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Castillo DC, Sinpoo C, Phokasem P, Yongsawas R, Sansupa C, Attasopa K, Suwannarach N, Inwongwan S, Noirungsee N, Disayathanoowat T. Distinct fungal microbiomes of two Thai commercial stingless bee species, Lepidotrigona terminata and Tetragonula pagdeni suggest a possible niche separation in a shared habitat. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1367010. [PMID: 38469352 PMCID: PMC10925696 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1367010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Stingless bees, a social corbiculate bee member, play a crucial role in providing pollination services. Despite their importance, the structure of their microbiome, particularly the fungal communities, remains poorly understood. This study presents an initial characterization of the fungal community associated with two Thai commercial stingless bee species, Lepidotrigona terminata (Smith) and Tetragonula pagdeni (Schwarz) from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Utilizing ITS amplicon sequencing, we identified distinct fungal microbiomes in these two species. Notably, fungi from the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mucoromycota, Mortierellomycota, and Rozellomycota were present. The most dominant genera, which varied significantly between species, included Candida and Starmerella. Additionally, several key enzymes associated with energy metabolism, structural strength, and host defense reactions, such as adenosine triphosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, chitinase, and peptidylprolyl isomerase, were predicted. Our findings not only augment the limited knowledge of the fungal microbiome in Thai commercial stingless bees but also provide insights for their sustainable management through understanding their microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C. Castillo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Central Luzon State University, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chainarong Sinpoo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Patcharin Phokasem
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Rujipas Yongsawas
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chakriya Sansupa
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Korrawat Attasopa
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nakarin Suwannarach
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Office of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Sahutchai Inwongwan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nuttapol Noirungsee
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Research Center of Deep Technology in Beekeeping and Bee Products for Sustainable Development Goals (SMART BEE SDGs), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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2
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Steffan SA, Dharampal PS, Kueneman JG, Keller A, Argueta-Guzmán MP, McFrederick QS, Buchmann SL, Vannette RL, Edlund AF, Mezera CC, Amon N, Danforth BN. Microbes, the 'silent third partners' of bee-angiosperm mutualisms. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:65-77. [PMID: 37940503 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
While bee-angiosperm mutualisms are widely recognized as foundational partnerships that have shaped the diversity and structure of terrestrial ecosystems, these ancient mutualisms have been underpinned by 'silent third partners': microbes. Here, we propose reframing the canonical bee-angiosperm partnership as a three-way mutualism between bees, microbes, and angiosperms. This new conceptualization casts microbes as active symbionts, processing and protecting pollen-nectar provisions, consolidating nutrients for bee larvae, enhancing floral attractancy, facilitating plant fertilization, and defending bees and plants from pathogens. In exchange, bees and angiosperms provide their microbial associates with food, shelter, and transportation. Such microbial communities represent co-equal partners in tripartite mutualisms with bees and angiosperms, facilitating one of the most important ecological partnerships on land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn A Steffan
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Prarthana S Dharampal
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Biology Department, McHenry County College, 8900 Northwest Hwy #14, Crystal Lake, IL 60012, USA
| | - Jordan G Kueneman
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, 2126, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Alexander Keller
- Cellular and Organismic Networks, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | | | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Stephen L Buchmann
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Rachel L Vannette
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Anna F Edlund
- Department of Biology, Bethany College, 31 E Campus Drive, Bethany, WV 26032, USA
| | - Celeste C Mezera
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Nolan Amon
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bryan N Danforth
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Comstock Hall, 2126, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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3
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Villabona N, Moran N, Hammer T, Reyes A. Conserved, yet disruption-prone, gut microbiomes in neotropical bumblebees. mSphere 2023; 8:e0013923. [PMID: 37855643 PMCID: PMC10732019 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00139-23] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Social bees are an important model for the ecology and evolution of gut microbiomes. These bees harbor ancient, specific, and beneficial gut microbiomes and are crucial pollinators. However, most of the research has concentrated on managed honeybees and bumblebees in the temperate zone. Here we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize gut microbiomes in wild neotropical bumblebee communities from Colombia. We also analyzed drivers of microbiome structure across our data and previously published data from temperate bumblebees. Our results show that lineages of neotropical bumblebees not only retained their ancient gut bacterial symbionts during dispersal from North America but also are prone to major disruption, a shift that is strongly associated with parasite infection. Finally, we also found that microbiomes are much more strongly structured by host phylogeny than by geography, despite the very different environmental conditions and plant communities in the two regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickole Villabona
- Research Group on Computational Biology and Microbial Ecology, Max Planck Tandem Group in Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Nancy Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Tobin Hammer
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Alejandro Reyes
- Research Group on Computational Biology and Microbial Ecology, Max Planck Tandem Group in Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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4
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Thamm M, Reiß F, Sohl L, Gabel M, Noll M, Scheiner R. Solitary Bees Host More Bacteria and Fungi on Their Cuticle than Social Bees. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2780. [PMID: 38004791 PMCID: PMC10673014 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bees come into contact with bacteria and fungi from flowering plants during their foraging trips. The Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) shows a pronounced hygienic behavior with social interactions, while the solitary red mason bee (Osmia bicornis) lacks a social immune system. Since both visit the same floral resources, it is intriguing to speculate that the body surface of a solitary bee should harbor a more complex microbiome than that of the social honeybee. We compared the cuticular microbiomes of A. mellifera (including three European subspecies) and O. bicornis for the first time by bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS gene-based high-throughput amplicon sequencing. The cuticular microbiome of the solitary O. bicornis was significantly more complex than that of the social A. mellifera. The microbiome composition of A. mellifera subspecies was very similar. However, we counted significantly different numbers of fungi and a higher diversity in the honeybee subspecies adapted to warmer climates. Our results suggest that the cuticular microbiome of bees is strongly affected by visited plants, lifestyle and adaptation to temperature, which have important implications for the maintenance of the health of bees under conditions of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Thamm
