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Cabuslay C, Wertz JT, Béchade B, Hu Y, Braganza S, Freeman D, Pradhan S, Mukhanova M, Powell S, Moreau C, Russell JA. Domestication and evolutionary histories of specialized gut symbionts across cephalotine ants. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17454. [PMID: 39005142 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17454] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of animals and their gut symbionts is a complex phenomenon, obscured by lability and diversity. In social organisms, transmission of symbionts among relatives may yield systems with more stable associations. Here, we study the history of a social insect symbiosis involving cephalotine ants and their extracellular gut bacteria, which come predominantly from host-specialized lineages. We perform multi-locus phylogenetics for symbionts from nine bacterial orders, and map prior amplicon sequence data to lineage-assigned symbiont genomes, studying distributions of rigorously defined symbionts across 20 host species. Based on monophyly and additional hypothesis testing, we estimate that these specialized gut bacteria belong to 18 distinct lineages, of which 15 have been successfully isolated and cultured. Several symbiont lineages showed evidence for domestication events that occurred later in cephalotine evolutionary history, and only one lineage was ubiquitously detected in all 20 host species and 48 colonies sampled with amplicon 16S rRNA sequencing. We found evidence for phylogenetically constrained distributions in four symbionts, suggesting historical or genetic impacts on community composition. Two lineages showed evidence for frequent intra-lineage co-infections, highlighting the potential for niche divergence after initial domestication. Nearly all symbionts showed evidence for occasional host switching, but four may, more often, co-diversify with their hosts. Through our further assessment of symbiont localization and genomic functional profiles, we demonstrate distinct niches for symbionts with shared evolutionary histories, prompting further questions on the forces underlying the evolution of hosts and their gut microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Cabuslay
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John T Wertz
- Department of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
| | - Benoît Béchade
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yi Hu
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 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, Beijing, China
| | - Sonali Braganza
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Daniel Freeman
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shreyansh Pradhan
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maria Mukhanova
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Scott Powell
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Corrie Moreau
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Jacob A Russell
- Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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2
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Sinotte VM, Renelies-Hamilton J, Andreu-Sánchez S, Vasseur-Cognet M, Poulsen M. Selective enrichment of founding reproductive microbiomes allows extensive vertical transmission in a fungus-farming termite. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231559. [PMID: 37848067 PMCID: PMC10581767 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1559] [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: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutualistic coevolution can be mediated by vertical transmission of symbionts between host generations. Termites host complex gut bacterial communities with evolutionary histories indicative of mixed-mode transmission. Here, we document that vertical transmission of gut bacterial strains is congruent across parent to offspring colonies in four pedigrees of the fungus-farming termite Macrotermes natalensis. We show that 44% of the offspring colony microbiome, including more than 80 bacterial genera and pedigree-specific strains, are consistently inherited. We go on to demonstrate that this is achieved because colony-founding reproductives are selectively enriched with a set of non-random, environmentally sensitive and termite-specific gut microbes from their colonies of origin. These symbionts transfer to offspring colony workers with high fidelity, after which priority effects appear to influence the composition of the establishing microbiome. Termite reproductives thus secure transmission of complex communities of specific, co-evolved microbes that are critical to their offspring colonies. Extensive yet imperfect inheritance implies that the maturing colony benefits from acquiring environmental microbes to complement combinations of termite, fungus and vertically transmitted microbes; a mode of transmission that is emerging as a prevailing strategy for hosts to assemble complex adaptive microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica M. Sinotte
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Justinn Renelies-Hamilton
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
| | - Sergio Andreu-Sánchez
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
- Department of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mireille Vasseur-Cognet
- UMR IRD 242, UPEC, CNRS 7618, UPMC 113, INRAe 1392, Paris 7 113, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, Bondy, France
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France
| | - Michael Poulsen
- Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark
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Diouf M, Hervé V, Fréchault S, Lambourdière J, Ndiaye AB, Miambi E, Bourceret A, Jusselme MD, Selosse MA, Rouland-Lefèvre C. Succession of the microbiota in the gut of reproductives of Macrotermes subhyalinus (Termitidae) at colony foundation gives insights into symbionts transmission. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1055382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites have co-evolved with a complex gut microbiota consisting mostly of exclusive resident taxa, but key forces sustaining this exclusive partnership are still poorly understood. The potential for primary reproductives to vertically transmit their gut microbiota (mycobiome and bacteriome) to offspring was investigated using colony foundations from field-derived swarming alates of Macrotermes subhyalinus. Metabarcoding based on the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the reproductives mycobiome and bacteriome over the colony foundation time. The mycobiome of swarming alates differed from that of workers of Macrotermitinae and changed randomly within and between sampling time points, highlighting no close link with the gut habitat. The fungal ectosymbiont Termitomyces was lost early from the gut of reproductives, confirming the absence of vertical transmission to offspring. Unlike fungi, the bacteriome of alates mirrored that of workers of Macroterminae. Key genera and core OTUs inherited from the mother colony mostly persisted in the gut of reproductive until the emergence of workers, enabling their vertical transmission and explaining why they were found in offspring workers. These findings demonstrate that the parental transmission may greatly contribute to the maintenance of the bacteriome and its co-evolution with termite hosts at short time scales.
