A mutualistic symbiosis between a parasitic mite and a pathogenic virus undermines honey bee immunity and health.

ABSTRACT: Honey bee colony losses are triggered by interacting stress factors consistently associated with high loads of parasites and/or pathogens. A wealth of biotic and abiotic stressors are involved in the induction of this complex multifactorial syndrome, with the parasitic mite Varroa destructor and the associated deformed wing virus (DWV) apparently playing key roles. The mechanistic basis underpinning this association and the evolutionary implications remain largely obscure. Here we narrow this research gap by demonstrating that DWV, vectored by the Varroa mite, adversely affects humoral and cellular immune responses by interfering with NF-κB signaling. This immunosuppressive effect of the viral pathogen enhances reproduction of the parasitic mite. Our experimental data uncover an unrecogniz

SUBMITTER: Di Prisco G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4812730 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature