Research Article

Assessing the antiparasitic potential of Bifidobacterium sp. ERSapi20 isolated from the cuticle of honeybees against Varroa destructor Oudemans, 1904 (Acari: Varroidae)

Volume: 48 Number: 4 January 21, 2025
TR EN

Assessing the antiparasitic potential of Bifidobacterium sp. ERSapi20 isolated from the cuticle of honeybees against Varroa destructor Oudemans, 1904 (Acari: Varroidae)

Abstract

The mite Varroa destructor Oudemans, 1904 (Acari: Varroidae) is a major contributor to honeybee colony losses worldwide. Actinobacteria are known for their wide distribution and production of biologically active compounds effective against various pathogens, including bacteria and parasites. This study aims to investigate the bioactive compounds produced by actinobacterial symbionts associated with Apis mellifera L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and evaluate their acaricidal potential against V. destructor. In 2022, a strain of Bifidobacterium sp. ERSapi20 was isolated from worker bees in Antalya, Türkiye, using a culture-based method. The antiparasitic activity of the extracellular solution and intracellular extract of the strain was assessed through direct spraying on V. destructor at varying concentrations of insect Ringer solution (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The extracellular solution achieved 90% mite mortality within 16 hours, while the intracellular extract resulted in 100% mite mortality within 18 hours. This is the first report demonstrating acaricidal activity against V. destructor using intracellular extracts of actinobacterial strains. These findings support the hypothesis that honeybee-associated actinobacteria produce compounds effective against varroa mites, highlighting the potential of natural products for controlling V. destructor in honeybee colonies.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This study was funded by the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University under the project number of FDK-2022-5745.

Project Number

FDK-2022-5745

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Thanks

We are thankful to the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK) for supporting the researcher with YÖK 100/2000 Scholarship Program and 2211/C National PhD Scholarship Program in the Priority Fields in Science and Technology, respectively. Additionally, we thank all the beekeepers who generously provided samples from their hives.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Entomology , Zoology (Other) , Acarology in Agriculture , Entomology in Agriculture

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

January 9, 2025

Publication Date

January 21, 2025

Submission Date

June 7, 2024

Acceptance Date

January 8, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Volume: 48 Number: 4

APA
Ersal, M., Karabağ, K., & Yalçın, T. (2025). Assessing the antiparasitic potential of Bifidobacterium sp. ERSapi20 isolated from the cuticle of honeybees against Varroa destructor Oudemans, 1904 (Acari: Varroidae). Turkish Journal of Entomology, 48(4), 369-381. https://doi.org/10.16970/entoted.1497693