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Trans-generational immune priming in a social insect
Ben M Sadd1, Yvonne Kleinlogel, Regula Schmid-Hempel
1Ecology and Evolution ETH Zentrum, CHN K14, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland. ben.sadd@env.ethz.ch
Biology Letters
|December 7, 2006
Summary
Maternal immune priming in bumblebees shows that immune experience can be passed to offspring. This study provides evidence for trans-generational immune priming in insects, impacting social evolution.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary immunology
- Invertebrate immunity
- Social insect biology
Background:
- Trans-generational effects on immunity are established in vertebrates but debated in invertebrates.
- Previous invertebrate studies suggested trans-generational immune priming, but lacked conclusive evidence.
- Understanding invertebrate immunity evolution requires investigating maternal immune effects on offspring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence of trans-generational immune priming in insects.
- To determine if maternal immune experience directly influences offspring immunity in invertebrates.
- To explore the evolutionary implications of immune priming in social insects.
Main Methods:
- Immune challenge administered to queen bumblebees (Bombus terrestris L.) prior to colony founding.
- Measurement of antibacterial activity in worker offspring.
- Comparison of immune activity between offspring from challenged and unchallenged queens.
Main Results:
- Worker offspring from immune-challenged queens exhibited higher antibacterial activity.
- This indicates a direct effect of maternal immune experience on offspring immunity.
- The findings demonstrate trans-generational immune priming in a social insect.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first direct evidence of trans-generational immune priming in insects.
- Maternal immune priming in bumblebees influences offspring antibacterial defense.
- This phenomenon has significant ramifications for the evolution of sociality and immunity in insects.
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