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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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5
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Ahmad F, Yang GY, Liang SY, Zhou QH, Gaal HA, Mo JC. Multipartite symbioses in fungus-growing termites (Blattodea: Termitidae, Macrotermitinae) for the degradation of lignocellulose. INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1512-1529. [PMID: 33236502 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fungus-growing termites are among the most successful herbivorous animals and improve crop productivity and soil fertility. A range of symbiotic organisms can be found inside their nests. However, interactions of termites with these symbionts are poorly understood. This review provides detailed information on the role of multipartite symbioses (between termitophiles, termites, fungi, and bacteria) in fungus-growing termites for lignocellulose degradation. The specific functions of each component in the symbiotic system are also discussed. Based on previous studies, we argue that the enzymatic contribution from the host, fungus, and bacteria greatly facilitates the decomposition of complex polysaccharide plant materials. The host-termitophile interaction protects the termite nest from natural enemies and maintains the stability of the microenvironment inside the colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhan Ahmad
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Entomology Section, Central Cotton Research Institute, Sakrand, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Gui-Ying Yang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shi-You Liang
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Huan Zhou
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hassan Ahmed Gaal
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | - Jian-Chu Mo
- Ministry of Agriculture Key Lab of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agricultural and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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6
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Wierz JC, Gaube P, Klebsch D, Kaltenpoth M, Flórez LV. Transmission of Bacterial Symbionts With and Without Genome Erosion Between a Beetle Host and the Plant Environment. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:715601. [PMID: 34630349 PMCID: PMC8493222 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.715601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Many phytophagous insects harbor symbiotic bacteria that can be transmitted vertically from parents to offspring, or acquired horizontally from unrelated hosts or the environment. In the latter case, plants are a potential route for symbiont transfer and can thus foster a tripartite interaction between microbe, insect, and plant. Here, we focus on two bacterial symbionts of the darkling beetle Lagria villosa that belong to the genus Burkholderia; the culturable strain B. gladioli Lv-StA and the reduced-genome strain Burkholderia Lv-StB. The strains can be transmitted vertically and confer protection to the beetle’s eggs, but Lv-StA can also proliferate in plants, and both symbiont strains have presumably evolved from plant pathogens. Notably, little is known about the role of the environment for the transmission dynamics and the maintenance of the symbionts. Through manipulative assays, we demonstrate the transfer of the symbionts from the beetle to wheat, rice and soybean plants, as well as leaf litter. In addition, we confirm that aposymbiotic larvae can pick up Lv-StA from dry leaves and the symbiont can successfully establish in the beetle’s symbiotic organs. Also, we show that the presence of plants and soil in the environment improves symbiont maintenance. These results indicate that the symbionts of L. villosa beetles are still capable of interacting with plants despite signatures of genome erosion and suggest that a mixed-mode of bacterial transmission is likely key for the persistence of the symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen C Wierz
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Paul Gaube
- Molecular Biodiversity Research Group, Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dagmar Klebsch
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Insect Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Laura V Flórez
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section for Organismal Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Martinez-Escobar A, Luna-Callejas B, Ramón-Gallegos E. CRISPR-dCas9-Based Artificial Transcription Factors to Improve Efficacy of Cancer Treatment With Drug Repurposing: Proposal for Future Research. Front Oncol 2021; 10:604948. [PMID: 33614489 PMCID: PMC7887379 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.604948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the high resistance that cancer has shown to conventional therapies, it is difficult to treat this disease, particularly in advanced stages. In recent decades, treatments have been improved, being more specific according to the characteristics of the tumor, becoming more effective, less toxic, and invasive. Cancer can be treated by the combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and/or drug administration, but therapies based on anticancer drugs are the main