A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Effect of Juvenile Hormone on Resistance against Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium robertsii Differs between Sexes
Authors: Rantala Markus J., Dubovskiy Ivan M., Pölkki Mari, Krama Tatjana, Contreras-Garduño Jorge, Krams, Indrikis A.
Publisher: MDPI
Publication year: 2020
Journal: Journal of Fungi
Journal name in source: JOURNAL OF FUNGI
Journal acronym: J FUNGI
Article number: ARTN 298
Volume: 6
Issue: 4
Number of pages: 8
eISSN: 2309-608X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040298
Web address : https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040298
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/51289382
Juvenile hormone has been suggested to be a potential mediator in the trade-off between mating and insects' immunity. Studies on various insect taxons have found that juvenile hormone interferes with humoral and cellular immunity. Although this was shown experimentally, studies using highly virulent parasites or pathogens are lacking so far. In this study, we tested if juvenile hormone administration affected resistance against entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium robertsii, in the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor. In previous studies with T. molitor, juvenile hormone has been found to reduce a major humoral immune effector-system (phenoloxidase) in both sexes and decrease the encapsulation response in males. Here, we found that juvenile hormone administration prolonged survival time after infection with M. robertsii in males but reduced survival time in females. This study indicates that the effects of juvenile hormone on insect immunity might be more complicated than previously considered. We also suggest that there might be a trade-off between specific and non-specific immunity since, in males, juvenile hormone enhances specific immunity but corrupts non-specific immunity. Our study highlights the importance of using real parasites and pathogens in immuno-ecological studies.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |  |
