Article

Evidence for and against deformed wing virus spillover from honey bees to bumble bees: a reverse genetic analysis

Details

Citation

Gusachenko ON, Woodford L, Balbirnie-Cumming K, Ryabov EV & Evans DJ (2020) Evidence for and against deformed wing virus spillover from honey bees to bumble bees: a reverse genetic analysis. Scientific Reports, 10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-73809-3

Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a persistent pathogen of European honey bees and the major contributor to overwintering colony losses. The prevalence of DWV in honey bees has led to significant concerns about spillover of the virus to other pollinating species. Bumble bees are both a major group of wild and commercially-reared pollinators. Several studies have reported pathogen spillover of DWV from honey bees to bumble bees, but evidence of a sustained viral infection characterized by virus replication and accumulation has yet to be demonstrated. Here we investigate the infectivity and transmission of DWV in bumble bees using the buff-tailed bumble bee Bombus terrestris as a model. We apply a reverse genetics approach combined with controlled laboratory conditions to detect and monitor DWV infection. A novel reverse genetics system for three representative DWV variants, including the two master variants of DWV—type A and B—was used. Our results directly confirm DWV replication in bumble bees but also demonstrate striking resistance to infection by certain transmission routes. Bumble bees may support DWV replication but it is not clear how infection could occur under natural environmental conditions.

Journal
Scientific Reports: Volume 10

StatusPublished
FundersUniversity of St Andrews, University of St Andrews and US Department of Agriculture
Publication date31/10/2020
Publication date online31/10/2020
Date accepted by journal22/09/2020
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
eISSN2045-2322

People (1)

Dr Luke Woodford

Dr Luke Woodford

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Biological and Environmental Sciences