Plant alcaloid and probiotics increase resistance of honeybees to nematobacterial infection
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| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are obligate insect parasites that are symbiotically associated with specific entomopathogenic bacteria. These nematobacterial complexes are highly pathogenic to insect hosts and therefore used in biological control of insect pests. As was shown previously, EPNs can be used also as a natural infection model and a powerful tool to study insect immunity. In this study we show that also honeybee larvae are suitable hosts for nematobacterial complex that offer an excellent environment for successful development of both nematodes and their symbiotic bacteria. Here we used EPNs for evaluation of the overall immune resistance of honeybee larvae treated with potentially immuno-modulating substances (plant alcaloid sanguinarin and probiotics). Honeybee larvae were infected with 10 IJ of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora or Steinernema feltiae per larva, both carrying their symbiotic bacteria, and then scored for mortality caused by the nematobacterial infection. In comparison to untreated honeybee larvae we observed the decrease in mortality of approx. 35 % in case of H. bacteriophora and approx. 10% upon S. feltiae infection in larvae treated by selected substances. Both sanguinarin and probiotic treatment showed similar protective effect that was less significant in highly virulent S. feltiae. This is the first record that the nematobacterial infection was used for evaluation of immune status of beneficial insect. We suggest and propose this method as a valuable tool for immunity testing in honeybees as well as in other insects. Our research is supported by grant from the Ministry of Agriculture of Czech Republic (project No. QJ1210047) and by the program CZ.1.07/2.3.00/30.0009 co-financed from European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic. |
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