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
| | - Fabienne Reiß
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
| | - Leon Sohl
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
| | - Martin Gabel
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
- Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen, Bee Institute Kirchhain, 35274 Kirchhain, Germany
| | - Matthias Noll
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ricarda Scheiner
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
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5
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Hettiarachchi A, Cnockaert M, Joossens M, Gekière A, Meeus I, Vereecken NJ, Michez D, Smagghe G, Vandamme P. The wild solitary bees Andrena vaga, Anthophora plumipes, Colletes cunicularius, and Osmia cornuta microbiota are host specific and dominated by endosymbionts and environmental microorganisms. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:3013-3026. [PMID: 37794084 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02304-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
We characterized the microbial communities of the crop, midgut, hindgut, and ovaries of the wild solitary bees Andrena vaga, Anthophora plumipes, Colletes cunicularius, and Osmia cornuta through 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing and a large-scale isolation campaign. The bacterial communities of these bees were dominated by endosymbionts of the genera Wolbachia and Spiroplasma. Bacterial and yeast genera representing the remaining predominant taxa were linked to an environmental origin. While only a single sampling site was examined for Andrena vaga, Anthophora plumipes, and Colletes cunicularius, and two sampling sites for Osmia cornuta, the microbiota appeared to be host specific: bacterial, but not fungal, communities generally differed between the analyzed bee species, gut compartments and ovaries. This may suggest a selective process determined by floral and host traits. Many of the gut symbionts identified in the present study are characterized by metabolic versatility. Whether they exert similar functionalities within the bee gut and thus functional redundancy remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Hettiarachchi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Margo Cnockaert
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie Joossens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Antoine Gekière
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du parc 20, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants of Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas J Vereecken
- Agroecology Lab, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du parc 20, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants of Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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6
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Kieliszek M, Piwowarek K, Kot AM, Wojtczuk M, Roszko M, Bryła M, Trajkovska Petkoska A. Recent advances and opportunities related to the use of bee products in food processing. Food Sci Nutr 2023; 11:4372-4397. [PMID: 37576029 PMCID: PMC10420862 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, natural foods that can provide positive health effects are gaining more and more popularity. Bees and the products they produce are our common natural heritage that should be developed. In the article, we presented the characteristics of bee products and their use in industry. We described the development and importance of beekeeping in the modern world. Due to their high nutritional value and therapeutic properties, bee products are of great interest and their consumption is constantly growing. The basis for the use of bee products in human nutrition is their properties and unique chemical composition. The conducted research and opinions confirm the beneficial effect of bee products on health. The current consumer awareness of the positive impact of food having a pro-health effect on health and well-being affects the increase in interest and demand for this type of food among various social groups. Enriching the daily diet with bee products may support the functioning of the organism. New technologies have appeared on the market to improve the process of obtaining bee products. The use of bee products plays a large role in many industries; moreover, the consumption of bee products and promotion of their medicinal properties are very important in shaping proper eating habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Kieliszek
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food SciencesWarsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGWWarsawPoland
| | - Kamil Piwowarek
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food SciencesWarsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGWWarsawPoland
| | - Anna M. Kot
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food SciencesWarsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGWWarsawPoland
| | - Marta Wojtczuk
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food SciencesWarsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGWWarsawPoland
| | - Marek Roszko
- Department of Food Safety and Chemical AnalysisProf. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology—State Research InstituteWarsawPoland
| | - Marcin Bryła
- Department of Food Safety and Chemical AnalysisProf. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology—State Research InstituteWarsawPoland
| | - Anka Trajkovska Petkoska
- Faculty of Technology and Technical Social SciencesSt. Kliment Ohridski University‐BitolaVelesNorth Macedonia
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7
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Farlow AJ, Rupasinghe DB, Naji KM, Capon RJ, Spiteller D. Rosenbergiella meliponini D21B Isolated from Pollen Pots of the Australian Stingless Bee Tetragonula carbonaria. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041005. [PMID: 37110428 PMCID: PMC10142583 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041005] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Rosenbergiella bacteria have been previously isolated predominantly from floral nectar and identified in metagenomic screenings as associated with bees. Here, we isolated three Rosenbergiella strains from the robust Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria sharing over 99.4% sequence similarity with Rosenbergiella strains isolated from floral nectar. The three Rosenbergiella strains (D21B, D08K, D15G) from T. carbonaria exhibited near-identical 16S rDNA. The genome of strain D21B was sequenced; its draft genome contains 3,294,717 bp, with a GC content of 47.38%. Genome annotation revealed 3236 protein-coding genes. The genome of D21B differs sufficiently from the closest related strain, Rosenbergiella epipactidis 2.1A, to constitute a new species. In contrast to R. epipactidis 2.1A, strain D21B produces the volatile 2-phenylethanol. The D21B genome contains a polyketide/non-ribosomal peptide gene cluster not present in any other Rosenbergiella draft genomes. Moreover, the Rosenbergiella strains isolated from T. carbonaria grew in a minimal medium without thiamine, but R. epipactidis 2.1A was thiamine-dependent. Strain D21B was named R. meliponini D21B, reflecting its origin from stingless bees. Rosenbergiella strains may contribute to the fitness of T. carbonaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Farlow
- Chemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Darshani B Rupasinghe
- Chemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Khalid M Naji
- Chemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Robert J Capon
- Centre for Drug Discovery, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, 306 Carmody Road, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Dieter Spiteller
- Chemical Ecology/Biological Chemistry, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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8
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Kueneman JG, Gillung J, Van Dyke MT, Fordyce RF, Danforth BN. Solitary bee larvae modify bacterial diversity of pollen provisions in the stem-nesting bee, Osmia cornifrons (Megachilidae). Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1057626. [PMID: 36699601 PMCID: PMC9868615 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1057626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes, including diverse bacteria and fungi, play an important role in the health of both solitary and social bees. Among solitary bee species, in which larvae remain in a closed brood cell throughout development, experiments that modified or eliminated the brood cell microbiome through sterilization indicated that microbes contribute substantially to larval nutrition and are in some cases essential for larval development. To better understand how feeding larvae impact the microbial community of their pollen/nectar provisions, we examine the temporal shift in the bacterial community in the presence and absence of actively feeding larvae of the solitary, stem-nesting bee, Osmia cornifrons (Megachilidae). Our results indicate that the O. cornifrons brood cell bacterial community is initially diverse. However, larval solitary bees modify the microbial community of their pollen/nectar provisions over time by suppressing or eliminating rare taxa while favoring bacterial endosymbionts of insects and diverse plant pathogens, perhaps through improved conditions or competitive release. We suspect that the proliferation of opportunistic plant pathogens may improve nutrient availability of developing larvae through degradation of pollen. Thus, the health and development of solitary bees may be interconnected with pollen bacterial diversity and perhaps with the propagation of plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan G. Kueneman
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Jordan G. Kueneman, ✉
| | - Jessica Gillung
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States,Lyman Entomological Museum, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Maria T. Van Dyke
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Rachel F. Fordyce
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Bryan N. Danforth
- Danforth Lab, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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9
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Westreich LR, Westreich ST, Tobin PC. Bacterial and Fungal Symbionts in Pollen Provisions of a Native Solitary Bee in Urban and Rural Environments. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02164-9. [PMID: 36576521 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02164-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Among insects, symbionts such as bacteria and fungi can be linked to their physiology and immature development, and in some cases are part of a defense system against parasites and diseases. Current bacterial and fungal symbiont associations in solitary bees are understudied, especially in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. We collected pollen provisions from the native spring-foraging solitary bee, Osmia lignaria Say, across two distinct foraging periods over 2 years at 22 sites along an urban-to-rural gradient in western Washington. We then used next-generation sequencing to identify bacterial and fungi within pollen provisions and assessed the effect of their richness and diversity on O. lignaria larval development success and adult emergence. We detected a significantly positive relationship between bacterial diversity in pollen with O. lignaria larval developmental success, and higher bacterial richness and diversity during the later foraging period. Fungal generic richness and diversity decreased with increasing plant richness. Although neither was associated with O. lignaria developmental success, we did detect Ascosphaera spp. known to be pathogenic to O. lignaria and other bee species. Neither bacterial or fungal richness or diversity was affected by site type when classified as urban or rural. This study provides new information on bacterial and fungal symbionts present in pollen provisions of a native solitary bee when foraging across urban and rural areas of the Pacific Northwest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lila R Westreich
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, 3715 W. Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | | | - Patrick C Tobin
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, 3715 W. Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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10
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Ronchetti F, Polidori C, Schmitt T, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Bacterial gut microbiomes of aculeate brood parasites overlap with their aculeate hosts', but have higher diversity and specialization. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6832279. [PMID: 36396342 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite growing interest in gut microbiomes of aculeate Hymenoptera, research so far focused on social bees, wasps, and ants, whereas non-social taxa and their brood parasites have not received much attention. Brood parasitism, however, allows to distinguish between microbiome components horizontally transmitted by spill-over from the host with such inherited through vertical transmission by mothers. Here, we studied the bacterial gut microbiome of adults in seven aculeate species in four brood parasite-host systems: two bee-mutillid (host-parasitoid) systems, one halictid bee-cuckoo bee system, and one wasp-chrysidid cuckoo wasp system. We addressed the following questions: (1) Do closely related species possess a more similar gut microbiome? (2) Do brood parasites share components of the microbiome with their host? (3) Do brood parasites have different diversity and specialization of microbiome communities compared with the hosts? Our results indicate that the bacterial gut microbiome of the studied taxa was species-specific, yet with a limited effect of host phylogenetic relatedness and a major contribution of shared microbes between hosts and parasites. However, contrasting patterns emerged between bee-parasite systems and the wasp-parasite system. We conclude that the gut microbiome in adult brood parasites is largely affected by their host-parasite relationships and the similarity of trophic food sources between hosts and parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Ronchetti
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Carlo Polidori
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Via Celoria 2. 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Thomas Schmitt
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Cellular and Organismic Networks, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Grosshaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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11
