Bacterial symbionts influence host susceptibility to fenitrothion and imidacloprid in the obligate hematophagous bed bug, Cimex hemipterus. 2022

Li-Shen Soh, and G Veera Singham
Centre for Chemical Biology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11900, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia.

The use of insecticides remains important in managing pest insects. Over the years, many insects manifested physiological and behavioral modifications resulting in reduced efficacy of insecticides targeted against them. Emerging evidence suggests that bacterial symbionts could modulate susceptibility of host insects against insecticides. Here, we explore the influence of host microbiota in affecting the susceptibility of insect host against different insecticides in the blood-sucking bed bug, Cimex hemipterus. Rifampicin antibiotic treatment resulted in increased susceptibility to fenitrothion and imidacloprid, but not against deltamethrin. Meanwhile, the host fitness parameters measured in the present study were not significantly affected by rifampicin treatment, suggesting the role of bacterial symbionts influencing susceptibility against the insecticides. 16S metagenomics sequencing revealed a drastic shift in the composition of several bacterial taxa following rifampicin treatment. The highly abundant Alphaproteobacteria (Wolbachia > 90%) and Gammaproteobacteria (Yersinia > 6%) in control bed bugs were significantly suppressed and replaced by Actinobacteria, Bacilli, and Betaproteobacteria in the rifampicin treated F1 bed bugs, suggesting possibilities of Wolbachia mediating insecticide susceptibility in C. hemipterus. However, no significant changes in the total esterase, GST, and P450 activities were observed following rifampicin treatment, indicating yet unknown bacterial mechanisms explaining the observed phenomena. Re-inoculation of microbial content from control individuals regained the tolerance of rifampicin treated bed bugs to imidacloprid and fenitrothion. This study provides a foundation for a symbiont-mediated mechanism in influencing insecticide susceptibility that was previously unknown to bed bugs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007305 Insecticide Resistance The development by insects of resistance to insecticides. Insecticide Resistances,Resistance, Insecticide,Resistances, Insecticide
D007306 Insecticides Pesticides designed to control insects that are harmful to man. The insects may be directly harmful, as those acting as disease vectors, or indirectly harmful, as destroyers of crops, food products, or textile fabrics. Insecticide
D009574 Nitro Compounds Compounds having the nitro group, -NO2, attached to carbon. When attached to nitrogen they are nitramines and attached to oxygen they are NITRATES. Nitrated Compounds
D011722 Pyrethrins The active insecticidal constituent of CHRYSANTHEMUM CINERARIIFOLIUM flowers. Pyrethrin I is the pyretholone ester of chrysanthemummonocarboxylic acid and pyrethrin II is the pyretholone ester of chrysanthemumdicarboxylic acid monomethyl ester. Pyrethrin,Pyrethroid,Pyrethroids
D004478 Ectoparasitic Infestations Infestations by PARASITES which live on, or burrow into, the surface of their host's EPIDERMIS. Most ectoparasites are ARTHROPODS. Ectoparasitic Infestation,Infestation, Ectoparasitic,Infestations, Ectoparasitic
D005278 Fenitrothion An organothiophosphate cholinesterase inhibitor that is used as an insecticide. Agria 1050,Folithion,Metathion,Methylnitrophos,Nitrophos,Sumithion,Sumithione
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000073943 Neonicotinoids A class of insecticides that are structurally similar to NICOTINE and have physiologically similar effects as agonists of NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS, but are less toxic to vertebrates. They are widely used in agriculture. Neonicotinoid
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001511 Bedbugs Parasitic bugs of the family CIMICIDAE. Female bed bugs lay eggs in a sheltered locations such as in mattress seams. Adults and nymphal instars of Cimex feed on warm-blooded hosts. Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus are implicated in human infestations. Cimex,Bed Bugs,Cimex hemipterus,Cimex lectularius,Bed Bug,Bedbug

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