Characterization of viral siRNA populations in honey bee colony collapse disorder

Nor Chejanovsky; Ron Ophir; Michal Sharabi Schwager; Yossi Slabezki; Smadar Grossman; Diana Cox-Foster

doi:10.1016/j.virol.2014.02.012

Characterization of viral siRNA populations in honey bee colony collapse disorder

Virology. 2014 Apr:454-455:176-83. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.02.012. Epub 2014 Mar 6.

Authors

Nor Chejanovsky¹, Ron Ophir², Michal Sharabi Schwager², Yossi Slabezki³, Smadar Grossman⁴, Diana Cox-Foster⁵

Affiliations

¹ Entomology Department, Institute of Plant Protection, ARO, The Volcani Center, POB 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel. Electronic address: ninar@volcani.agri.gov.il.
² Genomics Department, Institute of Plant Sciences, ARO, The Volcani Center, POB 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
³ Beekeeping Division, Extension Service, Israeli Ministry of Agriculture, POB 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel.
⁴ Entomology Department, Institute of Plant Protection, ARO, The Volcani Center, POB 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel; Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences, The Hebrew, University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
⁵ Entomology Department, PennState University, University Park 16802, USA.

PMID: 24725944
DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2014.02.012

Abstract

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a special case of collapse of honey bee colonies, has resulted in significant losses for beekeepers. CCD-colonies show abundance of pathogens which suggests that they have a weakened immune system. Since honey bee viruses are major players in colony collapse and given the important role of viral RNA interference (RNAi) in combating viral infections we investigated if CCD-colonies elicit an RNAi response. Deep-sequencing analysis of samples from CCD-colonies from US and Israel revealed abundant small interfering RNAs (siRNA) of 21-22 nucleotides perfectly matching the Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Kashmir virus and Deformed wing virus genomes. Israeli colonies showed high titers of IAPV and a conserved RNAi-pattern of matching the viral genome. That was also observed in sample analysis from colonies experimentally infected with IAPV. Our results suggest that CCD-colonies set out a siRNA response that is specific against predominant viruses associated with colony losses.

Keywords: Colony collapse disorder; Israeli acute paralysis virus; Small interfering RNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Bees / virology*
Colony Collapse*
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Israel
RNA Interference*
RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism*
RNA, Viral / genetics
RNA, Viral / metabolism*
United States

Substances

RNA, Small Interfering
RNA, Viral