Journal of invertebrate pathology最新文献

{"title":"Gut microbes modulate Helicoverpa armigera immunity and affect its susceptibility to microbial pathogens","authors":"Motahareh Amiri Domari ,&nbsp;Abbas Khani ,&nbsp;Najmeh Sahebzadeh ,&nbsp;Mohsen Najimi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Mehrabadi","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emerging research underscores the critical roles of host-associated microbiota in modulating immunity and disease resistance in insects. However, the interplay between gut microbes and innate immune pathways remains incompletely understood in lepidopteran pests. This study investigates if manipulation of the gut microbiome affects immune responses and pathogen susceptibility in <em>Helicoverpa armigera</em> larvae. To do this, the gut microbiome of the larvae was removed using antibiotic treatment. Subsequently, the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including attacin and defensin, and antioxidant genes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), dual oxidase (DUOX) and NADPH oxidase (NOX)<!--> <!-->were assessed following challenge with <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> (Bt) and <em>Beauveria bassiana</em> (Bb). Our results revealed that microbiome depletion reduced the expression of attacin and defensin in fat body and gut, and suppressed SOD gene expression in the gut. The bioassay tests showed that depletion of microbiota resulted in increased larval vulnerability to the pathogens compared to the control larvae. We also tested whether microbial infection affects gut microbiota and found that intrahemocoelic microbial injection induced both humoral and gut immunity, resulting in suppression of gut microbiota, highlighting a crosslink between humoral and gut immunity. Together, these results underscore a conserved requirement for microbiota-derived signals in priming specific innate immune pathways and provide insight into how microbiome manipulation may impact the success of biological control strategies. These findings suggest that targeted manipulation of the gut microbiome could be harnessed to enhance pest susceptibility to biocontrol agents, thereby offering a promising avenue for improving microbial pest control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108553"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating Wolbachia presence in Anopheles punctulatus group from Papua, Indonesia: Limited evidence of natural infection with molecular markers","authors":"Rusdiyah Sudirman ,&nbsp;Sri Nur Rahmi Nur Rustam ,&nbsp;Nur Rahma ,&nbsp;Elisabeth F Novita Coutrier ,&nbsp;Harimurti Nuradji ,&nbsp;Isra Wahid","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108563","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108563","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Papua, Indonesia, is an endemic region for malaria where the <em>Anopheles punctulatus</em> group serves as the primary vector. The endosymbiotic bacterium <em>Wolbachia</em> has shown promise as a biocontrol agent by manipulating host reproduction and inhibiting pathogen transmission, yet its presence in Papua’s <em>Anopheles</em> mosquitoes remained undocumented. This study aimed to detect and genetically characterize <em>Wolbachia</em> infections in <em>Anopheles punctulatus</em> group mosquitoes collected from Keerom District, Papua. Among 1,071 specimens screened using nested PCR targeting 16S rRNA and <em>wsp</em>, 2.9% tested positive for <em>Wolbachia</em>, with <em>An. punctulatus</em> and <em>An. koliensis</em> showing intra-species infection rates of 4.6% and 2.5%, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of <em>Wolbachia</em> supergroups A and B, suggesting multiple independent acquisition events. These findings provide preliminary molecular evidence of <em>Wolbachia</em> in Papua’s malaria vectors and offer baseline data for evaluating its potential in vector control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108563"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146125346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation, characterization, and host specificity of Solenopsis invicta virus 6 (Cripavirus porteri), a dicistrovirus from the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta","authors":"Steven M. Valles ,&nbsp;Chaoyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Sanford D. Porter ,&nbsp;James J. Becnel","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2026.108557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solenopsis <em>invicta</em> virus 6 (SINV-6; <em>Cripavirus porteri</em>) is a recently discovered dicistrovirus from the red imported fire ant, <em>Solenopsis invicta</em>. SINV-6 was detected in all stages of <em>S. invicta</em> including