Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 24, 2025
Detecting Virus and Salivary Proteins of a Leafhopper Vector in the Plant Host
Published on: September 14, 2021
Detection of deformed wing virus (DWV) in the Vietnamese walking stick Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea)
Matan Shelomi1, Wei Lin2, Brian R Johnson2
1Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, No 27 Lane 113 Sec 4 Roosevelt Rd, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a single-stranded positive sense RNA virus that mainly infects honey bees (Apis mellifera) and can have devastating impacts on the colony. Recent studies have shown the presence of this virus in several species of Apis spp. and some other Hymenoptera, but our knowledge of their host range is very limited. We screened previously sequenced RNAseq libraries from different tissues of Vietnamese Walking Stick, Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea) for DWV. We only found this virus in six libraries from anterior and posterior midgut tissue. From the midgut libraries we were able to construct a complete DWV genome sequence, which consisted of 10,140 nucleotides and included one open reading frame. Pairwise genome comparison confirmed strong similarity (98.89 %) of these assembled sequences with only 113 SNPs to the original DWV genome. We hypothesize the M. extradentata acquired this virus via a foodborne transmission by consuming DWV-infected material such as pollen or leaves contaminated with virus infected bee faeces.
Insights
Deformed wing virus (DWV) was detected in the Vietnamese Walking Stick (Medauroidea extradentata), a non-bee insect. This finding suggests potential foodborne transmission routes for DWV beyond its primary honey bee hosts.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Entomology
- Insect Pathology
Background:
- Deformed wing virus (DWV) significantly impacts honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera).
- The known host range of DWV is limited, primarily to Hymenoptera species.
- Understanding DWV's broader host interactions is crucial for disease management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of DWV in the Vietnamese Walking Stick (Medauroidea extradentata).
- To characterize the DWV genome within this novel host.
- To explore potential transmission pathways of DWV.
Main Methods:
- Screening of RNAseq libraries from various tissues of Medauroidea extradentata.
- Bioinformatic analysis to detect and assemble the DWV genome.
- Comparative genomic analysis to assess sequence similarity with known DWV strains.
Main Results:
- DWV was identified exclusively in the anterior and posterior midgut tissues of Medauroidea extradentata.
- A complete 10,140-nucleotide DWV genome was assembled from these samples.
- The assembled genome showed high similarity (98.89%) to known DWV strains, with only 113 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
Conclusions:
- Medauroidea extradentata harbors a DWV strain closely related to those found in honey bees.
- Foodborne transmission, potentially through contaminated feces or plant material, is a plausible route for DWV acquisition by M. extradentata.
- This discovery expands the known host range of DWV and highlights the need for further research into its transmission dynamics.
