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Reese C, Graber LC, Ramalho MO, Moreau CS. The Diversity of Wolbachia across the Turtle Ants (Formicidae: Cephalotes spp.). BIOLOGY 2024; 13:121. [PMID: 38392339 PMCID: PMC10886965 DOI: 10.3390/biology13020121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Wolbachia is a widespread and well-known bacterium that can induce a wide range of changes within its host. Ants specifically harbor a great deal of Wolbachia diversity and are useful systems to study endosymbiosis. The turtle ants (Cephalotes) are a widespread group of tropical ants that rely on gut microbes to support their herbivorous diet for their survival, yet little is known of the extent of this diversity. Therefore, studying their endosymbionts and categorizing the diversity of bacteria within Cephalotes hosts could help to delimit species and identify new strains and can help lead to a further understanding of how the microbiome leads to survival and speciation in the wild. In our study, 116 individual samples were initially tested for positive infection with the wsp gene. Of the initial 116 samples, 9 samples were infected with only one strain of Wolbachia, and 7 were able to be used successfully for multilocus sequence typing (MLST). We used the new MLST data to infer a phylogeny with other Formicidae samples from the MLST online database to identify new Wolbachia strains and related genes, of which only one came back as an exact match. The 18 Wolbachia-positive samples ranged across 15 different species and 7 different countries, which we further test for species identity and geographic correlation. This study is the first comprehensive look into the diversity of Wolbachia in the turtle ants, providing insight into how endosymbionts are oriented in widespread species and providing a strong foundation for further research in host-microbe interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Reese
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Leland C Graber
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Manuela O Ramalho
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Schott J, Rakei J, Remus-Emsermann M, Johnston P, Mbedi S, Sparmann S, Hilker M, Paniagua Voirol LR. Microbial associates of the elm leaf beetle: uncovering the absence of resident bacteria and the influence of fungi on insect performance. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0105723. [PMID: 38179921 PMCID: PMC10807431 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01057-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial symbionts play crucial roles in the biology of many insects. While bacteria have been the primary focus of research on insect-microbe symbiosis, recent studies suggest that fungal symbionts may be just as important. The elm leaf beetle (ELB, Xanthogaleruca luteola) is a serious pest species of field elm (Ulmus minor). Using culture-dependent and independent methods, we investigated the abundance and species richness of bacteria and fungi throughout various ELB life stages and generations, while concurrently analyzing microbial communities on elm leaves. No persistent bacterial community was found to be associated with the ELB or elm leaves. By contrast, fungi were persistently present in the beetle's feeding life stages and on elm leaves. Fungal community sequencing revealed a predominance of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus in insects and on leaves. Culture-dependent surveys showed a high prevalence of two fungal colony morphotypes closely related to Penicillium lanosocoeruleum and Aspergillus flavus. Among these, the Penicillium morphotype was significantly more abundant on feeding-damaged compared with intact leaves, suggesting that the fungus thrives in the presence of the ELB. We assessed whether the detected prevalent fungal morphotypes influenced ELB's performance by rearing insects on (i) surface-sterilized leaves, (ii) leaves inoculated with Penicillium spores, and (iii) leaves inoculated with Aspergillus spores. Insects feeding on Penicillium-inoculated leaves gained more biomass and tended to lay larger egg clutches than those consuming surface-sterilized leaves or Aspergillus-inoculated leaves. Our results demonstrate that the ELB does not harbor resident bacteria and that it might benefit from associating with Penicillium fungi.IMPORTANCEOur study provides insights into the still understudied role of microbial symbionts in the biology of the elm leaf beetle (ELB), a major pest of elms. Contrary to expectations, we found no persistent bacterial symbionts associated with the ELB or elm leaves. Our research thus contributes to the growing body of knowledge that not all insects rely on bacterial symbionts. While no persistent bacterial symbionts were detectable in the ELB and elm leaf samples, our analyses revealed the persistent presence of fungi, particularly Penicillium and Aspergillus on both elm leaves and in the feeding ELB stages. Moreover, when ELB were fed with fungus-treated elm leaves, we detected a potentially beneficial effect of Penicillium on the ELB's development and fecundity. Our results highlight the significance of fungal symbionts in the biology of this insect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Schott
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliette Rakei
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Paul Johnston
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susan Mbedi
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Museum für Naturkunde Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Sparmann
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (BeGenDiv), Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Qin M, Jiang L, Qiao G, Chen J. Phylosymbiosis: The Eco-Evolutionary Pattern of Insect-Symbiont Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15836. [PMID: 37958817 PMCID: PMC10650905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects harbor diverse assemblages of bacterial and fungal symbionts, which play crucial roles in host life history. Insects and their various symbionts represent a good model for studying host-microbe interactions. Phylosymbiosis is used to describe an eco-evolutionary pattern, providing a new cross-system trend in the research of host-associated microbiota. The phylosymbiosis pattern is characterized by a significant positive correlation between the host phylogeny and microbial community dissimilarities. Although host-symbiont interactions have been demonstrated in many insect groups, our knowledge of the prevalence and mechanisms of phylosymbiosis in insects is still limited. Here, we provide an order-by-order summary of the phylosymbiosis patterns in insects, including Blattodea, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. Then, we highlight the potential contributions of stochastic effects, evolutionary processes, and ecological filtering in shaping phylosymbiotic microbiota. Phylosymbiosis in insects can arise from a combination of stochastic and deterministic mechanisms, such as the dispersal limitations of microbes, codiversification between symbionts and hosts, and the filtering of phylogenetically conserved host traits (incl., host immune system, diet, and physiological characteristics).
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Qin
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (M.Q.); (L.J.)
| | - Liyun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (M.Q.); (L.J.)
| | - Gexia Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (M.Q.); (L.J.)
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; (M.Q.); (L.J.)
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Béchade B, Cabuslay CS, Hu Y, Mendonca CM, Hassanpour B, Lin JY, Su Y, Fiers VJ, Anandarajan D, Lu R, Olson CJ, Duplais C, Rosen GL, Moreau CS, Aristilde L, Wertz JT, Russell JA. Physiological and evolutionary contexts of a new symbiotic species from the nitrogen-recycling gut community of turtle ants. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1751-1764. [PMID: 37558860 PMCID: PMC10504363 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01490-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
While genome sequencing has expanded our knowledge of symbiosis, role assignment within multi-species microbiomes remains challenging due to genomic redundancy and the uncertainties of in vivo impacts. We address such questions, here, for a specialized nitrogen (N) recycling microbiome of turtle ants, describing a new genus and species of gut symbiont-Ischyrobacter davidsoniae (Betaproteobacteria: Burkholderiales: Alcaligenaceae)-and its in vivo physiological context. A re-analysis of amplicon sequencing data, with precisely assigned Ischyrobacter reads, revealed a seemingly ubiquitous distribution across the turtle ant genus Cephalotes, suggesting ≥50 million years since domestication. Through new genome sequencing, we also show that divergent I. davidsoniae lineages are conserved in their uricolytic and urea-generating capacities. With phylogenetically refined definitions of Ischyrobacter and separately domesticated Burkholderiales symbionts, our FISH microscopy revealed a distinct niche for I. davidsoniae, with dense populations at the anterior ileum. Being positioned at the site of host N-waste delivery, in vivo metatranscriptomics and metabolomics further implicate I. davidsoniae within a symbiont-autonomous N-recycling pathway. While encoding much of this pathway, I. davidsoniae expressed only a subset of the requisite steps in mature adult workers, including the penultimate step deriving urea from allantoate. The remaining steps were expressed by other specialized gut symbionts. Collectively, this assemblage converts inosine, made from midgut symbionts, into urea and ammonia in the hindgut. With urea supporting host amino acid budgets and cuticle synthesis, and with the ancient nature of other active N-recyclers discovered here, I. davidsoniae emerges as a central player in a conserved and impactful, multipartite symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Béchade
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Christian S Cabuslay
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China
| | - Caroll M Mendonca
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Bahareh Hassanpour
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jonathan Y Lin
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Yangzhou Su
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Valerie J Fiers
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Dharman Anandarajan
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Richard Lu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Chandler J Olson
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 1325 Hackberry Ln, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
| | - Christophe Duplais
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
| | - Gail L Rosen
- Ecological and Evolutionary Signal-Processing and Informatics Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Cornell AgriTech, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Ludmilla Aristilde
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - John T Wertz
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, 1726 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546-4402, USA
| | - Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, 3245 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Turillazzi S, Meriggi N, Cavalieri D. Mutualistic Relationships between Microorganisms and Eusocial Wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Microorganisms 2023; 11:1340. [PMID: 37317314 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Eusocial wasps are represented in the Vespidae by the subfamilies Stenogastrinae, Vespinae and Polistinae. These wasps present colonies that are sometimes composed of thousands of individuals which live in nests built with paper materials. The high density of the adult and larval population, as well as the stable micro environment of the nests, make very favourable conditions for the flourishing of various types of microorganisms. These microorganisms, which may be pathogens, are beneficial and certainly contribute to model the sociality of these insects. The mutualistic relationships that we observe in some species, especially in Actinomycete bacteria and yeasts, could have important fallouts for the development of new medicines and for the use of these insects in agricultural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Turillazzi
- Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
- Joint Laboratory LABREMMA, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
- Insect Pharma Entomotherapy s.r.l., Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
| | - Niccolò Meriggi
- Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
- Joint Laboratory LABREMMA, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
| | - Duccio Cavalieri
- Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
- Joint Laboratory LABREMMA, University of Firenze, Via M. del Piano 6, 50019 Firenze, Italy
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Suenami S, Koto A, Miyazaki R. Basic Structures of Gut Bacterial Communities in Eusocial Insects. INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14050444. [PMID: 37233072 DOI: 10.3390/insects14050444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Gut bacterial communities assist host animals with numerous functions such as food digestion, nutritional provision, or immunity. Some social mammals and insects are unique in that their gut microbial communities are stable among individuals. In this review, we focus on the gut bacterial communities of eusocial insects, including bees, ants, and termites, to provide an overview of their community structures and to gain insights into any general aspects of their structural basis. Pseudomonadota and Bacillota are prevalent bacterial phyla commonly detected in those three insect groups, but their compositions are distinct at lower taxonomic levels. Eusocial insects harbor unique gut bacterial communities that are shared within host species, while their stability varies depending on host physiology and ecology. Species with narrow dietary habits, such as eusocial bees, harbor highly stable and intraspecific microbial communities, while generalists, such as most ant species, exhibit relatively diverse community structures. Caste differences could influence the relative abundance of community members without significantly altering the taxonomic composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Suenami
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
| | - Akiko Koto
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
- Computational Bio Big Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), AIST, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Ryo Miyazaki
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
- Computational Bio Big Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), AIST, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8572, Japan
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Investigating the Diversity of Wolbachia across the Spiny Ants (Polyrhachis). DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Among insects, Wolbachia is an exceedingly common bacterial endosymbiont with a range of consequences of infection. Despite the frequency of Wolbachia infection, very little is known about this bacteria’s diversity and role within hosts, especially within ant hosts. In this study, we analyze the occurrence and diversity of Wolbachia across the spiny ants (Polyrhachis), a large and geographically diverse genus. Polyrhachis samples from throughout the host genus’ phylogenetic and biogeographical range were first screened for single infections of Wolbachia using the wsp gene and Sanger sequencing. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme was then used on these singly infected samples to identify the Wolbachia strains. A Wolbachia phylogeny was inferred from the Polyrhachis samples analyzed in this study as well as other Formicidae MLST profiles from the MLST online database. We hypothesized that three key host factors were impacting Wolbachia diversity within the Polyrhachis genus: biogeography, phylogeny, and species level. The results suggest that the phylogeny and biogeography of Polyrhachis hosts have no impact on Wolbachia diversity; however, species level may have some limited influence. Additionally, Wolbachia strains appear to group according to being either Old World or New World strains. Among the taxa able to form complete MLST allelic profiles, all twenty are seemingly new strains.
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Xiao Y, Yan F, Cui Y, Du J, Hu G, Zhai W, Liu R, Zhang Z, Fang J, Chen L, Yu X. A symbiotic bacterium of Antarctic fish reveals environmental adaptability mechanisms and biosynthetic potential towards antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1085063. [PMID: 36713225 PMCID: PMC9882997 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1085063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Antarctic microbes are important agents for evolutionary adaptation and natural resource of bioactive compounds, harboring the particular metabolic pathways to biosynthesize natural products. However, not much is known on symbiotic microbiomes of fish in the Antarctic zone. In the present study, the culture method and whole-genome sequencing were performed. Natural product analyses were carried out to determine the biosynthetic potential. We report the isolation and identification of a symbiotic bacterium Serratia myotis L7-1, that is highly adaptive and resides within Antarctic fish, Trematomus bernacchii. As revealed by genomic analyses, Antarctic strain S. myotis L7-1 possesses carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), stress response genes, antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), and a complete type IV secretion system which could facilitate competition and colonization in the extreme Antarctic environment. The identification of microbiome gene clusters indicates the biosynthetic potential of bioactive compounds. Based on bioactivity-guided fractionation, serranticin was purified and identified as the bioactive compound, showing significant antibacterial and antitumor activity. The serranticin gene cluster was identified and located on the chrome. Furthermore, the multidrug resistance and strong bacterial antagonism contribute competitive advantages in ecological niches. Our results highlight the existence of a symbiotic bacterium in Antarctic fish largely represented by bioactive natural products and the adaptability to survive in the fish living in Antarctic oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xiao
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangfang Yan
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yukun Cui
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangtao Du
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangzhao Hu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanying Zhai
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rulong Liu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhizhen Zhang
- Ocean College, Zhoushan Campus, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, China
| | - Jiasong Fang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangbiao Chen
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Liangbiao Chen, ✉
| | - Xi Yu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Hadal Science and Technology, College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China,Xi Yu, ✉
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Ramalho MO, Moreau CS. Untangling the complex interactions between turtle ants and their microbial partners. Anim Microbiome 2023; 5:1. [PMID: 36597141 PMCID: PMC9809061 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00223-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To understand the patterns of biodiversity it is important to consider symbiotic interactions as they can shape animal evolution. In several ant genera symbiotic interactions with microbial communities have been shown to have profound impacts for the host. For example, we know that for Camponotini the gut community can upgrade the host's diet and is shaped by development and colony interactions. However, what is true for one ant group may not be true for another. For the microbial communities that have been examined across ants we see variation in the diversity, host factors that structure these communities, and the function these microbes provide for the host. In the herbivorous turtle ants (Cephalotes) their stable symbiotic interactions with gut bacteria have persisted for 50 million years with the gut bacteria synthesizing essential amino acids that are used by the host. Although we know the function for some of these turtle ant-associated bacteria there are still many open questions. RESULTS In the present study we examined microbial community diversity (16S rRNA and 18S rRNA amplicons) of more than 75 species of turtle ants across different geographic locations and in the context of the host's phylogenetic history. Our results show (1) that belonging to a certain species and biogeographic regions are relevant to structuring the microbial community of turtle ants; (2) both bacterial and eukaryotic communities demonstrated correlations and cooccurrence within the ant host; (3) within the core bacterial community, Burkholderiaceae bacterial lineage were the only group that showed strong patterns of codiversification with the host, which is remarkable since the core bacterial community is stable and persistent. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that for the turtle ants there is a diverse and evolutionarily stable core bacterial community, which leads to interesting questions about what microbial or host factors influence when these partner histories become evolutionarily intertwined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela O. Ramalho
- grid.268132.c0000 0001 0701 2416Department of Biology, West Chester University, 750 South Church Street, West Chester, PA 19383 USA
| | - Corrie S. Moreau
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA ,grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
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10
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Avila-Arias H, Turco RF, Scharf ME, Groves RL, Richmond DS. Larvae of an invasive scarab increase greenhouse gas emissions from soils and recruit gut mycobiota involved in C and N transformations. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1102523. [PMID: 37025631 PMCID: PMC10072269 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1102523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Soil-derived prokaryotic gut communities of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman (JB) larval gut include heterotrophic, ammonia-oxidizing, and methanogenic microbes potentially capable of promoting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, no research has directly explored GHG emissions or the eukaryotic microbiota associated with the larval gut of this invasive species. In particular, fungi are frequently associated with the insect gut where they produce digestive enzymes and aid in nutrient acquisition. Using a series of laboratory and field experiments, this study aimed to (1) assess the impact of JB larvae on soil GHG emissions; (2) characterize gut mycobiota associated with these larvae; and (3) examine how soil biological and physicochemical characteristics influence variation in both GHG emissions and the composition of larval gut mycobiota. Methods Manipulative laboratory experiments consisted of microcosms containing increasing densities of JB larvae alone or in clean (uninfested) soil. Field experiments included 10 locations across Indiana and Wisconsin where gas samples from soils, as well as JB and their associated soil were collected to analyze soil GHG emissions, and mycobiota (ITS survey), respectively. Results In laboratory trials, emission rates of CO2, CH4, and N2O from infested soil were ≥ 6.3× higher per larva than emissions from JB larvae alone whereas CO2 emission rates from soils previously infested by JB larvae were 1.3× higher than emissions from JB larvae alone. In the field, JB larval density was a significant predictor of CO2 emissions from infested soils, and both CO2 and CH4 emissions were higher in previously infested soils. We found that geographic location had the greatest influence on variation in larval gut mycobiota, although the effects of compartment (i.e., soil, midgut and hindgut) were also significant. There was substantial overlap in the composition and prevalence of the core fungal mycobiota across compartments with prominent fungal taxa being associated with cellulose degradation and prokaryotic methane production/consumption. Soil physicochemical characteristics such as organic matter, cation exchange capacity, sand, and water holding capacity, were also correlated with both soil GHG emission, and fungal a-diversity within the JB larval gut. Conclusions: Results indicate JB larvae promote GHG emissions from the soil directly through metabolic activities, and indirectly by creating soil conditions that favor GHG-associated microbial activity. Fungal communities associated with the JB larval gut are primarily influenced by adaptation to local soils, with many prominent members of that consortium potentially contributing to C and N transformations capable of influencing GHG emissions from infested soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Avila-Arias
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- *Correspondence: Helena Avila-Arias,
| | - Ronald F. Turco
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Michael E. Scharf
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Russell L. Groves
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Douglas S. Richmond
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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11
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Hafsi A, Delatte H. Enterobactereaceae symbiont as facilitators of biological invasion: review on Tephritidae fruit flies. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02960-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Graber LC, Ramalho MO, Powell S, Moreau CS. Identifying the Role of Elevation, Geography, and Species Identity in Structuring Turtle Ant (Cephalotes Latreille, 1802) Bacterial Communities. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02128-z. [PMID: 36352137 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02128-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial communities in animals are often necessary for hosts to survive, particularly for hosts with nutrient-limited diets. The composition, abundance, and richness of these bacterial communities may be shaped by host identity and external ecological factors. The turtle ants (genus Cephalotes) are predominantly herbivorous and known to rely on bacterial communities to enrich their diet. Cephalotes have a broad Neotropical distribution, with high diversity in the South American Cerrado, a geologically and biologically diverse savanna. Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we examined the bacterial communities of forty-one Cephalotes samples of sixteen different species collected from multiple locations across two sites in the Cerrado (MG, Brazil) and compared the bacterial communities according to elevation, locality, species, and species group, defined by host phylogeny. Beta diversity of bacterial communities differed with respect to all categories but particularly strongly when compared by geographic location, species, and species group. Differences seen in species and species groups can be partially explained by the high abundance of Mesorhizobium in Cephalotes pusillus and Cephalotes depressus species groups, when compared to other clades via the Analysis of Composition of Microbiome (ANCOM). Though the Cephalotes bacterial community is highly conserved, results from this study indicate that multiple external factors can affect and change bacterial community composition and abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leland C Graber
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 129 Garden Ave, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Manuela O Ramalho
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 129 Garden Ave, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA
| | - Scott Powell
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Corrie S Moreau
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 129 Garden Ave, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Abstract
Acetobacter species are a major component of the gut microbiome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, a widely used model organism. While a range of studies have illuminated impacts of Acetobacter on their hosts, less is known about how association with the host impacts bacteria. A previous study identified that a purine salvage locus was commonly found in Acetobacter associated with Drosophila. In this study, we sought to verify the functions of predicted purine salvage genes in Acetobacter fabarum DsW_054 and to test the hypothesis that these bacteria can utilize host metabolites as a sole source of nitrogen. Targeted gene deletion and complementation experiments confirmed that genes encoding xanthine dehydrogenase (xdhB), urate hydroxylase (urhA), and allantoinase (puuE) were required for growth on their respective substrates as the sole source of nitrogen. Utilization of urate by Acetobacter is significant because this substrate is the major nitrogenous waste product of Drosophila, and its accumulation in the excretory system is detrimental to both flies and humans. The potential significance of our findings for host purine homeostasis and health are discussed, as are the implications for interactions among microbiota members, which differ in their capacity to utilize host metabolites for nitrogen. IMPORTANCEAcetobacter are commonly found in the gut microbiota of fruit flies, including Drosophila melanogaster. We evaluated the function of purine salvage genes in Acetobacter fabarum to test the hypothesis that this bacterium can utilize host metabolites as a source of nitrogen. Our results identify functions for three genes required for growth on urate, a major host waste product. The utilization of this and other Drosophila metabolites by gut bacteria may play a role in their survival in the host environment. Future research into how microbial metabolism impacts host purine homeostasis may lead to therapies because urate accumulation in the excretory system is detrimental to flies and humans.
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Rocha FP, Ronque MUV, Lyra ML, Bacci M, Oliveira PS. Habitat and Host Species Drive the Structure of Bacterial Communities of Two Neotropical Trap-Jaw Odontomachus Ants : Habitat and Host Species Drive the Structure of Bacterial Communities of Two Neotropical Trap-Jaw Odontomachus Ants. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02064-y. [PMID: 35802173 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02064-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ants have long been known for their associations with other taxa, including macroscopic fungi and symbiotic bacteria. Recently, many ant species have had the composition and function of their bacterial communities investigated. Due to its behavioral and ecological diversity, the subfamily Ponerinae deserves more attention regarding its associated microbiota. Here, we used the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the bacterial communities of Odontomachus chelifer (ground-nesting) and Odontomachus hastatus (arboreal), two ponerine trap-jaw species commonly found in the Brazilian savanna ("Cerrado") and Atlantic rainforest. We investigated habitat effects (O. chelifer in the Cerrado and the Atlantic rainforest) and species-specific effects (both species in the Atlantic rainforest) on the bacterial communities' structure (composition and abundance) in two different body parts: cuticle and gaster. Bacterial communities differed in all populations studied. Cuticular communities were more diverse, while gaster communities presented variants common to other ants, including Wolbachia and Candidatus Tokpelaia hoelldoblerii. Odontomachus chelifer populations presented different communities in both body parts, highlighting the influence of habitat type. In the Atlantic rainforest, the outcome depended on the body part targeted. Cuticular communities were similar between species, reinforcing the habitat effect on bacterial communities, which are mainly composed of environmentally acquired taxa. Gaster communities, however, differed between the two Odontomachus species, suggesting species-specific effects and selective filters. Unclassified Firmicutes and uncultured Rhizobiales variants are the main components accounting for the observed differences. Our study indicates that both host species and habitat act synergistically, but to different degrees, to shape the bacterial communities in these Odontomachus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe P Rocha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, 13083-862, Brazil
- The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Island, SAR, Hong Kong
| | - Mariane U V Ronque
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, 13083-862, Brazil
- Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná, Ciências Biológicas, Cornélio Procópio, PR, Brazil
| | - Mariana L Lyra
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Campus Rio Claro, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Maurício Bacci
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, Departamento de Biologia Geral e Aplicada, Universidade Estadual Paulista - Campus Rio Claro, Rio Claro, SP, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Paulo S Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, 13083-862, Brazil.
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Manthey JD, Girón JC, Hruska JP. Impact of host demography and evolutionary history on endosymbiont molecular evolution: A test in carpenter ants (genus Camponotus) and their Blochmannia endosymbionts. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9026. [PMID: 35795355 PMCID: PMC9251289 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligate endosymbioses are tight associations between symbionts and the hosts they live inside. Hosts and their associated obligate endosymbionts generally exhibit codiversification, which has been documented in taxonomically diverse insect lineages. Host demography (e.g., effective population sizes) may impact the demography of endosymbionts, which may lead to an association between host demography and the patterns and processes of endosymbiont molecular evolution. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing data for carpenter ants (Genus Camponotus; subgenera Camponotus and Tanaemyrmex) and their Blochmannia endosymbionts as our study system to address whether Camponotus demography shapes Blochmannia molecular evolution. Using whole-genome phylogenomics, we confirmed previous work identifying codiversification between carpenter ants and their Blochmannia endosymbionts. We found that Blochmannia genes have evolved at a pace ~30× faster than that of their hosts' molecular evolution and that these rates are positively associated with host rates of molecular evolution. Using multiple tests for selection in Blochmannia genes, we found signatures of positive selection and shifts in selection strength across the phylogeny. Host demography was associated with Blochmannia shifts toward increased selection strengths, but not associated with Blochmannia selection relaxation, positive selection, genetic drift rates, or genome size evolution. Mixed support for relationships between host effective population sizes and Blochmannia molecular evolution suggests weak or uncoupled relationships between host demography and Blochmannia population genomic processes. Finally, we found that Blochmannia genome size evolution was associated with genome-wide estimates of genetic drift and number of genes with relaxed selection pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D. Manthey
- Department of Biological SciencesTexas Tech UniversityLubbockTexasUSA
| | - Jennifer C. Girón
- Department of EntomologyPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
- Natural Science Research LaboratoryMuseum of Texas Tech UniversityLubbockTexasUSA
| | - Jack P. Hruska
- Department of Biological SciencesTexas Tech UniversityLubbockTexasUSA
