We recently found a well developed accessory gland in female B. dorsalis. Upon further examination, we found that they harboured bacteria and one particular bacteria was the major microbiota in the accessory gland. In what ways is the bacteria present in the accessory gland help the insect? We have hypothesised that they may help female insects in pheromone production. So is there any such possibility?
Hi Vivek,
Have you considered the fact that the spread of this bacteria to the accessory glands could only benefit the bacteria itself, with nothing related to the host?
I would bet that this tissue tropism is only to facilitate the vertical transmission of this bacteria
Bacterial symbionts (e.g., in aphids or tste tse flies) are housed in host's organs called bacteriomes. Symbionts provide their hosts essentials like vitamins and amino acids. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between bacterial parasitism and mutualism. I recommend a paper in Biological Reviews "Bad guys turned nice? A critical assessment of Wolbachia mutualisms in arthropod hosts".
Hi Vivek,
Thanks for your question.
To answer your question, I might have to invoke some information that is already known about the opposite sex, i.e. the male accessory gland derivatives. I think the male accessory glands function can have antibacterial properties in-order to protect the sperm from any bacterial infection within the female reproductive tract. Seminal proteins enter the female reproductive tract before the entry of sperm (e.g. Drosophila melanogaster, see attached paper, Lung et al. 2001). Now, could the female accessory gland microbiota offer protection (function) against any male induced infection or combat the costs of mate multiplying (e.g. supplementing the gut with a supply of useful bacteria after an episode of traumatic mating? In addition, we know that some primary reproductive traits are a result of coevolution (e.g. sperm length, see Sperm Biology book ch. 3, also attached?).
Mircobial symbiosis has an evolutionary importance. You may want to look into that aspect as well.
perhaps these URLs may prove helpful
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF01969718
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3810596/
http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/6/1/146
http://www.georgehapp.com/Refs/Happ1984.pdf
Hi Manan,
Although I did not post this question, found the links to the papers you provided very helpful. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Ram
Are they extracellular bacteria found in the glad secretion, or endosymbionts in the gland epithelium?
Hi Vivek,
Accessory gland in the reproductive system of some insects provide materials to fix or protect eggs (e.g. ootheca). In the case of males, for forming spermatophores and support spermatozoids migration into the female tractus.
Pheromones are produced by a diversity of glands, sometimes by the insect itself, sometimes by associated microorganisms, but I do not remember cases where they would be produced by accessory glands directly associated to the reproductive organs.
Best wishes,
Claudio
There are too many possible answers to count. They include
pheromone or other sex signal production
territory-marking
hostplant manipulation
infection
unknown
This is a great PhD project!
Accessory glands in insects are well recognized for their function and involvement in symbiotic housing, secretion of ectohormones, short peptides, ecologically altered signaling peptides, precursors of defense proteins, lipids, and synthesize mixtures of territory-marking chemical communication molecules.
Hi Vivek
In some groups, such as the Phthiraptera the endosymbionts are vertically transmitted by the microbes migrating to the oviduct, which is generally spongy in structure. There they wait until an egg is formed and they then enter it probably via the micropyle. As far as I know nobody has investigated the accessory glands for presence of the endosymbionts but I wouldn't mind predicting that at least some of them would find their way into the glands as well. For them that would be a dead end but for other species it may not. Have you looked for any homology between the microorganisms in your B. dorsalis glands and any endosymbionts found in the species?
Thanks a lot friends. All your suggestion and knowledge was really helpful.
with kind regards,
Vivek Kempraj
Dr. Burgess thanks. Can you suggest me some papers regarding the same.
thanks.
Vivek Kempraj
Thanks Dr. Abdallah, may I have any references regarding this statement?
thanks in advance,
regards,
Vivek Kempraj
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