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Ghosh S, Namin SM, Jung C. Differential Bacterial Community of Bee Bread and Bee Pollen Revealed by 16s rRNA High-Throughput Sequencing. INSECTS 2022; 13:863. [PMID: 36292810 PMCID: PMC9604437 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the bacterial community of bee bread and bee pollen samples using an approach through 16 s rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed a higher bacterial diversity in bee bread than in bee pollen as depicted in taxonomic profiling, as well as diversity indices such as the Shannon diversity index (3.7 to 4.8 for bee bread and 1.1 to 1.7 for bee pollen samples) and Simpson’s index (>0.9 for bee bread and 0.4−0.5 for bee pollen). Principal component analysis showed a distinct difference in bacterial communities. The higher bacterial diversity in the bee bread than bee pollen could presumably be due to factors such as storage period, processing of food, fermentation, and high sugar environment. However, no effect of the feed (rapeseed or oak pollen patties or even natural inflow) was indicated on the bacterial composition of bee bread, presumably because of the lack of restriction of foraged pollen inflow in the hive. The diverse bacterial profile of the bee bread could contribute to the nutritional provisioning as well as enhance the detoxification process; however, a thorough investigation of the functional role of individual bacteria genera remains a task for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampat Ghosh
- Agriculture Science and Technology Research Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
| | - Saeed Mohamadzade Namin
- Agriculture Science and Technology Research Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Varamin-Pishva Branch, Islamic Azad University, Varamin 3381774895, Iran
| | - Chuleui Jung
- Agriculture Science and Technology Research Institute, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
- Department of Plant Medicals, Andong National University, Andong 36729, Korea
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12
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Dharampal PS, Danforth BN, Steffan SA. Exosymbiotic microbes within fermented pollen provisions are as important for the development of solitary bees as the pollen itself. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8788. [PMID: 35414891 PMCID: PMC8986510 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing bees derive significant benefits from the microbes present within their guts and fermenting pollen provisions. External microbial symbionts (exosymbionts) associated with larval diets may be particularly important for solitary bees that suffer reduced fitness when denied microbe‐colonized pollen. To investigate whether this phenomenon is generalizable across foraging strategy, we examined the effects of exosymbiont presence/absence across two solitary bee species, a pollen specialist and generalist. Larvae from each species were reared on either microbe‐rich natural or microbe‐deficient sterilized pollen provisions allocated by a female forager belonging to their own species (conspecific‐sourced pollen) or that of another species (heterospecific‐sourced pollen). Our results reveal that the presence of pollen‐associated microbes was critical for the survival of both the generalist and specialist larvae, regardless of whether the pollen was sourced from a conspecific or heterospecific forager. Given the positive effects of exosymbiotic microbes for larval fitness, we then examined if the magnitude of this benefit varied based on whether the microbes were provisioned by a conspecific forager (the mother bee) or a heterospecific forager. In this second study, generalist larvae were reared only on microbe‐rich pollen provisions, but importantly, the sources (conspecific versus heterospecific) of the microbes and pollen were experimentally manipulated. Bee fitness metrics indicated that microbial and pollen sourcing both had significant impacts on larval performance, and the effect sizes of each were similar. Moreover, the effects of conspecific‐sourced microbes and conspecific‐sourced pollen were strongly positive, while that of heterospecific‐sourced microbes and heterospecific‐sourced pollen, strongly negative. Our findings imply that not only is the presence of exosymbionts critical for both specialist and generalist solitary bees, but more notably, that the composition of the specific microbial community within larval pollen provisions may be as critical for bee development as the composition of the pollen itself.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shawn A. Steffan
- Department of Entomology University of Wisconsin Madison Wisconsin USA
- USDA‐ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit Madison Wisconsin USA
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13
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Toutiaee S, Mojgani N, Harzandi N, Moharrami M, Mokhberosafa L. In vitro probiotic and safety attributes of Bacillus spp. isolated from beebread, honey samples and digestive tract of honeybees Apis mellifera. Lett Appl Microbiol 2022; 74:656-665. [PMID: 35000212 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus species isolated from honeybee Apis mellifera gut, honey and bee bread samples were characterized for their in vitro probiotic and safety attributes. Alpha and γ haemolytic cultures were tested for their antibiotic resistance, antibacterial spectrum, acid and bile tolerance, adhesion ability (auto-aggregation, co-aggregation and hydrophobicity) and phenol tolerance. Safety criteria included evaluation of virulence genes and cytotoxicity percentages. Bacillus isolates inhibited both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus mutans, while none could inhibit Listeria monocytogenes. Among the isolates, Bacillus subtilis ZH05, ZB03 and ZG025 showed resistance to most of the tested antibiotics and were considered unsafe. B. subtilis (4) and B. licheniformis (1) tolerated acidic pH and bile conditions, never the less were more tolerant in simulated intestinal conditions vis-a-vis gastric conditions. In 0·5% phenol concentrations, B. licheniformis ZH02 showed highest growth, while, B. subtilis ZG029 demonstrated highest auto-aggregation (65 ± 4·6) and hydrophobicity (23 ± 3·6) percentages (P < 0·05). The isolates lacked virulence genes (hblA, hblC, hblD, nhe, cytK and ces), and their cytotoxic percentage on Caco-2 cell lines was ˂15%. Overall, honeybees appear to be a good source of Bacillus species exhibiting typical in vitro probiotic properties, which could be of commercial interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Toutiaee
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran
| | - N Mojgani
- Biotechnology Department, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - N Harzandi
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran
| | - M Moharrami
- Honeybee, Silkworm and Wild Life Research Department, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - L Mokhberosafa
- Biotechnology Department, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Mohammad SM, Mahmud-Ab-Rashid NK, Zawawi N. Stingless Bee-Collected Pollen (Bee Bread): Chemical and Microbiology Properties and Health Benefits. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26040957. [PMID: 33670262 PMCID: PMC7917892 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26040957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Stingless bee-collected pollen (bee bread) is a mixture of bee pollen, bee salivary enzymes, and regurgitated honey, fermented by indigenous microbes during storage in the cerumen pot. Current literature data for bee bread is overshadowed by bee pollen, particularly of honeybee Apis. In regions such as South America, Australia, and Southeast Asia, information on stingless bee bee bread is mainly sought to promote the meliponiculture industry for socioeconomic development. This review aims to highlight the physicochemical properties and health benefits of bee bread from the stingless bee. In addition, it describes the current progress on identification of beneficial microbes associated with bee bread and its relation to the bee gut. This review provides the basis for promoting research on stingless bee bee bread, its nutrients, and microbes for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salma Malihah Mohammad
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (S.M.M.); (N.-K.M.-A.-R.)
| | - Nor-Khaizura Mahmud-Ab-Rashid
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (S.M.M.); (N.-K.M.-A.-R.)
| | - Norhasnida Zawawi
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (S.M.M.); (N.-K.M.-A.-R.)
