Pollen extracts and constituent sugars increase growth of a trypanosomatid parasite of bumble bees

PeerJ
Evan C Palmer-Young, Lucy Thursfield

Abstract

Phytochemicals produced by plants, including at flowers, function in protection against plant diseases, and have a long history of use against trypanosomatid infection. Floral nectar and pollen, the sole food sources for many species of insect pollinators, contain phytochemicals that have been shown to reduce trypanosomatid infection in bumble and honey bees when fed as isolated compounds. Nectar and pollen, however, consist of phytochemical mixtures, which can have greater antimicrobial activity than do single compounds. This study tested the hypothesis that pollen extracts would inhibit parasite growth. Extracts of six different pollens were tested for direct inhibitory activity against cell cultures of the bumble bee trypanosomatid gut parasite Crithidia bombi. Surprisingly, pollen extracts increased parasite growth rather than inhibiting it. Pollen extracts contained high concentrations of sugars, mainly the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. Experimental manipulations of growth media showed that supplemental monosaccharides (glucose and fructose) increased maximum cell density, while a common floral phytochemical (caffeic acid) with inhibitory activity against other trypanosomatids had only weak inhibitory effects on Cr...Continue Reading

References

Dec 12, 1997·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition·A T BorchersM E Gershwin
Apr 20, 2001·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·J Serra BonvehíE Centelles Lorente
Jan 25, 2005·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Nadia LamourFrédéric Bringaud
May 10, 2006·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Frédéric BringaudVirginie Coustou
Aug 18, 2006·Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease·Karin Merschjohann, Dietmar Steverding
Apr 2, 2008·Amino Acids·Nathalie Verbruggen, Christian Hermans
Jul 24, 2008·Environmental Microbiology·Mariano HigesAránzazu Meana
Jan 7, 2009·Food and Chemical Toxicology : an International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association·Ana SarićTatjana Marotti
Jan 13, 2009·Journal of Invertebrate Pathology·Christopher Mayack, Dhruba Naug
Aug 28, 2009·Oecologia·Jessamyn S MansonJames D Thomson
May 26, 2010·The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology·Regula Schmid-Hempel, Martina Tognazzo
Oct 5, 2010·Parasitology Research·Luiz Felipe D PasseroJoão Henrique G Lago
Mar 26, 2011·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Benjamin J ParkerNicole M Gerardo
Aug 13, 2011·Phytomedicine : International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology·Thomas EfferthMichael Wink
Aug 29, 2012·PloS One·R Scott CornmanJay D Evans
Nov 2, 2012·Molecules : a Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry·Michael Wink
Dec 19, 2012·Trends in Parasitology·Dmitri A MaslovJulius Lukeš
Dec 26, 2012·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Kai YangPeilong Sun
Jan 5, 2013·PloS One·Mostafa A ElfawalStephen M Rich
Apr 13, 2013·Science·Jacobus C de RoodeMark D Hunter
May 1, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Wenfu MaoMay R Berenbaum
Jun 14, 2013·Parasite Immunology·B M Sadd, S M Barribeau
Apr 1, 2009·Environmental Microbiology Reports·Mariano HigesJosé L Bernal
Jul 3, 2013·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·Manu VanaerschotJean-Claude Dujardin
Jul 3, 2013·Journal of Invertebrate Pathology·Peter GraystockWilliam O H Hughes
Jan 1, 1991·Journal of Chemical Ecology·M R BerenbaumA R Zangerl
Oct 1, 1985·Journal of Chemical Ecology·M Berenbaum, J J Neal
Apr 20, 2014·PloS One·Charles RunckelMichelle L Flenniken
May 23, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Franziska S BrunnerSeth M Barribeau
Feb 20, 2015·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Leif L RichardsonRebecca E Irwin
May 8, 2015·F1000Research·David BaracchiLars Chittka
May 9, 2015·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Camden D GowlerJacobus C de Roode
Aug 8, 2015·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Peter GraystockWilliam O H Hughes

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 12, 2019·Environmental Entomology·Kristen M MichaudLynn S Adler
Jan 9, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Emily J BailesMark J F Brown
Jun 20, 2020·Emerging Topics in Life Sciences·Alison E FowlerLynn S Adler

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
flow cytometry
light scattering
chemical treatments

Software Mentioned

R
R package ggplot2

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.