Importance of sterols acquired through host feeding in synovigenic parasitoid oogenesis
2006
Mondy, Nathalie | Corio-Costet, M.F. | Bodin, A. | Mandon, N. | Vannier, F. | Monge, J.P. | Institut de recherche sur la biologie de l'insecte (IRBI) ; Université de Tours (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Unité Mixte de Recherche en Santé Végétale (INRA/ENITA) (UMRSV) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-École Nationale d'Ingénieurs des Travaux Agricoles - Bordeaux (ENITAB)-Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV)
Eupelmus vuilleti (Hymenoptera; Eupelmidae) is a host feeding ectoparasitoid of fourth-instar larvae or pupae of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera; Bruchidae) infecting Vigna unguiculata seed and pods (Fabacae). Parasitoid females are synovigenic, i.e. they are born with immature eggs and need to feed from the host in order to sustain egg production. In this study, the role of sterols obtained through host feeding in parasitoid oogenesis are examined. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the sterol contents in each partner of the tritrophic interaction show that a parasitoid female's larval sterol contents is sufficient to produce only 30% of the total number of eggs laid throughout a female's life cycle. In a second step, by manipulating the composition of the sterols hemolymph in the host, it is shown that cholesterol obtained through adult nutrition plays a crucial role in the eggs viability but does not affect the egg production quantitatively. This result has important implications for understanding both the nutrient allocation strategy in this species and the impact of cholesterol in parasitoid reproduction.
Show more [+] Less [-]Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Institut national de la recherche agronomique