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Barcoto MO, Rodrigues A. Lessons From Insect Fungiculture: From Microbial Ecology to Plastics Degradation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:812143. [PMID: 35685924 PMCID: PMC9171207 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.812143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have extensively transformed the biosphere by extracting and disposing of resources, crossing boundaries of planetary threat while causing a global crisis of waste overload. Despite fundamental differences regarding structure and recalcitrance, lignocellulose and plastic polymers share physical-chemical properties to some extent, that include carbon skeletons with similar chemical bonds, hydrophobic properties, amorphous and crystalline regions. Microbial strategies for metabolizing recalcitrant polymers have been selected and optimized through evolution, thus understanding natural processes for lignocellulose modification could aid the challenge of dealing with the recalcitrant human-made polymers spread worldwide. We propose to look for inspiration in the charismatic fungal-growing insects to understand multipartite degradation of plant polymers. Independently evolved in diverse insect lineages, fungiculture embraces passive or active fungal cultivation for food, protection, and structural purposes. We consider there is much to learn from these symbioses, in special from the community-level degradation of recalcitrant biomass and defensive metabolites. Microbial plant-degrading systems at the core of insect fungicultures could be promising candidates for degrading synthetic plastics. Here, we first compare the degradation of lignocellulose and plastic polymers, with emphasis in the overlapping microbial players and enzymatic activities between these processes. Second, we review the literature on diverse insect fungiculture systems, focusing on features that, while supporting insects' ecology and evolution, could also be applied in biotechnological processes. Third, taking lessons from these microbial communities, we suggest multidisciplinary strategies to identify microbial degraders, degrading enzymes and pathways, as well as microbial interactions and interdependencies. Spanning from multiomics to spectroscopy, microscopy, stable isotopes probing, enrichment microcosmos, and synthetic communities, these strategies would allow for a systemic understanding of the fungiculture ecology, driving to application possibilities. Detailing how the metabolic landscape is entangled to achieve ecological success could inspire sustainable efforts for mitigating the current environmental crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana O. Barcoto
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
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Siddiqui JA, Khan MM, Bamisile BS, Hafeez M, Qasim M, Rasheed MT, Rasheed MA, Ahmad S, Shahid MI, Xu Y. Role of Insect Gut Microbiota in Pesticide Degradation: A Review. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:870462. [PMID: 35591988 PMCID: PMC9111541 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.870462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect pests cause significant agricultural and economic losses to crops worldwide due to their destructive activities. Pesticides are designed to be poisonous and are intentionally released into the environment to combat the menace caused by these noxious pests. To survive, these insects can resist toxic substances introduced by humans in the form of pesticides. According to recent findings, microbes that live in insect as symbionts have recently been found to protect their hosts against toxins. Symbioses that have been formed are between the pests and various microbes, a defensive mechanism against pathogens and pesticides. Insects' guts provide unique conditions for microbial colonization, and resident bacteria can deliver numerous benefits to their hosts. Insects vary significantly in their reliance on gut microbes for basic functions. Insect digestive tracts are very different in shape and chemical properties, which have a big impact on the structure and composition of the microbial community. Insect gut microbiota has been found to contribute to feeding, parasite and pathogen protection, immune response modulation, and pesticide breakdown. The current review will examine the roles of gut microbiota in pesticide detoxification and the mechanisms behind the development of resistance in insects to various pesticides. To better understand the detoxifying microbiota in agriculturally significant pest insects, we provided comprehensive information regarding the role of gut microbiota in the detoxification of pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaid Ali Siddiqui
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Musa Khan
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Muhammad Hafeez
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Qasim
- Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Kohsar University Murree, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Tariq Rasheed
- Department of Life Sciences, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Atif Rasheed
- Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Sajjad Ahmad
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management of Crop in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Yijuan Xu
- Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Quan Y, da Silva NM, de Souza Lima BJF, de Hoog S, Vicente VA, Mayer V, Kang Y, Shi D. Black fungi and ants: a genomic comparison of species inhabiting carton nests versus domatia. IMA Fungus 2022; 13:4. [PMID: 35256015 PMCID: PMC8900376 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-022-00091-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Some members of Chaetothyriales, an order containing potential agents of opportunistic infections in humans, have a natural habitat in nests of tropical arboreal ants. In these black fungi, two types of ant symbiosis are known, i.e. occurrence in domatia inside living plants, or as components of carton constructions made of ant-chewed plant tissue. In order to explain differences between strains from these types of association, we sequenced and annotated genomes of two newly described carton species, Incumbomyces lentus and Incumbomyces delicatus, and compared these with genomes of four domatia species and related Chaetothyriales. General genomic characteristics, CYP genes, carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), secondary metabolism, and sex-related genes were included in the study.