eggs, pupae, larvae, adult workers, male and female sexual alates, and queens. Electron microscopic examination of negatively stained samples from particles purified from SINV-6-infected fire ant workers revealed isometric particles with a mean diameter of 34.2 ± 2.1 nm. Field surveys of <em>S. invicta</em> nests in Alachua County, Florida, showed that the virus was present year-round. SINV-6 nest prevalence ranged from 37.5% in February to 100% in November. Among 171 nests surveyed throughout the year and over the 6-year period, 106 (62%) tested positive for SINV-6. Intra-colonial SINV-6 infection incidence and virus titer among worker ants exhibited a positive relationship. SINV-6 exhibited tissue tropism toward the abdomen where &gt; 99% of SINV-6 was detected. Among the major tissues of the abdomen, the alimentary canal (crop, midgut, hindgut) contained 87.6% of SINV-6 with the midgut and hindgut accounting for 58.0 ± 28.7% of the total. Small quantities of SINV-6 were detected in fat body (8.4 ± 0.4%) and Malpighian tubules (4.0 ± 0.4%). SINV-6 infection did not have a significant impact on brood production in <em>S. invicta</em> over a 26-day period when held in the laboratory compared with uninfected control colonies. The host range of SINV-6 appears to be broad with the plus genome strand detected in six species of ants and the honey bee (<em>Apis mellifera</em>).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"216 ","pages":"Article 108557"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146105730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immunity of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens): recent progress and technological applications","authors":"Daniele Bruno ,&nbsp;Amr Mohamed ,&nbsp;Rasha K. Al-Akeel ,&nbsp;Hend M. Alharbi ,&nbsp;Gianluca Tettamanti ,&nbsp;Ioannis Eleftherianos","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108519","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108519","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The black soldier fly (BSF, <em>Hermetia illucens</em>) is a keystone for sustainable waste bioconversion and alternative protein production, and its tolerance to microbially rich substrates reflects a robust innate immune system. Most of the recent advances in our understanding of BSF innate immunity have been published between 2020 and 2025; this review synthesizes those recent findings across molecular, cellular, and ecological scales. BSF larvae deploy rapid cellular defenses, such as phagocytosis and encapsulation, supported by a broad and dynamic humoral arsenal—including dozens of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), lysozyme, and melanization factors—that are often strongly induced following microbial challenge. Conserved signaling modules (Toll/Imd-like cascades and dual oxidase–mediated pathway) shape both systemic resistance and gut microbial composition, while the resident microbiota contributes to pathogen suppression. Noteworthy, nutrition and environment can markedly shape BSF immunity: for example, nutrient-poor diets alter AMP expression and hemocyte numbers, while microbe- or fungus-rich substrates induce distinct AMP production and cellular responses. In general, BSF can reduce zoonotic pathogen load in the rearing substrate, BSF-derived AMPs act against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and BSF-based feedstuffs enhance immune markers in livestock—biosecurity and development of value-added BSF-based bioproducts. Modern tools (high-quality genomes, transcriptomics, proteomics, RNAi, and CRISPR) now permit precise functional dissection of immune mechanisms in this insect, but key gaps remain, including antiviral and antiparasite defenses, the roles of JAK/STAT signaling, and mechanisms of immune ontogeny. Building on this synthesis, we identify critical knowledge gaps and propose prioritized research and applied actions to improve biosecurity and advance BSF bioproduct development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108519"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145794124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discovery and characterization of RNA viruses in the peanut pest mite Tetranychus ogmophallos (Acari: Tetranychidae)","authors":"Thaís Danielle Santanna ,&nbsp;Ethiane Rozo dos Santos ,&nbsp;Júlia Jantsch Ferla ,&nbsp;Andreza F. de Bem ,&nbsp;Bergmann Morais Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Daniel M.P. Ardisson-Araújo","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phytophagous mites of the family Tetranychidae cause agricultural losses, yet their viromes remain poorly characterized. We report the first viral survey of the peanut pest mite <em>Tetranychus ogmophallos</em>, identifying three novel positive-sense