Genome-wide association analysis of host genotype and plastic wing morphological variation of an endoparasitoid wasp Asobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that genotype of host insects influences the development of koinobiont endoparasitoids. Although there are many potential genetic variations that lead to the internal body environmental variations of host insects, association between the host genotype and the parasitoid development has not been examined in a genome-wide manner. In the present study, we used highly inbred whole genome sequenced strains of Drosophila melanogaster to associate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of host flies with morphological traits of Asobara japonica, a larval-pupal parasitoid wasp that infected those hosts. We quantified the outline shape of the forewings of A. japonica with two major principal components (PC1 and PC2) calculated from Fourier coefficients obtained from elliptic Fourier analysis. We also quantified wing size and estimated wasp survival. We then examined the association between the PC scores, wing size and 1,798,561 SNPs and the association between the estimated wasp survival and 1,790,544 SNPs. As a result, we obtained 22, 24 and 14 SNPs for PC1, PC2 and wing size and four SNPs for the estimated survival with P values smaller than 10. Based on the location of the SNPs, 12, 17, 11 and five protein coding genes were identified as potential candidates for PC1, PC2, wing size and the estimated survival, respectively. Based on the function of the candidate genes, it is suggested that the host genetic variation associated with the cell growth and morphogenesis may influence the wasp's morphogenetic variation.

Natural variation in the regulation of neurodevelopmental genes modifies flight performance inDrosophila

“…Snoo is known to modify wing shape [110], dendritic tiling, and the development of sensory organs (microchate and campaniform sensilla) on the wing [6,111]. These sensory organs play different roles; wing chaete can function as chemosensors (olfaction and gustation) and mechanosensors [100,112], while campaniform sensilla measure strain on the deformed wing blade [113][114][115][116]. Together, these sensory organs aid in proprioception of flight [11] and delineate a direct connection between the role of proper development of the wings' sensory organs and the proper development of the neural circuitry connecting them to the CNS in modifying flight performance.…”

Exploring the potential of genetic improvement of insects : a case study using the haplodiploid parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis

“…Accumulating evidence suggests that the host genotype influences the development of parasitoids (Paredes et al 2016, Yamashita et al 2018. Yamashita et al (2018) conducted a GWAS of wing morphological variation of the endoparasitoid wasp Asobara japonica, using the host genotype as an explanatory variable, and identified a total of 64 SNPs in the host genome that are associated with wing shape, size, and survival rate of the parasitoid wasp. Their findings suggest that parasitoids that develop in hosts with a specific genotype may have higher fitness.…”