On the host-symbiont-natural enemy interaction: from parasitism to mutualism

• Grant number: 19/03997-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2019
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Theoretical Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Cogni
• Grantee: Cássia de Souza Siqueira Cesar
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/25991-0 - Ecological genomics of insects: climate adaptations and evolution of ecological interactions, AP.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/13166-0 - Does Wolbachia affect virus diversity in an Aedes aegypti field population?, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The study of evolution of ecological interactions is a key topic in evolutionary ecology. Symbiosis is the association between two organisms of different species, ranging from a parasitic to a mutualistic interaction. This study aims a better understanding of the mutualistic effect of endosymbiont bacterias on the host-symbiont-natural enemy interactions through two different approaches. 1) it is known that although a symbiotic interaction can be costly to the host, the benefits offered by the symbiont can overcome this cost. Here we propose a meta-analysis in order to verify the cost on fitness of the individuals involved in the interaction and how great is the protection effect when comparing different systems; 2) wolbachia presence can influence the selection over antiviral genes codified by the host. However, there is no information on how host antiviral genes can affect the keeping and the dispersal of the symbiont, so one of our goals is to test such influence on experimental populations. The comparison of the effect of different pathogens over the symbiont-generated resistance in different systems, as well as the study on the effect of genotype and selective pressures caused by the presence of pathogens in ecological aspects of the symbiont are important questions for an integrated understanding of processes involved in interspecific ecological interactions. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PIMENTEL, ANDRE C.; CESAR, CASSIA S.; MARTINS, ARTHUR H. B.; MARTINS, MARCOS; COGNI, RODRIGO. Wolbachia Offers Protection Against Two Common Natural Viruses of Drosophila. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY, v. 88, n. 1, p. 13-pg., 2025-04-09. (21/06874-9, 18/20088-3, 23/02166-5, 15/08307-3, 13/25991-0, 18/01295-8, 19/03997-2)

MARTINS, MARCOS; CESAR, CASSIA SIQUEIRA; COGNI, RODRIGO. The effects of temperature on prevalence of facultative insect heritable symbionts across spatial and seasonal scales. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 14, p. 10-pg., 2023-12-08. (21/06874-9, 19/03997-2, 21/13166-0)

BRUNER-MONTERO, GASPAR; LUQUE, CARLOS M. M.; CESAR, CASSIA SIQUEIRA; DING, SHUAI DOMINIQUE; DAY, JONATHAN P. P.; JIGGINS, FRANCIS MICHAEL. Hunting Drosophila viruses from wild populations: A novel isolation approach and characterisation of viruses. PLOS PATHOGENS, v. 19, n. 3, p. 25-pg., 2023-03-01. (19/03997-2, 21/13166-0)

PIMENTEL, ANDRE C.; CESAR, CASSIA S.; MARTINS, MARCOS; COGNI, RODRIGO. The Antiviral Effects of the Symbiont Bacteria Wolbachia in Insects. FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY, v. 11, JAN 29 2021. (19/03997-2, 15/08307-3, 13/25991-0, 18/01295-8)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CESAR, Cássia de Souza Siqueira. Does protection against natural enemies help in the spread of symbionts in insect populations?. 2024. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.