RNA viruses by high-throughput sequencing and genomic analyses. Tetranychus ogmophallos iflavirus 1 (ToIV-1) possesses a 10,003 nt genome encoding a typical iflavirus polyprotein and shares 58.8% amino acid identity with its closest relative, supporting recognition as a distinct species. Two additional viruses, Tetranychus ogmophallos nodavirus 1 (ToNV-1) and 2 (ToNV-2), were identified as bipartite alphanodaviruses with conserved RNA1:RNA2 abundance ratios of 2–3:1. Strand-specific RT-PCR confirmed genomic and antigenomic strands for ToIV-1 and ToNV-1, indicating active replication. Differential read analysis showed that ToIV-1 was 37-fold more abundant than ToNV-1, suggesting contrasting replication dynamics. These findings expand RNA virus diversity in spider mites and provide a basis for future studies on persistence and potential ecological relevance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108512"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145708196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two-fold application of Bacillus cereus followed by Heterorhabditis indica to manage Holotrichia consanguinea adversely effects nematode reproduction","authors":"Sharad Mohan ,&nbsp;Akanksha Upadhyay ,&nbsp;Prakash Banaker ,&nbsp;Ritu Gupta","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Holotrichia consanguinea</em> is a destructive pest of sugarcane in India. Out of urgent need to control the grubs, indiscriminate application of <em>Bacillus cereus</em> followed by <em>Heterorhabditis indica</em> is practiced. Based on the compatibility studies between the two bioagents, we found that <em>B. cereus</em>-treated grubs succumbed faster to <em>H. indica</em> infection suggesting synergism. Infection with <em>H. indica</em> even at the minimum dose of 250 IJ/grub decreased the survival to 3.7 ± 1.33 days, compared to 9.2 ± 1.93 days in untreated grubs. The Kaplan-Meier estimates depicted reduced survival time gap between treated and untreated grubs for all probability levels with an increase in nematode dose. Following mortality, the cadavers supported 65.2 % higher multiplication of <em>Photorhabdus luminescens</em> over <em>B. cereus</em> till day three<em>,</em> which gradually reversed to 67.5 % in favour of <em>B. cereus</em> by day eight. The suppression of <em>P. luminescens</em> by <em>B. cereus</em> had negative implication on the growth and development of <em>H. indica</em> as it coincided with significant decline in the production of hermaphrodites, females and the final recovery of the infective juveniles after 3, 6 and 8 days of insect death, respectively. Recommending combined application of the two bioagents can have a negative implication on the long-term persistence of <em>H. indica</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145834112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploratory analysis of epigenetic dynamics and small extracellular vesicles in Penaeus vannamei hemocytes under inactivated Vibrio parahaemolyticus priming","authors":"Yu-Ru Lin,&nbsp;Guan-Lin Lai,&nbsp;Yu-Hsuan Sun,&nbsp;Ta-Jeng Yang,&nbsp;Ting-Yu Huang,&nbsp;Huu-The Nguyen,&nbsp;Muhammad Ar Rozzaaq Nugraha,&nbsp;Novi Rosmala Dewi,&nbsp;Yeh-Fang Hu,&nbsp;Fan-Hua Nan","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Trained innate immunity has been linked to epigenetic regulation in vertebrates, but corresponding mechanisms in shrimp remain poorly understood. Hemocytes are the central immune cells of <em>Penaeus vannamei</em>, and their chromatin states may reflect regulatory responses to microbial stimulation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging mediators of immune-related intercellular communication, although their roles in shrimp immunity remain largely unexplored. In this study, we examined histone H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 dynamics in shrimp hemocytes following priming with formalin-inactivated <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em> AHPND (VP_AHPND) using immunofluorescence-based semi-quantitative analysis across multiple time points and doses. Hemolymph-derived EVs were further characterized by nano-flow cytometry at Day 7 post-priming. Semi-quantitative image analysis revealed no significant differences in H3K4me3 or H3K27me3 among groups at Day 1. At Day 2, a significant increase in H3K4me3 was detected only in the medium-dose group (7.5 × 10⁶ CFU/mL), while H3K27me3 showed no group-level differences. By Day 4, the high-dose group (7.5 × 10⁷ CFU/mL) exhibited significantly elevated levels of both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 compared with control and lower-dose groups. By Day 7, histone modification levels across all groups had largely returned to baseline. At Day 7, EVs were detected in shrimp hemolymph with stable size distributions but altered particle concentrations in the high-dose group. These EV observations are preliminary, based on limited sample availability and single-method characterization. Together, this study provides exploratory evidence that histone modification responses in shrimp hemocytes following bacterial priming are transient and dose-specific, accompanied by preliminary observations of hemolymph-derived EV profiles, establishing a baseline for future studies on epigenetic regulation and systemic communication in shrimp immunity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108522"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145804655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend: Susceptibility of honey bee to entomopathogenic nematodes","authors":"Alihan Katlav ,&nbsp;Sitaram Aryal ,&nbsp;Manoj Dhakal ,&nbsp;Michael Duncan ,&nbsp;Clarissa M. House ,&nbsp;Uffe N. Nielsen ,&nbsp;James M. Cook ,&nbsp;Robert N. Spooner-Hart ,&nbsp;Markus Riegler","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108524","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are effective biocontrol agents against soil-borne insect pests, yet the risks they pose to beneficial insects are understudied, particularly when applied outside soil environments. With growing interest in above-ground applications of EPNs such as on crop foliage or against pests of the western honey bee (<em>Apis mellifera</em>) in hives, it is essential to evaluate their effects on honey bees. We conducted a large-scale assessment of honey bee brood and adult worker susceptibility to Australian EPN isolates ex situ and in situ. At 25 °C, filter paper bioassays showed that larvae (final instar) were highly susceptible to all EPN isolates (LC₅₀ range: 0.66 to 6.8 IJs/cm²), with <em>Heterorhabditis indica</em> (particularly isolates Hi.HRN and Hi.HRN2) being the most virulent. Increasing the assay temperature to 33 °C slightly reduced virulence across isolates, yet all remained pathogenic (LC₅₀ range: 0.7 to 9 IJs/cm²). Similarly, adult workers were highly susceptible (LC₅₀ range: 1.8 to 10 IJs/cm²), again with <em>H. indica</em> Hi.HRN2 showing the greatest virulence. Conversely, <em>Steinernema feltiae</em> (notably isolate Sf.CPBR2) was the least virulent species, although it was still capable of causing high mortality in both honey bee larvae and workers. Interestingly, parasitisation of honey bee larvae by <em>Varroa destructor</em> increased susceptibility to <em>S. feltiae</em> Sf.CPBR2 but not to <em>H. indica</em> Hi.HRN2. Under hive-like conditions, direct treatment of uncapped and capped brood cells with <em>H. indica</em> Hi.HRN2 resulted in &lt;50 % larval and &lt;33 % pupal mortality. Finally, <em>H. indica</em> Hi.HRN2 treatment of subcolonies caused 19 % larval, 5.5 % pupal and 18 % adult worker mortality. Overall, our results indicate that EPN above-ground applications require precautions to safeguard honey bees, particularly during honey bee foraging or for in-hive use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108524"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145810457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Opening Pandora’s box: First insights into the genetic diversity of Aphanomyces astaci in Switzerland","authors":"Simone Roberto Rolando Pisano ,&nbsp;Eliane Jemmi ,&nbsp;Jonas Steiner,&nbsp;Elodie Cristina,&nbsp;Regula Hirschi,&nbsp;Zoé Delefortrie,&nbsp;Gary Delalay,&nbsp;Heike Schmidt-Posthaus","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108517","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108517","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;Aphanomyces astaci&lt;/em&gt;, the etiological agent of crayfish plague, varies in virulence depending on their genetic strains. Five genotype groups (A-E) are well characterized and, with exception of genotype group A, cause significant mortality in European freshwater crayfish species.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence and diversity of &lt;em&gt;A. astaci&lt;/em&gt; genotype groups in Switzerland by adapting the qPCR assays (Simplex-qPCR and Duplex-qPCR) published by &lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;Di Domenico et al. (2021)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; to a Pentaplex-qPCR assay. The Pentaplex-qPCR was compared to Simplex-qPCR, Duplex-qPCR and Triplex-qPCR assays using artificial DNA fragments, culture and tissue samples.