Rapid and dfferential evolution of the venom composition of a parasitoid wasp depending on the host strain

Abstract: Parasitoid wasps rely primarily on venom to suppress the immune response and regulatethe physiology of their host. Intraspecific variability of venom protein composition has beendocumented in some species, but its evolutionary potential is poorly understood. We performed anexperimental evolution initiated with the crosses of two lines of Leptopilina boulardi of differentvenom composition to generate variability and create new combinations of venom factors. Theoffspring were maintained for 10 generations on two strains of Drosophila melanogaster differing inresistance/susceptibility to the parental parasitoid lines. The venom composition of individuals wascharacterized by a semi-automatic analysis of 1D SDS-PAGE electrophoresis protein profiles whoseaccuracy was checked by Western blot analysis of well-characterized venom proteins. Results madeevident a rapid and differential evolution of the venom composition on both hosts and showed thatthe proteins beneficial on one host can be costly on the other. Overall, we demonstrated the capacityof rapid evolution of the venom composition in parasitoid wasps, important regulators of arthropodpopulations, suggesting a potential for adaptation to new hosts. Our approach also proved relevantin identifying, among the diversity of venom proteins, those possibly involved in parasitism successand whose role deserves to be deepened

Interaction immunitaire dans un modèle Drosophiles-parasitoïde : effet de la température et potentiel évolutif du venin en lien avec l’espèce hôte

Endoparasitoid wasp larvae develop at the expense of a host, leading to its death. Their success depends on their ability to overcome the immune response of the host (formation of a melanized capsule) and regulate its physiology, via the injection of venom upon oviposition. Although parasitoids undergo significant changes in their environment, its impact on the protein composition of their venom has rarely been tested. In this thesis, I studied (i) the impact of temperature on the Drosophila - Leptopilina boulardi immune interaction and the composition of its venom and (ii) the evolutionary potential of venom in response to different hosts. Temperature influences the parasitic success of L. boulardi via the ability of the host to encapsulate and / or that of the parasite to escape from the capsule. Besides, there is a plasticity of the venom composition with temperature. A first experimental evolution showed a rapid evolution of the composition of the venom in response to the resistance / susceptibility of the host, and a cost to the presence of certain factors of the venom. The second experimental evolution on different host species suggests (i) a specialization of parasitoids on the rearing host and (ii) a differential evolution of the parasite success (virulence) and the composition of the venom. The venom ensuring success on different hosts would therefore contain a combination of "specialized" proteins for each host as well as "broad-spectrum" effect proteins on some hosts tested. The results suggest a strong adaptive potential of parasitoids in response to different biotic and abiotic parameters.Les larves des insectes endoparasitoïdes se développent aux dépens d’un hôte, conduisant à sa mort. Leur réussite dépend de leur capacité à neutraliser la réponse immunitaire de l’hôte (formation d’une capsule mélanisée) et réguler sa physiologie, via l’injection de venin lors de l’oviposition. Bien que les parasitoïdes subissent des changements importants de leur environnement, son impact sur la composition protéique de leur venin a rarement été étudié. Dans cette thèse, j’ai étudié (i) l’impact de la température sur l’interaction immunitaire Drosophile – Leptopilina boulardi et la composition de son venin et (ii) le potentiel évolutif du venin en réponse à différents hôtes. La température influe sur le succès parasitaire de L. boulardi via la capacité de l’hôte à encapsuler et/ou celle du parasite à s’échapper de la capsule. De plus, il y a une plasticité de la composition du venin avec la température. Par ailleurs, une 1ère évolution expérimentale a montré une évolution rapide de composition du venin en réponse à la résistance/sensibilité de l’hôte et un coût à la présence de certains facteurs du venin. La 2nd évolution expérimentale sur des espèces hôtes différentes suggère (i) une spécialisation des parasitoïdes sur l’hôte d’élevage et (ii) une évolution différentielle de la réussite parasitaire (virulence) et de la composition du venin. Le venin assurant la réussite sur différents hôtes contiendrait donc une combinaison de protéines « spécialisées » pour chaque hôte et des protéines à effet « large-spectre » sur certains hôtes testés. Les résultats suggèrent un fort potentiel adaptatif des parasitoïdes en réponse à différents paramètres biotiques et abiotiques

Impact of Temperature on the Immune Interaction between a Parasitoid Wasp and Drosophila Host Species

Temperature is particularly important for ectotherms, including endoparasitoid wasps that develop inside another ectotherm host. In this study, we tested the impact of three temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C) on the host–parasitoid immune interaction using two Drosophila host species (Drosophila melanogaster and D. yakuba) and two parasitoid lines of Leptopilina boulardi. Drosophila’s immune defense against parasitoids consists of the formation of a melanized capsule surrounding the parasitoid egg. To counteract this response, Leptopilina parasitoids rely on the injection of venom during oviposition. Here, we tested the effect of temperature on parasitic success and host encapsulation capacity in response to a parasitoid egg or other foreign body. Increased temperature either promoted or did not affect the parasitic success, depending on the parasitoid–host pairs considered. The mechanisms behind the higher success seemed to vary depending on whether the temperature primarily affected the host immune response or also affected the parasitoid counter-immune response. Next, we tested the effect of parasitoid rearing temperature on its success and venom composition. Venom composition varied strongly with temperature for both parasitoid lines, partially consistent with a change in their parasitic success. Overall, temperature may have a significant impact on the host–parasitoid immune interaction

Immune interaction in a Drosophila-parasitoid model : effect of the temperature and evolvability of the venom in relation to the host species

Les larves des insectes endoparasitoïdes se développent aux dépens d’un hôte, conduisant à sa mort. Leur réussite dépend de leur capacité à neutraliser la réponse immunitaire de l’hôte (formation d’une capsule mélanisée) et réguler sa physiologie, via l’injection de venin lors de l’oviposition. Bien que les parasitoïdes subissent des changements importants de leur environnement, son impact sur la composition protéique de leur venin a rarement été étudié. Dans cette thèse, j’ai étudié (i) l’impact de la température sur l’interaction immunitaire Drosophile – Leptopilina boulardi et la composition de son venin et (ii) le potentiel évolutif du venin en réponse à différents hôtes. La température influe sur le succès parasitaire de L. boulardi via la capacité de l’hôte à encapsuler et/ou celle du parasite à s’échapper de la capsule. De plus, il y a une plasticité de la composition du venin avec la température. Par ailleurs, une 1ère évolution expérimentale a montré une évolution rapide de composition du venin en réponse à la résistance/sensibilité de l’hôte et un coût à la présence de certains facteurs du venin. La 2nd évolution expérimentale sur des espèces hôtes différentes suggère (i) une spécialisation des parasitoïdes sur l’hôte d’élevage et (ii) une évolution différentielle de la réussite parasitaire (virulence) et de la composition du venin. Le venin assurant la réussite sur différents hôtes contiendrait donc une combinaison de protéines « spécialisées » pour chaque hôte et des protéines à effet « large-spectre » sur certains hôtes testés. Les résultats suggèrent un fort potentiel adaptatif des parasitoïdes en réponse à différents paramètres biotiques et abiotiques.Endoparasitoid wasp larvae develop at the expense of a host, leading to its death. Their success depends on their ability to overcome the immune response of the host (formation of a melanized capsule) and regulate its physiology, via the injection of venom upon oviposition. Although parasitoids undergo significant changes in their environment, its impact on the protein composition of their venom has rarely been tested. In this thesis, I studied (i) the impact of temperature on the Drosophila - Leptopilina boulardi immune interaction and the composition of its venom and (ii) the evolutionary potential of venom in response to different hosts. Temperature influences the parasitic success of L. boulardi via the ability of the host to encapsulate and / or that of the parasite to escape from the capsule. Besides, there is a plasticity of the venom composition with temperature. A first experimental evolution showed a rapid evolution of the composition of the venom in response to the resistance / susceptibility of the host, and a cost to the presence of certain factors of the venom. The second experimental evolution on different host species suggests (i) a specialization of parasitoids on the rearing host and (ii) a differential evolution of the parasite success (virulence) and the composition of the venom. The venom ensuring success on different hosts would therefore contain a combination of "specialized" proteins for each host as well as "broad-spectrum" effect proteins on some hosts tested. The results suggest a strong adaptive potential of parasitoids in response to different biotic and abiotic parameters

