Immune response in paper wasp workers: Task matters more than age

Author(s)

Prato, Amanda ; Santos, Eduardo Fernando ; Ferreira, Helena Mendes ; Oi, Cintia Akemi ; Nascimento, Fabio Santos do ; Rantala, Markus J. ; Krams, Indrikis ; de Souza, Andre Rodrigues

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY; v. 154, p. 7-pg., 2024-03-05.

Abstract

Workers of social hymenopterans (ants, bees and wasps) display specific tasks depending on whether they are younger or older. The relative importance of behavior and age in modulating immune function has seldom been addressed. We compared the strength of encapsulation-melanization immune response (hereafter melanotic encapsulation) in paper wasps displaying age polyethism or experimentally prevented from behavioral specialization. Foragers of Polybia paulista had higher melanotic encapsulation than guards, regardless of their age. Nevertheless, melanotic encapsulation decreased with age when wasps were prevented from behavioral specialization. Thus, in this species, worker melanotic encapsulation seems more sensitive to task than age. Foraging is considered one of the riskier behaviors in terms of pathogen exposure, so upregulating melanotic encapsulation in foragers can possibly improve both individual and colony -level resistance against infections. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/10996-0 - An Evo-Devo perspective on reproductive division of labour in wasps
• Grantee: Fábio Santos do Nascimento
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/14464-2 - Sexual selection in neotropical social wasps
• Grantee: André Rodrigues de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants