title: Humoral immunocompetence shifts in response to developmental stage change and mating access in Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae).
abstract: Because immune defenses are often costly employed, insect immunocompetence cannot be always maintained at its maximum level. Here, the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), was used as a study object to investigate how its immune defenses varied with the developmental stage change and mating access. Our data indicated that both phenoloxidase (PO) activity and antibacterial activity significantly increased from new larvae to pupae but decreased in adults after emergence. Furthermore, both the PO activity and antibacterial activity in the hemolymph of copulated male and female adults were dramatically higher than that of virgin male and female ones, respectively. It provided the evidence that copulation could increase the magnitude of immune defense in hemolymph of B. dorsalis. Together, these results suggest that B. dorsalis possess a flexible investment strategy in immunity to meet its specific needs based on the endo- and exogenous factors, such as their distinct food source and living environments.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management of Fujian-Taiwan Crops,Ministry of Agriculture,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology,College of Plant Protection,Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University,Fujian,China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management of Fujian-Taiwan Crops,Ministry of Agriculture,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology,College of Plant Protection,Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University,Fujian,China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management of Fujian-Taiwan Crops,Ministry of Agriculture,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology,College of Plant Protection,Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University,Fujian,China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology,Hubei Key Laboratory of Insect Resource Application and Sustainable Pest Control,Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests,College of Plant Science and Technology,Huazhong Agricultural University,Wuhan,China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007814:Larva / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011679:Pupa / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase
keywords: ecological immunology