Parasitic wasps (parasitoids) have been extensively used as biological control agents against veterinary and agricultural pests. Over the past several years, it has become increasingly evident that many of these parasitoids, particularly members of the Ichneumonoidea, have silent partners that play a major role in their success as biological control agents. These third party entities consist mainly of viruses and virus-like particles (VLPs, lacking nucleic acid or for which the nucleic acid composition is not yet known) that are presumed or determined empirically, to enhance the survival of the parasitoid within its host.
More than 80% of the Hymenoptera consist of parasitic species but little is known about their viral or VLP symbionts. It has been suggested that symbiotic viruses and VLPs influence the host range of their wasp, influencing the types of hosts they infect. Nevertheless, very little is known about the distribution and types of viruses and VLPs that occur in different...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bigot Y, Rabouille A, Doury G, Sizaret PY, Delbost F, Hamelin MH, Periquet G (1997) Biological and molecular features of the relationships between Diadromus pulchellus ascovirus, a parasitoid hymenopteran wasp (Diadromus pulchellus) and its lepidopteran host, Acrolepiopsis assectella. J Gen Virol 78:1149–1163
Federici BA, Bigot Y (2003) Origin and evolution of polydnaviruses by symbiogenesis of insect DNA viruses in endoparasitic wasps. J Insect Physiol 49:419–432
Fleming J (1992) Polydnaviruses: Mutualists and pathogens. Ann Rev Entomol 37:401–425
Lawrence P (2005) Non-poly-DNA viruses, their parasitic wasps, and hosts. J Insect Physiol 51:99–101
Lawrence P (2005) Morphogenesis and cytopathic effects of the Diachasmimorpha longicaudata entomopoxvirus in host haemocytes. J Insect Physiol 51:221–233
Lawrence PO, Akin A (1990) Virus-like particles from the poison gland of the parasitic wasp Biosteres longicaudatus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Can J Zool 68:539–546
Prevost G, Eslin P, Doury G, Moreau S, Guillot S (2005) Asobara, braconid parasitoids of Drosophila larvae: unusual strategies to avoid encapsulation without VLPs. J Insect Physiol 51:171–179
Schmidt O, Schuchmann-Feddersen I (1989) Role of virus-like particles in parasitoid-host interaction of insects. In: Harris JR (ed) Subcellular biochemistry: virally infected-cells, vol 15. Plenum Press, New York, NY, pp 91–119
Stoltz D, Whitfield J (1992) Viruses and virus-like entities in the parasitic Hymenoptera. J Hymenopt Res 1:125–139
Whitfield J, Asgari S (2003) Virus or not? Phylogenetics of polydnaviruses and their wasp carriers. J Insect Physiol 49:397–405
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Lawrence, P.O. (2008). Symbiotic Viruses of Parasitic Wasps. In: Capinera, J.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_4504
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_4504
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6242-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6359-6
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences