An insight into the microRNA profiles of an ectoparasite mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the primary vector of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) of the honey bee Apis mellifera L

Authors: KUMAR, DEEPAK - Non ARS Employee; Alburaki, Mohamed; TAHIR, FAIZAN - Non ARS Employee; Goblirsch, Michael; Adamczyk, John; KARIM, SHAHID - Non ARS Employee

Submitted to: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2022
Publication Date: 3/16/2022
Citation: Kumar, D., Alburaki, M., Tahir, F., Goblirsch, M.J., Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Karim, S. 2022. An insight into the microRNA profiles of an ectoparasite mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the primary vector of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.847000.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2022.847000

Interpretive Summary: Honey bee colonies suffer from various diseases and pathogens, which affect their performance and survival. Varroa mite is a honey bee ectoparasite which causes significant damage to adult bees and brood and transmits honey bee viruses. miRNAs are small non-coding RNA which play important role in post-transcriptional gene expression and regulate vital biological processes in mites. There is currently limited information related to varroa mite miRNAs. In this study, we developed small RNA libraries from both male and female varroa mites and conducted a differentially expressed gene analysis between male and female varroa mites. This study provides potential miRNA targets that can be used to control varroa mites and subsequently reduce virus load and transmission within honey bee colonies.

Technical Abstract: The remarkably adaptive mite Varroa destructor is the most important honey bee ectoparasite. Varroamites are competent vectors of deformed wing virus (DWV), and the Varroa-virus complex is a major determinant of annual honey bee colony mortality and collapse. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 22-24 nucleotide non-coding RNAs produced by all plants and animals and some viruses that influence biological processes through post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Knowledge of miRNAs and their function in mite biology remains limited. Here we constructed small RNA libraries from male and female V. destructor using Illumina’s small RNA-Seq platform. A total of 101,913,208 and 91,904,732 small RNA reads (>18 nucleotides) from male and female mites were analyzed using the miRDeep2 algorithm. A conservative approach predicted 306 miRNAs, 18 of which were upregulated and 13 downregulated in female V. destructor compared with males. Quantitative real-time PCR validated the expression of selected differentially-expressed female Varroa miRNAs. This dataset provides a list of potential miRNA targets involved in regulating vital Varroa biological processes and paves the way for developing strategies to target Varroa and their viruses.