 2016
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Experimental Biology
- volume
- 219
- pages
- 2984 - 2990
- publisher
- The Company of Biologists Ltd
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:84990889884
- ISSN
- 1477-9145
- DOI
- 10.1242/jeb.140699
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 9846cb60-3afa-4f7f-8a02-1f32c9a3ba6d
- date added to LUP
- 2018-11-12 15:11:29
- date last changed
- 2022-03-02 17:32:17
@article{9846cb60-3afa-4f7f-8a02-1f32c9a3ba6d,
abstract = {{The success of maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria, such as Wolbachia, is directly linked to their host reproduction but in direct conflict with other parasites that kill the host before it reaches reproductive maturity. Therefore, symbionts that have evolved strategies to increase their host’s ability to evade lethal parasites may have high penetrance, while detrimental symbionts would be selected against, leading to lower penetrance or extinction from the host population. In a natural population of the parasitoid wasp Hyposoter horticola in the Åland Islands (Finland), the Wolbachia strain wHho persists at an intermediate prevalence (∼50%). Additionally, there is a negative correlation between the prevalence of Wolbachia and a hyperparasitoid wasp, Mesochorus cf. stigmaticus, in the landscape. Using a manipulative field experiment, we addressed the persistence of Wolbachia at this intermediate level, and tested whether the observed negative correlation could be due to Wolbachia inducing either susceptibility or resistance to parasitism. We show that infection with Wolbachia does not influence the ability of the wasp to parasitize its butterfly host, Melitaea cinxia, but that hyperparasitism of the wasp increases in the presence of wHho. Consequently, the symbiont is detrimental, and in order to persist in the host population, must also have a positive effect on fitness that outweighs the costly burden of susceptibility to widespread parasitism.}},
author = {{van Nouhuys, Saskya and Kohonen, Minna and Duplouy, Anne}},
issn = {{1477-9145}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{2984--2990}},
publisher = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
series = {{Journal of Experimental Biology}},
title = {{Wolbachia increases the susceptibility of a parasitoid wasp to hyperparasitism}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.140699}},
doi = {{10.1242/jeb.140699}},
volume = {{219}},
year = {{2016}},
}