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DGIMI est une unité mixte de recherche ayant pour tutelles INRAE et l'Université de Montpellier. Elle est située sur le campus Triolet de l'Université de Montpellier et accueille une trentaine de personnels INRAE et UM.

Les recherches développées dans l'UMR DGIMI visent à mieux comprendre les interactions entre les insectes et leur environnement biotique et abiotique dans les agrosystèmes, selon deux axes thématiques 

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HAL : Dernières publications

  • [hal-05410672] Transgenerational effects of a high temperature impair the resistance of the pest Spodoptera frugiperda to a parasitoid

    Insect parasitoids provide a useful ecosystem service to control pest insects. However, climate change could challenge this pest management, as insects are known to be sensitive to temperature. Furthermore, transgenerational effects, which are common in insects, could influence these effects of temperature on host-parasitoid systems. The present study therefore aimed to test the combined effects of developmental and host parental temperatures on a host-parasitoid system, using the fall armyworm (FAW) and the parasitoid Hyposoter didymator. We focused on mean temperatures of 25 and 29 °C, with a daily fluctuation of ±5 °C. The increase in mean temperatures had a significant effect on all the host parameters tested (survival, developmental rate, sex ratio, body mass) and on parasitoid success. Parasitoid success decreased between the developmental temperatures of 25 and 29 °C, and most effects of the increase in developmental temperature on FAW traits were detrimental to the parasitoid. Remarkably, we found transgenerational effects of temperature on the host resistance to parasitoids (the proportion of FAW escaping parasitism), as well as on host traits associated with the probability of parasitoids finding a host (effects on survival and developmental rates) and host quality (body mass, sex ratio). The parental temperature of 29 °C had a detrimental effect on the FAW resistance to parasitoids, but it reinforced the effects of developmental temperature on host traits that have a negative impact on parasitoids. The study shows the high thermal sensitivity of a host-parasitoid system and highlights that thermal transgenerational plasticity should be considered in host-parasitoid interactions.

    ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Shannon Alary) 11 Dec 2025

    https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05410672v1
  • [hal-05374380] A characterization of piARNs, their biogenesis and their targets in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

    Abstract PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and PIWI proteins were initially described as involved in gametogenesis and preservation of genome integrity through the control of transposable elements (TE). Expressed also in the soma and able to regulate protein coding gene expression, they are involved in multiple biological pathways including host-pathogens interaction, sex determination, reproductive isolation. Spodoptera frugiperda is a major invasive insect pest species consisting of two strains with different host-plant ranges. In this paper, we characterized proteins and genomic regions involved in their biogenesis as well as TE and gene transcripts regulated by piRNAs. By phylogenetic analysis, we identified two new Piwi genes conserved in the genus Spodoptera , compared to the Lepidopteran model Bombyx mori , one more than in Drosophila . One of them, more expressed in gonads then soma could be a functional homolog of Drosophila PIWI or replace AGO3. A pool of 11 sRNA-Seq libraries was used to annotate piRNA clusters with Shortstack in the genomes of the two strains of Spodoptera frugiperda . Identification of TE targeted by piRNAs revealed that active transposons differ between the two strains of S. frugiperda despite of a similar TE content, as putative cause or consequence of reproductive isolation. GO analysis of genes targeted by piRNAs shows that some are involved in protein translation initiation. A piRNA cluster in the Masc gene suggests that sex determination is regulated by piRNAs in Spodoptera frugiperda . Our analysis supports that piRNAs have additional roles than silencing of transposable elements and contributes to functional annotation of the two strains genomes of Spodoptera frugiperda .

    ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Imène Seninet) 20 Nov 2025

    https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05374380v1
  • [hal-05279475] Pleiotropic role of PAX cyclolipopeptides in the Xenorhabdus bacterium mutualistically associated with entomopathogenic nematodes

    ABSTRACT Xenorhabdus is an entomopathogenic bacterium involved in a mutualistic relationship with Steinernema nematodes. Xenorhabdus produces a multitude of specialized metabolites by non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) pathways to mediate bacterium-nematode-insect interactions. PAX cyclolipopeptides are a family of NRP-type molecules whose ecological role remains poorly understood. In this study, the pleiotropic role of PAX peptides in the life cycle of Xenorhabdus nematophila has been investigated. By mass spectrometry analysis, we first demonstrated that PAX peptides were detected from the pathogenic stage up to the necrotrophic stage. We discovered that the bromothymol blue adsorption phenotype historically used to discriminate Xenorhabdus variants was associated with the presence of PAX peptides. We found that PAX peptides were positively involved in biofilm formation and negatively involved in swimming motility. PAX peptides were also shown to promote in vivo the production of infective Steinernema juveniles, suggesting their involvement in the mutualistic relationship between Xenorhabdus and its nematode partner. Finally, we showed that the paxTABC cluster, as well as PAX peptide production, was conserved across the whole Xenorhabdus genus except in Xenorhabdus poinarii and Xenorhabdus ishibashii . This work has revealed multiple new ecological roles for NRP-type peptides. IMPORTANCE Xenorhabdus bacteria are models of particular interest for their mutualistic relationship with Steinernema nematodes and their ability to produce a wide range of natural NRP-type bioactive metabolites. These compounds are mostly studied for their medical or industrial applications, but their ecological role is poorly understood. This study provides a dynamic characterization of PAX cyclolipopeptide presence during the Xenorhabdus nematophila life cycle, as well as confirmation of their production by seven different strains within the Xenorhabdus genus. We revealed new multiple functions for PAX peptides in biofilm formation, swimming motility, and juvenile nematode production. A deeper understanding of how PAX peptides interact with the nematode host would provide a better insight into the role of these cyclolipopeptides in bacterial-nematode mutualism.

    ano.nymous@ccsd.cnrs.fr.invalid (Noémie Claveyroles) 23 Sep 2025

    https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05279475v1

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article

27 octobre 2025

Rédaction : A-N Volkoff, N. Claveyrolles, N. Nègre, I. Seninet

Notre nouvel article en couverture d’AEM

Les nématodes sont utilisés en lutte biologique pour lutter contre des insectes ravageurs. Pour accomplir leur cycle infectieux, ils sont aidés par leurs bactéries symbiotiques Xenorhabdus qui produit une multitude de métabolites différents. Parmi ces métabolites, Xenorhabdus produit les cyclolipopeptides PAX dont le rôle dans le cycle écologique de la bactérie était peu compris.
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Soutenance de thèse : Shannon Alary

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Bravo à Shannon Alary pour sa soutenance de thèse sur l’effet de la température sur la plasticité des interactions hôte-parasitoïde, encadrée par Isabelle Darboux et Manuel Massot (iEES Paris) !

vignette FDS 2025 DGIMI
04 10

Du 04 oct. 2025 au 05 oct. 2024

Village des sciences de Montpellier

Fête de la science 2025

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Pour cette édition 2025, le laboratoire DGIMI a proposé une animation sur la thématique "Ravageurs malins et microbes futés".

Publication scientifique

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Les populations invasives au Sénégal montrent des traces d’évolution adaptative sur des gènes CYP450 pouvant expliquer leur adaptation au maïs.