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Behavioural Manipulation in a Grasshopper Harbouring Hairworm

Behavioural Manipulation in a Grasshopper Harbouring Hairworm. By: Melissa Neis Biology 4800. Examples of Altered Behaviour Systems. Plasmodium Whirling Disease Dicrocoelium Leucochloridium. Hairworm and Grasshopper. Life Cycle.

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Behavioural Manipulation in a Grasshopper Harbouring Hairworm

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  1. Behavioural Manipulation in a Grasshopper Harbouring Hairworm By: Melissa Neis Biology 4800

  2. Examples of Altered Behaviour Systems • Plasmodium • Whirling Disease • Dicrocoelium • Leucochloridium

  3. Hairworm and Grasshopper

  4. Life Cycle

  5. How is the Parasite Manipulating the Grasshoppers Behaviour? Host: Long-Horned Grasshopper (Meconema thalassinum) Hairworm: Spinochordodes tellinii

  6. System Studied • Examined the proteome expression of grasshoppers using gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry • Collected specifically male grasshoppers to prevent sex specific results • Five groups Studied: • During Manipulation (DM) 2. Uninfected at Night (Control: NC) • Before Manipulation (BM) • Uninfected during the day (control: ND) • After manipulation (AM)

  7. Results Grasshopper Categories Genetic Distance Protein Spot Presence/Absence

  8. Results

  9. What they discovered…. • There were 6 proteins only present in the brains of manipulated grasshoppers. • However only two of those were produced by the hairworm acting as a form of protein mimicry. • They discovered that the over production of proteins pQ and pY produced by the hairworm acted on the development on the CNS of the grasshopper

  10. Discussion • The expression of the 6 proteins in the manipulated grasshopper’s brain were believed to be the result of host immune response to the hairworm. • One protein is involved in directional movement • Two as neurotransmitters • One Involved with host apoptosis: regulation of cell death which is believed to induce a host inflammatory response

  11. Conclusions • Hairworm can alter the behaviour of the grasshopper by the production of biochemical interactions which cause the production of effective molecules which act directly on the host CNS

  12. References • Biron et al. (2005). Behavioural manipulation in a grasshopper harbouring hairworm: a proteomics approach, 272, 2117-2126

  13. Questions?

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