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Guo D, Wang Y, Li Z, Zhang DX, Wang C, Wang H, Liu Z, Liu F, Guo X, Wang N, Xu B, Gao Z. Effects of abamectin nanocapsules on bees through host physiology, immune function, and gut microbiome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172738. [PMID: 38670362 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Pesticide usage is a common practice to increase crop yields. Nevertheless, the existence of pesticide residues in the surrounding environment presents a significant hazard to pollinators, specifically the potential undisclosed dangers related to emerging nanopesticides. This study examines the impact of abamectin nanocapsules (AbaNCs), created through electrostatic self-assembly, as an insecticide on honey bees. It was determined that AbaNCs upregulated detoxification genes, including CYP450, as well as antioxidant and immune genes in honey bees. Furthermore, AbaNCs affected the activity of crucial enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD). Although no apparent damage was observed in bee gut tissue, AbaNCs significantly decreased digestive enzyme activity. Microbiome sequencing revealed that AbaNCs disrupted gut microbiome, resulting in a reduction of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Additionally, these changes in the gut microbiome were associated with decreased activity of digestive enzymes, including lipase. This study enhances our understanding of the impact of nanopesticides on pollinating insects. Through the revelation of the consequences arising from the utilization of abamectin nanocapsules, we have identified potential stress factors faced by these pollinators, enabling the implementation of improved protective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezheng Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongyu Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Da-Xia Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenguo Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingqi Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningxin Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zheng Gao
- College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
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Rebhi S, Basharat Z, Wei CR, Lebbal S, Najjaa H, Sadfi-Zouaoui N, Messaoudi A. Core proteome mediated subtractive approach for the identification of potential therapeutic drug target against the honeybee pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17292. [PMID: 38818453 PMCID: PMC11138523 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17292] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Background & Objectives American foulbrood (AFB), caused by the highly virulent, spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, poses a significant threat to honey bee brood. The widespread use of antibiotics not only fails to effectively combat the disease but also raises concerns regarding honey safety. The current computational study was attempted to identify a novel therapeutic drug target against P. larvae, a causative agent of American foulbrood disease in honey bee. Methods We investigated effective novel drug targets through a comprehensive in silico pan-proteome and hierarchal subtractive sequence analysis. In total, 14 strains of P. larvae genomes were used to identify core genes. Subsequently, the core proteome was systematically narrowed down to a single protein predicted as the potential drug target. Alphafold software was then employed to predict the 3D structure of the potential drug target. Structural docking was carried out between a library of phytochemicals derived from traditional Chinese flora (n > 36,000) and the potential receptor using Autodock tool 1.5.6. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study was conducted using GROMACS to assess the stability of the best-docked ligand. Results Proteome mining led to the identification of Ketoacyl-ACP synthase III as a highly promising therapeutic target, making it a prime candidate for inhibitor screening. The subsequent virtual screening and MD simulation analyses further affirmed the selection of ZINC95910054 as a potent inhibitor, with the lowest binding energy. This finding presents significant promise in the battle against P. larvae. Conclusions Computer aided drug design provides a novel approach for managing American foulbrood in honey bee populations, potentially mitigating its detrimental effects on both bee colonies and the honey industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawsen Rebhi
- Université de Tunis-El Manar, Laboratoire de Mycologie, Pathologies et Biomarqueurs, Département de Biologie, Tunis, Tunisia
| | | | - Calvin R. Wei
- Department of Research and Development, Shing Huei Group, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Salim Lebbal
- University of Khenchela, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Khenchela, Algeria
| | - Hanen Najjaa
- University of Gabes, Laboratory of Pastoral Ecosystem and Valorization of Spontaneous Plants and Associated Microorganisms, Institute of Arid Lands of Medenine, Medenine, Tunisia
| | - Najla Sadfi-Zouaoui
- Université de Tunis-El Manar, Laboratoire de Mycologie, Pathologies et Biomarqueurs, Département de Biologie, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Abdelmonaem Messaoudi
- Université de Tunis-El Manar, Laboratoire de Mycologie, Pathologies et Biomarqueurs, Département de Biologie, Tunis, Tunisia
- Jendouba University, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Beja, Beja, Tunisia
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3
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Meng Y, Zhang X, Zhai Y, Li Y, Shao Z, Liu S, Zhang C, Xing XH, Zheng H. Identification of the mutual gliding locus as a factor for gut colonization in non-native bee hosts using the ARTP mutagenesis. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:93. [PMID: 38778376 PMCID: PMC11112851 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01813-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiota and their hosts profoundly affect each other's physiology and evolution. Identifying host-selected traits is crucial to understanding the processes that govern the evolving interactions between animals and symbiotic microbes. Current experimental approaches mainly focus on the model bacteria, like hypermutating Escherichia coli or the evolutionary changes of wild stains by host transmissions. A method called atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) may overcome the bottleneck of low spontaneous mutation rates while maintaining mild conditions for the gut bacteria. RESULTS We established an experimental symbiotic system with gnotobiotic bee models to unravel the molecular mechanisms promoting host colonization. By in vivo serial passage, we tracked the genetic changes of ARTP-treated Snodgrassella strains from Bombus terrestris in the non-native honeybee host. We observed that passaged isolates showing genetic changes in the mutual gliding locus have a competitive advantage in the non-native host. Specifically, alleles in the orphan mglB, the GTPase activating protein, promoted colonization potentially by altering the type IV pili-dependent motility of the cells. Finally, competition assays confirmed that the mutations out-competed the ancestral strain in the non-native honeybee gut but not in the native host. CONCLUSIONS Using the ARTP mutagenesis to generate a mutation library of gut symbionts, we explored the potential genetic mechanisms for improved gut colonization in non-native hosts. Our findings demonstrate the implication of the cell mutual-gliding motility in host association and provide an experimental system for future study on host-microbe interactions. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Meng
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
- MGI Tech, Qingdao, 266426, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, China
| | - Yuan Li
- MGI Tech, Qingdao, 266426, China
| | | | | | - Chong Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xin-Hui Xing
- Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Faculty of Food Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China.
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4
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Carlini DB, Winslow SK, Cloppenborg-Schmidt K, Baines JF. Quantitative microbiome profiling of honey bee (Apis mellifera) guts is predictive of winter colony loss in northern Virginia (USA). Sci Rep 2024; 14:11021. [PMID: 38744972 PMCID: PMC11094147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61199-9] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
For the past 15 years, the proportion of honey bee hives that fail to survive winter has averaged ~ 30% in the United States. Winter hive loss has significant negative impacts on agriculture, the economy, and ecosystems. Compared to other factors, the role of honey bee gut microbial communities in driving winter hive loss has received little attention. We investigate the relationship between winter survival and honey bee gut microbiome composition of 168 honey bees from 23 hives, nine of which failed to survive through winter 2022. We found that there was a substantial difference in the abundance and community composition of honey bee gut microbiomes based on hive condition, i.e., winter survival or failure. The overall microbial abundance, as assessed using Quantitative Microbiome Profiling (QMP), was significantly greater in hives that survived winter 2022 than in those that failed, and the average overall abundance of each of ten bacterial genera was also greater in surviving hives. There were no significant differences in alpha diversity based on hive condition, but there was a highly significant difference in beta diversity. The bacterial genera Commensalibacter and Snodgrassella were positively associated with winter hive survival. Logistic regression and random forest machine learning models on pooled ASV counts for the genus data were highly predictive of winter outcome, although model performance decreased when samples from the location with no hive failures were excluded from analysis. As a whole, our results show that the abundance and community composition of honey bee gut microbiota is associated with winter hive loss, and can potentially be used as a diagnostic tool in evaluating hive health prior to the onset of winter. Future work on the functional characterization of the honey bee gut microbiome's role in winter survival is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Carlini
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
| | - Sundre K Winslow
- Department of Biology, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA
| | - Katja Cloppenborg-Schmidt
- Section of Evolutionary Medicine, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Kiel University, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - John F Baines
- Section of Evolutionary Medicine, Institute for Experimental Medicine, Kiel University, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105, Kiel, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, 24306, Plön, Germany.
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Feng D, Zhang H, Li Z, Li Y, Yan J, Zhang Y, Yang Y. Categorization of the effects of E. coli LF82 and mutants lacking the chuT and shuU genes on survival, the transcriptome, and metabolome in germ-free honeybee. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:756-770. [PMID: 38403884 PMCID: PMC11073505 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The precise etiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) remains elusive. The Escherichia coli strain LF82 (LF82) is known to be associated with IBD, and we hypothesized that this association may be related to the chuT and shuU genes. Here we constructed a germ-free (GF) honeybee model to investigate the effects of LF82 chuT and shuU genes on the honeybee intestine and their mechanisms. The chuT and shuU gene deletion strains LF82∆chuT and LF82∆shuU were generated by CRISPR-Cas9. These strains, together with nonpathogenic E. coli MG1655 (MG1655) and wildtype LF82, were allowed to colonize the guts of GF honeybees to establish single bacterial colonization models. Intestinal permeability was assessed following the administration of a sterile Brilliant Blue (FCF) solution. Comprehensive transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of intestinal samples indicated that MG1655 had few disadvantageous effects on honeybees. Conversely, colonization with LF82 and its gene-deletion mutants provoked pronounced activation of genes associated with innate immune pathways, stimulated defensive responses, and induced expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and glycosaminoglycan degradation. Crucially, the LF82∆chuT and LF82∆shuU strains perturbed host heme and iron regulation, as well as tryptophan metabolism. These findings suggest that the deletion of chuT and shuU genes in E. coli LF82 may alleviate intestinal inflammation by partially modulating tryptophan catabolism. Our study proposes that targeting iron uptake mechanisms could be a potential strategy to mitigate the virulence of IBD-associated bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongping Feng
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Hujun Zhang
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengpeng Li
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yiyuan Li
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Jingshuang Yan
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yunsheng Yang
- Microbiota Division, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, China
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Du Y, Xu K, Zhao H, Wu Y, Jiang H, He J, Jiang Y. Preliminary Study on the Pathogenic Mechanism of Jujube Flower Disease in Honeybees ( Apis mellifera ligustica) Based on Midgut Transcriptomics. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:533. [PMID: 38790162 PMCID: PMC11121247 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050533] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Honeybees are prone to poisoning, also known as jujube flower disease, after collecting nectar from jujube flowers, resulting in the tumultuous demise of foragers. The prevalence of jujube flower disease has become one of the main factors affecting the development of the jujube and beekeeping industries in Northern China. However, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying jujube flower disease in honeybees are poorly understood. Herein, we first conducted morphological observations of the midgut using HE-staining and found that jujube flower disease-affected honeybees displayed midgut damage with peritrophic membrane detachment. Jujube flower disease was found to increase the activity of chitinase and carboxylesterase (CarE) and decrease the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and the content of CYP450 in the honeybee midgut. Transcriptomic data identified 119 differentially expressed genes in the midgut of diseased and healthy honeybees, including CYP6a13, CYP6a17, CYP304a1, CYP6a14, AADC, and AGXT2, which are associated with oxidoreductase activity and vitamin binding. In summary, collecting jujube flower nectar could reduce antioxidant and detoxification capacities of the honeybee midgut and, in more severe cases, damage the intestinal structure, suggesting that intestinal damage might be the main cause of honeybee death due to jujube nectar. This study provides new insights into the pathogenesis of jujube flower disease in honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Du
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China;
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132108, China; (K.X.); (Y.W.); (H.J.); (J.H.)
