Toxin-mediated protection against natural enemies by insect defensive symbionts
Date
2020
Authors
Oliver, Kerry M.
Perlman, Steve J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
All organisms have evolved a wide range of strategies to protect against natural enemies, from complex avoidance behaviours to sophisticated immune systems, and insects are no exception. A more recently recognized, and likely widespread, mode of protection for insects is through the use of microbial symbionts. Many of the best studied examples of defensive symbiosis in insects involve infections with maternally inherited symbionts. While inherited symbionts can protect their insect hosts by priming innate immune systems, or competing with enemies for scarce recourses, they have also been found to synthesize a wide diversity of toxins that effectively kill, weaken, or deter parasitic wasps, parasitic nematodes, pathogenic fungi, and predatory spiders. In this chapter, we provide an overview of defensive symbioses in insects, focusing in particular on toxin-based protection.
Description
Keywords
insect, Hamiltonella, polyketide, symbiosis, toxin, Spiroplasma, Wolbachia
Citation
Oliver, K.M., & Perlman, S.J. (2020) Toxin-mediated protection against natural enemies by insect defensive symbionts. In K.M. Oliver & J.A. Russell (Eds.), Mechanisms Underlying Microbial Symbiosis. (pp. 277-316). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aiip.2020.03.005