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence:
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15
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Parasite defense mechanisms in bees: behavior, immunity, antimicrobials, and symbionts. Emerg Top Life Sci 2020; 4:59-76. [PMID: 32558901 DOI: 10.1042/etls20190069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Parasites are linked to the decline of some bee populations; thus, understanding defense mechanisms has important implications for bee health. Recent advances have improved our understanding of factors mediating bee health ranging from molecular to landscape scales, but often as disparate literatures. Here, we bring together these fields and summarize our current understanding of bee defense mechanisms including immunity, immunization, and transgenerational immune priming in social and solitary species. Additionally, the characterization of microbial diversity and function in some bee taxa has shed light on the importance of microbes for bee health, but we lack information that links microbial communities to parasite infection in most bee species. Studies are beginning to identify how bee defense mechanisms are affected by stressors such as poor-quality diets and pesticides, but further research on this topic is needed. We discuss how integrating research on host traits, microbial partners, and nutrition, as well as improving our knowledge base on wild and semi-social bees, will help inform future research, conservation efforts, and management.
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16
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Diet Breadth Affects Bacterial Identity but Not Diversity in the Pollen Provisions of Closely Related Polylectic and Oligolectic Bees. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11090645. [PMID: 32962223 PMCID: PMC7564857 DOI: 10.3390/insects11090645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Solitary bees are important pollinators in managed and wild ecosystems. Across the bee phylogeny, bees may forage on a single species of plant, few plant species, or a broad diversity of plants. During foraging, these bees are often exposed to microbes, and in turn, may inoculate the brood cell and pollen provision of their offspring with these microbes. It is becoming evident that pollen-associated microbes are important to bee health, but it is not known how diet breadth impacts bees’ exposure to microbes. In this study, we collected pollen provisions from the bees Osmia lignaria and Osmia ribifloris at four different sites, then characterized the bacterial populations within the pollen provisions with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that diet breadth did not have large effects on the bacteria found in the pollen provisions. We also note that the bacterial communities were slightly different between bee species and site, and there was minimal overlap in the unique bacterial variants between sites and bee species too. Our research supports the hypothesis of environmental transmission for solitary bee microbes, and we suggest future studies investigate the impacts of microbes on larval health. Abstract Mounting evidence suggests that microbes found in the pollen provisions of wild and solitary bees are important drivers of larval development. As these microbes are also known to be transmitted via the environment, most likely from flowers, the diet breadth of a bee may affect the diversity and identity of the microbes that occur in its pollen provisions. Here, we tested the hypothesis that, due to the importance of floral transmission of microbes, diet breadth affects pollen provision microbial community composition. We collected pollen provisions at four sites from the polylectic bee Osmia lignaria and the oligolectic bee Osmia ribifloris. We used high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to characterize the bacteria found in these provisions. We found minimal overlap in the specific bacterial variants in pollen provisions across the host species, even when the bees were constrained to foraging from the same flowers in cages at one site. Similarly, there was minimal overlap in the specific bacterial variants across sites, even within the same host species. Together, these findings highlight the importance of environmental transmission and host specific sorting influenced by diet breadth for microbes found in pollen provisions. Future studies addressing the functional consequences of this filtering, along with tests for differences between more species of oligoletic and polylectic bees will provide rich insights into the microbial ecology of solitary bees.
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17
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Dew RM, McFrederick QS, Rehan SM. Diverse Diets with Consistent Core Microbiome in Wild Bee Pollen Provisions. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11080499. [PMID: 32759653 PMCID: PMC7469187 DOI: 10.3390/insects11080499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bees collect pollen from flowers for their offspring, and by doing so contribute critical pollination services for our crops and ecosystems. Unlike many managed bee species, wild bees are thought to obtain much of their microbiome from the environment. However, we know surprisingly little about what plant species bees visit and the microbes associated with the collected pollen. Here, we addressed the hypothesis that the pollen and microbial components of bee diets would change across the range of the bee, by amplicon sequencing pollen provisions of a widespread small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata, across three populations. Ceratina calcarata was found to use a diversity of floral resources across its range, but the bacterial genera associated with pollen provisions were very consistent. Acinetobacter, Erwinia, Lactobacillus, Sodalis, Sphingomonas and Wolbachia were among the top ten bacterial genera across all sites. Ceratina calcarata uses both raspberry (Rubus) and sumac (Rhus) stems as nesting substrates, however nests within these plants showed no preference for host plant pollen. Significant correlations in plant and bacterial co-occurrence differed between sites, indicating that many of the most common bacterial genera have either regional or transitory floral associations. This range-wide study suggests microbes present in brood provisions are conserved within a bee species, rather than mediated by climate or pollen composition. Moving forward, this has important implications for how these core bacteria affect larval health and whether these functions vary across space and diet. These data increase our understanding of how pollinators interact with and adjust to their changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M. Dew
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
| | - Quinn S. McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA;
| | - Sandra M. Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-416-736-2100
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18
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Voulgari-Kokota A, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Susceptibility of Red Mason Bee Larvae to Bacterial Threats Due to Microbiome Exchange with Imported Pollen Provisions. INSECTS 2020; 11:E373. [PMID: 32549328 PMCID: PMC7348846 DOI: 10.3390/insects11060373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Solitary bees are subject to a variety of pressures that cause severe population declines. Currently, habitat loss, temperature shifts, agrochemical exposure, and new parasites are identified as major threats. However, knowledge about detrimental bacteria is scarce, although they may disturb natural microbiomes, disturb nest environments, or harm the larvae directly. To address this gap, we investigated 12 Osmia bicornis nests with deceased larvae and 31 nests with healthy larvae from the same localities in a 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene metabarcoding study. We sampled larvae, pollen provisions, and nest material and then contrasted bacterial community composition and diversity in healthy and deceased nests. Microbiomes of pollen provisions and larvae showed similarities for healthy larvae, whilst this was not the case for deceased individuals. We identified three bacterial taxa assigned to Paenibacillus sp. (closely related to P. pabuli/amylolyticus/xylanexedens), Sporosarcina sp., and Bacillus sp. as indicative for bacterial communities of deceased larvae, as well as Lactobacillus for corresponding pollen provisions. Furthermore, we performed a provisioning experiment, where we fed larvae with untreated and sterilized pollens, as well as sterilized pollens inoculated with a Bacillus sp. isolate from a deceased larva. Untreated larval microbiomes were consistent with that of the pollen provided. Sterilized pollen alone did not lead to acute mortality, while no microbiome was recoverable from the larvae. In the inoculation treatment, we observed that larval microbiomes were dominated by the seeded bacterium, which resulted in enhanced mortality. These results support that larval microbiomes are strongly determined by the pollen provisions. Further, they underline the need for further investigation of the impact of detrimental bacterial acquired via pollens and potential buffering by a diverse pollen provision microbiome in solitary bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Voulgari-Kokota
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Current Address: Faculty of Science and Engineering, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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19
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Łoś A, Skórka P, Strachecka A, Winiarczyk S, Adaszek Ł, Winiarczyk M, Wolski D. The associations among the breeding performance of Osmia bicornis L. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), burden of pathogens and nest parasites along urbanisation gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 710:135520. [PMID: 31780170 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Urban environments may negatively affect the development of organisms. In host-pathogen/parasite systems, this impact may lead to increased manifestations of pathogens that decrease the success of their hosts in urban environments compared to rural ones. We tested this hypothesis in the solitary bee Osmia bicornis L. We estimated the development of bees, their reproductive success and the manifestation of different pathogens and nest parasites along an urbanisation gradient. We conducted the experiment in an urbanisation gradient in sites representing three environments: urban, suburban and rural. First, we analysed the manifestation of bacterial and fungal microorganisms in pollen loads, within dried/mummified individuals, on the surface of cocoons and on the surface of diapausing adult individuals by using the MALDI-TOF MS technique. We also verified genetic samples from diapausing individuals for the presence of the parasitic Nosema apis (Zandler, 1909) and N. ceranae (Fries et al., 1996) species. Finally, we assessed the level of reproductive success and manifestations of brood parasites. Not any biological material from the nests was infected by pathogenic microorganisms. This result indicates that the nests are not a reservoir of the pathogenic bacteria and that O. bicornis offspring are not a source or vectors of these pathogens to the surrounding environment and indirectly to other bee species. In urban sites, there was a lower number of parasites than in suburban and rural environments. The presence of parasites was negatively correlated with the reproductive success and may be a limiting factor for O. bicornis populations. We also found that urban sites had the highest indices of reproductive success and the lowest number of breeding failures compared to suburban and rural sites. Moreover, bacterial and fungal transmission is not a serious threat in the studied region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Łoś
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Piotr Skórka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Aneta Strachecka
- Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Stanisław Winiarczyk
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Łukasz Adaszek
- Department of Epizootiology and Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, ul. Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
| | - Mateusz Winiarczyk
- Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chmielna 1, 20-079 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Dariusz Wolski
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences, ul. Akademicka 12, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
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20
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Casalone E, Cavalieri D, Daly G, Vitali F, Perito B. Propolis hosts a diversemicrobial community. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 36:50. [PMID: 32157464 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-020-02827-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the deep knowledge of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut microbiome, information on the microbial communities of other hive components is still scarce. Propolis originates from a natural resinous mixture that honeybees collect from different plants sources and modify; it is used mainly to ensure the hygiene of the hive. By virtue of its antimicrobial properties, propolis has been considered relatively aseptic, yet its ability to harbor microorganisms has not been previously investigated. In this study we report the first description of the diversity of the microbial community of propolis by both targeted-metagenomics analysis and cultivation. We demonstrated that propolis hosts a variety of microbial strains belonging to taxa already described in other hive components. Some of them are cultivable in standard laboratory conditions, and show metabolic characteristics compatible with their persistence in different physiological states inside propolis. Isolated bacteria produce antimicrobials against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and entomopathogenic fungi, with different spectra of inhibition. Metagenomics analysis shows the presence of bacteria and fungi with great potential to outcompete potentially harmful microorganisms. These findings suggest that the characterized microbiota could contribute to the overall antimicrobial properties of propolis and to its ecological role as "disinfectant" within the hive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Casalone
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Duccio Cavalieri
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Giulia Daly
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Francesco Vitali
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.,Institute of Biometeorology (IBIMET), National Research Council (CNR), Via Giovanni Caproni, 8, 50145, Florence, FI, Italy
| | - Brunella Perito
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano, 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
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21
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Voulgari‐Kokota A, Ankenbrand MJ, Grimmer G, Steffan‐Dewenter I, Keller A. Linking pollen foraging of megachilid bees to their nest bacterial microbiota. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10788-10800. [PMID: 31624582 PMCID: PMC6787775 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Solitary bees build their nests by modifying the interior of natural cavities, and they provision them with food by importing collected pollen. As a result, the microbiota of the solitary bee nests may be highly dependent on introduced materials. In order to investigate how the collected pollen is associated with the nest microbiota, we used metabarcoding of the ITS2 rDNA and the 16S rDNA to simultaneously characterize the pollen composition and the bacterial communities of 100 solitary bee nest chambers belonging to seven megachilid species. We found a weak correlation between bacterial and pollen alpha diversity and significant associations between the composition of pollen and that of the nest microbiota, contributing to the understanding of the link between foraging and bacteria acquisition for solitary bees. Since solitary bees cannot establish bacterial transmission routes through eusociality, this link could be essential for obtaining bacterial symbionts for this group of valuable pollinators. OPEN RESEARCH BADGES This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally-shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/data/view/PRJEB27223, https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ena/data/view/PRJEB31610, and https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qk36k8q.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Voulgari‐Kokota
- Department of BioinformaticsBiocenterUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
- Center for Computational and Theoretical BiologyUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
| | - Markus J. Ankenbrand
- Department of BioinformaticsBiocenterUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
- Center for Computational and Theoretical BiologyUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
| | - Gudrun Grimmer
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyBiocenterUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
| | - Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyBiocenterUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of BioinformaticsBiocenterUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
- Center for Computational and Theoretical BiologyUniversity of WuerzburgWuerzburgGermany
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22
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Voulgari-Kokota A, McFrederick QS, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Drivers, Diversity, and Functions of the Solitary-Bee Microbiota. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:1034-1044. [PMID: 31451346 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating reports of global bee declines have drawn much attention to the bee microbiota and its importance. Most research has focused on social bees, while solitary species have received scant attention despite their enormous biodiversity, ecological importance, and agroeconomic value. We review insights from several recent studies on diversity, function, and drivers of the solitary-bee microbiota, and compare these factors with those relevant to the social-bee microbiota. Despite basic similarities, the social-bee model, with host-specific core microbiota and social transmission, is not representative of the vast majority of bee species. The solitary-bee microbiota exhibits greater variability and biodiversity, with a strong impact of environmental acquisition routes. Our synthesis identifies outstanding questions that will build understanding of these interactions, responses to environmental threats, and consequences for health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Voulgari-Kokota
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, Emil-Fischer Straße, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, Emil-Fischer Straße, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
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Rothman JA, Andrikopoulos C, Cox-Foster D, McFrederick QS. Floral and Foliar Source Affect the Bee Nest Microbial Community. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 78:506-516. [PMID: 30552443 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1300-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Managed pollinators such as the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata, are essential to the production of a wide variety of agricultural crops. These pollinators encounter a diverse array of microbes when foraging for food and nest-building materials on various plants. To test the hypothesis that food and nest-building source affects the composition of the bee-nest microbiome, we exposed M. rotundata adults to treatments that varied both floral and foliar source in a 2 × 2 factorial design. We used 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing to capture the bacterial and fungal diversity of the bee nests. We found that nest microbial communities were significantly different between treatments, indicating that bee nests become inoculated with environmentally derived microbes. We did not find evidence of interactions between the fungi and bacteria within our samples. Furthermore, both the bacterial and fungal communities were quite diverse and contained numerous exact sequence variants (ESVs) of known plant and bee pathogens that differed based on treatment. Our research indicates that bees deposit plant-associated microbes into their nests, including multiple plant pathogens such as smut fungi and bacteria that cause blight and wilt. The presence of plant pathogens in larval pollen provisions highlights the potential for bee nests to act as disease reservoirs across seasons. We therefore suggest that future research should investigate the ability of bees to transmit pathogens from nest to host plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Rothman
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Corey Andrikopoulos
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, UMC5310, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, and Systematics Research, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
| | - Diana Cox-Foster
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, UMC5310, Logan, UT, 84322, USA.
- USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, and Systematics Research, Logan, UT, 84322, USA.
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Graduate Program in Microbiology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
- Department of Entomology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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Dharampal PS, Carlson C, Currie CR, Steffan SA. Pollen-borne microbes shape bee fitness. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182894. [PMID: 31185869 PMCID: PMC6571465 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Teeming within pollen provisions are diverse communities of symbiotic microbes, which provide a variety of benefits to bees. Microbes themselves may represent a major dietary resource for developing bee larvae. Despite their apparent importance in sustaining bee health, evidence linking pollen-borne microbes to larval health is currently lacking. We examined the effects of microbe-deficient diets on the fitness of larval mason bees. In a series of diet manipulations, microbe-rich maternally collected pollen provisions were replaced with increasing fractions of sterilized, microbe-deficient pollen provisions before being fed to developing larvae. Convergent findings from amino acid and fatty acid trophic biomarker analyses revealed that larvae derived a substantial amount of nutrition from microbial prey and occupied a significantly higher trophic position than that of strict herbivores. Larvae feeding on increasingly sterile diets experienced significant adverse effects on growth rates, biomass and survivorship. When completely deprived of pollen-borne microbes, larvae consistently exhibited marked decline in fitness. We conclude that microbes associated with aged pollen provisions are central to bee health, not only as nutritional mutualists, but also as a major dietary component. In an era of global bee decline, the conservation of such bee-microbe interactions may represent an important facet of pollinator protection strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caitlin Carlson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Cameron R. Currie
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Shawn A. Steffan
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- USDA-ARS, Vegetable Crops Research Unit, Madison, WI, USA
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25
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Keller A, Brandel A, Becker MC, Balles R, Abdelmohsen UR, Ankenbrand MJ, Sickel W. Wild bees and their nests host Paenibacillus bacteria with functional potential of avail. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:229. [PMID: 30579360 PMCID: PMC6303958 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0614-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In previous studies, the gram-positive firmicute genus Paenibacillus was found with significant abundances in nests of wild solitary bees. Paenibacillus larvae is well-known for beekeepers as a severe pathogen causing the fatal honey bee disease American foulbrood, and other members of the genus are either secondary invaders of European foulbrood or considered a threat to honey bees. We thus investigated whether Paenibacillus is a common bacterium associated with various wild bees and hence poses a latent threat to honey bees visiting the same flowers. RESULTS We collected 202 samples from 82 individuals or nests of 13 bee species at the same location and screened each for Paenibacillus using high-throughput sequencing-based 16S metabarcoding. We then isolated the identified strain Paenibacillus MBD-MB06 from a solitary bee nest and sequenced its genome. We did find conserved toxin genes and such encoding for chitin-binding proteins, yet none specifically related to foulbrood virulence or chitinases. Phylogenomic analysis revealed a closer relationship to strains of root-associated Paenibacillus rather than strains causing foulbrood or other accompanying diseases. We found anti-microbial evidence within the genome, confirmed by experimental bioassays with strong growth inhibition of selected fungi as well as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. CONCLUSIONS The isolated wild bee associate Paenibacillus MBD-MB06 is a common, but irregularly occurring part of wild bee microbiomes, present on adult body surfaces and guts and within nests especially in megachilids. It was phylogenetically and functionally distinct from harmful members causing honey bee colony diseases, although it shared few conserved proteins putatively toxic to insects that might indicate ancestral predisposition for the evolution of insect pathogens within the group. By contrast, our strain showed anti-microbial capabilities and the genome further indicates abilities for chitin-binding and biofilm-forming, suggesting it is likely a useful associate to avoid fungal penetration of the bee cuticula and a beneficial inhabitant of nests to repress fungal threats in humid and nutrient-rich environments of wild bee nests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Keller
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
- Present Address: Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
- Present Address: Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Annette Brandel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Faculty of Biology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Present Address: BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mira C Becker
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Department of Behavioral Physiology & Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rebecca Balles
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
- Department of Botany II, Julius-von-Sachs Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 3, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minia, 61519, Egypt
| | - Markus J Ankenbrand
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Hubland Nord, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wiebke Sickel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Present Address: Molecular Biology of the Rhizosphere, Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, Nussallee 13, 53115, Bonn, Germany
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Alberoni D, Gaggìa F, Baffoni L, Modesto MM, Biavati B, Di Gioia D. Bifidobacterium xylocopae sp. nov. and Bifidobacterium aemilianum sp. nov., from the carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea) digestive tract. Syst Appl Microbiol 2018; 42:205-216. [PMID: 30551956 DOI: 10.1016/j.syapm.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Social bees harbor a community of gut mutualistic bacteria, among which bifidobacteria occupy an important niche. Recently, four novel species have been isolated from guts of different bumblebees, thus allowing to suppose that a core bifidobacterial population may be present in wild solitary bees. To date there is sparse information about bifidobacteria in solitary bees such as Xylocopa and Osmia spp., this study is therefore focused on the isolation and characterization of bifidobacterial strains from solitary bees, in particular carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea), builder bee (Osmia cornuta), and red mason bee (Osmia rufa). Among the isolates from Osmia spp. no new species have been detected whereas among Xylocopa isolates four strains (XV2, XV4, XV10, XV16) belonging to putative new species were found. Isolated strains are Gram-positive, lactate- and acetate-producing and possess the fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase enzyme. Full genome sequencing and genome annotation were performed for XV2 and XV10. Phylogenetic relationships were determined using partial and complete 16S rRNA sequences and hsp60 restriction analysis that confirmed the belonging of the new strains to Bifidobacterium genus and the relatedness of the strains XV2 and XV10 with XV16 and XV4, respectively. Phenotypic tests were performed for the proposed type strains, reference strains and their closest neighbor in the phylogenetic tree. The results support the proposal of two novel species Bifidobacterium xylocopae sp. nov. whose type strain is XV2 (=DSM 104955T=LMG 30142T), reference strain XV16 and Bifidobacterium aemilianum sp. nov. whose type strain is XV10 (=DSM 104956T=LMG 30143T), reference strain XV4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesca Gaggìa
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Loredana Baffoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Monica Marianna Modesto
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - Bruno Biavati
- Institute of Earth Systems, Division of Rural Sciences Food Systems, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
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Voulgari-Kokota A, Grimmer G, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Bacterial community structure and succession in nests of two megachilid bee genera. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 95:5145846. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Voulgari-Kokota
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Wuerzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Emil Fischer Straße, Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Grimmer
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of Bioinformatics, University of Wuerzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Emil Fischer Straße, Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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28
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Microbial Diversity in Commercial Bee Pollen from Europe, Chile, and Mexico, Based on 16S rRNA Gene Amplicon Metagenome Sequencing. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 2018; 6:6/20/e00247-18. [PMID: 29773615 PMCID: PMC5958251 DOI: 10.1128/genomea.00247-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Bee pollen is a highly nutritive natural foodstuff. Because of its use as a comestible, the association of bacteria with bee pollen is commercially and biologically important. We report here the bacterial diversity of seven bee pollen samples (five from Europe, one from Chile, and one from Mexico) based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon metagenome sequencing.
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29
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Russo L. Positive and Negative Impacts of Non-Native Bee Species around the World. INSECTS 2016; 7:insects7040069. [PMID: 27916802 PMCID: PMC5198217 DOI: 10.3390/insects7040069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Though they are relatively understudied, non-native bees are ubiquitous and have enormous potential economic and environmental impacts. These impacts may be positive or negative, and are often unquantified. In this manuscript, I review literature on the known distribution and environmental and economic impacts of 80 species of introduced bees. The potential negative impacts of non-native bees include competition with native bees for nesting sites or floral resources, pollination of invasive weeds, co-invasion with pathogens and parasites, genetic introgression, damage to buildings, affecting the pollination of native plant species, and changing the structure of native pollination networks. The potential positive impacts of non-native bees include agricultural pollination, availability for scientific research, rescue of native species, and resilience to human-mediated disturbance and climate change. Most non-native bee species are accidentally introduced and nest in stems, twigs, and cavities in wood. In terms of number of species, the best represented families are Megachilidae and Apidae, and the best represented genus is Megachile. The best studied genera are Apis and Bombus, and most of the species in these genera were deliberately introduced for agricultural pollination. Thus, we know little about the majority of non-native bees, accidentally introduced or spreading beyond their native ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Russo
- Mueller Lab, Biology Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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