| | - Kai Xu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132108, China; (K.X.); (Y.W.); (H.J.); (J.H.)
| | - Huiting Zhao
- College of Life Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China;
| | - Ying Wu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132108, China; (K.X.); (Y.W.); (H.J.); (J.H.)
| | - Haibin Jiang
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132108, China; (K.X.); (Y.W.); (H.J.); (J.H.)
| | - Jinming He
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132108, China; (K.X.); (Y.W.); (H.J.); (J.H.)
| | - Yusuo Jiang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China;
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Yang C, Hu J, Su Q, Zhang Z, Du Y, Wang J, Sun H, Han B, Tang J, Guo L, Li H, Cai W, Zheng H, Zhou X, Zhang X. A review on recent taxonomic updates of gut bacteria associated with social bees, with a curated genomic reference database. INSECT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38594229 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Honeybees and bumblebees play a crucial role as essential pollinators. The special gut microbiome of social bees is a key factor in determining the overall fitness and health of the host. Although bees harbor relatively simple microbial communities at the genus level, recent studies have unveiled significant genetic divergence and variations in gene content within each bacterial genus. However, a comprehensive and refined genomics-based taxonomic database specific to social bee gut microbiomes remains lacking. Here, we first provided an overview of the current knowledge on the distribution and function of social bee gut bacteria, as well as the factors that influence the gut population dynamics. We then consolidated all available genomes of the gut bacteria of social bees and refined the species-level taxonomy, by constructing a maximum-likelihood core genome phylogeny and calculating genome-wide pairwise average nucleotide identity. On the basis of the refined species taxonomy, we constructed a curated genomic reference database, named the bee gut microbe genome sequence database (BGM-GDb). To evaluate the species-profiling performance of the curated BGM-GDb, we retrieved a series of bee gut metagenomic data and inferred the species-level composition using metagenomic intra-species diversity analysis system (MIDAS), and then compared the results with those obtained from a prebuilt MIDAS database. We found that compared with the default database, the BGM-GDb excelled in aligned read counts and bacterial richness. Overall, this high-resolution and precise genomic reference database will facilitate research in understanding the gut community structure of social bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengfeng Yang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Hainan Province, China
| | - Jiawei Hu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qinzhi Su
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China
| | - Zijing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yating Du
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jieni Wang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Huihui Sun
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Hainan Province, China
| | - Benfeng Han
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Junbo Tang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lizhen Guo
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Wanzhi Cai
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Hainan Province, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Fan G, Wang X, Gao C, Kang X, Xue H, Huang W, Zhan J, You Y. Effects of Active Ingredients in Alcoholic Beverages and Their De-Alcoholized Counterparts on High-Fat Diet Bees: A Comparative Study. Molecules 2024; 29:1693. [PMID: 38675513 PMCID: PMC11052269 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29081693] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms by which alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and their de-alcoholized derivatives affect animal physiology, metabolism, and gut microbiota have not yet been clarified. The polyphenol, monosaccharide, amino acid, and organic acid contents of four common alcoholic beverages (Chinese Baijiu, beer, Chinese Huangjiu, and wine) and their de-alcoholized counterparts were analyzed. The research further explored how these alcoholic beverages and their non-alcoholic versions affect obesity and gut microbiota, using a high-fat diet bee model created with 2% palm oil (PO). The results showed that wine, possessing the highest polyphenol content, and its de-alcoholized form, particularly when diluted five-fold (WDX5), markedly improved the health markers of PO-fed bees, including weight, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels in blood lymphocytes. WDX5 treatment notably increased the presence of beneficial microbes such as Bartonella, Gilliamella, and Bifidobacterium, while decreasing Bombilactobacillus abundance. Moreover, WDX5 was found to closely resemble sucrose water (SUC) in terms of gut microbial function, significantly boosting short-chain fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide metabolism, and associated enzymatic pathways, thereby favorably affecting metabolic regulation and gut microbiota stability in bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghe Fan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Cuicui Gao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
- Xinghua Industrial Research Centre for Food Science and Human Health, China Agricultural University, Xinghua 225700, China
| | - Xiping Kang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
| | - Huimin Xue
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
| | - Weidong Huang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
| | - Jicheng Zhan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
| | - Yilin You
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Tsinghua East Road 17, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China; (G.F.); (W.H.)
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9
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Fontana F, Longhi G, Carli E, Alessandri G, Mancabelli L, Lugli GA, Tarracchini C, Viappiani A, Anzalone R, Turroni F, Milani C, Ventura M. Revealing the genetic traits of the foodborne microbial genus hafnia: Implications for the human gut microbiome. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16626. [PMID: 38646847 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The bacterial genus Hafnia has recently attracted attention due to its complex metabolic features and host-interaction capabilities, which are associated with health benefits, primarily weight loss. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the genomic characteristics of this emerging microbial group. In this study, we utilized all available high-quality genomes of Hafnia alvei and Hafnia paralvei to uncover the broad distribution of Hafnia in human and honeybee guts, as well as in dairy products, by analysing 1068 metagenomic datasets. We then investigated the genetic traits related to Hafnia's production of vitamins and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) through a comparative genomics analysis that included all dominant bacterial species in the three environments under study. Our findings underscore the extensive metabolic capabilities of Hafnia, particularly in the production of vitamins such as thiamine (B1), nicotinate (B3), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9), cobalamin (B12), and menaquinone (K2). Additionally, Hafnia demonstrated a conserved genetic makeup associated with SCFA production, including acetate, propanoate, and butanoate. These metabolic traits were further confirmed using RNAseq analyses of a newly isolated H. paralvei strain T10. Overall, our study illuminates the ecological distribution and genetic attributes of this bacterial genus, which is of increasing scientific and industrial relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Fontana
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- GenProbio Srl, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Longhi
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Elisa Carli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Giulia Alessandri
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Andrea Lugli
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Chiara Tarracchini
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesca Turroni
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Christian Milani
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Ventura
- Laboratory of Probiogenomics, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Microbiome Research Hub, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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10
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Agarbati A, Moretti L, Canonico L, Ciani M, Comitini F. Agro-ecosystem of honeybees as source for native probiotic yeasts. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:147. [PMID: 38538981 PMCID: PMC10972988 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03941-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Probiotic microorganisms are used to improve the health and wellness of people and the research on this topic is of current relevance and interest. Fifty-five yeasts, coming from honeybee's ecosystem and belonging to Candida, Debaryomyces, Hanseniaspora, Lachancea, Metschnikowia, Meyerozyma, Starmerella and Zygosacchromyces genera and related different species, were evaluated for the probiotic traits. The resistance to gastrointestinal conditions, auto-aggregation, cell surface hydrophobicity or biofilm formation abilities as well as antimicrobial activity against common human pathogenic bacteria were evaluated. The safety analysis of strains was also carried out to exclude any possible negative effect on the consumer's health. The influence of proteinase treatment of living yeasts and their adhesion to Caco-2 cells were also evaluated. The greatest selection occurred in the first step of survival at the acidic pH and in the presence of bile salts, where more than 50% of the strains were unable to survive. Equally discriminating was the protease test which allowed the survival of only 27 strains belonging to the species Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Metschnikowia ziziphicola, Meyerozyma caribbica, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Pichia kluyveri, Pichia kudriavzevii and Pichia terricola. An integrated analysis of the results obtained allowed the detection of seven yeast strains with probiotic aptitudes, all belonging to the Meyerozyma genus, of which three belonging to M. guillermondii and four belonging to M. caribbica species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Agarbati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Moretti
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Canonico
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ciani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Comitini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
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11
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Aguado-López D, Urbieta Magro A, Higes M, Rodríguez JM, Martín-Hernández R. Influence of Age of Infection on the Gut Microbiota in Worker Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera iberiensis) Experimentally Infected with Nosema ceranae. Microorganisms 2024; 12:635. [PMID: 38674580 PMCID: PMC11051791 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040635] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota of honey bees has received increasing interest in the past decades due to its crucial role in their health, and can be disrupted by pathogen infection. Nosema ceranae is an intracellular parasite that affects the epithelial cells of the midgut, altering gut homeostasis and representing a major threat to honey bees. Previous studies indicated that younger worker bees are more susceptible to experimental infection by this parasite, although the impact of infection and of age on the gut bacterial communities remains unclear. To address this, honey bees were experimentally infected with a consistent number of N. ceranae spores at various ages post-emergence (p.e.) and the gut bacteria 7 days post-infection (p.i.) were analysed using real-time quantitative PCR, with the results compared to non-infected controls. Infected bees had a significantly higher proportion and load of Gilliamella apicola. In respect to the age of infection, the bees infected just after emergence had elevated loads of G. apicola, Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bartonella apis, and Bombella apis. Moreover, the G. apicola load was higher in bees infected at nearly all ages, whereas older non-infected bees had higher loads of Bifidobacterium asteroides, Bombilactobacillus spp., Lactobacillus spp., Ba. apis, and Bo apis. These findings suggest that N. ceranae infection and, in particular, the age of bees at infection modulate the gut bacterial community, with G. apicola being the most severely affected species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Aguado-López
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Almudena Urbieta Magro
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Mariano Higes
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Juan Miguel Rodríguez
- Departamento de Nutrición y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raquel Martín-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA), Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal (IRIAF), Consejería de Agricultura de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, Camino de San Martín s/n, 19180 Marchamalo, Spain; (A.U.M.); (M.H.)
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12
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Xiaowen C, Jiahao L, Zhaorun D, Wenfeng L, Richou H, Yanping C, Huichun X, Yi Z. Honeybee symbiont Bombella apis could restore larval-to-pupal transition disrupted by antibiotic treatment. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 153:104601. [PMID: 38142957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated the vital roles of gut microbes in the health, immunity, nutrient metabolism, and behavior of adult worker honeybees. However, a few studies have been conducted on gut microbiota associated with the larval stage of honeybees. In the present study, we explored the role of a gut bacterium in larval development and larval-pupal transition in the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana. First, our examination of gut microbial profiling showed that Bombella apis, a larvae-associated bacterium, was the most dominant bacterium colonized in the fifth instar larvae. Second, we demonstrated that tetracycline, an antibiotic used to treat a honeybee bacterial brood disease, could cause the complete depletion of gut bacteria. This antibiotic-induced gut microbiome depletion in turn, significantly impacted the survivorship, pupation rate and emergence rate of the treated larvae. Furthermore, our analysis of gene expression pattens revealed noteworthy changes in key genes. The expression of genes responsible for encoding storage proteins vitellogenin (vg) and major royal jelly protein 1 (mrjp1) was significantly down-regulated in the tetracycline-treated larvae. Concurrently, the expression of krüppel homolog 1(kr-h1), a pivotal gene in endocrine signaling, increased, whilethe expression of broad-complex (br-c) gene that plays a key role in the ecdysone regulation decreased. These alterations indicated a disruption in the coordination of juvenile hormone and ecdysteroid synthesis. Finally, we cultivated B. apis isolated from the fifth instar worker larval of A. cerana and fed tetracycline-treated larvae with a diet replenished by B. apis. This intervention resulted in a significant improvement in the pupation rate, emergence rate, and overall survival rate of the treated larvae. Our findings demonstrate the positive impact of B. apis on honeybee larvae development, providing new evidence of the functional capacities of gut microbes in honeybee growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Xiaowen
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources, Qinghai Normal University, Xi'ning 810008, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Li Jiahao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Ding Zhaorun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Li Wenfeng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Han Richou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Chen Yanping
- USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Xie Huichun
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Medicinal Plant and Animal Resources, Qinghai Normal University, Xi'ning 810008, China; Qinghai Ecosystem Observation and Research Station in the Southern Qilian Mountains, Haidong 810500, China.
| | - Zhang Yi
- School of Chinese Medicinal Resource, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Yunfu 527527, China.
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13
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Chhun A, Moriano-Gutierrez S, Zoppi F, Cabirol A, Engel P, Schaerli Y. An engineered bacterial symbiont allows noninvasive biosensing of the honey bee gut environment. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002523. [PMID: 38442124 PMCID: PMC10914260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The honey bee is a powerful model system to probe host-gut microbiota interactions, and an important pollinator species for natural ecosystems and for agriculture. While bacterial biosensors can provide critical insight into the complex interplay occurring between a host and its associated microbiota, the lack of methods to noninvasively sample the gut content, and the limited genetic tools to engineer symbionts, have so far hindered their development in honey bees. Here, we built a versatile molecular tool kit to genetically modify symbionts and reported for the first time in the honey bee a technique to sample their feces. We reprogrammed the native bee gut bacterium Snodgrassella alvi as a biosensor for IPTG, with engineered cells that stably colonize the gut of honey bees and report exposure to the molecules in a dose-dependent manner through the expression of a fluorescent protein. We showed that fluorescence readout can be measured in the gut tissues or noninvasively in the feces. These tools and techniques will enable rapid building of engineered bacteria to answer fundamental questions in host-gut microbiota research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audam Chhun
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Florian Zoppi
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Amélie Cabirol
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yolanda Schaerli
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Nguyen JB, Marshall CW, Cook CN. The buzz within: the role of the gut microbiome in honeybee social behavior. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246400. [PMID: 38344873 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246400] [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] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Gut symbionts influence the physiology and behavior of their host, but the extent to which these effects scale to social behaviors is an emerging area of research. The use of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) as a model enables researchers to investigate the gut microbiome and behavior at several levels of social organization. Insight into gut microbial effects at the societal level is critical for our understanding of how involved microbial symbionts are in host biology. In this Commentary, we discuss recent findings in honeybee gut microbiome research and synthesize these with knowledge of the physiology and behavior of other model organisms to hypothesize how host-microbe interactions at the individual level could shape societal dynamics and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- J B Nguyen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - C W Marshall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
| | - C N Cook
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA
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15
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Decaestecker E, Van de Moortel B, Mukherjee S, Gurung A, Stoks R, De Meester L. Hierarchical eco-evo dynamics mediated by the gut microbiome. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:165-174. [PMID: 37863775 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
The concept of eco-evolutionary (eco-evo) dynamics, stating that ecological and evolutionary processes occur at similar time scales and influence each other, has contributed to our understanding of responses of populations, communities, and ecosystems to environmental change. Phenotypes, central to these eco-evo processes, can be strongly impacted by the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome shapes eco-evo dynamics in the host community through its effects on the host phenotype. Complex eco-evo feedback loops between the gut microbiome and the host communities might thus be common. Bottom-up dynamics occur when eco-evo interactions shaping the gut microbiome affect host phenotypes with consequences at population, community, and ecosystem levels. Top-down dynamics occur when eco-evo dynamics shaping the host community structure the gut microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Decaestecker
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Facility Life Sciences, KU Leuven, KULAK, Campus Kortrijk, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium.
| | - Broos Van de Moortel
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Facility Life Sciences, KU Leuven, KULAK, Campus Kortrijk, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Shinjini Mukherjee
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Reproductive Genomics, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Aditi Gurung
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robby Stoks
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Stress Ecology and Ecotoxicology, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luc De Meester
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), D-12587 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
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16
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Chang R, Yan J, Li Y, Zhang Y, Wu K, Yang Y. Crohn's disease-associated Escherichia coli LF82 in the gut damage of germ-free honeybees: A laboratory study. Microb Pathog 2024; 187:106487. [PMID: 38158143 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Escherichia coli LF82 (LF82) is associated with Crohn's disease. The simplicity and genetic maneuverability of honeybees' gut microbiota make them suitable for studying host-microbe interactions. To understand the interaction between LF82 and host gut, LF82 was used to infect germ-free honeybees (Apis mellifera) orally. We found that LF82 successfully colonized the gut and shortened the lifespan of germ-free bees. LF82 altered the gut structure and significantly increased gut permeability. RT-qPCR showed that LF82 infection activated anti-infective immune pathways and upregulated the mRNAs levels of antimicrobial peptides in the gut of germ-free bees. The gut transcriptome showed that LF82 significantly upregulated genes involved in Notch signaling, adhesion junctions, and Toll and Imd signaling pathways and downregulated genes involved in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, protein digestion and absorption, and tyrosine metabolism. In conclusion, the human-derived enteropathogenic bacterium LF82 can successfully colonize the gut of germ-free honeybees and cause enteritis-like changes, which provides an ideal model organism for revealing the pathogenesis of bacterial-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruqi Chang
- Medical College of Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jingshuang Yan
- Medical College of Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Yiyuan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | | | - Yunsheng Yang
- Medical College of Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
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17
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Quinn A, El Chazli Y, Escrig S, Daraspe J, Neuschwander N, McNally A, Genoud C, Meibom A, Engel P. Host-derived organic acids enable gut colonization of the honey bee symbiont Snodgrassella alvi. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:477-489. [PMID: 38225461 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01572-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Diverse bacteria can colonize the animal gut using dietary nutrients or by engaging in microbial crossfeeding interactions. Less is known about the role of host-derived nutrients in enabling gut bacterial colonization. Here we examined metabolic interactions within the evolutionary ancient symbiosis between the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the core gut microbiota member Snodgrassella alvi. This betaproteobacterium is incapable of metabolizing saccharides, yet colonizes the honey bee gut in the presence of a sugar-only diet. Using comparative metabolomics, 13C-tracers and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS), we show in vivo that S. alvi grows on host-derived organic acids, including citrate, glycerate and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate, which are actively secreted by the host into the gut lumen. S. alvi also modulates tryptophan metabolism in the gut by converting kynurenine to anthranilate. These results suggest that S. alvi is adapted to a specific metabolic niche in the honey bee gut that depends on host-derived nutritional resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Quinn
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yassine El Chazli
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Escrig
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jean Daraspe
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Neuschwander
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aoife McNally
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christel Genoud
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anders Meibom
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Center for Advanced Surface Analysis, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Engel
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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18
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Michellod D, Liebeke M. Host-microbe metabolic dialogue. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:318-319. [PMID: 38316925 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01592-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Dolma Michellod
- Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Manuel Liebeke
- Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany.
- Department for Metabolomics, Institute for Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
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19
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Agarbati A, Gattucci S, Canonico L, Ciani M, Comitini F. Yeast communities related to honeybees: occurrence and distribution in flowers, gut mycobiota, and bee products. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:175. [PMID: 38276993 PMCID: PMC10817854 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12942-1] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is an important agricultural pollinator and a model for sociality. In this study, a deep knowledge on yeast community characterizing the honeybees' environmental was carried out. For this, a total of 93 samples were collected: flowers as food sources, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products (bee pollen, bee bread, propolis), and processed using culture-dependent techniques and a molecular approach for identification. The occurrence of yeast populations was quantitatively similar among flowers, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products. Overall, 27 genera and 51 species were identified. Basidiomycetes genera were predominant in the flowers while the yeast genera detected in all environments were Aureobasidium, Filobasidium, Meyerozyma, and Metschnikowia. Fermenting species belonging to the genera Debaryomyces, Saccharomyces, Starmerella, Pichia, and Lachancea occurred mainly in the gut, while most of the identified species of bee products were not found in the gut mycobiota. Five yeast species, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Starmerella roseus, were present in both summer and winter, thus indicating them as stable components of bee mycobiota. These findings can help understand the yeast community as a component of the bee gut microbiota and its relationship with related environments, since mycobiota characterization was still less unexplored. In addition, the gut microbiota, affecting the nutrition, endocrine signaling, immune function, and pathogen resistance of honeybees, represents a useful tool for its health evaluation and could be a possible source of functional yeasts. KEY POINTS: • The stable yeast populations are represented by M. guilliermondii, D. hansenii, H. uvarum, H. guilliermondii, and S. roseus. • A. pullulans was the most abondance yeast detective in the flowers and honeybee guts. • Aureobasidium, Meyerozyma, Pichia, and Hanseniaspora are the main genera resident in gut tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Agarbati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Silvia Gattucci
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Laura Canonico
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ciani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Comitini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy.
