Biology subjects

Talebi, A. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Talebi, A. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

EntomonVR: a New Virtual Reality Game for Learning Insect Morphology

In recent years, the study of insect morphology has benefited greatly from the emergence of new digital imaging and analysis technologies such as X-ray micro-computed tomography (-CT), digital 3D reconstruction, and animation. Through interactive gaming and virtual reality, the external morphology of insects can be studied by a broad audience of both entomologists and non-specialists. EntomonVR is a serious game designed to investigate the external morphology of insects with adequate quality for the virtual reality platform. We discuss the advantages of virtual reality, introduce the EntomonVR new educational game, and conclude about future perspectives, validations, and cost-effectiveness. For game assessment, we have tested this game on 25 participants with an entomological background and improved the game based on their feedback. This study demonstrates the efficacy of virtual reality technology for an experimental learning environment in teaching the morphology of insects and the crucial needs for advancing an efficient and interactive educational program.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2019

Wolbachia promote successful sex with siblings

Wolbachia are intracellular -proteobacteria that have a wide distribution among various arthropods and nematodes. They affect the host reproduction favoring their maternal transmission, which sets up a potential conflict in inbreeding situations when the host avoids sexual reproduction preventing inbreeding depression, while Wolbachia pushes it. In this study, we used the wasp Habrobracon hebetor to test the hypothesis that Wolbachia modulate inbreeding avoidance behaviour and promote sib mating. To test this, we first cured wasps of Wolbachia using tetracycline treatment and produced infected and uninfected isolines. Then, we paired the uninfected and infected females with sibling (inbred) and non-sibling (outbred) males in choice and non-choice experiments. Our results showed no obvious precopulatory inbreeding avoidance in this wasp as brother-sister mating rates (in both choice and nonchoice experiments) were not significantly different form non-sibling pairs, regardless of Wolbachia infection. However, our results indicated that H. hebetor shows a strong postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance behaviour that results in a low fertilization rate of uninfected siblings and therefore high rate of production of male progeny was obtained. We observed higher rates of fertilization success in the Wolbachia-infected lines that resulted in significantly higher female progeny production compared to the uninfected sib mates. Since diploid females are the result of successful fertilization due to haplodiploidy sex determination system in this insect, our results indicate that Wolbachia promoted fertile sib mating in H. hebetor. Interestingly, the rate of adult emergence in the progeny of Wolbachia-infected sib mates were almost similar to the non-sib mate crosses and significantly more than those observed in the uninfected sib mate crosses. We support the idea that Wolbachia modulate inbreeding avoidance and promote sib mating and also mitigate inbreeding depression. The wasp Habrobracon hebetor siblings infected with Wolbachia show higher rates of fertilization success and higher adult emergence rates compared to the uninfected sib mates. By promoting successful sex with siblings and increasing the probability of female progeny, Wolbachia enhance their transmission to the next generation and also mitigate inbreeding depression. This is an undescribed effect of Wolbachia (symbiont) on the host reproduction.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Wolbachia induce cytoplasmic incompatibility and affect mate preference in Habrobracon hebetor to increase the chance of its transmission to the next generation

Wolbachia are common intracellular bacteria that are generally found in arthropods including a high proportion of insects and also some nematodes. This intracellular symbiont can affect sex ratio with a variety of reproductive anomalies in the host, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in haplodiploides. In this study, we questioned if the parasitoid wasp, Habrobracon hebetor (Hym.: Braconidae), which is one of the most important biological control agents of many lepidopteran larvae, is infected with Wolbachia. To test this, DNA was extracted from adult insects and subjected to PCR using specific primers to Wolbachia target genes. The results showed high rate of Wolbachia infection in this parasitoid wasp. To find out the biological function of Wolbachia in H. hebetor, we removed this bacterium from the wasps using antibiotic treatment (cured wasps). Results of the crossing experiments revealed that Wolbachiainduced CI in H. hebetor in which cured females crossed with infected males produced only males, while in the progeny of other crosses, both males and females were observed. Also, our result showed that the presence of Wolbachia in the females increased fecundity and female offspring of this parasitoid wasp. However, the presence of Wolbachia in the males had no significant effect on the fecundity and female production, but might have incurred costs. We also investigated the effect of Wolbachia on mate choice and found that Wolbachia affects mating behavior of H. hebetor. Together, we show that Wolbachia induce CI in H. hebetor and affect host mating behavior in favor of its transmission. Wolbachia utilize these strategies to increase the frequency of infected females in the host population.

zoology↗