The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)

Fatty acids (FA) are the primary metabolic fuel for many organisms and the fundamental component of membranes of all living organisms. FAs can be saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), or polyunsaturated (PUFA). PUFA are not synthesized by most animals and are considered as essential nutrients. We...

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Main Authors: Mika Volov, Nitzan Cohen, Levona Bodner, Shahar Dubiner, Abraham Hefetz, Sofia Bouchebti, Eran Levin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.755331/full
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spelling doaj-b6d0e8d2c3d7434193f533b6ed8d4b252021-10-05T04:28:18ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2021-10-01910.3389/fevo.2021.755331755331The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)Mika VolovNitzan CohenLevona BodnerShahar DubinerAbraham HefetzSofia BouchebtiEran LevinFatty acids (FA) are the primary metabolic fuel for many organisms and the fundamental component of membranes of all living organisms. FAs can be saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), or polyunsaturated (PUFA). PUFA are not synthesized by most animals and are considered as essential nutrients. We examined the effect of climate on the saturation level of polar (mostly membranal) and neutral lipids in the body of the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) from two extreme climatic zones: Mediterranean high elevation; and hot arid desert. In contrast to previous reports, the environmental temperature was shown to affect the hornet colonies’ thermal environments. The hornets nonetheless maintained their colony temperature within a narrow range. Analyses of the hornets’ unsaturation levels of polar and non-polar body lipids revealed caste differences: gynes and males contained less unsaturated lipids than workers. However, there were no differences in the respective castes between the two different climate zones tested. Experimentally manipulating the diet of queenless hornet colonies to a high Omega-3 diet (salmon) or a high Omega-6 diet (crickets) had only a minor effect on the worker-born males’ lipid composition. Although salmon-fed males had a higher Omega-3 content than cricket-fed ones, the proportion of these fatty acids was still low (below 1%). Cricket-fed males had significantly higher levels of Omega-6 than salmon-fed males. Our data show that the specific lipid composition of the hornet body is highly regulated and deficient in essential PUFA, even under different climates or high Omega-3 or Omega-6 PUFA diet. PUFA, especially Omega-3, is considered to have a beneficial effect on physiological processes. Our finding that these FA, when common in the diet, are almost absent in the body raises questions about how they affect animals’ physiology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.755331/fullfatty acidsnutritionclimatic gradienthornet (Vespa)Omega—3 fatty acids
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Mika Volov
Nitzan Cohen
Levona Bodner
Shahar Dubiner
Abraham Hefetz
Sofia Bouchebti
Eran Levin
spellingShingle Mika Volov
Nitzan Cohen
Levona Bodner
Shahar Dubiner
Abraham Hefetz
Sofia Bouchebti
Eran Levin
The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
fatty acids
nutrition
climatic gradient
hornet (Vespa)
Omega—3 fatty acids
author_facet Mika Volov
Nitzan Cohen
Levona Bodner
Shahar Dubiner
Abraham Hefetz
Sofia Bouchebti
Eran Levin
author_sort Mika Volov
title The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
title_short The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
title_full The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
title_fullStr The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
title_full_unstemmed The Effect of Climate and Diet on Body Lipid Composition in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis)
title_sort effect of climate and diet on body lipid composition in the oriental hornet (vespa orientalis)
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
issn 2296-701X
publishDate 2021-10-01
description Fatty acids (FA) are the primary metabolic fuel for many organisms and the fundamental component of membranes of all living organisms. FAs can be saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), or polyunsaturated (PUFA). PUFA are not synthesized by most animals and are considered as essential nutrients. We examined the effect of climate on the saturation level of polar (mostly membranal) and neutral lipids in the body of the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis) from two extreme climatic zones: Mediterranean high elevation; and hot arid desert. In contrast to previous reports, the environmental temperature was shown to affect the hornet colonies’ thermal environments. The hornets nonetheless maintained their colony temperature within a narrow range. Analyses of the hornets’ unsaturation levels of polar and non-polar body lipids revealed caste differences: gynes and males contained less unsaturated lipids than workers. However, there were no differences in the respective castes between the two different climate zones tested. Experimentally manipulating the diet of queenless hornet colonies to a high Omega-3 diet (salmon) or a high Omega-6 diet (crickets) had only a minor effect on the worker-born males’ lipid composition. Although salmon-fed males had a higher Omega-3 content than cricket-fed ones, the proportion of these fatty acids was still low (below 1%). Cricket-fed males had significantly higher levels of Omega-6 than salmon-fed males. Our data show that the specific lipid composition of the hornet body is highly regulated and deficient in essential PUFA, even under different climates or high Omega-3 or Omega-6 PUFA diet. PUFA, especially Omega-3, is considered to have a beneficial effect on physiological processes. Our finding that these FA, when common in the diet, are almost absent in the body raises questions about how they affect animals’ physiology.
topic fatty acids
nutrition
climatic gradient
hornet (Vespa)
Omega—3 fatty acids
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.755331/full
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