D3409: Visualizing trypanosomatid infection progression in vivo across Bombus spp.

Host-parasite interactions and infection outcomes may vary among host species. In addition, food resources can mediate host-pathogen dynamics. Bees are crucial for the ecological functioning of natural and agricultural systems but are threatened by a myriad of biotic stressors including parasites and pathogens. Sunflower pollen diet greatly reduces gut parasite infection of Crithidia bombi in some, but not all, bumble bee species. The spiney exine of sunflower pollen is likely responsible for reducing parasitic infection in Bombus impatiens, but this effect was not observed in B. griseocollis. To explore how the host-parasite interaction may differ for two species of bumble bees, we introduced red fluorescent protein (RFP) into a C. bombi line and utilized fluorescence microscopy to visualize the effect of sunflower pollen diet on live infection in these two bumble bee species. Preliminary results suggest that sunflower pollen may reduce infection in B. griseocollis as well as B. impatiens, contradicting previous results in our lab. We are the first to create fluorescent C.bombi lines to image live infection in bumble bees.