Transcriptome profiling of the honeybee parasite Varroa destructor provides
new biological insights into the mite adult life cycle

 

 

 <https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-018-4668-z>
https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-018-4668-z

 

Abstract

Background

The parasite Varroa destructor represents a significant threat to honeybee
colonies. Indeed, development of Varroa infestation within colonies, if left
untreated, often leads to the death of the colony. Although its impact on
bees has been extensively studied, less is known about its biology and the
functional processes governing its adult life cycle and adaptation to its
host. We therefore developed a full life cycle transcriptomic catalogue in
adult Varroa females and included pairwise comparisons with males,
artificially-reared and non-reproducing females (10 life cycle stages and
conditions in total).

Results

Extensive remodeling of the Varroa transcriptome was observed, with an
upregulation of energetic and chitin metabolic processes during the initial
and final phases of the life cycle (e.g. phoretic and post-oviposition
stages), whereas during reproductive stages in brood cells genes showing
functions related to transcriptional regulation were overexpressed. Several
neurotransmitter and neuropeptide receptors involved in behavioural
regulation, as well as active compounds of salivary glands, were also
expressed at a higher level outside the reproductive stages. No difference
was detected between artificially-reared phoretic females and their
counterparts in colonies, or between females who failed to reproduce and
females who successfully reproduced, indicating that phoretic individuals
can be reared outside host colonies without impacting their physiology and
that mechanisms underlying reproductive failure occur before oogenesis.

Conclusions

We discuss how these new findings reveal the remarkable adaptation of Varroa
to its host biology and notably to the switch from living on adults to
reproducing in sealed brood cells. By spanning the entire adult life cycle,
our work captures the dynamic changes in the parasite gene expression and
serves as a unique resource for deciphering Varroa biology and identifying
new targets for mite control.

Open access.

 

Kind regards,

 

Ghislain De Roeck

Belgium


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