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20
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Bogri A, Jensen EEB, Borchert AV, Brinch C, Otani S, Aarestrup FM. Transmission of antimicrobial resistance in the gut microbiome of gregarious cockroaches: the importance of interaction between antibiotic exposed and non-exposed populations. mSystems 2024; 9:e0101823. [PMID: 38095429 PMCID: PMC10805027 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01018-23] [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: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health concern, further complicated by its spread via the microbiome bacterial members. While mathematical models discuss AMR transmission through the symbiotic microbiome, experimental studies are scarce. Herein, we used a gregarious cockroach, Pycnoscelus surinamensis, as an in vivo animal model for AMR transmission investigations. We explored whether the effect of antimicrobial treatment is detectable with metagenomic sequencing, and whether AMR genes can be spread and established in unchallenged (not treated with antibiotics) individuals following contact with treated donors, and under various frequencies of interaction. Gut and soil substrate microbiomes were investigated by metagenomic sequencing for bacterial community composition and resistome profiling. We found that tetracycline treatment altered the treated gut microbiome by decreasing bacterial diversity and increasing the abundance of tetracycline resistance genes. Untreated cockroaches that interacted with treated donors also had elevated tetracycline resistance. The levels of resistance differed depending on the magnitude and frequency of donor transfer. Additionally, treated donors showed signs of microbiome recovery due to their interaction with the untreated ones. Similar patterns were also recorded in the soil substrate microbiomes. Our results shed light on how interacting microbiomes facilitate AMR gene transmission to previously unchallenged hosts, a dynamic influenced by the interaction frequencies, using an in vivo model to validate theoretical AMR transmission models.IMPORTANCEAntimicrobial resistance is a rising threat to human and animal health. The spread of resistance through the transmission of the symbiotic gut microbiome is of concern and has been explored in theoretical modeling studies. In this study, we employ gregarious insect populations to examine the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial resistance in vivo and validate modeling hypotheses. We find that antimicrobial treatment increases the levels of resistance in treated populations. Most importantly, we show that resistance increased in untreated populations after interacting with the treated ones. The level of resistance transmission was affected by the magnitude and frequency of population mixing. Our results highlight the importance of microbial transmission in the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Bogri
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Asbjørn Vedel Borchert
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christian Brinch
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Saria Otani
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Frank M. Aarestrup
- Research Group for Genomic Epidemiology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark
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Caesar L, Haag KL. Tailed bacteriophages (Caudoviricetes) dominate the microbiome of a diseased stingless bee. Genet Mol Biol 2024; 46:e20230120. [PMID: 38252058 PMCID: PMC10802228 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2023-0120] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacterial hosts, are known to rule the dynamics and diversity of bacterial populations in a number of ecosystems. Bacterial communities residing in the gut of animals, known as the gut microbiome, have revolutionized our understanding of many diseases. However, the gut phageome, while of apparent importance in this context, remains an underexplored area of research. Here we identify for the first time genomic sequences from tailed viruses (Caudoviricetes) that are associated with the microbiome of stingless bees (Melipona quadrifasciata). Both DNA and RNA were extracted from virus particles isolated from healthy and diseased forager bees, the latter showing symptoms from an annual syndrome that only affects M. quadrifasciata. Viral contigs from previously sequenced metagenomes of healthy and diseased forager bees were used for the analyses. Using conserved proteins deduced from their genomes, we found that Caudoviricetes were only present in the worker bee gut microbiome from diseased stingless bees. The most abundant phages are phylogenetically related to phages that infect Gram-positive bacteria from the order Lactobacillales and Gram-negative bacteria from the genus Gilliamella and Bartonella, that are common honey bee symbionts. The potential implication of these viruses in the M. quadrifasciata syndrome is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Caesar
- Indiana University Bloomington, Department of Biology, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Karen Luisa Haag
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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22
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Deng Y, Yang S, Zhang L, Chen C, Cheng X, Hou C. Chronic bee paralysis virus exploits host antimicrobial peptides and alters gut microbiota composition to facilitate viral infection. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae051. [PMID: 38519112 PMCID: PMC11014883 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The significance of gut microbiota in regulating animal immune response to viral infection is increasingly recognized. However, how chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) exploits host immune to disturb microbiota for its proliferation remains elusive. Through histopathological examination, we discovered that the hindgut harbored the highest level of CBPV, and displayed visible signs of damages. The metagenomic analysis showed that a notable reduction in the levels of Snodgrassella alvi and Lactobacillus apis, and a significant increase in the abundance of the opportunistic pathogens such as Enterobacter hormaechei and Enterobacter cloacae following CBPV infection. Subsequent co-inoculation experiments showed that these opportunistic pathogens facilitated the CBPV proliferation, leading to accelerated mortality in bees and exacerbation of bloated abdomen symptoms after CBPV infection. The expression level of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) was found to be significantly up-regulated by over 1000 times in response to CBPV infection, as demonstrated by subsequent transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR investigations. In particular, through correlation analysis and a bacteriostatic test revealed that the AMPs did not exhibit any inhibitory effect against the two opportunistic pathogens. However, they did demonstrate inhibitory activity against S. alvi and L. apis. Our findings provide different evidence that the virus infection may stimulate and utilize the host's AMPs to eradicate probiotic species and facilitate the proliferation of opportunistic bacteria. This process weakens the intestinal barrier and ultimately resulting in the typical bloated abdomen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Deng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Sa Yang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chenxiao Chen
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Xuefen Cheng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, China
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23
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Smutin D, Taldaev A, Lebedev E, Adonin L. Shotgun Metagenomics Reveals Minor Micro" bee"omes Diversity Defining Differences between Larvae and Pupae Brood Combs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:741. [PMID: 38255816 PMCID: PMC10815634 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020741] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Bees represent not only a valuable asset in agriculture, but also serve as a model organism within contemporary microbiology. The metagenomic composition of the bee superorganism has been substantially characterized. Nevertheless, traditional cultural methods served as the approach to studying brood combs in the past. Indeed, the comb microbiome may contribute to determining larval caste differentiation and hive immunity. To further this understanding, we conducted a shotgun sequencing analysis of the brood comb microbiome. While we found certain similarities regarding species diversity, it exhibits significant differentiation from all previously described hive metagenomes. Many microbiome members maintain a relatively constant ratio, yet taxa with the highest abundance level tend to be ephemeral. More than 90% of classified metagenomes were Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria genetic signatures. Jaccard dissimilarity between samples based on bacteria genus classifications hesitate from 0.63 to 0.77, which for shotgun sequencing indicates a high consistency in bacterial composition. Concurrently, we identified antagonistic relationships between certain bacterial clusters. The presence of genes related to antibiotic synthesis and antibiotic resistance suggests potential mechanisms underlying the stability of comb microbiomes. Differences between pupal and larval combs emerge in the total metagenome, while taxa with the highest abundance remained consistent. All this suggests that a key role in the functioning of the comb microbiome is played by minor biodiversity, the function of which remains to be established experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniil Smutin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Faculty of Information Technology and Programming, ITMO University, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia
| | - Amir Taldaev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
- Research Center for Molecular Mechanisms of Aging and Age-Related Diseases, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | - Egor Lebedev
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
| | - Leonid Adonin
- Institute of Environmental and Agricultural Biology (X-BIO), Tyumen State University, Tyumen 625003, Russia
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow 119121, Russia
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24
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Al Naggar Y, Wubet T. Chronic exposure to pesticides disrupts the bacterial and fungal co-existence and the cross-kingdom network characteristics of honey bee gut microbiome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167530. [PMID: 37832690 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Gut microbiome communities have a significant impact on bee health and disease and have been shown to be shaped by a variety of factors, including exposure to pesticides and inhive chemicals. However, it is unknown whether pesticide exposure affects the coexistence and cross-kingdom network parameters of bee gut microbiome communities because microbes may compete in the gut environment under different stressors. Therefore, we conducted additional analysis of the microbiome data from our previous study in which we discovered that exposure to two novel insecticides flupyradifurone (FPF) and sulfoxaflor (Sulf) or/and a fungicide, azoxystrobin (Azoxy) caused dysbiosis of bee gut microbiota that was associated with an increase in the relative abundance of opportunistic pathogens such as Serratia marcescens. We investigated for the first time the potential cross-kingdom fungal-bacterial interactions using co-occurrence pattern correlation and network analysis. We discovered that exposure to FPF or Sulf alone or in combination with Azoxy fungicide influenced the co-existence patterns of fungal and bacterial communities. Significant differences in degree centrality, closeness centrality, and eigenvector centrality distribution indices were also found in single and double-treatment groups compared to controls. The effects of FPF and Sulf alone on cross-kingdom parameters (bacterial to fungal node ratio, degree of centrality, closeness centrality, and eigenvector centrality) were distinct, but this was reversed when they were combined with Azoxy fungicide. The fungal and bacterial hub taxa identified differed, with only a few shared hubs across treatments, suggesting microbial cross-kingdom networks may be disrupted differently under different stressors. Our findings add to our understanding of pesticide effects on the bee gut microbiome and bee health in general, while also emphasizing the importance of cross-kingdom network analysis in future microbiome research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Al Naggar
- Department of Community Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
| | - Tesfaye Wubet
- Department of Community Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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25
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Wang Y, Ma L, Xu B. Bee wisdom: exploring bee control strategies for food microflora by comparing the physicochemical characteristics and microbial composition of beebread. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0181823. [PMID: 37800944 PMCID: PMC10871783 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01818-23] [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: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bees are a valuable model for investigating the relationship between environmental factors, gut microbiota, and organismal health. Beebread, produced from collected pollen, is a natural food source and a primary reservoir of gut microorganisms. Although pollen typically has diverse bacterial species, beebread has low species richness and bacterial abundance. Consequently, considerable attention has been paid to the adaptive strategies employed by honey bees to cope with the microorganisms within their food environment during co-evolution with plants. This study identified the distribution patterns of beebread's physicochemical characteristics, showing how bees use fermentation to enrich specific microbes. These findings help understand the relationship between environmental and food-associated microbes and bee intestinal microbiota. They also bridge gaps in the literature and provide a valuable reference for studying the complex interplay between these factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Lanting Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Baohua Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
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26
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Gekière A, Vanderplanck M, Hettiarachchi A, Semay I, Gerbaux P, Michez D, Joossens M, Vandamme P. A case study of the diet-microbiota-parasite interplay in bumble bees. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad303. [PMID: 38066692 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad303] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Diets and parasites influence the gut bacterial symbionts of bumble bees, but potential interactive effects remain overlooked. The main objective of this study was to assess the isolated and interactive effects of sunflower pollen, its phenolamides, and the widespread trypanosomatid Crithidia sp. on the gut bacterial symbionts of Bombus terrestris males. METHODS AND RESULTS Bumble bee males emerged in microcolonies fed on either (i) willow pollen (control), (ii) sunflower pollen, or (iii) willow pollen spiked with phenolamide extracts from sunflower pollen. These microcolonies were infected by Crithidia sp. or were pathogen-free. Using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (V3-V4 region), we observed a significant alteration of the beta diversity but not of the alpha diversity in the gut microbial communities of males fed on sunflower pollen compared to males fed on control pollen. Similarly, infection by the gut parasite Crithidia sp. altered the beta diversity but not the alpha diversity in the gut microbial communities of males, irrespective of the diet. By contrast, we did not observe any significant alteration of the beta or alpha diversity in the gut microbial communities of males fed on phenolamide-enriched pollen compared to males fed on control pollen. Changes in the beta diversity indicate significant dissimilarities of the bacterial taxa between the treatment groups, while the lack of difference in alpha diversity demonstrates no significant changes within each treatment group. CONCLUSIONS Bumble bees harbour consistent gut microbiota worldwide, but our results suggest that the gut bacterial communities of bumble bees are somewhat shaped by their diets and gut parasites as well as by the interaction of these two factors. This study confirms that bumble bees are suitable biological surrogates to assess the effect of diet and parasite infections on gut microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gekière
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Maryse Vanderplanck
