M. demolitor, a parasitic wasp, uses domesticated viruses to suppress a caterpillar's immune system and control its development, turning it into a harmless nursery for wasp's young.
Parasitic wasps have adopted and tamed wild, disease-causing viruses, turning them into biological weapons, with half a dozen examples described and more potentially existing.
By studying viruses at different stages of domestication, researchers are unraveling how parasitic wasps have utilized and diversified domesticated viruses over time.
The bracoviruses, a group derived from a virus that infected a wasp or its caterpillar host 100 million years ago, are now found in around 50,000 wasp species, showcasing the long history of domesticated viruses in the insect world.
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