Pub Date : 2025-10-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108472
Ava Sheedy, Andrew A. Davinack
Shell-boring polychaetes of the genus Polydora pose a significant threat to oyster aquaculture worldwide, yet little is known about their seasonal dynamics in tidally restricted estuaries. This study investigates the prevalence, intensity, and environmental covariates of Polydora websteri infestation in wild eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) over a 12-month period in the Herring River estuary (Cape Cod, Massachusetts), a system slated for tidal restoration. Oysters were collected monthly, and worms identified morphologically and by COI barcoding. Infestations were observed year-round, with prevalence and intensity lowest in late summer and peaking in fall-winter. Gravid females were only observed from April through August, indicating a seasonal reproductive window. The seasonal peak in visible infestation and pathology in colder months is therefore consistent with a lag between summer recruitment and subsequent shell damage. Using a Gaussian generalized linear model as a descriptive correlational tool, we observed a negative association between temperature and monthly mean intensity at this site and year; salinity and pH showed no detectable association. These associations are interpreted within the seasonal/lag context rather than as casual drivers. Overall, this work provides baseline data on seasonal Polydora dynamics in the Herring River estuary that will be essential for future, post-restoration assessments.
{"title":"Seasonal dynamics of Polydora infestation in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) from a tidally restricted New England estuary","authors":"Ava Sheedy, Andrew A. Davinack","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shell-boring polychaetes of the genus <em>Polydora</em> pose a significant threat to oyster aquaculture worldwide, yet little is known about their seasonal dynamics in tidally restricted estuaries. This study investigates the prevalence, intensity, and environmental covariates of <em>Polydora websteri</em> infestation in wild eastern oysters (<em>Crassostrea virginica</em>) over a 12-month period in the Herring River estuary (Cape Cod, Massachusetts), a system slated for tidal restoration. Oysters were collected monthly, and worms identified morphologically and by COI barcoding. Infestations were observed year-round, with prevalence and intensity lowest in late summer and peaking in fall-winter. Gravid females were only observed from April through August, indicating a seasonal reproductive window. The seasonal peak in visible infestation and pathology in colder months is therefore consistent with a lag between summer recruitment and subsequent shell damage. Using a Gaussian generalized linear model as a descriptive correlational tool, we observed a negative association between temperature and monthly mean intensity at this site and year; salinity and pH showed no detectable association. These associations are interpreted within the seasonal/lag context rather than as casual drivers. Overall, this work provides baseline data on seasonal <em>Polydora</em> dynamics in the Herring River estuary that will be essential for future, post-restoration assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108472"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145318280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-15DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108473
Yunlong Lin , Xuee Liu , Yijing Xue , Xiran Sun , Liqin Fan , Xi Gao , Zhongkang Wang , Kedong Xu , Guoxing Wu , Yuanxue Yi
Microsclerotia (MS) are highly sturdy and stable dormant structures produced by most filamentous fungi in response to various adversities. Owing to the robust regeneration, MS are also considered an ideal succedaneum to insecticidal conidia for entomopathogenic fungi application. Iron plays a regulatory role in the formation of MS, as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated under conditions of iron overload are critically involved in driving this process. To explore the regulatory role of iron in the formation and virulence of MS in Metarhizium rileyi, functional analyses were conducted on two homologs of vacuolar iron transporter-like coding genes, designated MrCcc1 and MrCcc2, through expression analysis, gene knockout, phenotypic characterization, and toxicity assessment. Here we show that the expression of MrCcc1 and MrCcc2 is induced by iron, and that gene disruption of MrCcc1, but not MrCcc2, leads to reduced tolerance to multiple metal salts. MrCcc2 likely serves as a compensatory component, fulfilling the role typically performed by MrCcc1. Most importantly, all the deletion variants exhibited not only a significant reduction in MS production yield but also a decrease in viability, leading to impaired germination, growth, conidia production upon rehydration, and even conidial insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura larvae. Our findings suggest that the vacuolar iron transporters MrCcc1 and MrCcc2 in M. rileyi function as positive regulators of fungal growth and reproduction, as well as of MS yield and activity. These findings highlight the importance of normal iron metabolism, as well as the critical role of iron-induced ROS in the formation of MS-based insecticides, and provide molecular targets for the engineered development of highly virulent strains.
