| Title: | "Partial venom gland transcriptome of a Drosophila parasitoid wasp, Leptopilina heterotoma, reveals novel and shared bioactive profiles with stinging Hymenoptera" |
| Author(s): | Heavner ME; Gueguen G; Rajwani R; Pagan PE; Small C; Govind S; |
| Address: | "Biology Department, The City College, City University of New York, 138th Street and Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031, USA" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.gene.2013.04.080 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-0038 (Electronic) 0378-1119 (Print) 0378-1119 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Analysis of natural host-parasite relationships reveals the evolutionary forces that shape the delicate and unique specificity characteristic of such interactions. The accessory long gland-reservoir complex of the wasp Leptopilina heterotoma (Figitidae) produces venom with virus-like particles. Upon delivery, venom components delay host larval development and completely block host immune responses. The host range of this Drosophila endoparasitoid notably includes the highly-studied model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. Categorization of 827 unigenes, using similarity as an indicator of putative homology, reveals that approximately 25% are novel or classified as hypothetical proteins. Most of the remaining unigenes are related to processes involved in signaling, cell cycle, and cell physiology including detoxification, protein biogenesis, and hormone production. Analysis of L. heterotoma's predicted venom gland proteins demonstrates conservation among endo- and ectoparasitoids within the Apocrita (e.g., this wasp and the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis) and stinging aculeates (e.g., the honey bee and ants). Enzyme and KEGG pathway profiling predicts that kinases, esterases, and hydrolases may contribute to venom activity in this unique wasp. To our knowledge, this investigation is among the first functional genomic studies for a natural parasitic wasp of Drosophila. Our findings will help explain how L. heterotoma shuts down its hosts' immunity and shed light on the molecular basis of a natural arms race between these insects" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Behavior, Animal Drosophila/parasitology Female *Gene Expression Profiling Genomics Hormones/genetics/metabolism Hymenoptera/*genetics/metabolism Male Metabolic Networks and Pathways Molecular Sequence Annotation Pheromones/genetics/metabolism *Tr;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineHeavner, Mary E Gueguen, Gwenaelle Rajwani, Roma Pagan, Pedro E Small, Chiyedza Govind, Shubha eng P50-GM68762/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ G12 MD007603/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/ G12 RR003060/RR/NCRR NIH HHS/ 41399-009/PHS HHS/ 8G12MD007603-27/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/ P50 GM068762/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Netherlands 2013/05/22 Gene. 2013 Sep 10; 526(2):195-204. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.04.080. Epub 2013 May 17" |
