Microsporidia transmission in forest Lepidoptera
Abstract
The impact of microsporidian infections on the population dynamics of forest insects is still not fully understood. Transmission is a key process in the interactions between insect pathogens and their hosts. Moreover, a detailed understanding of transmission is crucial when these pathogens are considered for use in biological control programs. The pathology of a microsporidiosis, as characterized by the life cycle, tissue specificity and virulence of the invading organism, cannot be interpreted without considering transmission. Different disease characteristics should affect key mechanisms for pathogen transmission. In this project, we use gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar and three of its microsporidian pathogens, namely Vairimorpha sp., Nosema lymantriae, and Endoreticulatus schubergi as a model system to determine how microsporidia of terrestrial hosts are transmitted. These microsporidia utilize different host tissues for their reproduction and are hypothesized to utilize distinctly different transmission pathways. The study will produce experimental data on the role of feces, silk, and cadavers of infected hosts in the transmission of the three microsporidia. All potential mechanisms of spore release will be quantified for the three species. To assess the ability of the pathogens to persist in a population over several host generations, we will determine whether vertical transmission is involved as well as evaluate the capability of spores to survive winter conditions. The new, quantitative data will be used to improve a mathematical model that has been developed to describe horizontal transmission of another, closely related Nosema isolate in L. dispar. The model will also be adapted to explain the presumably different transmission mechanisms in Vairimorpha and Endoreticulatus. With the comparative, experimental work we may achieve the first detailed description of transmission of three microsporidia in the context of the distinct life histories of the pathogens in a forest lepidopteran model system.
keywords Microsporidia transmission population dynamics Lymantria dispar Nosema lymantriae
Publikationen
Vertical transmission and overwintering of microsporidia in the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar.
Autoren: Goertz, D; Hoch, G Jahr: 2008
Journal articles
Quantifying horizontal transmission of Nosema lymantriae, a microsporidian pathogen of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (Lep., Lymantriidae) in field cage studies.
Autoren: Hoch, G; D"Amico, V; Solter, LF; Zubrik, M; McManus, ML; Jahr: 2008
Journal articles
Three microsporidian pathogens infecting Lymantria dispar larvae do not differ in their success in horizontal transmission
Autoren: Goertz, D., Hoch, G. Jahr: 2009
Journal articles
Horizontal transmission pathways of terrestrial microsporidia: A quantitative comparison of three pathogens infecting different organs in Lymantria dispar L. (Lep.: Lymantriidae) larvae
Autoren: Goertz, D; Hoch, G Jahr: 2008
Journal articles
Microsporidian pathogens of forest Lepidoptera: Ecological and physiological interactions between host and pathogen
Autoren: Hoch, G. Jahr: 2009
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Microsporidia transmission in forest Lepidoptera
Autoren: Hoch, G. Jahr: 2008
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
Modeling horizontal transmission of microsporidia infecting gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), larvae
Autoren: Goertz, D; Hoch, G Jahr: 2011
Journal articles
Project staff
Gernot Hoch
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Gernot Hoch
gernot.hoch@boku.ac.at
Project Leader
01.09.2005 - 15.01.2008
BOKU partners
External partners
Illinois Natural History Survey
Dr. David Onstad
partner