{"title":"Vacuolar iron transporter (like) proteins are indispensable for the production and vitality of insecticidal microsclerotia in Metarhizium rileyi","authors":"Yunlong Lin , Xuee Liu , Yijing Xue , Xiran Sun , Liqin Fan , Xi Gao , Zhongkang Wang , Kedong Xu , Guoxing Wu , Yuanxue Yi","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microsclerotia (MS) are highly sturdy and stable dormant structures produced by most filamentous fungi in response to various adversities. Owing to the robust regeneration, MS are also considered an ideal succedaneum to insecticidal conidia for entomopathogenic fungi application. Iron plays a regulatory role in the formation of MS, as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated under conditions of iron overload are critically involved in driving this process. To explore the regulatory role of iron in the formation and virulence of MS in <em>Metarhizium rileyi</em>, functional analyses were conducted on two homologs of vacuolar iron transporter-like coding genes, designated <em>MrCcc1</em> and <em>MrCcc2</em>, through expression analysis, gene knockout, phenotypic characterization, and toxicity assessment. Here we show that the expression of <em>MrCcc1</em> and <em>MrCcc2</em> is induced by iron, and that gene disruption of <em>MrCcc1</em>, but not <em>MrCcc2</em>, leads to reduced tolerance to multiple metal salts. <em>MrCcc2</em> likely serves as a compensatory component, fulfilling the role typically performed by <em>MrCcc1</em>. Most importantly, all the deletion variants exhibited not only a significant reduction in MS production yield but also a decrease in viability, leading to impaired germination, growth, conidia production upon rehydration, and even conidial insecticidal activity against <em>Spodoptera litura</em> larvae. Our findings suggest that the vacuolar iron transporters MrCcc1 and MrCcc2 in <em>M. rileyi</em> function as positive regulators of fungal growth and reproduction, as well as of MS yield and activity. These findings highlight the importance of normal iron metabolism, as well as the critical role of iron-induced ROS in the formation of MS-based insecticides, and provide molecular targets for the engineered development of highly virulent strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108473"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108474
Jiwon Jang , Gui Hwan Han , Seong Hun Im , Jeong Won Kim , Soo Dong Woo , Tae Young Shin
Polysaccharides have been reported to function as antiviral agents against various viruses. In this study, a polysaccharide extracted from Metarhizium pinghaense 15R demonstrated inhibitory effects against Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). When Bm5 cells were co-inoculated with the M. pinghaense 15R −derived polysaccharide and eGFP-cloned BmNPV budded virus (BV), eGFP expression was significantly reduced compared to the virus-only control group. Additionally, the polysaccharide-treated group showed greater cell viability and proliferation than the ribavirin-treated group. Further investigation into the antiviral mechanism revealed that the polysaccharide inhibited both viral attachment and secondary infection of BmNPV. This antiviral activity is likely due to its high sulfate content (18 %), which is widely associated with enhanced viral inhibition. A silkworm larva bioassay demonstrated that when the occlusion body (OB) and polysaccharide were combined and administered via feeding, survival rates on Day 7 were significantly higher than those observed in the OB-only treatment group. Similarly, when the polysaccharide was injected along with BV, a significant increase in survival was observed on Day 8 when compared to the BV-only treatment group. Furthermore, the co-injection of polysaccharide and BV resulted in the upregulation of immune-related genes associated with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), such as gloverin 2, lebocin, hemolin, defensin, and beta-glucan recognition protein (βGRP), in B. mori within 48 h. These findings suggest that the polysaccharide enhances the immune response in B. mori and has potential as a natural antiviral agent for insect viruses.
{"title":"Antiviral potential and mode of action of Metarhizium pinghaense 15R-derived polysaccharide against baculovirus","authors":"Jiwon Jang , Gui Hwan Han , Seong Hun Im , Jeong Won Kim , Soo Dong Woo , Tae Young Shin","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polysaccharides have been reported to function as antiviral agents against various viruses. In this study, a polysaccharide extracted from <em>Metarhizium pinghaense</em> 15R demonstrated inhibitory effects against <em>Bombyx mori</em> nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). When Bm5 cells were co-inoculated with the <em>M. pinghaense</em> 15R −derived polysaccharide and eGFP-cloned BmNPV budded virus (BV), eGFP expression was significantly reduced compared to the virus-only control group. Additionally, the polysaccharide-treated group showed greater cell viability and proliferation than the ribavirin-treated group. Further investigation into the antiviral mechanism revealed that the polysaccharide inhibited both viral attachment and secondary infection of BmNPV. This antiviral activity is likely due to its high sulfate content (18 %), which is widely associated with enhanced viral inhibition. A silkworm larva bioassay demonstrated that when the occlusion body (OB) and polysaccharide were combined and administered via feeding, survival rates on Day 7 were significantly higher than those observed in the OB-only treatment group. Similarly, when the polysaccharide was injected along with BV, a significant increase in survival was observed on Day 8 when compared to the BV-only treatment group. Furthermore, the co-injection of polysaccharide and BV resulted in the upregulation of immune-related genes associated with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), such as gloverin 2, lebocin, hemolin, defensin, and beta-glucan recognition protein (βGRP), in <em>B. mori</em> within 48 h. These findings suggest that the polysaccharide enhances the immune response in <em>B. mori</em> and has potential as a natural antiviral agent for insect viruses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108474"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471
Francisco Lozano , Romina Guadalupe Manfrino , Andreas Leclerque , Christina Schuster , Federico Rivas-Franco , Alejandra Concepción Gutierrez
Blattella germanica is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, Metarhizium spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native Metarhizium strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult B. germanica cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to B. germanica adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for Metarhizium growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of B. germanica adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the Metarhizium PARB clade: four strains to Metarhizium brunneum and three strains each to Metarhizium hybridum and Metarhizium robertsii. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species Metarhizium argentinense.
This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of M. hybridum from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing B. germanica adult survivorship.
{"title":"Argentine Metarhizium spp. isolates: Molecular identification, blastospores production, and its pathogenicity against Blattella germanica adults","authors":"Francisco Lozano , Romina Guadalupe Manfrino , Andreas Leclerque , Christina Schuster , Federico Rivas-Franco , Alejandra Concepción Gutierrez","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Blattella germanica</em> is the most prevalent synanthropic pest and negatively impacts human health, as do the synthetic chemical insecticides used to control them. In contrast, <em>Metarhizium</em> spp. is a well known fungus that can infect insects and other arthropods, causing death to their hosts. When cultivated in liquid medium it produces blastospores. This propagule has the potential to be used as a biological control agent for cockroaches. The aim of this study was to identify eleven native <em>Metarhizium</em> strains from Argentina through molecular taxonomy, evaluate blastospores and biomass production in submerged fermentation, and assess the pathogenicity of the blastospores against adult <em>B. germanica</em> cockroaches. For the molecular identification of the strains, diagnostic PCR amplification was performed using previously developed primers for region markers EF1A, RPB1, RPB2, 5TEF, MzIGS3, and rIGS-ID800. In order to elucidate blastospores production, a conidia suspension was inoculated into Adamek liquid medium. Samples were taken at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h to quantify blastospore production, and at 96 h blastospores were harvested, dry biomass was weighted and the pH of the liquid medium was assessed. The strains showed blastospores production at 96 h or earlier, except for two strains, and statistically significant maximum blastospores production was reached at 48 h for most strains. A blastospore suspension of 1E + 07 blastospore/mL was applied by spray to <em>B. germanica</em> adults, and mortality was assessed every two days for 20 days after application. Dead cockroaches were placed in a humid chamber and periodically observed for <em>Metarhizium</em> growth. Blastospores significantly reduced the survivorship of <em>B. germanica</em> adults. Species-discriminating diagnostic PCR and phylogenetic reconstruction was successful in assigning ten of the strains to different species within the <em>Metarhizium</em> PARB clade: four strains to <em>Metarhizium brunneum</em> and three strains each to <em>Metarhizium hybridum</em> and <em>Metarhizium robertsii</em>. One strain had previously been shown to belong to the distantly related species <em>Metarhizium argentinense</em>.</div><div>This study, therefore, constitutes the first description of <em>M. hybridum</em> from Argentina and provides the first report of direct contact application of fungal blastospores as a pathogenic approach against cockroaches, reducing <em>B. germanica</em> adult survivorship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108471"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108470
Xiaohui Cao , Yi Qiao , Tingyue Liu , Huiwen Jiang , Jie Cheng , Ge Jiang , Xianping Fan , Hui Shen
Ecytonucleospora hepatopenaei (EHP) is an obligate intracellular microsporidian that causes severe disease in Litopenaeus vannamei but whose infection mechanism remains elusive. Because the spore wall is a critical interface between the parasite and its environment, characterizing the functionally unstudied protein SWP12 is essential for elucidating host − microsporidian interactions. In this study, we cloned the full-length open reading frame (ORF) of EHP SWP12, designated EhSWP12, which is 735 bp in length and encodes a 244-amino-acid polypeptide. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that EhSWP12 contains no signal peptide or transmembrane domain but possesses an AH/BAR domain, with a predicted isoelectric point (pI) of 9.05 and a molecular mass (Mw) of 28.7 kDa. The EhSWP12 gene was subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli, and indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) demonstrated that the protein localizes to the mature spore wall. Further subcellular localization studies identified its presence in both the exospore and endospore layers. Our findings indicate that EhSWP12 is a membrane-associated protein, suggesting that it plays a pivotal role in the EHP life cycle. These results enhance our understanding of EHP biology and provide a theoretical and technical foundation for the future investigation of its proliferation and infection mechanisms.
{"title":"Identification, localization, and bioinformatics analysis of the novel EhSWP12 in Ecytonucleospora hepatopenaei","authors":"Xiaohui Cao , Yi Qiao , Tingyue Liu , Huiwen Jiang , Jie Cheng , Ge Jiang , Xianping Fan , Hui Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ecytonucleospora hepatopenaei</em> (EHP) is an obligate intracellular microsporidian that causes severe disease in <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> but whose infection mechanism remains elusive. Because the spore wall is a critical interface between the parasite and its environment, characterizing the functionally unstudied protein SWP12 is essential for elucidating host − microsporidian interactions. In this study, we cloned the full-length open reading frame (ORF) of EHP SWP12, designated EhSWP12, which is 735 bp in length and encodes a 244-amino-acid polypeptide. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that EhSWP12 contains no signal peptide or transmembrane domain but possesses an AH/BAR domain, with a predicted isoelectric point (pI) of 9.05 and a molecular mass (Mw) of 28.7 kDa. The EhSWP12 gene was subsequently expressed in <em>Escherichia coli</em>, and indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA) demonstrated that the protein localizes to the mature spore wall. Further subcellular localization studies identified its presence in both the exospore and endospore layers. Our findings indicate that EhSWP12 is a membrane-associated protein, suggesting that it plays a pivotal role in the EHP life cycle. These results enhance our understanding of EHP biology and provide a theoretical and technical foundation for the future investigation of its proliferation and infection mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108470"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108476
Shengyan Xiao , Na Zhang , Xinhao Jiao , Wenwen Jiang , Feng Zhu , Shuyi Liu , Zi Liang , Ping Wu
Nanomaterials have broad application prospects in biomedicine, environmental protection, improving agricultural production efficiency and pest control. Our previous study demonstrated that the nanomaterial ZIF-8@ZIF-67 improves the survival rate of silkworms following Bacillus cereus infection. However, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, we elucidated the molecular basis of this enhanced resistance by employing integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. We propose that ZIF-8@ZIF-67 induces ROS generation, which could in turn activate BmRelish, a key immune pathway component, thereby strengthening host immunity. Transcriptomic profiling identified a total of 547 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, the short peptidoglycan recognition proteins PGRP-S7 and PGRP-S3 were significantly upregulated and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was notably enriched. PGRP-S3 expression in the ZIF8@ZIF67-treated group was elevated by 28.5-fold compared to the control, highlighting a strong immune-related transcriptional response to nanomaterial exposure. Furthermore, ZIF8@ZIF67 exposure induced a 3.8-fold upregulation of BmRelish, a critical downstream effector of the Imd signaling pathway, and concurrently activated multiple components of the Toll pathway—including PGRP-S7/S3, GNBP3, TLR3, and Dorsal. These transcriptional changes collectively promoted robust induction of antimicrobial peptides such as BmAttacin, BmCecA, and BmCecB1. Metabolomic analysis revealed 317 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), including key molecules such as α-linolenic acid and glutathione (GSH/GSSG), which collectively modulated antioxidant defense, energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Integrated omics analysis further identified that BmRelish may act as a central regulatory node, orchestrating the coordination between immune signaling pathways and metabolic homeostasis to establish a functional “immune-metabolic network”. This regulatory framework enhanced the antimicrobial capacity of silkworms.
{"title":"Nanomaterial ZIF8@ZIF67 may regulate ROS/BmRelish axis to enhance the silkworm resistance against Bacillus cereus","authors":"Shengyan Xiao , Na Zhang , Xinhao Jiao , Wenwen Jiang , Feng Zhu , Shuyi Liu , Zi Liang , Ping Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanomaterials have broad application prospects in biomedicine, environmental protection, improving agricultural production efficiency and pest control. Our previous study demonstrated that the nanomaterial ZIF-8@ZIF-67 improves the survival rate of silkworms following <em>Bacillus cereus</em> infection. However, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, we elucidated the molecular basis of this enhanced resistance by employing integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. We propose that ZIF-8@ZIF-67 induces ROS generation, which could in turn activate BmRelish, a key immune pathway component, thereby strengthening host immunity. Transcriptomic profiling identified a total of 547 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, the short peptidoglycan recognition proteins PGRP-S7 and PGRP-S3 were significantly upregulated and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was notably enriched. PGRP-S3 expression in the ZIF8@ZIF67-treated group was elevated by 28.5-fold compared to the control, highlighting a strong immune-related transcriptional response to nanomaterial exposure. Furthermore, ZIF8@ZIF67 exposure induced a 3.8-fold upregulation of BmRelish, a critical downstream effector of the Imd signaling pathway, and concurrently activated multiple components of the Toll pathway—including PGRP-S7/S3, GNBP3, TLR3, and Dorsal. These transcriptional changes collectively promoted robust induction of antimicrobial peptides such as BmAttacin, BmCecA, and BmCecB1. Metabolomic analysis revealed 317 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), including key molecules such as α-linolenic acid and glutathione (GSH/GSSG), which collectively modulated antioxidant defense, energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Integrated omics analysis further identified that BmRelish may act as a central regulatory node, orchestrating the coordination between immune signaling pathways and metabolic homeostasis to establish a functional “immune-metabolic network”. This regulatory framework enhanced the antimicrobial capacity of silkworms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108476"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108475
Xin Jia , Yu Tao , Bingxin Shi , Junjiang Liu , Junjie Qin , Lu Zhang , Mengqiang Wang
As a dominant species in global aquaculture, Litopenaeus vannamei not only represents one of the three most extensively farmed shrimp varieties, but had also emerged as a core economic species in many countries. However, shrimp farming operations have been persistently plagued by diseases and infections, with multiple highly contagious and lethal pathogens causing devastating economic losses. Among them, translucent post-larvae disease (TPD) was characterized as a novel pathology attributable to a distinct subtype of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VpTPD), which harbors three virulence genes designated as vhvp-1, vhvp-2 and vhvp-3. In this research, a series of SYBR Green-based qPCR methods were efficiently applied to detect and quantify the vhvp-1, vhvp-2 and vhvp-3 genes of VpTPD. By designing 18 pairs of primers and screening the optimal combination, a highly specific amplification system with vhvp-2-F3/vhvp-2-R3 primer pair was successfully established. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the limit of detection in this assay for detecting VpTPD (vhvp-2) was 4.46 × 100 copies/μL. Furthermore, the standard curve exhibited excellent linearity (R2 = 0.992), and a single distinct peak was observed in the melting curve, indicating the absence of non-target products. Specificity tests confirmed that the method had no amplification reaction against any other common pathogens. In addition, the detection system remained stable at background shrimp DNA concentrations as high as 1500 ng/μL, and achieved 100 % detection rates in practical testing. Compared with traditional methods, these SYBR Green-based qPCR methods developed in this research possessed superior sensitivity, strong specificity and anti-interference ability, which could efficiently detect VpTPD pathogens and provided reliable technical support for large-scale screening and early prevention in shrimp farming.
