Abstract
Vertically acquired, endosymbiotic bacteria such as those belonging to the Rickettsiales and the Mollicutes are known to influence the biology of their arthropod hosts in order to favour their own transmission. In this study we investigate the influence of such reproductive parasites on the behavior of their insects and arachnid hosts. We find that changes in host behavior that are associated with endosymbiont infections are not restricted to characteristics that are directly associated with reproduction. Other behavioural traits, such as those involved in intraspecific competition or in dispersal may also be affected. Such behavioural shifts are expected to influence the level of intraspecific variation and the rate at which adaptation can occur through their effects on effective population size and gene flow amongst populations. Symbionts may thus influence both levels of polymorphism within species and the rate at which diversification can occur.
Highlights
Acquired, endosymbiotic bacteria such as those belonging to the Rickettsiales and the Mollicutes are known to influence the biology of their arthropod hosts in order to favour their own transmission
Studies of horizontally acquired nematode, trematode or protozoan parasites in a range of arthropods indicate that behavioural changes may be induced through altered levels of gene expression in the host CNS [2,3]
Behavioural changes are induced in hosts following infection with vertically acquired, intracellular bacteria such as Wolbachia, Cardinium or Spiroplasma
Summary
The nature of the relationship between hosts and their parasites has been the focus of a wide range of studies (reviewed in [1]). Behavioural changes are induced in hosts following infection with vertically acquired, intracellular bacteria such as Wolbachia, Cardinium or Spiroplasma. These changes in host biology may be driven by selection acting to promote bacterial transmission, but in this case the primary route is from mother to offspring. Some bacteria have been shown to provide benefits to their host through conferring increased resistance to pathogens, elevating protection from parasitoids, altering susceptibility to insecticides and improving thermotolerance These kinds of beneficial effects are perhaps not unexpected given that bacterially mediated resistance against pathogens and parasitoids is already known from studies of other types of bacteria to those that are the focus of this study. For example the effect of the same infecting Rickettsia strain in whiteflies is shown to be dependent upon whether it is found widely throughout the host’s hemocoel or if it is restricted to within bacteriocytes [18]
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