Background: Invasion of microorganisms into the gut of insects triggers a cascade of immune reactions accompanied by increased synthesis of effectors (such as antimicrobial peptides, cytokines, and amino acids), leading to changes in the physiological state of the host. We hypothesized that even an inactivated bacterium can induce an immune response in an insect. The aim of this study was to compare the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and of the response of detoxification and antioxidant systems in a Colorado potato beetle (CPB) larval model in the first hours after invasion by either an inactivated or live bacterium.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ability of parasitic wasps to manipulate a host's metabolism is under active investigation. Components of venom play a major role in this process. In the present work, we studied the effect of the venom of the ectoparasitic wasp Habrobracon hebetor on the metabolism of the greater wax moth host (Galleria mellonella).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Siberian frog Rana amurensis has a uniquely high tolerance to hypoxia among amphibians, as it is able to withstand several months underwater with almost no oxygen (0.2 mg/liter) vs. several days for other studied species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental pollution with antibiotics can cause antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, including the intestinal microbiota of various insects. The effects of low-dose aminoglycoside antibiotic (amikacin) on the resident gut microbiota of , its digestion, its physiological parameters, and the resistance of this species to bacteria were investigated. Here, 16S rDNA analysis revealed that the number of non-dominant bacteria in the eighteenth generation of the wax moth treated with amikacin was increased 73 fold compared to , the dominant bacteria in the native line of the wax moth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfection of intestinal tissues with Wolbachia has been found in Habrobracon hebetor. There are not many studies on the relationship between Habrobracon and Wolbachia, and they focus predominantly on the sex index of an infected parasitoid, its fertility, and behavior. The actual role of Wolbachia in the biology of Habrobracon is not yet clear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF