AI Article Synopsis
- Many Hymenoptera species, primarily wasps, are parasitoids that lay eggs inside arthropods, relying on venoms to aid in their parasitism process.
- Research indicates that closely related wasp species can have very different abundant venom proteins, while unrelated species may share major components in their venoms.
- There is evidence of rapid evolution of these venoms within species, but more comparative studies are needed to fully understand their functions and effects across a wider range of species.
Article Abstract
Most species in the order Hymenoptera are parasitoids that lay eggs and develop in or on the body of arthropod hosts. Several factors contribute to successful parasitism including venoms that wasps inject into hosts when ovipositing. Here, we review the composition, function and diversity of parasitoid venoms with emphasis on studies of wasps that parasitize hosts in the genus Drosophila. The comparative literature indicates that some closely related species parasitizing the same host do not share any abundant venom protein while unrelated species sometimes have the same major venom component. Within species, studies also identify intraspecific variation that suggests parasitoid venoms may rapidly evolve. Overall, however, our picture of venom function remains largely unclear and will require additional comparative data on the composition of venoms from a greater diversity of species than exists currently. Further advances will come mainly from experimental data using functional tools, such as RNA interference.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2014.10.004 | DOI Listing |
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