Fuente: PubMed "bee" Front Insect Sci. 2026 Jun 3;6:1828903. doi: 10.3389/finsc.2026.1828903. eCollection 2026.ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: Nosema ceranae is an obligate microsporidian parasite that causes nosemosis in honey bees (Apis mellifera).METHODS: In controlled laboratory cage experiments, newly emerged worker bees were experimentally infected with N. ceranae spores and treated with Bidens pilosa phytogenic extract (BP). Each treatment group consisted of 50 bees per replicate, and experiments were repeated independently. To explore the molecular basis of BP-associated effects, we conducted transcriptome profiling of N. ceranae from infected honey bee midguts at multiple time point. RNA samples from infected bee midguts with BP treatment were collected at 5, 10, and 20 days post-infection (dpi) for transcriptomic analysis.RESULTS: BP treatment significantly improved survival probability and reduced pathogen load compared to infected controls. During the early infection stage (5 dpi), BP treatment was associated with extensive downregulation of parasite genes, including components of the V-type ATPase pathway. Gene Ontology and KEGG analysis suggested suppression of metabolic and ion transport processes. To further evaluate the potential role of V-type ATPase, RNAi-mediated knockdown resulted in reduced gene expression and showed a trend toward decreased pathogen load and modest improvement in host survival.DISCUSSION: Although the RNAi results do not provide definitive evidence of causality, they support a potential involvement of the V-type ATPase in parasite proliferation. Overall, BP altered the transcriptomic profile of N. ceranae in a stage-dependent manner and may influence parasite development by affecting key metabolic pathways.PMID:42318229 | PMC:PMC13273367 | DOI:10.3389/finsc.2026.1828903