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Shimoji H, Itoh H, Matsuura Y, Yamashita R, Hori T, Hojo MK, Kikuchi Y. Worker-dependent gut symbiosis in an ant. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2021; 1:60. [PMID: 37938661 PMCID: PMC9723695 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-021-00061-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
The hallmark of eusocial insects, honeybees, ants, and termites, is division of labor between reproductive and non-reproductive worker castes. In addition, environmental adaption and ecological dominance are also underpinned by symbiotic associations with beneficial microorganisms. Microbial symbionts are generally considered to be maintained in an insect colony in two alternative ways: shared among all colony members or inherited only by a specific caste. Especially in ants, the reproductive caste plays a crucial role in transmission of the symbionts shared among colony members over generations. Here, we report an exceptional case, the worker-dependent microbiota in an ant, Diacamma cf. indicum from Japan. By collecting almost all the individuals from 22 colonies in the field, we revealed that microbiota of workers is characterized by a single dominant bacterium localized at the hindgut. The bacterium belonging to an unclassified member within the phylum Firmicutes, which is scarce or mostly absent in the reproductive castes. Furthermore, we show that the gut symbiont is acquired at the adult stage. Collectively, our findings strongly suggest that the specific symbiont is maintained by only workers, demonstrating a novel pattern of ant-associated bacterial symbiosis, and thus further our understanding of host-microbe interactions in the light of sociobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Shimoji
- Shool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo Hyogo, 669-1337, Japan.
| | - Hideomi Itoh
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Hokkaido, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-8517, Japan.
| | - Yu Matsuura
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan.
| | - Rio Yamashita
- Shool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo Hyogo, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Hori
- Environmental Management Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced IndustrialScience and Technology (AIST) Tsukuba West, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8569, Japan
| | - Masaru K Hojo
- Shool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo Hyogo, 669-1337, Japan
| | - Yoshitomo Kikuchi
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Hokkaido, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 062-8517, Japan.
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20
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Localization of bacterial communities within gut compartments across Cephalotes turtle ants. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02803-20. [PMID: 33579688 PMCID: PMC8091110 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02803-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities within the animal digestive tract often provide important functions for their hosts. The composition of eukaryotes' gut bacteria can be shaped by host diet, vertical bacterial transmission, and physiological variation within the digestive tract. In several ant taxa, recent findings have demonstrated that nitrogen provisioning by symbiotic bacteria makes up for deficiencies in herbivorous diets. Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and qPCR, this study examined bacterial communities at a fine scale across one such animal group, the turtle ant genus Cephalotes We analyzed the composition and colonization density across four portions of the digestive tract to understand how bacterial diversity is structured across gut compartments, potentially allowing for specific metabolic functions of benefit to the host. In addition, we aimed to understand if caste differentiation or host relatedness influences the gut bacterial communities of Cephalotes ants. Microbial communities were found to vary strongly across Cephalotes gut compartments in ways that transcend both caste and host phylogeny. Despite this, caste and host phylogeny still have detectable effects. We demonstrated microbial community divergence across gut compartments, possibly due to the varying function of each gut compartment for digestion.IMPORTANCE Gut compartments play an important role in structuring the microbial community within individual ants. The gut chambers of the turtle ant digestive tract differ remarkably in symbiont abundance and diversity. Furthermore, caste type explains some variation in the microbiome composition. Finally, the evolutionary history of the Cephalotes species structures the microbiome in our study, which elucidates a trend in which related ants maintain related microbiomes, conceivably owing to co-speciation. Amazingly, gut compartment-specific signatures of microbial diversity, relative abundance, composition, and abundance have been conserved over Cephalotes evolutionary history, signifying that this symbiosis has been largely stable for over 50 million years.
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Goldman GH. New Opportunities for Modern Fungal Biology. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2020; 1:596090. [PMID: 37743875 PMCID: PMC10512242 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2020.596090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Henrique Goldman
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Trumbo S, Klassen J. Editorial overview: Hidden players: microbes reshape the insect niche. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 39:vi-ix. [PMID: 32546376 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
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