Identifying venom genes of parasitoid wasps: Successful parasitism without immediate host death
Parasitoid wasps, belonging to the family Hymenoptera, deprive their insect and spider hosts of nutrition. These wasps represent approximately 20% of the 1 million insect species on Earth, making them one of the planet's most successful animal groups.
Because of their unique life strategies and ecological success, researchers have long studied how parasitoids commandeer their hosts' bodies. However, the small size of these wasps and the challenges of rearing them have made the molecular mechanisms of parasitism difficult to decipher.
Focusing on the endoparasitoid wasp A. japonica, which parasitizes the model organism D. melanogaster, the research team identified two venom genes termed imaginal disc degradation factors (IDDFs). IDDF is required to degrade the imaginal discs—adult tissue precursors—in the host fly larvae. By degrading these tissues, the IDDF-containing venoms prevent the fly from undergoing metamorphosis, ensuring the wasp's successful parasitism.
The findings, in Science Advances, illuminate the molecular mechanisms behind the sophisticated survival strategy of parasitoid wasps, suggesting that their venoms could serve as a potential focus for research into novel biological toxins. Further investigation into the mechanisms of venom across various insects may lead to applications in agricultural pest control and the discovery of natural medicinal resources.
More information: Takumi Kamiyama et al, Parasitoid wasp venoms degrade Drosophila imaginal discs for successful parasitism, Science Advances (2025).
Journal information: Science Advances
Provided by University of Tsukuba