A salivary chitinase of Varroa destructor is involved in the physiological regulation of infested honey bee pupae

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite which feeds on bee body fluids and act as disease vector, representing a major driver of honey bee colony collapse. To facilitate feeding, the mite delivers a complex of factors with its saliva, which is still poorly functionally characterized. Here, we used an in silico approach to identify V. destructor salivary proteins putatively involved in host regulation, among which a salivary chitinase was subsequently studied from a functional point of view. The results of in vivo studies indicate an important role of this enzyme in mite feeding and in preventing host infections. This advance our understanding of mite-bee interaction and open up possibilities for developing bioinspired strategies for mite control.