Bee Viruses: Ecology, Pathogenicity, and Impacts

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Grozinger ◽  
Michelle L. Flenniken

Bees—including solitary, social, wild, and managed species—are key pollinators of flowering plant species, including nearly three-quarters of global food crops. Their ecological importance, coupled with increased annual losses of managed honey bees and declines in populations of key wild species, has focused attention on the factors that adversely affect bee health, including viral pathogens. Genomic approaches have dramatically expanded understanding of the diversity of viruses that infect bees, the complexity of their transmission routes—including intergenus transmission—and the diversity of strategies bees have evolved to combat virus infections, with RNA-mediated responses playing a prominent role. Moreover, the impacts of viruses on their hosts are exacerbated by the other major stressors bee populations face, including parasites, poor nutrition, and exposure to chemicals. Unraveling the complex relationships between viruses and their bee hosts will lead to improved understanding of viral ecology and management strategies that support better bee health.

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Shilpi Bhatia ◽  
Saman S. Baral ◽  
Carlos Vega Melendez ◽  
Esmaeil Amiri ◽  
Olav Rueppell

Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (Apis mellifera), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offspring from selected queens in a common apiary were inoculated with IAPV by topical applications after emergence to assess subsequent survival. Differences among stocks were small compared to variation within stocks, indicating the potential for improving honey bee survival of virus infections in all stocks. A positive relation between worker survival and virus load among stocks further suggested that honey bees may be able to adapt to better cope with viruses, while our molecular studies indicate that toll-6 may be related to survival differences among virus-infected worker bees. Together, these findings highlight the importance of viruses in queen breeding operations and provide a promising starting point for the quest to improve honey bee health by selectively breeding stock to be better able to survive virus infections.


2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-47
Author(s):  
BK Basnet

Rara National Park is the smallest national park of the country. It is rich in floral and faunal diversity. Rara is one of the sacred lakes and is listed as a Ramsar site. The aim of the study was to compile the representative flora of Rara lake and to present status of available vegetation. The research used both primary and secondary sources of data. Field visit was conducted in June, 2010 during which more than 300 plant specimens were collected. The secondary data were collected from Rara and adjoining area like Gamgadi. These data were thoroughly analyzed to understand the composition of vegetation. The study revealed the existence of about 224 flowering plant species in the area, under 173 genera and 67 families. Compositae was found to be the largest family (21 species and 17 genera) followed by Rosaceae (19 species and 10 genera). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/banko.v21i1.9063 Banko Janakari, Vol. 21, No. 1 2011; 41-47


eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jered M Wendte ◽  
Yinwen Zhang ◽  
Lexiang Ji ◽  
Xiuling Shi ◽  
Rashmi R Hazarika ◽  
...  

In many plant species, a subset of transcribed genes are characterized by strictly CG-context DNA methylation, referred to as gene body methylation (gbM). The mechanisms that establish gbM are unclear, yet flowering plant species naturally without gbM lack the DNA methyltransferase, CMT3, which maintains CHG (H = A, C, or T) and not CG methylation at constitutive heterochromatin. Here, we identify the mechanistic basis for gbM establishment by expressing CMT3 in a species naturally lacking CMT3. CMT3 expression reconstituted gbM through a progression of de novo CHG methylation on expressed genes, followed by the accumulation of CG methylation that could be inherited even following loss of the CMT3 transgene. Thus, gbM likely originates from the simultaneous targeting of loci by pathways that promote euchromatin and heterochromatin, which primes genes for the formation of stably inherited epimutations in the form of CG DNA methylation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-102
Author(s):  
Kuldeep Negi ◽  
Vandana Tiwari ◽  
Puran Mehta ◽  
Rajni Rawat ◽  
Saraswati Ojha ◽  
...  

Uttarakhand is a store house of plant genetic resources of several crop groups including ornamentals and seasonal flowering plant species. A wide range of seasonal flowering plants are being grown in the region because of its various and favourable agro-geo climatic zones. Ornamental plant enhances aesthetic value of our environment. There are 8 developmental blocks and 1082 villages in district Nainital of Uttarakhand. Nainital district, is a part of Kumaun region of Uttarakhand. It lies between 29?0.1' to 29?36' 21'' N latitude and 78?50' 53'' to 80?06' E longitude. More than 7.62 lakh population reside in 4064 km2 of geographical area of district Nainital. The district falls under sub-tropical to temperate zones. During the course of field survey (2013-2015), we came across wide range of seasonal flowering plants mostly belong to exotic origin being grown in the home gardens of natives of the region situated in different agro-ecological niches. The present study highlighted a total of 150 seasonal flowering plants with 120 genera belonging to 50 families. These were arranged alphabetically with botanical names followed by vernacular and trade name, family, origin or native place, nature, season with appropriate remarks of variation in shape, size and colour, method of propagation with economic status.


Author(s):  
Timothy S. George ◽  
◽  
Lawrie K. Brown ◽  
A. Glyn Bengough ◽  
◽  
...  

Root hairs are found on most terrestrial flowering plant species. They form from epidermal cells at a predetermined distance behind the growing root tip in three main patterns. Their presence, pattern, length, density and function are genetically controlled and numerous genes are expressed solely in root hairs. Their growth and proliferation are attenuated by the environment and root hairs growing in soil are generally shorter and less dense than those in laboratory studies. Root hairs have a number of functions including anchorage, root soil contact and bracing to enable roots to penetrate hard soils. However, their primary function is acquisition of nutrients and water, in particular phosphate. They are the site of transporters, exudation of active compounds and infection point of symbiotic microbial interactions. They have a profound effect on rhizosphere characteristics and are a potentially useful target for breeding crops for future agricultural sustainability.


Koedoe ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B.L. Penzhorn

Additions to the check list of flowering plants of the Mountain Zebra National Park. Thirteen additional flowering plant species are reported from the Mountain Zebra National Park, increasing the total reported to 371 species.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 587-597
Author(s):  
Raúl Badillo‐Montaño ◽  
Armando Aguirre ◽  
Miguel A. Munguía‐Rosas

1998 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 775-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Schnepf ◽  
N. Crickmore ◽  
J. Van Rie ◽  
D. Lereclus ◽  
J. Baum ◽  
...  

SUMMARY During the past decade the pesticidal bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis has been the subject of intensive research. These efforts have yielded considerable data about the complex relationships between the structure, mechanism of action, and genetics of the organism’s pesticidal crystal proteins, and a coherent picture of these relationships is beginning to emerge. Other studies have focused on the ecological role of the B. thuringiensis crystal proteins, their performance in agricultural and other natural settings, and the evolution of resistance mechanisms in target pests. Armed with this knowledge base and with the tools of modern biotechnology, researchers are now reporting promising results in engineering more-useful toxins and formulations, in creating transgenic plants that express pesticidal activity, and in constructing integrated management strategies to insure that these products are utilized with maximum efficiency and benefit.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Midori Kobayashi-Kidokoro ◽  
Seigo Higashi

The food habits of the solitary beeCeratina flavipeswere studied by observation on foraging behavior and identifying the pollen grains that they collected. It appeared thatC. flavipestend to collect pollen from particular species; however, they visit multiple flowering species. We analyzed pollen sources from pollen loads of dried specimens from single foraging trips (SFT) and in pollen balls created from a single foraging day (SD). The pollen from all pollen balls in a nest represented the harvest from an entire breeding season (BP). This analysis showed that each bee on average collected pollen from 3.24 (SFTs), 2.02 (SD), and 3.12 (BP) flowering species. Bees collected pollen from a total of 14 flowering plant species. Furthermore, we calculated when pollen balls were created and found no significant interaction between seasonal pollen availability and bee preferences. Moreover, bees had consistent flower preferences, even if the preferred flower was not dominant at all times. These results indicate thatC. flavipesexhibits flower constancy, and therefore, the generalist pollinatorC. flavipescould function like a specialist pollinator.


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