Data from: No clear effect of admixture between two European invading outbreaks of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in natura

In this study, we challenged the hypothesis that admixture may have had a positive impact in the context of the European invasion of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, LeConte. This beetle was introduced in Europe from the USA several times since the 1980’s. The multiple introductions of this major pest of cultivated corn led to the formation of two major outbreaks in North Western (NW) Italy and in Central and South Eastern (CSE) Europe that eventually merged into a secondary contact zone where insects from both outbreaks interbreed. We collected about 600 insects from this contact zone and genotyped them using 13 microsatellite markers. Three types of information were obtained from the collected individuals: (i) their survival under starvation; (ii) their admixed status, determined through a Bayesian method of genetic clustering and (iii) their mating probability, studied via the detection, isolation and genotyping of sperm in female spermathecae. Twenty six % and 12% of the individuals were assigned to the NW Italy or the CSE Europe parental types, respectively, and 23% and 39% to the F1 and backcross hybrid types, respectively. Globally, our results do not reveal any significant impact of the admixed status on the mating probability and on the choice of mating partners. However the admixed status had a sex- and sampling site-dependent effect on survival in adults under starvation. In addition sex had an effect on survival, with mortality hazard about 3 times larger in males than in females. The consequences of these findings for the evolution of the admixture zone of northern Italy are discussed

Data from: No clear effect of admixture between two European invading outbreaks of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in natura

In this study, we challenged the hypothesis that admixture may have had a positive impact in the context of the European invasion of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, LeConte. This beetle was introduced in Europe from the USA several times since the 1980’s. The multiple introductions of this major pest of cultivated corn led to the formation of two major outbreaks in North Western (NW) Italy and in Central and South Eastern (CSE) Europe that eventually merged into a secondary contact zone where insects from both outbreaks interbreed. We collected about 600 insects from this contact zone and genotyped them using 13 microsatellite markers. Three types of information were obtained from the collected individuals: (i) their survival under starvation; (ii) their admixed status, determined through a Bayesian method of genetic clustering and (iii) their mating probability, studied via the detection, isolation and genotyping of sperm in female spermathecae. Twenty six % and 12% of the individuals were assigned to the NW Italy or the CSE Europe parental types, respectively, and 23% and 39% to the F1 and backcross hybrid types, respectively. Globally, our results do not reveal any significant impact of the admixed status on the mating probability and on the choice of mating partners. However the admixed status had a sex- and sampling site-dependent effect on survival in adults under starvation. In addition sex had an effect on survival, with mortality hazard about 3 times larger in males than in females. The consequences of these findings for the evolution of the admixture zone of northern Italy are discussed

Parasitic success and venom composition evolve upon specialization of parasitoid wasps to different host species

International audienceFemale endoparasitoid wasps usually inject venom into hosts to suppress their immune response and ensure offspring development. However, the parasitoid’s ability to evolve towards increased success on a given host simultaneously with the evolution of the composition of its venom has never been demonstrated. Here, we designed an experimental evolution to address this question. We crossed two parasitoid lines of Leptopilina boulardi differing both in parasitic success on different Drosophila hosts and venom composition. F2 descendants were reared on three different Drosophila species for nine generations. We tested for evolution of parasitic success over the generations and for the capacity of parasitoids selected on a given host to succeed on another host. We also tested whether the venom composition - analyzed on the basis of the variation in intensity of the venom protein bands on SDS-PAGE 1D - evolved in response to different host species. Results showed a specialization of the parasitoids on their selection host and a rapid and differential evolution of the venom composition according to the host. Overall, data suggest a high potential for parasitoids to adapt to a new host, which may have important consequences in the field as well in the context of biological control

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