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;We performed the Pentaplex-qPCR on DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples (1991–2020) and fresh tissue samples (2020–2024) of crayfish collected in Switzerland. Crayfish were mainly native crayfish species undergoing a crayfish plague outbreak and few invasive crayfish tested positive for &lt;em&gt;A. astaci&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The intra-assay repeatability and inter-assay reproducibility of the qPCR was assessed. The Pentaplex-qPCR assay was not inferior to the other qPCR assays (Simplex-qPCR, Duplex-qPCR, Triplex-qPCR) and reliably detected genotype groups A, B, D, and E in 31 of 45 crayfish populations (68.9%) across Switzerland. Most positive samples were linked to crayfish plague outbreaks in European crayfish species, except for four populations, where genotype groups B and D were found in North American signal crayfish (&lt;em&gt;Pacifastacus leniusculus&lt;/em&gt;) and Louisiana red swamp crayfish (&lt;em&gt;Procambarus clarkii&lt;/em&gt;), respectively. Genotype group C was not detected in any of the samples. Genotype group occurrence and heterogeneity were highest in the Rhine basin, particularly between 2016 and 2020, where groups A, B, D, and E were all detected. In the Ticino basin, genotype group diversity was high and genotype groups B, D and E were detected, while in the Rhone basin, only genotype group B was found. Genotype group D, typically associated with Louisiana red swamp crayfish, was identified in the Rhine basin in 1991 and suspected in 1994, respectively four and one year before the first known detection of its carrier species. Genotype group A was detected once in 2017 in the Rhine basin, causing limited mortality in a European crayfish population.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The use of archived samples revealed a long history of &lt;em&gt;A. astaci&lt;/em&gt; presence, dating back to 1991, providing valuable insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of crayfish plague. Identifying genotype groups helps clarify potential routes of introduction for both pathogen genotype groups and carrier host species. Furthermore, it facilitates tracking outbreaks and identifying possible primary sources of spread. Future studies are needed to deepen our understanding of the pathogen’s genetic variability in relation to virulence differences and sprea","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108517"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145763193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strain-specific gut microbiota modulation is linked to resistance to BmNPV infection in silkworms","authors":"Fareed Uddin Memon ,&nbsp;Jing Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaole Xie ,&nbsp;Chan Shu ,&nbsp;Yu Li ,&nbsp;Kang Li ,&nbsp;Yang Xiao ,&nbsp;Ling Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bombyx mori</em> nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a major pathogen threatening sericulture, yet the role of gut microbiota in strain-specific resistance remains poorly understood. This study compared three silkworm strains with high (Xinjiu, XJ), intermediate (An3, A3), and low (Zhenchixian, ZCX) resistance to BmNPV. Protein assays showed that the resistant XJ strain exhibited the lowest viral EGFP and VP39 expression and highest survival, whereas the susceptible ZCX strain displayed the opposite trend. Shotgun metagenomics revealed strain-specific microbial responses to infection. XJ and A3 maintained significantly higher alpha diversity and more dynamic beta diversity clustering than ZCX, with infection inducing increased microbial gene abundance and emergence of unique taxa in XJ. Taxonomic profiling showed XJ enriched in Firmicutes and beneficial fungal taxa such as Mucoromycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zoopagomycota, alongside reductions in Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria following infection. At finer resolution, resistant strains were enriched in beneficial bacterial classes (Bacilli, Alphaproteobacteria, Opitutae) and fungal classes (Agaricomycetes, Saccharomycetes), with cooperative co-occurrence networks linking these taxa and antagonizing pathogens. In contrast, ZCX was dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, Actinomycetia, and Hydrogenophilalia, consistent with dysbiosis and susceptibility. Functional analysis demonstrated pronounced metabolic reprogramming in resistant strains, especially XJ, with coordinated activation of carbohydrate, amino acid, nucleotide, and lipid metabolism, forming tightly integrated functional networks. Together, these findings reveal that silkworm resistance to BmNPV is associated with microbiome diversity, restructuring toward beneficial taxa, and synergistic metabolic pathways, offering new insights for probiotic-based antiviral strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 108518"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145768436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}