{"title":"Development and application of SYBR Green-based qPCR method to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus causing translucent post-larvae disease in shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei","authors":"Xin Jia , Yu Tao , Bingxin Shi , Junjiang Liu , Junjie Qin , Lu Zhang , Mengqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a dominant species in global aquaculture, <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> not only represents one of the three most extensively farmed shrimp varieties, but had also emerged as a core economic species in many countries. However, shrimp farming operations have been persistently plagued by diseases and infections, with multiple highly contagious and lethal pathogens causing devastating economic losses. Among them, translucent post-larvae disease (TPD) was characterized as a novel pathology attributable to a distinct subtype of <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em> (<em>Vp</em>TPD), which harbors three virulence genes designated as <em>vhvp-1</em>, <em>vhvp-2</em> and <em>vhvp-3</em>. In this research, a series of SYBR Green-based qPCR methods were efficiently applied to detect and quantify the <em>vhvp-1</em>, <em>vhvp-2</em> and <em>vhvp-3</em> genes of <em>Vp</em>TPD. By designing 18 pairs of primers and screening the optimal combination, a highly specific amplification system with <em>vhvp-2</em>-F3/<em>vhvp-2</em>-<em>R</em>3 primer pair was successfully established. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the limit of detection in this assay for detecting <em>Vp</em>TPD (<em>vhvp-2</em>) was 4.46 × 10<sup>0</sup> copies/μL. Furthermore, the standard curve exhibited excellent linearity (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.992), and a single distinct peak was observed in the melting curve, indicating the absence of non-target products. Specificity tests confirmed that the method had no amplification reaction against any other common pathogens. In addition, the detection system remained stable at background shrimp DNA concentrations as high as 1500 ng/μL, and achieved 100 % detection rates in practical testing. Compared with traditional methods, these SYBR Green-based qPCR methods developed in this research possessed superior sensitivity, strong specificity and anti-interference ability, which could efficiently detect <em>Vp</em>TPD pathogens and provided reliable technical support for large-scale screening and early prevention in shrimp farming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108475"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108467
Elenir Aparecida Queiroz , Alessandra Aparecida Guarneri , Simon Luke Elliot
Insect development depends on the success of moulting, which is the process of producing a new cuticle and shedding the old one. While there is evidence that insects infected by parasites can experience increased mortality during moulting, this phenomenon is not well quantified or understood. Here we used the triatomine bug Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) and the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma rangeli as a model system to address this. Rhodnius prolixus has long been used as a model for moulting due to its easy maintenance and predictable development after feeding. Here, insects were first infected through feeding on infected mice, followed by haemocoel injection of the parasite. Survival and moulting-related behaviour were then assessed. Mortality of 4th instar T. rangeli-infected nymphs was 6 % higher than that of uninfected insects. Infected insects showed more defective moults as well as failure to moult. Moulting was initiated at 42 days after the blood meal in infected insects, a severe delay compared to 17 days in uninfected insects. We also analyzed ecdysis-related behaviour of insects under infection. Infected insects took longer to complete the actual process of ecdysis (once initiated) than did uninfected insects, specifically at the beginning (ecdysial line disruption) and the end (exuvium release) of the process. Our results indicate likely effects of infection on the behaviours that allow the insect to escape from the old cuticle, and help understand fundamental physiological processes of insect development under infection. Increased mortality during moulting of infected insects is probably a common phenomenon, but one that is likely largely overlooked in both laboratory and field studies.
{"title":"Parasite infection delays ecdysis in an insect model (Rhodnius prolixus), with ecdysis-related defects and mortality","authors":"Elenir Aparecida Queiroz , Alessandra Aparecida Guarneri , Simon Luke Elliot","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Insect development depends on the success of moulting, which is the process of producing a new cuticle and shedding the old one. While there is evidence that insects infected by parasites can experience increased mortality during moulting, this phenomenon is not well quantified or understood. Here we used the triatomine bug <em>Rhodnius prolixus</em> (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) and the protozoan parasite <em>Trypanosoma rangeli</em> as a model system to address this. <em>Rhodnius prolixus</em> has long been used as a model for moulting due to its easy maintenance and predictable development after feeding. Here, insects were first infected through feeding on infected mice, followed by haemocoel injection of the parasite. Survival and moulting-related behaviour were then assessed. Mortality of 4th instar <em>T. rangeli</em>-infected nymphs was 6 % higher than that of uninfected insects. Infected insects showed more defective moults as well as failure to moult. Moulting was initiated at 42 days after the blood meal in infected insects, a severe delay compared to 17 days in uninfected insects. We also analyzed ecdysis-related behaviour of insects under infection. Infected insects took longer to complete the actual process of ecdysis (once initiated) than did uninfected insects, specifically at the beginning (<em>ecdysial line disruption</em>) and the end (<em>exuvium release</em>) of the process. Our results indicate likely effects of infection on the behaviours that allow the insect to escape from the old cuticle, and help understand fundamental physiological processes of insect development under infection. Increased mortality during moulting of infected insects is probably a common phenomenon, but one that is likely largely overlooked in both laboratory and field studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145258285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-05DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108465
Tai-Sheng Su , Chin-Chun Wu , Tzu-Yin Lin , Cheng-Hsiang Liu
Varroa destructor is a major ectoparasite threatening apiculture worldwide, especially in Taiwan. We retrofit conventional hives with an entrance imaging chamber and deploy a YOLOv5s-based detector for real-time mite detection on Apis mellifera. Trained on 1,600 annotated images supplemented with mite close-ups, the model achieved a mean average precision ([email protected]) of 97.4 %. Video tests at hive entrances further confirmed robust performance under motion and illumination variability. We retrofitted conventional hives with an entrance imaging chamber and implemented a YOLOv5s-based detector for real-time mite detection. To facilitate adoption, we present a per-hive bill of materials and a five-year annualized cost model, demonstrating a low annual per-hive cost suitable for apiary-scale deployment. The proposed system reduces labor-intensive inspections and enables early mite detection, contributing to sustainable and data-driven beekeeping practices.
{"title":"Beehive-entrance imaging and deep learning for real-time monitoring of Varroa destructor in apiculture","authors":"Tai-Sheng Su , Chin-Chun Wu , Tzu-Yin Lin , Cheng-Hsiang Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Varroa destructor</em> is a major ectoparasite threatening apiculture worldwide, especially in Taiwan. We retrofit conventional hives with an entrance imaging chamber and deploy a YOLOv5s-based detector for real-time mite detection on Apis mellifera. Trained on 1,600 annotated images supplemented with mite close-ups, the model achieved a mean average precision ([email protected]) of 97.4 %. Video tests at hive entrances further confirmed robust performance under motion and illumination variability. We retrofitted conventional hives with an entrance imaging chamber and implemented a YOLOv5s-based detector for real-time mite detection. To facilitate adoption, we present a per-hive bill of materials and a five-year annualized cost model, demonstrating a low annual per-hive cost suitable for apiary-scale deployment. The proposed system reduces labor-intensive inspections and enables early mite detection, contributing to sustainable and data-driven beekeeping practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145244358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108468
Ashif Ahamed , Safdar Ali , Mehboob Hoque
Wolbachia is used as a potential biocontrol tool to reduce dengue mosquitoes and also to reduce dengue virus (DENV) load in transinfected Aedes aegypti. Different field trials including the ones by the World Mosquito Program (WMP) have deployed Wolbachia carrying DENV primary vectors at different target sites worldwide. Field trials suggest that through the Population Replacement Strategy (PRS) and Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT), Wolbachia can either introgress into the local Ae. aegypti population or reduce their population size by cytoplasmic incompatibility, leading to subsequent reduction in dengue incidence at target sites. Key challenges for this strategy include establishing and sustaining the transinfected mosquito population, selecting the appropriate bacterial strain, ensuring the long term establishment of transinfected dengue mosquitoes across multiple generations, determining appropriate approach for mosquito field release, addressing operational constraints, and managing potential viral evolution. Moreover, the outcome of Wolbachia mediated biological control of Ae. aegypti in a broad scale is yet to be seen and the long-term stability of Wolbachia in transinfected mosquitoes remains unconfirmed. Significant success has been recorded in a broad scale deployment of wAlbB-carrying Ae. aegypti through the ongoing Wolbachia Malaysia project, resulting in reduction of dengue fever cases. Successful large-deployment of this strategy has also been performed in Colombia and Indonesia (1.7 to 3.3 million people and 135–540 km2 area). Similar investigations on broad scale for longer period across different environmental conditions using transinfected mosquito deployment and associated risk analysis are imperative before adopting this biological control approach as a potent dengue control strategy worldwide.
{"title":"Wolbachia-Based Biocontrol of Aedes aegypti: Current Progress, Challenges, and Future Prospects","authors":"Ashif Ahamed , Safdar Ali , Mehboob Hoque","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Wolbachia</em> is used as a potential biocontrol tool to reduce dengue mosquitoes and also to reduce dengue virus (DENV) load in transinfected <em>Aedes aegypti</em>. Different field trials including the ones by the World Mosquito Program (WMP) have deployed <em>Wolbachia</em> carrying DENV primary vectors at different target sites worldwide. Field trials suggest that through the Population Replacement Strategy (PRS) and Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT), <em>Wolbachia</em> can either introgress into the local <em>Ae. aegypti</em> population or reduce their population size by cytoplasmic incompatibility, leading to subsequent reduction in dengue incidence at target sites. Key challenges for this strategy include establishing and sustaining the transinfected mosquito population, selecting the appropriate bacterial strain, ensuring the long term establishment of transinfected dengue mosquitoes across multiple generations, determining appropriate approach for mosquito field release, addressing operational constraints, and managing potential viral evolution. Moreover, the outcome of <em>Wolbachia</em> mediated biological control of <em>Ae. aegypti</em> in a broad scale is yet to be seen and the long-term stability of <em>Wolbachia</em> in transinfected mosquitoes remains unconfirmed. Significant success has been recorded in a broad scale deployment of <em>w</em>AlbB-carrying <em>Ae. aegypti</em> through the ongoing <em>Wolbachia</em> Malaysia project, resulting in reduction of dengue fever cases. Successful large-deployment of this strategy has also been performed in Colombia and Indonesia (1.7 to 3.3 million people and 135–540 km<sup>2</sup> area). Similar investigations on broad scale for longer period across different environmental conditions using transinfected mosquito deployment and associated risk analysis are imperative before adopting this biological control approach as a potent dengue control strategy worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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