Evolution of reproductive isolation of spodoptera frugiperda

Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm, is a noctuid moth occurring in North and South America. In this species, two host strains have been identified in the late 1980s (Pashley et al. 1985; Pashley 1986), a so-called corn-strain and a so-called rice-strain. The two strains differ in mitochondrial DNA sequences in the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase 1(ND1) genes. There are also strain-specific amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP), restriction length fragment polymorphisms (RFLP), a so-called Frugiperda Rice (FR) repetitive nuclear DNA sequence, present in high copy number in the rice-strain and mostly lower copy number in the corn-strain and nucleotide polymorphisms within the triose phosphate isomerase gene (Tpi). Recently, sex pheromone differences have been found between populations of the two strains. However, these differences were not consistent between the studies, suggesting that geographic variation may be confounded with strain-specific variation, or that pheromones may vary within strains as well. The relative importance of the pheromone differences between the two strains still needs to be established, i.e. are males of the two strains differentially attracted to the different pheromone blends. Since other physiological, developmental, and behavioral differences have been found between the strains, in this overview we integrate strain-specific variation in sexual communication with other possible pre- and postmating barriers that are likely involved in the differentiation between the two strains.Fil: Groot, Astrid T.. University of Amsterdam; Países BajosFil: Unbehend, Melanie. Instituto Max Planck Institut für Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Hänniger, Sabine. Instituto Max Planck Institut für Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Juárez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Kost, Silvia. Instituto Max Planck Institut für Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Heckel, David G.. Instituto Max Planck Institut für Chemische Okologie; Alemani

8-HQA adjusts the number and diversity of bacteria in the gut microbiome of Spodoptera littoralis

Quinolinic carboxylic acids are known for their metal ion chelating properties in insects, plants and bacteria. The larval stages of the lepidopteran pest, Spodoptera littoralis, produce 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid (8-HQA) in high concentrations from tryptophan in the diet. At the same time, the larval midgut is known to harbor a bacterial population. The motivation behind the work was to investigate whether 8-HQA is controlling the bacterial community in the gut by regulating the concentration of metal ions. Knocking out the gene for kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) in the insect using CRISPR/Cas9 eliminated production of 8-HQA and significantly increased bacterial numbers and diversity in the larval midgut. Adding 8-HQA to the diet of knockout larvae caused a dose-dependent reduction of bacterial numbers with minimal effects on diversity. Enterococcus mundtii dominates the community in all treatments, probably due to its highly efficient iron uptake system and production of the colicin, mundticin. Thus host factors and bacterial properties interact to determine patterns of diversity and abundance in the insect midgut

Chasing Sympatric Speciation. The relative importance and genetic basis of prezygotic isolation barriers in diverging populations of Spodoptera frugiperda

This thesis investigates the mechanisms underlying three prezygotic isolation barriers between the corn- and the rice-strain of the noctuid moth Spodoptera frugiperda to determine possible interactions between these isolation barriers and their relative importance for sympatric speciation. First, we investigated the role of host plant differentiation as isolation barrier between the two strains. Our analysis shows that, although there is some host-associated genetic structure, host plant differentiation alone cannot explain the total genetic variance and thus other, additional factors must maintain the genetic differentiation. Second, we focused on differentiation in sexual communication between the two strains. Females emit a strain-specific sex pheromone blend, but males do not show a preference for the blend of their own strain. The third and most consistent prezygotic isolation barrier between the two strains is allochronic differentiation, i.e. the strains differ in the daily timing of their sexual activities. We found one major QTL for the circadian differentiation, the circadian clock gene vrille maps to this locus, which is thus the major candidate gene underlying this circadian differentiation. Finally, I discuss the evolutionary potential of the different isolation barriers and I propose an interaction between all prezygotic mating barriers which facilitate the divergence of the two strains, with allochronic differentiation being the driving force. In conclusion, by investigating the prezygotic isolation barriers between two sympatric strains of S. frugiperda in detail, I have determined their strengths and possible interactions, giving insights in the mechanisms underlying and facilitating the process of sympatric speciation

Pheromonal divergence between two strains of Spodoptera frugiperda

Spodoptera frugiperda consists of two genetically and behaviorally different strains, the corn- and the rice-strain, which seem to be in the process of sympatric speciation. We investigated the role of strain-specific sexual communication as a prezygotic mating barrier between both strains by analyzing strain-specific variation in female pheromone composition of laboratory and field strains, and also male attraction in wind tunnel and field experiments. Laboratory-reared and field-collected females from Florida exhibited strain-specific differences in their relative amount of (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:OAc) and (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate (Z9-12:OAc). In wind tunnel assays, we did not find strain-specific attraction of males to females. However, in field experiments in Florida, we observed some differential attraction to synthetic pheromone blends. In a corn field, the corn-strain blend attracted more males of both strains than the rice-strain blend, but both blends were equally attractive in a grass field. Thus, habitat-specific volatiles seemed to influence male attraction to pheromones. In dose-response experiments, corn-strain males were more attracted to 2 % Z7-12:OAc than other doses tested, while rice-strain males were attracted to a broader range of Z7-12:OAc (2-10 %). The attraction of corn-strain males to the lowest dose of Z7-12:OAc corresponds to the production of this compound by females; corn-strain females produced significantly smaller amounts of Z7-12:OAc than rice-strain females. Although corn-strain individuals are more restricted in their production of and response to pheromones than rice-strain individuals, it seems that differences in sexual communication between corn- and rice-strain individuals are not strong enough to cause assortative mating

Host plant specialization in the generalist moth Heliothis virescens and the role of egg imprinting

Even though generalist insects are able to feed on many different host plants, local specialization may occur, which could lead to genetic differentiation. In this paper we assessed the level and extent of host plant specialization in the generalist herbivore Heliothis virescens Fabricius (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). This generalist can grow and survive on many different plant species, belonging to more than 37 families. Previously, two laboratory strains were described that differ in their performance on cotton and chickpea. In this study we explored this phenomenon further. Specifically, we asked the following questions: (1) Do the two strains still differ in their performance on cotton and chickpea? Since we found that the most pronounced difference between the two strains was in their growth on fresh chickpea leaves, we then asked: (2) Does this variation in performance have a genetic basis? In our genetic analysis, we found that growth rates changed over time and that two linkage groups significantly affected the ability to grow on chickpea. One QTL was homologous to Bombyx mori chromosome 15, onto which genes for insecticide resistance and detoxicative enzymes have previously been mapped. (3) Is there a difference in oviposition preference between the two strains? Oviposition experiments revealed no preference in either strain when females were reared on the same artificial diet. However, we did find a maternal inheritance of oviposition preference: daughters collected as eggs from cotton oviposited significantly more eggs on cotton, and daughters collected as eggs from chickpea likewise laid more eggs on chickpea. Thus, Hopkins’ host selection principle seems to holds in this species, although imprinting seems to happen not at the larval but at the egg stage, which is a new finding. This study shows how genetic and nongenetic factors can interact to shape the patterns of local specialization in a generalist herbivore