Laure, Kaiser-Arnauld

Head of EGCE -  Evolution, Genomes, Comportement et Ecologie (UMR CNRS, Univ. Paris-Saclay & IRD).
Senior scientist, INRA, then CNRS since 2013
Ingénieure Agronome of AgroParisTech; PhD (1988) and HDR (2000) in biology at the University Paris-Saclay
Tél. 33 1 69 15  49 93 ; Mèl. laure.kaiser-arnauld@universite-paris-saclay.fr / or @ird.fr / or @cnrs.fr

Researches

What are the mechanisms by which insects adapt their reproductive and feeding behaviors ? With my colleagues and students, we address this question in the framework of the ecology and evolution of cereal noctuid stemborers (Busseola, Sesamia) and their parasitoids (species of the C. flavipes complex) in sub-Saharan Africa.

We investigate molecular, genetic, sensory, behavioural, and developmental mechanisms, that may account for parasitic specialisation. We found that one Cotesia population specialized on the stemborer S. nonagrioides, was a distinct species, likely formed by ecological speciation (Kaiser et al., 2015, 2017). We called it Cotesia typhae. It is thus a potential biological control agent against this Lepidoptera which is a maize pest in southern Europa. In this perspective we have evaluated its potential to control this Mediterranean corn borer (CoteBio ANR-AFB funded project, resp. L.K., https://cotebio.org/) by analysing life history traits that contribute to reproductive success, physiological and genomic processus of virulence/resistance interactions (Müller et al. 2022; Gornard et al. 2024a) and genomic polymorphism associated to intra and inter populational variations of these traits (Benoist et al. 2020a, b; Gornard et al. 2024b).  We also conducted an environmental risk-assessment of the potential introduction of C. typhae in France, which concluded on low risk (https://cnrs.hal.science/hal-04109322; Fortuna et al., 2023) ; we worked on the susceptibility of the reproductive success to temperature variations (collab. IRBI, Bressac et al., 2023). In collaboration with the technical institute ARVALIS, C. typhae efficiency against de maize pest was demonstrated in greenhouse conditions. The next step is to test C. typhae release in experimental fiel conditions, which will be done in the frame of Biocosma project coordinated by BiolineAgrosciences (https://anr.fr/Projet-ANR-23-ECOM-0003).

Project participants (staff members): EGCE : S. Bothorel, J.L. Da lage, P.A. Calatayud, C. Capdevielle-Dulac, S. Dupas, C. Gilbert, R. Jeannette, L. Kaiser, T. Marques Fortuna, F. Mougel, F. Rebaudo ; icipe (Nairobi) : P.A. Calatayud lab ; Arvalis: J.B. Thibord ; UMR GQE : J. Legrand ; BiolineAgroScience : J. Frandon, T. Andrieux.

See also:
- https://www.ird.fr/lutte-biologique-contre-la-sesamie-un-parasite-au-secours-du-mais
- https://passion-entomologie.fr/cotesia-typhae-lutte-biologique2-2/
- Le Monde, Video Plan B "Comment des insectes peuvent sauver des millions d'humains", 16/12/2019 ; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCX-lCp18To
- ARTE documentary "Les nouveaux guerriers des champs" https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/056813-000-A/les-nouveaux-guerriers-des-champs/
- Kaiser et al. 2015, Evolutionary applications https://www.cnrs.fr/inee/communication/breves/b125.html

Keywords : adaptation, ecological specialisation, genetic variability, biological control, behaviour, foraging, oviposition, feeding

Previous topics

- appetitive odour learning in Drosophila: learning conditions, memory dynamics and social interactions (CNRS Gif, INAF, lab. DEPSN, group of Thomas Preat, and INRA, LNCI, Bures-sur-Yvette)
- physiological and genetic variability of learning to search for hosts in parasitic wasps (INRA, LNCI, Bures-sur-Yvette)
- effects of insecticidal molecules (in insecticides or genetically modified plants) on behaviour and development of parasitic wasps (INRA, LNCI, Bures-sur-Yvette)
Studied genus

Lépidoptère : Sesamia ; Diptère : Drosophila
Hyménoptères parasitoïdes : Aphidius ; Cotesia ; Leptopilina ; Trichogramma
Experimental analysis of insect behaviours in lab. conditions

We use apparatus and methodologies designed to observe orientation (four-arm and Y-tube olfactometers), mating, oviposition and food intake, in response to odours. We set up a system for automatic recording of food searching in Lepidoptera larvae (actimeter). Behavioural traits are acquired and analysed using dedicated softwares. Oviposition and food intake can be observed in imobilized insects under microscope. Rapid behaviours are analysed from videorecordings.

Publications

Gornard, S., Mougel, F., Germon, I., Borday-Birraux, V., Venon, P., Drabo, S., & Kaiser, L. (2024). Cellular dynamics of host − parasitoid interactions: Insights from the encapsulation process in a partially resistant host. Journal of Insect Physiology, 155, 104646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104646
Fortuna, T. M., Anne, M., Le Gonnidec, M., Jeannette, R., Bressac, C., Rebaudo, F., Mougel, F., & Kaiser, L. (2023). Susceptibility to cold suggests low risk of establishment of a tropical parasitoid attacking the corn pest Sesamia nonagrioides. Biological Control, 186, 105359. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964423002128
Bressac, C., El Sabrout, A., Kifouche, F., Anne, M., Capdevielle-Dulac, C., Mougel, F., & Kaiser, L. (2023). Hot and cold waves decrease sperm production and bias sex ratio in the parasitoid wasp Cotesia typhae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). Journal of Insect Physiology, 149, 104553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104553
Muller, H., Heisserer, C., Fortuna, T., Mougel, F., Huguet, E., Kaiser, L., & Gilbert, C. (2022). Investigating bracovirus chromosomal integration and inheritance in lepidopteran host and nontarget species. Molecular Ecology, 31(21), 5538–5551. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.16685
Capdevielle Dulac, C., Benoist, R., Paquet, S., Calatayud, P.-A., Obonyo, J., Kaiser, L., & Mougel, F. (2022). Spontaneous parthenogenesis in the parasitoid wasp Cotesia typhae: low frequency anomaly or evolving process? Peer Community Journal, 2, e37. https://doi.org/10.24072/pcjournal.135
Fortuna, T., Ruiz, I., Manson, J., Jeannette, R., Peyhorgue, A., Thibord, J.-B., & Kaiser, L. (2022). Un nouvel auxiliaire pour une lutte biologique contre la sésamie du maïs: essais en serre. Phloeme 2022, 3, 65–73.
Muller, H., Ogereau, D., Da Lage, J.-L., Capdevielle, C., Pollet, N., Fortuna, T., Jeannette, R., Kaiser, L., & Gilbert, C. (2021). Draft nuclear genome and complete mitogenome of the Mediterranean corn borer, Sesamia nonagrioides, a major pest of maize. G3 (Bethesda, Md.), 11(7), jkab155. https://doi.org/10.1093/g3journal/jkab155
Gauthier, J., Boulain, H., van Vugt, J. J. F. A., Baudry, L., Persyn, E., Aury, J.-M., Noel, B., Bretaudeau, A., Legeai, F., Warris, S., Chebbi, M. A., Dubreuil, G., Duvic, B., Kremer, N., Gayral, P., Musset, K., Josse, T., Bigot, D., Bressac, C., … Drezen, J.-M. (2021). Chromosomal scale assembly of parasitic wasp genome reveals symbiotic virus colonization. Commun Biol, 4(1), 104. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01623-8
Muller, H., Chebbi, M. A., Bouzar, C., Périquet, G., Fortuna, T., Calatayud, P.-A., Le Ru, B., Obonyo, J., Kaiser, L., & Drezen, J.-M. (2021). Genome-wide patterns of bracovirus chromosomal integration into multiple host tissues during parasitism. Journal of Virology, 95(22), 10–1128.
Benoist, R., Paquet, S., Decourcelle, F., Guez, J., Jeannette, R., Calatayud, P.-A., Le Ru, B., Mougel, F., & Kaiser, L. (2020). Role of egg-laying behavior, virulence and local adaptation in a parasitoid’s chances of reproducing in a new host. Journal of Insect Physiology, 120, 103987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103987
Oulhaci, C. M., Denis, B., Kilani-Morakchi, S., Sandoz, J.-C., Kaiser, L., Joly, D., & Aribi, N. (2018). Azadirachtin effects on mating success, gametic abnormalities and progeny survival in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera): Azadirachtin reproductive toxicity. Pest Management Science, 74(1), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.4678
Benoist, R., Chantre, C., Capdevielle-Dulac, C., Bodet, M., Mougel, F., Calatayud, P. A., Dupas, S., Huguet, E., Jeannette, R., Obonyo, J., Odorico, C., Silvain, J. F., Le Ru, B., & Kaiser, L. (2017). Relationship between oviposition, virulence gene expression and parasitism success in Cotesia typhae nov. sp. parasitoid strains. Genetica, 145(6), 469–479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-017-9987-5
Aribi, N., Oulhaci, M. C., Kilani-Morakchi, S., Sandoz, J. C., Kaiser, L., Denis, B., & Joly, D. (2017). Azadirachtin impact on mate choice, female sexual receptivity and male activity in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, 143, 95–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pestbp.2017.09.002
Kaiser, L., Dupas, S., Branca, A., Herniou, E., Clarke, C., Capdevielle Dulac, C., Obonyo, J., Benoist, R., Gauthier, J., Calatayud, P.-A., & others. (2017). The Cotesia sesamiae story: insight into host-range evolution in a Hymenoptera parasitoid and implication for its use in biological control programs. Genetica, 145, 455–468.
Kaiser, L., Le Ru, B. P., Kaoula, F., Paillusson, C., Capdevielle-Dulac, C., Obonyo, J. O., Herniou, E. A., Jancek, S., Branca, A., Calatayud, P.-A., & others. (2015). Ongoing ecological speciation in Cotesia sesamiae, a biological control agent of cereal stem borers. Evolutionary Applications, 8(8), 807–820.

Original articles (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laure_Kaiser/publications) :

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