cancer treatment. Cancer drug development requires long-time preclinical and clinical studies and is not cost-effective. Drug repurposing is an alternative for cancer therapies development since it is faster, safer, easier, cheaper, and repurposed drugs do not have serious side effects. However, cancer is a complex, heterogeneous, and highly dynamic disease with multiple evolving molecular constituents. This tumor heterogeneity causes several resistance mechanisms in cancer therapies, mainly the target mutation. The CRISPR-dCas9-based artificial transcription factors (ATFs) could be used in cancer therapy due to their possibility to manipulate DNA to modify target genes, activate tumor suppressor genes, silence oncogenes, and tumor resistance mechanisms for targeted therapy. In addition, drug repurposing combined with the use of CRISPR-dCas9-based ATFs could be an alternative cancer treatment to reduce cancer mortality. The aim of this review is to describe the potential of the repurposed drugs combined with CRISPR-dCas9-based ATFs to improve the efficacy of cancer treatment, discussing the possible advantages and disadvantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Martinez-Escobar
- Environmental Cytopathology Laboratory, Department of Morphology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Benjamín Luna-Callejas
- Environmental Cytopathology Laboratory, Department of Morphology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Eva Ramón-Gallegos
- Environmental Cytopathology Laboratory, Department of Morphology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
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8
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Marynowska M, Goux X, Sillam-Dussès D, Rouland-Lefèvre C, Halder R, Wilmes P, Gawron P, Roisin Y, Delfosse P, Calusinska M. Compositional and functional characterisation of biomass-degrading microbial communities in guts of plant fibre- and soil-feeding higher termites. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:96. [PMID: 32576253 PMCID: PMC7313118 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00872-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Termites are among the most successful insect lineages on the globe and are responsible for providing numerous ecosystem services. They mainly feed on wood and other plant material at different stages of humification. Lignocellulose is often a principal component of such plant diet, and termites largely rely on their symbiotic microbiota and associated enzymes to decompose their food efficiently. While lower termites and their gut flagellates were given larger scientific attention in the past, the gut lignocellulolytic bacteria of higher termites remain less explored. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the structure and function of gut prokaryotic microbiomes from 11 higher termite genera representative of Syntermitinae, Apicotermitinae, Termitidae and Nasutitermitinae subfamilies, broadly grouped into plant fibre- and soil-feeding termite categories. RESULTS Despite the different compositional structures of the studied termite gut microbiomes, reflecting well the diet and host lineage, we observed a surprisingly high functional congruency between gut metatranscriptomes from both feeding groups. The abundance of transcripts encoding for carbohydrate active enzymes as well as expression and diversity profiles of assigned glycoside hydrolase families were also similar between plant fibre- and soil-feeding termites. Yet, dietary imprints highlighted subtle metabolic differences specific to each feeding category. Roughly, 0.18% of de novo re-constructed gene transcripts were shared between the different termite gut microbiomes, making each termite gut a unique reservoir of genes encoding for potentially industrially applicable enzymes, e.g. relevant to biomass degradation. Taken together, we demonstrated the functional equivalence in microbial populations across different termite hosts. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide valuable insight into the bacterial component of the termite gut system and significantly expand the inventory of termite prokaryotic genes participating in the deconstruction of plant biomass. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Marynowska
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 avenue F.D. Roosevelt, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Xavier Goux
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - David Sillam-Dussès
- Université Paris 13-Sorbonne Paris Cité, LEEC, EA 4443, Villetaneuse, France
| | - Corinne Rouland-Lefèvre
- iEES-Paris, Institute of Research for Development, Sorbonne Universités, U 242, Bondy, France
| | - Rashi Halder
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Paul Wilmes
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Piotr Gawron
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, 7 avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Yves Roisin
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50 avenue F.D. Roosevelt, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Philippe Delfosse
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- University of Luxembourg, 2 avenue de l'Université, L-4365, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Magdalena Calusinska
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422, Belvaux, Luxembourg.
