Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)

Autores
Fernandez Goya, Lucia; da Cruz Cabral, Lucía; Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla; Confalonieri, Viviana A.; Lanteri, Analía A.; Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina
Año de publicación
2026
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
In many arthropods, reproductive manipulations induced by maternally inherited symbionts appear to depend upon surpassing a bacterial density threshold. The Naupactini tribe harbours a diverse array of Neotropical weevils, many of which exhibit parthenogenetic reproduction linked to Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia sp., with parthenogenetic species typically displaying high Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. densities, and sexually reproducing species characterized by either low density or absence of infections altogether. The main focus of this work was testing the bacterial dosage model, that is, that a threshold density of Wolbachia and/or Rickettsia sp. is required for parthenogenetic reproduction. Through tetracycline-curing experiments coupled with bacterial density quantification by real-time PCR, we analysed clutch viability in Pantomorus postfasciatus as a function of Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. density. Clutch size was not affected by the antibiotic treatment, but clutch viability (proportion of eggs hatched) declined to zero, coinciding with a significant reduction in bacterial densities without complete clearance. Fitting a three-parameter log-logistic (Hill-type) model revealed a sigmoidal relationship between bacterial density and clutch viability, demonstrating a quantitative, dosage-dependent effect. In contrast, clutch viability of sexually reproducing females was unaffected by antibiotic treatment, confirming that the reduced egg hatching in parthenogenetic females results from symbiont depletion rather than direct drug effects. Additionally, Rickettsia sp. proved to be more susceptible to tetracycline than Wolbachia, while Wolbachia densities decreased more markedly in reproductive tissues—a pattern potentially linked to the observed collapse in clutch viability. This work highlights bacterial load as a key determinant of parthenogenetic reproduction within the Naupactini.
Instituto de Genética
Fil: Fernandez Goya, Lucia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO); Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Apicultura; Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Lanteri, Analía A. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Museo de La Plata. División Entomología; Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fuente
Insect Molecular Biology : 1-13 (First published: 23 February 2026)
Materia
Endosymbionts
Curculionidae
Naupactus
Wolbachia pipientis
Rickettsia
PCR
Parthenogenesis
Endosimbionte
Partenogénesis
Naupactini
Dosis Bacteriana
Bacterial Dosage
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso restringido
Condiciones de uso
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Repositorio
INTA Digital (INTA)
Institución
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
OAI Identificador
oai:localhost:20.500.12123/25699
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oai_identifier_str oai:localhost:20.500.12123/25699
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network_name_str INTA Digital (INTA)
spelling Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)Fernandez Goya, Luciada Cruz Cabral, LucíaScannapieco, Alejandra CarlaConfalonieri, Viviana A.Lanteri, Analía A.Rodriguero, Marcela SilvinaEndosymbiontsCurculionidaeNaupactusWolbachia pipientisRickettsiaPCRParthenogenesisEndosimbiontePartenogénesisNaupactiniDosis BacterianaBacterial DosageIn many arthropods, reproductive manipulations induced by maternally inherited symbionts appear to depend upon surpassing a bacterial density threshold. The Naupactini tribe harbours a diverse array of Neotropical weevils, many of which exhibit parthenogenetic reproduction linked to Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia sp., with parthenogenetic species typically displaying high Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. densities, and sexually reproducing species characterized by either low density or absence of infections altogether. The main focus of this work was testing the bacterial dosage model, that is, that a threshold density of Wolbachia and/or Rickettsia sp. is required for parthenogenetic reproduction. Through tetracycline-curing experiments coupled with bacterial density quantification by real-time PCR, we analysed clutch viability in Pantomorus postfasciatus as a function of Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. density. Clutch size was not affected by the antibiotic treatment, but clutch viability (proportion of eggs hatched) declined to zero, coinciding with a significant reduction in bacterial densities without complete clearance. Fitting a three-parameter log-logistic (Hill-type) model revealed a sigmoidal relationship between bacterial density and clutch viability, demonstrating a quantitative, dosage-dependent effect. In contrast, clutch viability of sexually reproducing females was unaffected by antibiotic treatment, confirming that the reduced egg hatching in parthenogenetic females results from symbiont depletion rather than direct drug effects. Additionally, Rickettsia sp. proved to be more susceptible to tetracycline than Wolbachia, while Wolbachia densities decreased more markedly in reproductive tissues—a pattern potentially linked to the observed collapse in clutch viability. This work highlights bacterial load as a key determinant of parthenogenetic reproduction within the Naupactini.Instituto de GenéticaFil: Fernandez Goya, Lucia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; ArgentinaFil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaFil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaFil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; ArgentinaFil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO); ArgentinaFil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Apicultura; ArgentinaFil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; ArgentinaFil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaFil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaFil: Lanteri, Analía A. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Museo de La Plata. División Entomología; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaFil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); ArgentinaRoyal Entomological Society2026-04-07T13:58:13Z2026-04-07T13:58:13Z2026-02info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/25699https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imb.700301365-2583https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.70030Insect Molecular Biology : 1-13 (First published: 23 February 2026)reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariaenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)2026-05-07T11:53:14Zoai:localhost:20.500.12123/25699instacron:INTAInstitucionalhttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/oai/requesttripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:l2026-05-07 11:53:15.253INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
title Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
spellingShingle Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
Fernandez Goya, Lucia
Endosymbionts
Curculionidae
Naupactus
Wolbachia pipientis
Rickettsia
PCR
Parthenogenesis
Endosimbionte
Partenogénesis
Naupactini
Dosis Bacteriana
Bacterial Dosage
title_short Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
title_full Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
title_fullStr Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
title_full_unstemmed Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
title_sort Endosymbiont load dictates reproductive fate : Experimental validation for the bacterial dosage model in a parthenogenetic weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Fernandez Goya, Lucia
da Cruz Cabral, Lucía
Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla
Confalonieri, Viviana A.
Lanteri, Analía A.
Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina
author Fernandez Goya, Lucia
author_facet Fernandez Goya, Lucia
da Cruz Cabral, Lucía
Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla
Confalonieri, Viviana A.
Lanteri, Analía A.
Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina
author_role author
author2 da Cruz Cabral, Lucía
Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla
Confalonieri, Viviana A.
Lanteri, Analía A.
Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Endosymbionts
Curculionidae
Naupactus
Wolbachia pipientis
Rickettsia
PCR
Parthenogenesis
Endosimbionte
Partenogénesis
Naupactini
Dosis Bacteriana
Bacterial Dosage
topic Endosymbionts
Curculionidae
Naupactus
Wolbachia pipientis
Rickettsia
PCR
Parthenogenesis
Endosimbionte
Partenogénesis
Naupactini
Dosis Bacteriana
Bacterial Dosage
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv In many arthropods, reproductive manipulations induced by maternally inherited symbionts appear to depend upon surpassing a bacterial density threshold. The Naupactini tribe harbours a diverse array of Neotropical weevils, many of which exhibit parthenogenetic reproduction linked to Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia sp., with parthenogenetic species typically displaying high Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. densities, and sexually reproducing species characterized by either low density or absence of infections altogether. The main focus of this work was testing the bacterial dosage model, that is, that a threshold density of Wolbachia and/or Rickettsia sp. is required for parthenogenetic reproduction. Through tetracycline-curing experiments coupled with bacterial density quantification by real-time PCR, we analysed clutch viability in Pantomorus postfasciatus as a function of Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. density. Clutch size was not affected by the antibiotic treatment, but clutch viability (proportion of eggs hatched) declined to zero, coinciding with a significant reduction in bacterial densities without complete clearance. Fitting a three-parameter log-logistic (Hill-type) model revealed a sigmoidal relationship between bacterial density and clutch viability, demonstrating a quantitative, dosage-dependent effect. In contrast, clutch viability of sexually reproducing females was unaffected by antibiotic treatment, confirming that the reduced egg hatching in parthenogenetic females results from symbiont depletion rather than direct drug effects. Additionally, Rickettsia sp. proved to be more susceptible to tetracycline than Wolbachia, while Wolbachia densities decreased more markedly in reproductive tissues—a pattern potentially linked to the observed collapse in clutch viability. This work highlights bacterial load as a key determinant of parthenogenetic reproduction within the Naupactini.
Instituto de Genética
Fil: Fernandez Goya, Lucia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: da Cruz Cabral, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Genética; Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO); Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Apicultura; Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Confalonieri, Viviana A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Lanteri, Analía A. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Museo de La Plata. División Entomología; Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
Fil: Rodriguero, Marcela Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA); Argentina
description In many arthropods, reproductive manipulations induced by maternally inherited symbionts appear to depend upon surpassing a bacterial density threshold. The Naupactini tribe harbours a diverse array of Neotropical weevils, many of which exhibit parthenogenetic reproduction linked to Wolbachia pipientis and Rickettsia sp., with parthenogenetic species typically displaying high Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. densities, and sexually reproducing species characterized by either low density or absence of infections altogether. The main focus of this work was testing the bacterial dosage model, that is, that a threshold density of Wolbachia and/or Rickettsia sp. is required for parthenogenetic reproduction. Through tetracycline-curing experiments coupled with bacterial density quantification by real-time PCR, we analysed clutch viability in Pantomorus postfasciatus as a function of Wolbachia and Rickettsia sp. density. Clutch size was not affected by the antibiotic treatment, but clutch viability (proportion of eggs hatched) declined to zero, coinciding with a significant reduction in bacterial densities without complete clearance. Fitting a three-parameter log-logistic (Hill-type) model revealed a sigmoidal relationship between bacterial density and clutch viability, demonstrating a quantitative, dosage-dependent effect. In contrast, clutch viability of sexually reproducing females was unaffected by antibiotic treatment, confirming that the reduced egg hatching in parthenogenetic females results from symbiont depletion rather than direct drug effects. Additionally, Rickettsia sp. proved to be more susceptible to tetracycline than Wolbachia, while Wolbachia densities decreased more markedly in reproductive tissues—a pattern potentially linked to the observed collapse in clutch viability. This work highlights bacterial load as a key determinant of parthenogenetic reproduction within the Naupactini.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-04-07T13:58:13Z
2026-04-07T13:58:13Z
2026-02
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/25699
https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imb.70030
1365-2583
https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.70030
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/25699
https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/imb.70030
https://doi.org/10.1111/imb.70030
identifier_str_mv 1365-2583
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
eu_rights_str_mv restrictedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Royal Entomological Society
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Royal Entomological Society
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Insect Molecular Biology : 1-13 (First published: 23 February 2026)
reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)
instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
reponame_str INTA Digital (INTA)
collection INTA Digital (INTA)
instname_str Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.name.fl_str_mv INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.mail.fl_str_mv tripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.ar
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