Pseudogerm of the parasitoid Macrocentrus cingulum suppresses host pupation by degenerating prothoracic gland and inhibiting the expression of Br-C in the host Ostrinia furnacalis

Abstract

Parasitic wasps manipulate host development for successful parasitization. When the host Ostrinia furnacalis is parasitized by the parasitoid Macrocentrus cingulum, its larvae fail to pupate and are consumed as nutrition by the wasp larvae. However, the mechanism by which M. cingulum modulates host pupation remains unclear. This study reports on pseudogerm, a newly discovered parasitic factor derived from M. cingulum, which plays a regulatory role in the pupation process of the host.