Influence of molecular structure on the antimicrobial function of phenylenevinylene conjugated oligoelectrolytes.

Conjugated oligoelectrolytes (COEs) with phenylenevinylene (PV) repeat units are known to spontaneously intercalate into cell membranes. Twelve COEs, including seven structures reported here for the first time, were investigated for the relationship between their membrane disrupting properties and structural modifications, including the length of the PV backbone and the presence of either a tetraalkylammonium or a pyridinium ionic pendant group. Optical characteristics and interactions with cell membranes were determined using UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies, and confocal microscopy. Toxicity tests on representative Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria reveal generally greater toxicity to E. faecalis than to E. coli and indicate that shorter molecules have superior antimicrobial activity. Increased antimicrobial potency was observed in three-ring COEs appended with pyridinium ionic groups but not with COEs with four or five PV repeat units. Studies with mutants having cell envelope modifications indicate a possible charge based interaction with pyridinium-appended compounds. Fluorine substitutions on COE backbones result in structures that are less toxic to E. coli, while the addition of benzothiadiazole to COE backbones has no effect on increasing antimicrobial function. A weakly membrane-intercalating COE with only two PV repeat units allowed us to determine the synthetic limitations as a result of competition between solubility in aqueous media and association with cell membranes. We describe, for the first time, the most membrane disrupting structure achievable within two homologous series of COEs and that around a critical three-ring backbone length, structural modifications have the most effect on antimicrobial activity

Hanseniaspora uvarum Attracts Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) With High Specificity

Since the early phase of the intercontinental dispersal of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), fermentation baits have been used for monitoring. Self-made lures and commercial products are often based on wine and vinegar. From an ecological perspective, the formulation of these baits is expected to target especially vinegar flies associated with overripe fruit, such as Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen) (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Hanseniaspora uvarum (Niehaus) (Ascomycota: Saccharomyceta) is a yeast closely associated with D. suzukii and fruit, and furthermore attractive to the flies. Based on this relation, H. uvarum might represent a suitable substrate for the development of lures that are more specific than vinegar and wine. In the field, we therefore, compared H. uvarum to a commercial bait that was based on vinegar and wine with respect to the number of trapped D. suzukii relative to other drosophilids and arthropods. Trap captures were higher with the commercial bait but specificity for D. suzukii was greater with H. uvarum. Moreover, H. uvarum headspace extracts, as well as a synthetic blend of H. uvarum volatiles, were assayed for attraction of D suzukii in a wind tunnel and in the field. Headspace extracts and the synthetic blend induced strong upwind flight in the wind tunnel and confirmed attraction to H. uvarum volatiles. Furthermore, baited with H. uvarum headspace extract and a drowning solution of aqueous acetic acid and ethanol, 74% of field captured arthropods were D. suzukii. Our findings suggest that synthetic yeast headspace formulations might advance the development of more selective monitoring traps with reduced by-catch

Wild African Drosophila melanogaster are seasonal specialists on marula fruits

Although the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster isarguably the most studied organism on the planet,fundamental aspects of this species’ natural ecologyhave remained enigmatic [1]. We have here investigateda wild population of D. melanogaster from amopane forest in Zimbabwe. We find that these fliesare closely associated with marula fruit (Sclerocaryabirrea) and propose that this seasonally abundantand predominantly Southern African fruit is a keyancestral host of D. melanogaster. Moreover, whenfruiting, marula is nearly exclusively used byD. melanogaster, suggesting that these forest-dwellingD. melanogaster are seasonal specialists, in asimilar manner to, e.g., Drosophila erecta on screwpine cones [2]. We further demonstrate that themain chemicals released by marula activate odorantreceptors that mediate species-specific host choice(Or22a) [3, 4] and oviposition site selection (Or19a)[5]. The Or22a-expressing neurons—ab3A—respondstrongly to the marula ester ethyl isovalerate, a volatilerarely encountered in high amounts in other fruit.We also show that Or22a differs among African populationssampled from a wide range of habitats, inline with a function associated with host fruit usage.Flies from Southern Africa, most of which carry adistinct allele at the Or22a/Or22b locus, have ab3Aneurons that are more sensitive to ethyl isovaleratethan, e.g., European flies. Finally, we discuss thepossibility that marula, which is also a culturallyand nutritionally important resource to humans,may have helped the transition to commensalism inD. melanogaster

Field and greenhouse application of an attract-and-kill formulation based on the yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum and the insecticide spinosad to control Drosophila suzukii in grapes

BACKGROUND The invasive insect Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is an important pest of several red grape varieties. The yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum (Niehaus), which is associated with D. suzukii, strongly attracts flies and stimulates them to feed on yeast-laden food. In the present study, a formulation based on H. uvarum culture with spinosad insecticide was applied to the foliage of vineyards and control of D. suzukii was compared to applying spinosad to the whole plant. After successful H. uvarum and insecticide application in the vineyard, we tested additional H. uvarum-based formulations with spinosad in a greenhouse to determine their capacity to control D. suzukii. RESULTS Application of the H. uvarum-spinosad formulation at 36.4 g of spinosad per hectare reduced the D. suzukii field infestation at the same rate as applying 120 g of spinosad per hectare and prevented spinosad residues on grapes. Leaves treated with H. uvarum and spinosad in the field and transferred to a laboratory assay caused high mortality to flies and reduced the number of eggs laid on fruits. Formulations with spinosad applied in the greenhouse showed that both H. uvarum culture and the yeast cell-free supernatant of a centrifuged culture increased fly mortality and reduced the number of eggs laid compared to the unsprayed control. CONCLUSION In comparison to typical spinosad spray applications, the use of H. uvarum in combination with spinosad as an attract-and-kill formulation against D. suzukii reduces pesticide residues on the fruits by targeting the treatment to the canopy and decreasing the amount of insecticide per hectare without compromising control efficacy

When is it biological control? A framework of definitions, mechanisms, and classifications

Biological control, or biocontrol, is the exploitation of living agents (incl. viruses) to combat pestilential organisms (incl. pathogens, pests, and weeds) for diverse purposes to provide human benefits. Thus, during the last century the practices and concepts involved have evolved in separate streams associated with distinct scientific and taxonomic disciplines. In parallel developments, there have been increasing references to biological control in industrial contexts and legislation, resulting in conceptual and terminological disintegration. The aim of this paper is to provide a global conceptual and terminological platform that facilitates future development of the field. We review use of previously suggested terms in key fields (e.g., phytopathology, entomology, and weed science), eliminate redundant terminology, identify three principles that should underpin the concept, and then present a new framework for biological control, rooted in seminal publications. The three principles establish that (1) only living agents can mediate biological control, (2) biological control always targets a pest, directly or indirectly, and (3) all biocontrol methods can be classified in four main categories depending on whether resident agents are utilized, with or without targeted human intervention (conservation biological control and natural biological control, respectively) or agents are added for permanent or temporary establishment (classical biological control and augmentative biological control, respectively). Correct identification of what is, and is not, biological control can help efforts to understand and optimize biological pest control for human and environmental benefits. The new conceptual framework may contribute to more uniform and appropriate regulatory approaches to biological control, and more efficient authorization and application of biocontrol products

Yeast and fruit fly mutual niche construction and antagonism against mould

A goal in insect–microbe ecology is to understand the mechanisms regulating species associations and mutualistic interactions. The spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii develops in ripening fruit, unlike other drosophilids that typically feed on overripe fruit, and is associated with the yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum. We hypothesized that D. suzukii and H. uvarum engage in niche construction leading to a mutualistic relation, facilitating the exploitation of fruit and berries as larval substrate. We show that H. uvarum proliferates on both ripe and on unripe raspberries, mediates attraction of D. suzukii larvae and adult flies, enhances egg-laying in mated females and is a sufficient food substrate to support larval development. Moreover, H. uvarum suppresses the antagonistic grey mould, Botrytis cinerea in collaboration with D. suzukii larvae, and produces less ethanol than baker's yeast. H. uvarum thus creates favourable conditions for D. suzukii larval development, which is susceptible to ethanol and grey mould. D. suzukii, on the other hand, vectors H. uvarum to suitable substrates such as raspberries, where larval feeding activity enhances growth of H. uvarum. Larval feeding also helps to suppress B. cinerea, which otherwise outcompetes H. uvarum on raspberry, in the absence of fly larvae. In conclusion, H. uvarum enhances D. suzukii larval development on unripe berries, and D. suzukii promotes H. uvarum dispersal and growth on berries. Yeast and fly modify their shared habitat in reciprocal niche construction and mutual interaction. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog