Bacteriolytic Activity in the Ejaculate of an Insect

Otti, Oliver; Naylor, Richard; Siva‐Jothy, Michael T.; Reinhardt, Klaus

doi:10.1086/600099

Cited by 59 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Host-parasite interactions in reproductive tissues and secretions has received relatively little scientific attention in insects but have been studied in vertebrates [7], where it is suggested that proteins with antimicrobial functions within the ejaculate are of central importance for male fitness because they suppress microbial growth [8,9] and affect sperm motility [10]. Antimicrobial proteins in ejaculates have also been reported in insects [5,6,[11][12][13], and antimicrobial activity of seminal fluid in the bedbug Cimex lectularius reduces sperm mortality in vitro [13,14]. However, the functioning of antimicrobial molecules in ejaculates or in the female's sexual tract or their influence on male and female reproductive success in insects have not been studied in detail.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seminal fluid of honeybees contains multiple mechanisms to combat infections of the sexually transmitted pathogen Nosema apis

Yan¹,

Grassl²,

Millar³

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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The societies of ants, bees and wasps are genetically closed systems where queens only mate during a brief mating episode prior to their eusocial life and males therefore provide queens with a lifetime supply of high-quality sperm. These ejaculates also contain a number of defence proteins that have been detected in the seminal fluid but their function and efficiency have never been investigated in great detail. Here, we used the honeybee Apis mellifera and quantified whether seminal fluid is able to combat infections of the fungal pathogen Nosema apis, a widespread honeybee parasite that is also sexually transmitted. We provide the first empirical evidence that seminal fluid has a remarkable antimicrobial activity against N. apis spores and that antimicrobial seminal fluid components kill spores in multiple ways. The protein fraction of seminal fluid induces extracellular spore germination, which disrupts the life cycle of N. apis, whereas the non-protein fraction of seminal fluid induces a direct viability loss of intact spores. We conclude that males provide their ejaculates with efficient antimicrobial molecules that are able to kill N. apis spores and thereby reduce the risk of disease transmission during mating. Our findings could be of broader significance to master honeybee diseases in managed honeybee stock in the future.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seminal fluid of honeybees contains multiple mechanisms to combat infections of the sexually transmitted pathogen Nosema apis

Yan¹,

Grassl²,

Millar³

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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“…Tm-485, assembled from three ESTs, is 47% identical to a Gryllus accessory gland protein and may represent an antimicrobial peptide. 87 Tm-138 is 57% identical to insect proteins having the pheromone binding domain.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An Insight into the Sialotranscriptome of Triatoma matogrossensis, a Kissing Bug Associated with Fogo Selvagem in South America

Assumpção¹,

Eaton²,

Pham³

et al. 2012

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Abstract. Triatoma matogrossensis is a Hemiptera that belongs to the oliveirai complex, a vector of Chagas' disease that feeds on vertebrate blood in all life stages. Hematophagous insects' salivary glands (SGs) produce potent pharmacologic compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. Exposure to T. matogrossensis was also found to be a risk factor associated with the endemic form of the autoimmune skin disease pemphigus foliaceus, which is described in the same regions where Chagas' disease is observed in Brazil. To obtain a further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacologic diversity of this kissing bug and to identify possible allergens that might be associated with this autoimmune disease, a cDNA library from its SGs was randomly sequenced. We present the analysis of a set of 2,230 (SG) cDNA sequences, 1,182 of which coded for proteins of a putative secretory nature.

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“…8739) and S. aureus (ATCC no. 6538P) using a liquid growth inhibition assay modified from Otti et al ( [9]; see the electronic supplementary material). Briefly, semen samples were diluted 1 : 1 with Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB; no.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual ornamentation reflects antibacterial activity of ejaculates in mallards

et al. 2011

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Bacteria present in ejaculates can impair sperm function and reduce male reproductive success. Thus, selection should favour the evolution of antimicrobial defences to limit the detrimental effects of sperm-associated bacteria. Additionally, current hypotheses suggest that ornamental traits may signal information about the infection status of an individual or the ability of an individual to resist bacterial-induced sperm damage. However, despite the evolutionary implications of ejaculate antimicrobials, and the putative importance of pathogens for the evolution of male ornamentation, tests of these hypotheses are lacking. We examined the antibacterial activity of semen from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and tested whether the bactericidal capacity of semen was associated with bill coloration, a sexually selected trait. We show that mallard semen exhibits significant antibacterial activity, as measured by the in vitro capacity to kill Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, we demonstrate that males with more colourful bills have semen with superior bacterial-killing ability. These results suggest that females could use male phenotypic traits to avoid sexually transmitted pathogens and acquire partners whose sperm suffer less bacteria-induced damage.

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Bacteriolytic Activity in the Ejaculate of an Insect

Cited by 59 publications

References 25 publications

Seminal fluid of honeybees contains multiple mechanisms to combat infections of the sexually transmitted pathogen Nosema apis

Seminal fluid of honeybees contains multiple mechanisms to combat infections of the sexually transmitted pathogen Nosema apis

An Insight into the Sialotranscriptome of Triatoma matogrossensis, a Kissing Bug Associated with Fogo Selvagem in South America

Sexual ornamentation reflects antibacterial activity of ejaculates in mallards

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