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Zeng W, Liu B, Zhong J, Li Q, Li Z. A Natural High-Sugar Diet Has Different Effects on the Prokaryotic Community Structures of Lower and Higher Termites (Blattaria). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:21-32. [PMID: 31782953 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvz130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The lignocellulosic digestive symbiosis in termites is a dynamic survival adaptation system. While the contribution of hereditary and habitat factors to the development of the symbiotic bacterial community of termites had been confirmed, the manner in which these factors affect functional synergism among different bacterial lineages has still not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the 16S rRNA gene libraries of Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Termitidae) and Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) sampled from sugarcane fields (high sugar) or pine tree forests (no free sugar) were sequenced. The results verify that the prokaryotic community structures of termites could be significantly reshaped by native dietary isolation within a species. Although the most dominant phyla are convergent in all samples, their relative abundances in these two termite species exhibited a reverse variation pattern when the termite hosts were fed on the high-sugar diet. Furthermore, we showed that the taxonomic composition of the dominant phyla at the family or genus level differentiate depending on the diet and the host phylogeny. We hypothesize that the flexible bacterial assemblages at low taxonomic level might exert variable functional collaboration to accommodate to high-sugar diet. In addition, the functional predictions of Tax4Fun suggest a stable metabolic functional structure of the microbial communities of the termites in both different diet habitats and taxonomy. We propose that the symbiotic bacterial community in different host termites developed a different functional synergistic pattern, which may be essential to maintain the stability of the overall metabolic function for the survival of termites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zeng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bingrong Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junhong Zhong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiujian Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Guangdong Institute of Applied Biological Resources, Guangzhou, China
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10
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Jennings EC, Korthauer MW, Hamilton TL, Benoit JB. Matrotrophic viviparity constrains microbiome acquisition during gestation in a live-bearing cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10601-10614. [PMID: 31624569 PMCID: PMC6787804 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertical transmission of microbes from mother to offspring is critical to the survival, development, and health of animals. Invertebrate systems offer unique opportunities to conduct studies on microbiome-development-reproduction dynamics since reproductive modes ranging from oviparity to multiple types of viviparity are found in these animals. One such invertebrate is the live-bearing cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Females carry embryos in their brood sac, which acts as the functional equivalent of the uterus and placenta. In our study, 16S rRNA sequencing was used to characterize maternal and embryonic microbiomes as well as the development of the whole-body microbiome across nymphal development. We identified 50 phyla and 121 classes overall and found that mothers and their developing embryos had significantly different microbial communities. Of particular interest is the notable lack of diversity in the embryonic microbiome, which is comprised exclusively of Blattabacteria, indicating microbial transmission of only this symbiont during gestation. Our analysis of postnatal development reveals that significant amounts of non-Blattabacteria species are not able to colonize newborn D. punctata until melanization, after which the microbial community rapidly and dynamically diversifies. While the role of these microbes during development has not been characterized, Blattabacteria must serve a critical role providing specific micronutrients lacking in milk secretions to the embryos during gestation. This research provides insight into the microbiome development, specifically with relation to viviparity, provisioning of milk-like secretions, and mother-offspring interactions during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Jennings
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CincinnatiCincinnatiOhio
| | | | - Trinity L. Hamilton
- Plant and Microbial Biology and the BioTechnology InstituteCollege of Biological SciencesUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesota
| | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of CincinnatiCincinnatiOhio
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11
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Liu N, Li H, Chevrette MG, Zhang L, Cao L, Zhou H, Zhou X, Zhou Z, Pope PB, Currie CR, Huang Y, Wang Q. Functional metagenomics reveals abundant polysaccharide-degrading gene clusters and cellobiose utilization pathways within gut microbiota of a wood-feeding higher termite. THE ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:104-117. [PMID: 30116044 PMCID: PMC6298952 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-018-0255-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Plant cell-wall polysaccharides constitute the most abundant but recalcitrant organic carbon source in nature. Microbes residing in the digestive tract of herbivorous bilaterians are particularly efficient at depolymerizing polysaccharides into fermentable sugars and play a significant support role towards their host's lifestyle. Here, we combine large-scale functional screening of fosmid libraries, shotgun sequencing, and biochemical assays to interrogate the gut microbiota of the wood-feeding "higher" termite Globitermes brachycerastes. A number of putative polysaccharide utilization gene clusters were identified with multiple fibrolytic genes. Our large-scale functional screening of 50,000 fosmid clones resulted in 464 clones demonstrating plant polysaccharide-degrading activities, including 267 endoglucanase-, 24 exoglucanase-, 72 β-glucosidase-, and 101 endoxylanase-positive clones. We sequenced 173 functionally active clones and identified ~219 genes encoding putative carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) targeting cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin. Further analyses revealed that 68 of 154 contigs encode one or more CAZyme, which includes 35 examples of putative saccharolytic operons, suggesting that clustering of CAZymes is common in termite gut microbial inhabitants. Biochemical characterization of a representative xylanase cluster demonstrated that constituent enzymes exhibited complementary physicochemical properties and saccharolytic capabilities. Furthermore, diverse cellobiose-metabolizing enzymes include β-glucosidases, cellobiose phosphorylases, and phopho-6-β-glucosidases were identified and functionally verified, indicating that the termite gut micro-ecosystem utilizes diverse metabolic pathways to interconnect hydrolysis and central metabolism. Collectively, these results provide an in-depth view of the adaptation and digestive strategies employed by gut microbiota within this tiny-yet-efficient host-associated ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongjie Li
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Marc G Chevrette
- Department Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Cao
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haokui Zhou
- Institute for Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuguo Zhou
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Phillip B Pope
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Cameron R Currie
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yongping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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