Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells

Honey bee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) health is impacted by viral infections at the colony, individual bee, and cellular levels. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms at the cellular level we further developed the use of cultured primary cells, derived from either larvae or p...

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Main Authors: Alexander J. McMenamin, Fenali Parekh, Verena Lawrence, Michelle L. Flenniken
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Insects
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/7/653
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author Alexander J. McMenamin
Fenali Parekh
Verena Lawrence
Michelle L. Flenniken
author_facet Alexander J. McMenamin
Fenali Parekh
Verena Lawrence
Michelle L. Flenniken
author_sort Alexander J. McMenamin
collection DOAJ
description Honey bee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) health is impacted by viral infections at the colony, individual bee, and cellular levels. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms at the cellular level we further developed the use of cultured primary cells, derived from either larvae or pupae, and demonstrated that these cells could be infected with a panel of viruses, including common honey bee infecting viruses (i.e., sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus (DWV)) and an insect model virus, Flock House virus (FHV). Virus abundances were quantified over the course of infection. The production of infectious virions in cultured honey bee pupal cells was demonstrated by determining that naïve cells became infected after the transfer of deformed wing virus or Flock House virus from infected cell cultures. Initial characterization of the honey bee antiviral immune responses at the cellular level indicated that there were virus-specific responses, which included increased expression of <i>bee antiviral protein-1</i> (GenBank: MF116383) in SBV-infected pupal cells and increased expression of <i>argonaute-2</i> and <i>dicer-like</i> in FHV-infected hemocytes and pupal cells. Additional studies are required to further elucidate virus-specific honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms. The continued use of cultured primary honey bee cells for studies that involve multiple viruses will address this knowledge gap.
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spelling doaj.art-eeced938409541aeb52b81a137b9ec912023-11-22T04:05:02ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502021-07-0112765310.3390/insects12070653Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee CellsAlexander J. McMenamin0Fenali Parekh1Verena Lawrence2Michelle L. Flenniken3Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USADepartment of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USADepartment of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USADepartment of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USAHoney bee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) health is impacted by viral infections at the colony, individual bee, and cellular levels. To investigate honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms at the cellular level we further developed the use of cultured primary cells, derived from either larvae or pupae, and demonstrated that these cells could be infected with a panel of viruses, including common honey bee infecting viruses (i.e., sacbrood virus (SBV) and deformed wing virus (DWV)) and an insect model virus, Flock House virus (FHV). Virus abundances were quantified over the course of infection. The production of infectious virions in cultured honey bee pupal cells was demonstrated by determining that naïve cells became infected after the transfer of deformed wing virus or Flock House virus from infected cell cultures. Initial characterization of the honey bee antiviral immune responses at the cellular level indicated that there were virus-specific responses, which included increased expression of <i>bee antiviral protein-1</i> (GenBank: MF116383) in SBV-infected pupal cells and increased expression of <i>argonaute-2</i> and <i>dicer-like</i> in FHV-infected hemocytes and pupal cells. Additional studies are required to further elucidate virus-specific honey bee antiviral defense mechanisms. The continued use of cultured primary honey bee cells for studies that involve multiple viruses will address this knowledge gap.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/7/653honey bee<i>Apis mellifera</i>primary cell cultureinsect antiviral defensehoney bee virusesRNA viruses
spellingShingle Alexander J. McMenamin
Fenali Parekh
Verena Lawrence
Michelle L. Flenniken
Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
Insects
honey bee
<i>Apis mellifera</i>
primary cell culture
insect antiviral defense
honey bee viruses
RNA viruses
title Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
title_full Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
title_fullStr Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
title_full_unstemmed Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
title_short Investigating Virus–Host Interactions in Cultured Primary Honey Bee Cells
title_sort investigating virus host interactions in cultured primary honey bee cells
topic honey bee
<i>Apis mellifera</i>
primary cell culture
insect antiviral defense
honey bee viruses
RNA viruses
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/12/7/653
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