Host regulation effects of ovary fluid and venom of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

The host regulation effects of venom and ovary fluid of the endophagous braconid Aphidius ervi Haliday on the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), have been studied. Extracts of ovaries and of venom glands were injected into nonparasitized 4th instar pea aphids. both separately and mixed. Aphids treated with parasitoid material died as 4th instars, often showing developmental arrest. In contrast, control aphids that received an injection of Pringle's saline solution regularly moulted to the adult stage and reproduced. Venom alone was as effective as the combined extracts in determining developmental arrest and death. Separate heat and protease treatments of these parasitoid's reproductive secretions significantly reduced their biological activity, suggesting that the active component(s) involved is a protein(s). SDS-PAGE analysis of haemolymph samples obtained from pea aphids which had received an injection of combined venom and ovary extract revealed an increase of the titre of various proteins, particularly in the 43-47 kDa interval, as registered for truly parasitized hosts. This altered protein profile was first detected 48 h following injection. Based on this information a tentative physiological model is proposed. The apical tract of host ovarioles, where the germarium and growing oocytes are located, is suggested to be one of the major targets of female parasitoid secretions injected with the egg. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.