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Amanda Hettiarachchi
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 35 K.L. Ledeganckstraat, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Irène Semay
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Pascal Gerbaux
- Organic Synthesis and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Marie Joossens
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 35 K.L. Ledeganckstraat, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, 35 K.L. Ledeganckstraat, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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27
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Kim M, Kim WJ, Park SJ. Analyzing Gut Microbial Community in Varroa destructor-Infested Western Honeybee ( Apis mellifera). J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 33:1495-1505. [PMID: 37482801 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2306.06040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The western honeybee Apis mellifera L., a vital crop pollinator and producer of honey and royal jelly, faces numerous threats including diseases, chemicals, and mite infestations, causing widespread concern. While extensive research has explored the link between gut microbiota and their hosts. However, the impact of Varroa destructor infestation remains understudied. In this study, we employed massive parallel amplicon sequencing assays to examine the diversity and structure of gut microbial communities in adult bee groups, comparing healthy (NG) and Varroa-infested (VG) samples. Additionally, we analyzed Varroa-infested hives to assess the whole body of larvae. Our results indicated a notable prevalence of the genus Bombella in larvae and the genera Gillamella, unidentified Lactobacillaceae, and Snodgrassella in adult bees. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between NG and VG. Furthermore, our PICRUSt analysis demonstrated distinct KEGG classification patterns between larval and adult bee groups, with larvae displaying a higher abundance of genes involved in cofactor and vitamin production. Notably, despite the complex nature of the honeybee bacterial community, methanogens were found to be present in low abundance in the honeybee microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Kim
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Jae Kim
- Center for Life Science (HCLS), Harbin Institute of Technology, No.92 West Dazhi Street, Nangang District, Harbin City, Hei Longjiang Province, P.R. China
| | - Soo-Je Park
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
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28
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Lang H, Liu Y, Duan H, Zhang W, Hu X, Zheng H. Identification of peptides from honeybee gut symbionts as potential antimicrobial agents against Melissococcus plutonius. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7650. [PMID: 38001079 PMCID: PMC10673953 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43352-6] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Eusocial pollinators are crucial elements in global agriculture. The honeybees and bumblebees are associated with a simple yet host-restricted gut community, which protect the hosts against pathogen infections. Recent genome mining has led to the discovery of biosynthesis pathways of bioactive natural products mediating microbe-microbe interactions from the gut microbiota. Here, we investigate the diversity of biosynthetic gene clusters in the bee gut microbiota by analyzing 477 genomes from cultivated bacteria and metagenome-assembled genomes. We identify 744 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) covering multiple chemical classes. While gene clusters for the post-translationally modified peptides are widely distributed in the bee guts, the distribution of the BGC classes varies significantly in different bee species among geographic locations, which is attributed to the strain-level variation of bee gut members in the chemical repertoire. Interestingly, we find that Gilliamella strains possessing a thiopeptide-like BGC show potent activity against the pathogenic Melissococcus plutonius. The spectrometry-guided genome mining reveals a RiPP-encoding BGC from Gilliamella with a 10 amino acid-long core peptide exhibiting antibacterial potentials. This study illustrates the widespread small-molecule-encoding BGCs in the bee gut symbionts and provides insights into the bacteria-derived natural products as potential antimicrobial agents against pathogenic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Lang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Yuwen Liu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Huijuan Duan
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaosong Hu
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 100083, Beijing, China.
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29
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Deng Y, Pan J, Yang X, Yang S, Chi H, Yang X, Qu X, Sun S, You L, Hou C. Dual roles of nanocrystalline cellulose extracted from jute ( Corchorus olitorius L.) leaves in resisting antibiotics and protecting probiotics. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:6435-6448. [PMID: 38024324 PMCID: PMC10662138 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00345k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics can cure diseases caused by bacterial infections, but their widespread use can have some side effects, such as probiotic reduction. There is an urgent need for such agents that can not only alleviate the damage caused by antibiotics, but also maintain the balance of the gut microbiota. In this study, we first characterized the nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) extracted from plant jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) leaves. Next, we evaluated the protective effect of jute NCC and cellulose on human model gut bacteria (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Escherichia coli) under antibiotic stress by measuring bacterial growth and colony forming units. We found that NCC is more effective than cellulose in adsorbing antibiotics and defending the gut bacteria E. coli. Interestingly, the low-dose jute NCC clearly maintained the balance of key gut bacteria like Snodgrassella alvi and Lactobacillus Firm-4 in bees treated with tetracycline and reduced the toxicity caused by antibiotics. It also showed a more significant protective effect on human gut bacteria, especially L. rhamnosus, than cellulose. This study first demonstrated that low-dose NCC performed satisfactorily as a specific probiotic to mitigate the adverse effects of antibiotics on gut bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Deng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Jiangpeng Pan
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Xiai Yang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Sa Yang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing 100093 P. R. China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Beijing 100081 P. R. China
| | - Haiyang Chi
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Xiushi Yang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Xiaoxin Qu
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Shitao Sun
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
| | - Linfeng You
- Department of Food and Biotechnology Engineering, Chongqing Technology and Business University Chongqing 400067 P. R. China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha 410205 P. R. China
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30
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Deng Y, Yang X, Chen J, Yang S, Chi H, Chen C, Yang X, Hou C. Jute ( Corchorus olitorius L.) Nanocrystalline Cellulose Inhibits Insect Virus via Gut Microbiota and Metabolism. ACS NANO 2023; 17:21662-21677. [PMID: 37906569 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Natural plant nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), exhibiting a number of exceptional performance characteristics, is widely used in food fields. However, little is known about the relationship between NCC and the antiviral effect in animals. Here, we tested the function of NCC in antiviral methods utilizing honey bees as the model organism employing Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), a typical RNA virus of honey bees. In both the lab and the field, we fed the IAPV-infected bees various doses of jute NCC (JNCC) under carefully controlled conditions. We found that JNCC can reduce IAPV proliferation and improve gut health. The metagenome profiling suggested that IAPV infection significantly decreased the abundance of gut core bacteria, while JNCC therapy considerably increased the abundance of the gut core bacteria Snodgrassella alvi and Lactobacillus Firm-4. Subsequent metabolome analysis further revealed that JNCC promoted the biosynthesis of fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, accelerated the purine metabolism, and then increased the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and the genes involved in the Wnt and apoptosis signaling pathways against IAPV infection. Our results highlighted that JNCC could be considered as a prospective candidate agent against a viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Deng
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Xiai Yang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Jiquan Chen
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Sa Yang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, P. R. China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P. R. China
| | - Haiyang Chi
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Chenxiao Chen
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Xiushi Yang
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
| | - Chunsheng Hou
- Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha 410205, P. R. China
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31
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Upfold J, Rejasse A, Nielsen-Leroux C, Jensen AB, Sanchis-Borja V. The immunostimulatory role of an Enterococcus-dominated gut microbiota in host protection against bacterial and fungal pathogens in Galleria mellonella larvae. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:1260333. [PMID: 38469511 PMCID: PMC10926436 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1260333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the intricate interplay between the gut microbiota and the immune response in insects is crucial, given its diverse impact on the pathogenesis of various microbial species. The microbiota's modulation of the host immune system is one such mechanism, although its complete impact on immune responses remains elusive. This study investigated the tripartite interaction between the gut microbiota, pathogens, and the host's response in Galleria mellonella larvae reared under axenic (sterile) and conventional (non-sterile) conditions. The influence of the microbiota on host fitness during infections was evaluated via two different routes: oral infection induced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. galleriae (Btg), and topical infection induced by Metarhizium robertsii (Mr). We observed that larvae without a microbiota can successfully fulfill their life cycle, albeit with more variation in their developmental time. We subsequently performed survival assays on final-instar larvae, using the median lethal dose (LD50) of Btg and Mr. Our findings indicated that axenic larvae were more vulnerable to an oral infection of Btg; specifically, a dose that was calculated to be half-lethal for the conventional group resulted in a 90%-100% mortality rate in the axenic group. Through a dual-analysis experimental design, we could identify the status of the gut microbiota using 16S rRNA sequencing and assess the level of immune-related gene expression in the same group of larvae at basal conditions and during infection. This analysis revealed that the microbiota of our conventionally reared population was dominated entirely by four Enterococcus species, and these species potentially stimulated the immune response in the gut, due to the increased basal expression of two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs)-gallerimycin and gloverin-in the conventional larvae compared with the axenic larvae. Furthermore, Enterococcus mundtii, isolated from the gut of conventional larvae, showed inhibition activity against Btg in vitro. Lastly, other immune effectors, namely, phenoloxidase activity in the hemolymph and total reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in the gut, were tested to further investigate the extent of the stimulation of the microbiota on the immune response. These findings highlight the immune-modulatory role of the Enterococcus-dominated gut microbiota, an increasingly reported microbiota assemblage of laboratory populations of Lepidoptera, and its influence on the host's response to oral and topical infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Upfold
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Agnès Rejasse
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Annette Bruun Jensen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Vincent Sanchis-Borja
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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Fan X, Gao X, Zang H, Guo S, Jing X, Zhang Y, Liu X, Zou P, Chen M, Huang Z, Chen D, Guo R. Diverse Regulatory Manners and Potential Roles of lncRNAs in the Developmental Process of Asian Honey Bee ( Apis cerana) Larval Guts. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15399. [PMID: 37895079 PMCID: PMC10607868 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators in a variety of biological processes, such as gene expression, development, and immune defense. However, little is known about the function of lncRNAs in the development of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) larval guts. Here, on the basis of our previously obtained deep-sequencing data from the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts of A. cerana workers (Ac4, Ac5, and Ac6 groups), an in-depth transcriptome-wide investigation was conducted to decipher the expression pattern, regulatory manners, and potential roles of lncRNAs during the developmental process of A. cerana worker larval guts, followed by the verification of the relative expression of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and the targeting relationships within a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) axis. In the Ac4 vs. Ac5 and Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison groups, 527 and 498 DElncRNAs were identified, respectively, which is suggestive of the dynamic expression of lncRNAs during the developmental process of larval guts. A cis-acting analysis showed that 330 and 393 neighboring genes of the aforementioned DElncRNAs were respectively involved in 29 and 32 functional terms, such as cellular processes and metabolic processes; these neighboring genes were also respectively engaged in 246 and 246 pathways such as the Hedgehog signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, it was found that 79 and 76 DElncRNAs as potential antisense lncRNAs may, respectively, interact with 72 and 60 sense-strand mRNAs. An investigation of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks suggested that 75 (155) DElncRNAs in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 (Ac5 vs. Ac6) comparison group could target 7 (5) DEmiRNAs and further bind to 334 (248) DEmRNAs, which can be annotated to 33 (29) functional terms and 186 (210) pathways, including 12 (16) cellular- and humoral-immune pathways (lysosome pathway, necroptosis, MAPK signaling pathway, etc.) and 11 (10) development-associated signaling pathways (Wnt, Hippo, AMPK, etc.). The RT-qPCR detection of five randomly selected DElncRNAs confirmed the reliability of the used sequencing data. Moreover, the results of a dual-luciferase reporter assay were indicative of the binding relationship between MSTRG.11294.1 and miR-6001-y and between miR-6001-y and ncbi_107992440. These results demonstrate that DElncRNAs are likely to modulate the developmental process of larval guts via the regulation of the source genes' transcription, interaction with mRNAs, and ceRNA networks. Our findings not only yield new insights into the developmental mechanism underlying A. cerana larval guts, but also provide a candidate ceRNA axis for further functional dissection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xuze Gao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - He Zang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Sijia Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xin Jing
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Yiqiong Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Peiyuan Zou
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Mengjun Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Zhijian Huang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; (X.F.); (X.G.); (H.Z.); (S.G.); (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (X.L.); (P.Z.); (M.C.); (Z.H.); (D.C.)
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Lazarova S, Lozanova L, Neov B, Shumkova R, Balkanska R, Palova N, Salkova D, Radoslavov G, Hristov P. Composition and diversity of bacterial communities associated with honey bee foragers from two contrasting environments. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 113:693-702. [PMID: 37545319 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee is associated with a diverse community of microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protists), commonly known as the microbiome. Here, we present data on honey bee microbiota from two localities having different surrounding landscapes - mountain (the Rhodope Mountains) and lowland (the Danube plain). The bacterial communities of abdomen of adult bees were studied using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The composition and dominance structure and their variability within and between localities, alpha and beta diversity, and core and differential taxa were compared at different hierarchical levels (operational taxonomic units to phylum). Seven genera (Lactobacillus, Gilliamella, Bifidobacterium, Commensalibacter, Bartonella, Snodgrassella, and Frischella), known to include core gut-associated phylotypes or species clusters, dominated (92-100%) the bacterial assemblages. Significant variations were found in taxa distribution across both geographical regions and within each apiary. Lactobacillus (Firmicutes) prevailed significantly in the mountain locality followed by Gilliamella and Bartonella (Proteobacteria). Bacteria of four genera, core (Bartonella and Lactobacillus) and non-core (Pseudomonas and Morganella), dominated the bee-associated assemblages of the Danube plain locality. Several ubiquitous bacterial genera (e.g., Klebsiella, Serratia, and Providencia), some species known also as potential and opportunistic bee pathogens, had been found in the lowland locality. Beta diversity analyses confirmed the observed differences in the bacterial communities from both localities. The occurrence of non-core taxa contributes substantially to higher microbial richness and diversity in bees from the Danube plain locality. We assume that the observed differences in the microbiota of honey bees from both apiaries are due to a combination of factors specific for each region. The surrounding landscape features of both localities and related vegetation, anthropogenic impact and land use intensity, the beekeeping management practices, and bee health status might all contribute to observed differences in bee microbiota traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stela Lazarova
- Department of Animal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Lyudmila Lozanova
- Department of Ecosystem Research, Environmental Risk Assessment and Conservation Biology, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Boyko Neov
- Department of Animal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Rositsa Shumkova
- Research Centre of Stockbreeding and Agriculture, Agricultural Academy, 4700 Smolyan, Bulgaria
| | - Ralitsa Balkanska
- Department 'Special Branches', Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Academy, 2230 Kostinbrod, Bulgaria
| | - Nadezhda Palova
- Scientific Center of Agriculture, Agricultural Academy, Sredets 8300, Bulgaria
| | - Delka Salkova
- Department of Experimental Parasitology, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Georgi Radoslavov
- Department of Animal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Peter Hristov
- Department of Animal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Huang Y, Li N, Yang C, Lin Y, Wen Y, Zheng L, Zhao C. Honeybee as a food nutrition analysis model of neural development and gut microbiota. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105372. [PMID: 37652394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Research on the relationships between the gut microbiota and the neurophysiology and behavior of animals has grown exponentially in just a few years. Insect behavior may be controlled by molecular mechanisms that are partially homologous to those in mammals, and swarming insects may be suitable as experiment models in these types of investigations. All core gut bacteria in honeybees can be cultivated in vitro. Certain gut microflora of bees can be genetically engineered or sterilized and colonized. The bee gut bacteria model is established more rapidly and has a higher flux than other sterile animal models. It may help elucidate the pathogenesis of intestinal diseases and identify effective molecular therapeutic targets against them. In the present review, we focused on the contributions of the honeybee model in learning cognition and microbiome research. We explored the relationship between honeybee behavior and neurodevelopment and the factors determining the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota affects the host. In particular, we concentrated on the correlation between gut microbiota and brain development. Finally, we examined strategies for the effective use of simple animal models in animal cognition and microbiome research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Huang
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Na Li
- College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Chengfeng Yang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yan Lin
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yuxi Wen
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain
| | - Lingjun Zheng
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
| | - Chao Zhao
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Fujian Province, Institute of Oceanology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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Cheng X, Wang C, Yang J, Liu D, Liao Y, Wang B, Han S, Zhang X, Zheng H, Lu Y. Nanotransducer-Enabled Wireless Spatiotemporal Tuning of Engineered Bacteria in Bumblebee. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2301064. [PMID: 37127882 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are essential pollinators of wild-flowering plants and crops. It is noticed that regulating the gut microorganisms of bumblebees is of great significance for the maintenance of bumblebee health and disease treatment. Additionally, social bees are used as models to study regulatory control methods of gut bacteria in vivo. However, these methods lack precision and are not studied in bumblebees. In this study, nanotransducers are used for wireless spatiotemporal tuning of engineered bacteria in bumblebees. These nanotransducers are designed as 1D chains with smooth surfaces for easy transport in vivo, and temperature-controlled engineered bacteria colonize the guts of microbial-free bumblebees. Thermal production in the bumblebee gut is achieved using magnetothermal and photothermal methods in response to nanotransducers, resulting in significant target protein upregulation in engineered bacteria in the bumblebee gut. This advanced technology enables the precise control of engineered bacteria in the bumblebee gut. It also lays the foundation for the treatment of bumblebee intestinal parasitic diseases and the elimination of pesticide residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Cheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Junzhu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuting Liao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Sanyang Han
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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Zaghloul HAH, El Halfawy NM. Whole genome analyses of toxicants tolerance genes of Apis mellifera gut-derived Enterococcus faecium strains. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:479. [PMID: 37620768 PMCID: PMC10463970 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09590-0] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Because of its social nature, the honeybee is regularly exposed to environmental toxicants such as heavy metals and xenobiotics. These toxicants are known to exert strong selective pressure on the gut microbiome's structure and diversity. For example, resistant microbial members are more likely to dominate in maintaining a stable microbiome, which is critical for bee health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from bee guts for their in vitro growth and tolerability to diverse heavy metals and xenobiotics. An additional aim was to analyze the genomes of E. faecium isolates to assess the molecular bases of resistance and compare them with E. faecium species isolated from other environmental sources. RESULTS The E. faecium bee isolates were able to tolerate high levels (up to 200 mg/L) of toxicants, including cadmium, zinc, benzoate, phenol and hexane. Moreover, the isolates could tolerate toluene and copper at up to 100 mg/L. The genome of E. faecium Am5, isolated from the larval stage of Apis mellifera gut, was about 2.7 Mb in size, had a GC content of 37.9% and 2,827 predicted coding sequences. Overall, the Am5 genome features were comparable with previously sequenced bee-gut isolates, E. faecium Am1, Bee9, SM21, and H7. The genomes of the bee isolates provided insight into the observed heavy metal tolerance. For example, heavy metal tolerance and/or regulation genes were present, including czcD (cobalt/zinc/cadmium resistance), cadA (exporting ATPase), cutC (cytoplasmic copper homeostasis) and zur (zinc uptake regulation). Additionally, genes associated with nine KEGG xenobiotic biodegradation pathways were detected, including γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, benzoate, biphenyl, bisphenol A, tetrachloroethene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, trinitrotoluene and caprolactam. Interestingly, a comparative genomics study demonstrated the conservation of toxicant resistance genes across a variety of E. faecium counterparts isolated from other environmental sources such as non-human mammals, humans, avians, and marine animals. CONCLUSIONS Honeybee gut-derived E. faecium strains can tolerate a variety of heavy metals. Moreover, their genomes encode many xenobiotic biodegradation pathways. Further research is required to examine E. faecium strains potential to boost host resistance to environmental toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heba A H Zaghloul
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bek 21511, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Nancy M El Halfawy
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Moharam Bek 21511, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Qi S, Dong S, Fan M, Xue X, Wu L, Wang P. Stress Response in the Honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) Gut Induced by Chlorinated Paraffins at Residue Levels Found in Bee Products. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:11442-11451. [PMID: 37490655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) have become global pollutants and are of considerable concern as a result of their persistence and long-distance transmission in the environment and toxicity to mammals. However, their risks to pollinating insects are unknown. Honeybees are classical pollinators and sensitive indicators of environmental pollution. Herein, the effects of CPs on the gut microenvironment and underlying mechanisms were evaluated and explored using Apis mellifera L. Both short- and medium-chain CPs had significant sublethal effects on honeybees at a residue dose of 10 mg/L detected in bee products but did not significantly alter the composition or diversity of the gut microbiota. However, this concentration did induce significant immune, detoxification, and antioxidation responses and metabolic imbalances in the midgut. The mechanisms of CP toxicity in bees are complicated by the complex composition of these chemicals, but this study indicated that CPs could substantially affect intestinal physiology and metabolic homeostasis. Therefore, CPs in the environment could have long-lasting impacts on bee health. Future studies are encouraged to identify novel bioindicators of CP exposure to detect early contamination and uncover the detailed mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of CPs on living organisms, especially pollinating insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzhen Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Shujun Dong
- Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Man Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofeng Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Liming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Peilong Wang
- Institute of Quality Standards and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China
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Ben-Miled H, Semmar N, Castellanos MS, Ben-Mahrez K, Benoit-Biancamano MO, Réjiba S. Effect of honey bee forage plants in Tunisia on diversity and antibacterial potential of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria from Apis mellifera intermissa and its products. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:295. [PMID: 37480514 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03630-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria (LAB and Bifido), isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Apis mellifera intermissa (BGIT), honey (H), propolis (P) and bee bread (BB) of hives set in different vegetations (wildflowers, caraway, orange blossom, Marrubium vulgare, Eucalyptus and Erica cinerea), were subjected to analysis of their antibacterial potential. Isolates able to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus were selected and identified with MALDI-TOF MS leading to 154 strains representing 12 LAB and Bifido species. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus faecalis were predominantly found in all matrices. BGIT showed the highest LAB and Bifido diversity with exclusive occurrences of five species (including Bifidobacterium asteroides and Limosilactobacillus fermentum). Honey was the second origin harboring an important variety of LAB species of which Apilactobacillus kunkeei and Enterococcus mundtii were characteristic of both H and BGIT. Principal components analysis revealed associations between antibacterial activities of LAB and Bifido, matrices and honey bee forage plants. Inhibition trends of S. aureus and Citrobacter freundii were highlighted with: L. plantarum from BGIT, P, H of bees feeding on E. cinerea; Pediococcus pentosaceus from BGIT, P, BB associated with E. cinerea; and Bifidobacterium asteroides from BGIT/orange blossom system. However, Enterococcus faecium associated with BGIT/Eucalyptus system antagonized Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Our findings highlighted noteworthy effects of bee forage plants on the antibacterial activity of LAB and Bifido. Our approach could be useful to identify multiple conditions promoting antibacterial potency of LAB and Bifido under the combined effects of feeding plants and living matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houda Ben-Miled
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory LR01ES05, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nabil Semmar
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Biomathematics and Biostatistics (BIMS), Pasteur Institute of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Miguel Sautié Castellanos
- Plateforme IA-Agrosanté, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Kamel Ben-Mahrez
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory LR01ES05, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano
- Groupe de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses en Production Animale (GREMIP), Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Samia Réjiba
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology Laboratory LR01ES05, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia.
- Higher Institute of Biotechnology, Biotechpole of Sidi Thabet, Sidi Thabet, BP-66, 2020, Ariana, Tunis, Tunisia.
- University of Manouba, 2010, Manouba, Tunis, Tunisia.
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Motta EVS, Arnott RLW, Moran NA. Caffeine Consumption Helps Honey Bees Fight a Bacterial Pathogen. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0052023. [PMID: 37212661 PMCID: PMC10269917 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00520-23] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Caffeine has long been used as a stimulant by humans. Although this secondary metabolite is produced by some plants as a mechanism of defense against herbivores, beneficial or detrimental effects of such consumption are usually associated with dose. The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, can also be exposed to caffeine when foraging at Coffea and Citrus plants, and low doses as are found in the nectar of these plants seem to boost memory learning and ameliorate parasite infection in bees. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeine consumption on the gut microbiota of honey bees and on susceptibility to bacterial infection. We performed in vivo experiments in which honey bees, deprived of or colonized with their native microbiota, were exposed to nectar-relevant concentrations of caffeine for a week, then challenged with the bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. We found that caffeine consumption did not impact the gut microbiota or survival rates of honey bees. Moreover, microbiota-colonized bees exposed to caffeine were more resistant to infection and exhibited increased survival rates compared to microbiota-colonized or microbiota-deprived bees only exposed to the pathogen. Our findings point to an additional benefit of caffeine consumption in honey bee health by protecting against bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE The consumption of caffeine is a remarkable feature of the human diet. Common drinks, such as coffee and tea, contain caffeine as a stimulant. Interestingly, honey bees also seem to like caffeine. They are usually attracted to the low concentrations of caffeine found in nectar and pollen of Coffea plants, and consumption improves learning and memory retention, as well as protects against viruses and fungal parasites. In this study, we expanded these findings by demonstrating that caffeine can improve survival rates of honey bees infected with Serratia marcescens, a bacterial pathogen known to cause sepsis in animals. However, this beneficial effect was only observed when bees were colonized with their native gut microbiota, and caffeine seemed not to directly affect the gut microbiota or survival rates of bees. Our findings suggest a potential synergism between caffeine and gut microbial communities in protection against bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick V. S. Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan L. W. Arnott
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nancy A. Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Bazukyan I, Georgieva-Miteva D, Velikova T, Dimov SG. In Silico Probiogenomic Characterization of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis A4 Strain Isolated from an Armenian Honeybee Gut. INSECTS 2023; 14:540. [PMID: 37367356 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
A Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain named A4, isolated from the gut of an Armenian honeybee, was subjected to a probiogenomic characterization because of its unusual origin. A whole-genome sequencing was performed, and the bioinformatic analysis of its genome revealed a reduction in the genome size and the number of the genes-a process typical for the adaptation to endosymbiotic conditions. Further analysis of the genome revealed that Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain named A4 could play the role of a probiotic endosymbiont because of the presence of intact genetic sequences determining antioxidant properties, exopolysaccharides synthesis, adhesion properties, and biofilm formation, as well as an antagonistic activity against some pathogens which is not due to pH or bacteriocins production. Additionally, the genomic analysis revealed significant potential for stress tolerance, such as extreme pH, osmotic stress, and high temperature. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a potentially endosymbiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain adapted to and playing beneficial roles for its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Bazukyan
- Faculty of Biology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | | | - Tsvetelina Velikova
- Medical Faculty, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, 1 Kozyak Str., 1407 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Svetoslav G Dimov
- Faculty of Biology, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, 8 Dragan Tzankov Str., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Gu Y, Han W, Wang Y, Liang D, Gao J, Zhong Y, Zhao S, Wang S. Xylocopa caerulea and Xylocopa auripennis harbor a homologous gut microbiome related to that of eusocial bees. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1124964. [PMID: 37266019 PMCID: PMC10229870 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1124964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Eusocial bees, such as bumblebees and honey bees, harbor host-specific gut microbiota through their social behaviors. Conversely, the gut microbiota of solitary bees is erratic owing to their lack of eusocial activities. Carpenter bees (genus Xylocopa) are long-lived bees that do not exhibit advanced eusociality like honey bees. However, they often compete for nests to reproduce. Xylocopa caerulea and Xylocopa auripennis are important pollinators of wild plants on Hainan Island. Whether they have host-specific bacteria in their guts similar to eusocial bees remains unknown. Methods We targeted the bacterial 16S rRNA V3-V4 region to investigate the diversity of bacterial symbionts in the fore-midgut and hindgut of two carpenter bees, X. caerulea and X. auripennis. Results A maximum of 4,429 unique amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected from all samples, belonging to 10 different phyla. X. caerulea and X. auripennis shared similar bacterial community profiles, with Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Orbaceae being dominant in their entire guts. X. caerulea and X. auripennis harbor a highly conserved core set of bacteria, including the genera Candidatus Schmidhempelia and Bombiscardovia. These two bacterial taxa from carpenter bees are closely related to those isolated from bumblebees. The LEfSe analysis showed that Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and the genus Bombilactobacillus were significantly enriched in the hindguts of both carpenter bees. Functional prediction suggested that the most enriched pathways were involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Conclusions Our results revealed the structure of the gut microbiota in two carpenter bees and confirmed the presence of some core bacterial taxa that were previously only found in the guts of social bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Gu
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Wensu Han
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Yuquan Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Danlei Liang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinglin Gao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Yihai Zhong
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shan Zhao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shijie Wang
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
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Fan X, Zhang W, Guo S, Zhu L, Zhang Y, Zhao H, Gao X, Jiang H, Zhang T, Chen D, Guo R, Niu Q. Expression Profile, Regulatory Network, and Putative Role of microRNAs in the Developmental Process of Asian Honey Bee Larval Guts. INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14050469. [PMID: 37233097 DOI: 10.3390/insects14050469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
MiRNAs, as a kind of key regulators in gene expression, play vital roles in numerous life activities from cellular proliferation and differentiation to development and immunity. However, little is known about the regulatory manner of miRNAs in the development of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) guts. Here, on basis of our previously gained high-quality transcriptome data, transcriptome-wide identification of miRNAs in the larval guts of Apis cerana cerana was conducted, followed by investigation of the miRNAs' differential expression profile during the gut development. In addition to the regulatory network, the potential function of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) was further analyzed. In total, 330, 351, and 321 miRNAs were identified in the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts, respectively; among these, 257 miRNAs were shared, while 38, 51, and 36 ones were specifically expressed. Sequences of six miRNAs were confirmed by stem-loop RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Additionally, in the "Ac4 vs. Ac5" comparison group, there were seven up-regulated and eight down-regulated miRNAs; these DEmiRNAs could target 5041 mRNAs, involving a series of GO terms and KEGG pathways associated with growth and development, such as cellular process, cell part, Wnt, and Hippo. Comparatively, four up-regulated and six down-regulated miRNAs detected in the "Ac5 vs. Ac6" comparison group and the targets were associated with diverse development-related terms and pathways, including cell, organelle, Notch and Wnt. Intriguingly, it was noticed that miR-6001-y presented a continuous up-regulation trend across the developmental process of larval guts, implying that miR-6001-y may be a potential essential modulator in the development process of larval guts. Further investigation indicated that 43 targets in the "Ac4 vs. Ac5" comparison group and 31 targets in the "Ac5 vs. Ac6" comparison group were engaged in several crucial development-associated signaling pathways such as Wnt, Hippo, and Notch. Ultimately, the expression trends of five randomly selected DEmiRNAs were verified using RT-qPCR. These results demonstrated that dynamic expression and structural alteration of miRNAs were accompanied by the development of A. c. cerana larval guts, and DEmiRNAs were likely to participate in the modulation of growth as well as development of larval guts by affecting several critical pathways via regulation of the expression of target genes. Our data offer a basis for elucidating the developmental mechanism underlying Asian honey bee larval guts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Fan
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wende Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Sijia Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Leran Zhu
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yiqiong Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Haodong Zhao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xuze Gao
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Haibin Jiang
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132000, China
| | - Tianze Zhang
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Dafu Chen
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Rui Guo
- College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- Apitherapy Research Institute of Fujian Province, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Qingsheng Niu
- Apiculture Science Institute of Jilin Province, Jilin 132000, China
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Han W, Ye Z, Gu Y, Zhong Y, Gao J, Zhao S, Wang S. Gut microbiota composition and gene expression changes induced in the Apis cerana exposed to acetamiprid and difenoconazole at environmentally realistic concentrations alone or combined. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1174236. [PMID: 37256066 PMCID: PMC10226273 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1174236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Apis cerana is an important pollinator of agricultural crops in China. In the agricultural environment, A. cerana may be exposed to acetamiprid (neonicotinoid insecticide) and difenoconazole (triazole fungicide), alone or in combination because they are commonly applied to various crops. At present, our understanding of the toxicological effects of acetamiprid and difenoconazole on honey bee gut microbiomes is limited. The primary objective of this study was to explore whether these two pesticides affect honey bees' gut microbiota and to analyze the transcriptional effects of these two pesticides on honey bees' head and gut. In this study, adults of A. cerana were exposed to acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole by contaminated syrup at field-realistic concentrations for 10 days. Results indicated that acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole chronic exposure did not affect honey bees' survival and food consumption, whereas difenoconazole decreased the weight of honey bees. 16S rRNA sequencing suggested that difenoconazole and the mixture of difenoconazole and acetamiprid decreased the diversity index and shaped the composition of gut bacteria microbiota, whereas acetamiprid did not impact the gut bacterial community. The ITS sequence data showed that neither of the two pesticides affected the fungal community structure. Meanwhile, we also observed that acetamiprid or difenoconazole significantly altered the expression of genes related to detoxification and immunity in honey bees' tissues. Furthermore, we observed that the adverse effect of the acetamiprid and difenoconazole mixture on honey bees' health was greater than that of a single mixture. Taken together, our study demonstrates that acetamiprid and/or difenoconazole exposure at field-realistic concentrations induced changes to the honey bee gut microbiome and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wensu Han
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Zheyuan Ye
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Yifan Gu
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, China
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yihai Zhong
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Jinglin Gao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shan Zhao
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
| | - Shijie Wang
- Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
- Bee Industry Technology Research Center, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China
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Anderson KE, Ricigliano VA, Copeland DC, Mott BM, Maes P. Social Interaction is Unnecessary for Hindgut Microbiome Transmission in Honey Bees: The Effect of Diet and Social Exposure on Tissue-Specific Microbiome Assembly. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:1498-1513. [PMID: 35499645 PMCID: PMC10167169 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02025-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees are a model for host-microbial interactions with experimental designs evolving towards conventionalized worker bees. Research on gut microbiome transmission and assembly has examined only a fraction of factors associated with the colony and hive environment. Here, we studied the effects of diet and social isolation on tissue-specific bacterial and fungal colonization of the midgut and two key hindgut regions. We found that both treatment factors significantly influenced early hindgut colonization explaining similar proportions of microbiome variation. In agreement with previous work, social interaction with older workers was unnecessary for core hindgut bacterial transmission. Exposure to natural eclosion and fresh stored pollen resulted in gut bacterial communities that were taxonomically and structurally equivalent to those produced in the natural colony setting. Stressed diets of no pollen or autoclaved pollen in social isolation resulted in decreased fungal abundance and bacterial diversity, and atypical microbiome structure and tissue-specific variation of functionally important core bacteria. Without exposure to the active hive environment, the abundance and strain diversity of keystone ileum species Gilliamella apicola was markedly reduced. These changes were associated with significantly larger ileum microbiotas suggesting that extended exposure to the active hive environment plays an antibiotic role in hindgut microbiome establishment. We conclude that core hindgut microbiome transmission is facultative horizontal with 5 of 6 core hindgut species readily acquired from the built hive structure and natural diet. Our findings contribute novel insights into factors influencing assembly and maintenance of honey bee gut microbiota and facilitate future experimental designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirk E Anderson
- ARS-USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
| | - Vincent A Ricigliano
- ARS-USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
- ARS-USDA Honey Bee Breeding Genetics and Physiology Research, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820, USA
| | - Duan C Copeland
- Department of Microbiology, School of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Brendon M Mott
- ARS-USDA Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, 2000 E. Allen Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Patrick Maes
- Department of Entomology and Center for Insect Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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Fernandez De Landa G, Alberoni D, Baffoni L, Fernandez De Landa M, Revainera PD, Porrini LP, Brasesco C, Quintana S, Zumpano F, Eguaras MJ, Maggi MD, Di Gioia D. The gut microbiome of solitary bees is mainly affected by pathogen assemblage and partially by land use. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:38. [PMID: 37098635 PMCID: PMC10131457 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00494-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Pollinators, including solitary bees, are drastically declining worldwide. Among the factors contributing to this decline, bee pathogens and different land uses are of relevance. The link between the gut microbiome composition and host health has been recently studied for social pollinators (e.g. honeybees), whereas the information related to solitary bees is sparse. This work aimed at the characterization of the gut microbiome of the solitary bees Xylocopa augusti, Eucera fervens and Lasioglossum and attempted to correlate the gut microbial composition with the presence and load of different pathogens and land uses. Solitary bees were sampled in different sites (i.e. a farm, a natural reserve, and an urban plant nursery) showing different land uses. DNA was extracted from the gut, 16S rRNA gene amplified and sequenced. Eight pathogens, known for spillover from managed bees to wild ones, were quantified with qPCR. The results showed that the core microbiome profile of the three solitary bees significantly varied in the different species. Pseudomonas was found as the major core taxa in all solitary bees analyzed, whereas Lactobacillus, Spiroplasma and Sodalis were the second most abundant taxa in X. augusti, E. fervens and Lasioglossum, respectively. The main pathogens detected with qPCR were Nosema ceranae, Nosema bombi and Crithidia bombi, although differently abundant in the different bee species and sampling sites. Most microbial taxa did not show any correlation with the land use, apart from Snodgrassella and Nocardioides, showing higher abundances on less anthropized sites. Conversely, the pathogens species and load strongly affected the gut microbial composition, with Bifidobacterium, Apibacter, Serratia, Snodgrassella and Sodalis abundance that positively or negatively correlated with the detected pathogens load. Therefore, pathogens presence and load appear to be the main factor shaping the gut microbiome of solitary bees in Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Fernandez De Landa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Daniele Alberoni
- 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
| | - Mateo Fernandez De Landa
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Pablo Damian Revainera
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Leonardo Pablo Porrini
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Constanza Brasesco
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Silvina Quintana
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Francisco Zumpano
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Funes 3350, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-CONICET, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martìn Javier Eguaras
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Matias Daniel Maggi
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, , Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Diana Di Gioia
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127, Bologna, Italy
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Axenic and gnotobiotic insect technologies in research on host-microbiota interactions. Trends Microbiol 2023:S0966-842X(23)00055-0. [PMID: 36906503 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Insects are one of the most important animal life forms on earth. Symbiotic microbes are closely related to the growth and development of the host insects and can affect pathogen transmission. For decades, various axenic insect-rearing systems have been developed, allowing further manipulation of symbiotic microbiota composition. Here we review the historical development of axenic rearing systems and the latest progress in using axenic and gnotobiotic approaches to study insect-microbe interactions. We also discuss the challenges of these emerging technologies, possible solutions to address these challenges, and future research directions that can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of insect-microbe interactions.
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Sinpoo C, In-on A, Noirungsee N, Attasopa K, Chantawannakul P, Chaimanee V, Phokasem P, Ling TC, Purahong W, Disayathanoowat T. Microbial community profiling and culturing reveal functional groups of bacteria associated with Thai commercial stingless worker bees (Tetragonula pagdeni). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280075. [PMID: 36857385 PMCID: PMC9977063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Stingless bees play a crucial role in the environment and agriculture as they are effective pollinators. Furthermore, they can produce various products that can be exploited economically, such as propolis and honey. Despite their economic value, the knowledge of microbial community of stingless bees, and their roles on the bees' health, especially in Thailand, are in its infancy. This study aimed to investigate the composition and the functions of bacterial community associated with Tetragonula pagdeni stingless bees using culture-independent and culture-dependent approaches with emphasis on lactic acid bacteria. The culture-independent results showed that the dominant bacterial phyla were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The most abundant families were Lactobacillaceae and Halomonadaceae. Functional prediction indicated that the prevalent functions of bacterial communities were chemoheterotrophy and fermentation. In addition, the bacterial community might be able to biosynthesize amino acid and antimicrobial compounds. Further isolation and characterization resulted in isolates that belonged to the dominant taxa of the community and possessed potentially beneficial metabolic activity. This suggested that they are parts of the nutrient acquisition and host defense bacterial functional groups in Thai commercial stingless bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chainarong Sinpoo
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Ammarin In-on
- Bioinformatics & Systems Biology Program, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (Bang Khun Thian Campus), Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nuttapol Noirungsee
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Korrawat Attasopa
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Panuwan Chantawannakul
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Veeranan Chaimanee
- Department of Agro-Industrial Biotechnology, Maejo University Phrae Campus, Rong Kwang, Phrae, Thailand
| | - Patcharin Phokasem
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Tial Cung Ling
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Witoon Purahong
- Department of Soil Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Halle (Saale), Germany
- * E-mail: (WP); (TD)
| | - Terd Disayathanoowat
- Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- * E-mail: (WP); (TD)
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The promise of probiotics in honeybee health and disease management. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:73. [PMID: 36705763 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03416-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Over the last decades, losses of bee populations have been observed worldwide. A panoply of biotic and abiotic factors, as well as the interplay among them, has been suggested to be responsible for bee declines, but definitive causes have not yet been identified. Among pollinators, the honeybee Apis mellifera is threatened by various diseases and environmental stresses, which have been shown to impact the insect gut microbiota that is known to be fundamental for host metabolism, development and immunity. Aimed at preserving the gut homeostasis, many researches are currently focusing on improving the honeybee health through the administration of probiotics e.g., by boosting the innate immune response against microbial infections. Here, we review the knowledge available on the characterization of the microbial diversity associated to honeybees and the use of probiotic symbionts as a promising approach to maintain honeybee fitness, sustaining a healthy gut microbiota and enhancing its crucial relationship with the host immune system.
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Al Naggar Y, Sayes CM, Collom C, Ayorinde T, Qi S, El-Seedi HR, Paxton RJ, Wang K. Chronic Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastic Fragments Has No Effect on Honey Bee Survival, but Reduces Feeding Rate and Body Weight. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11020100. [PMID: 36850975 PMCID: PMC9963634 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11020100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), in the form of fragments and fibers, were recently found in honey samples collected in Ecuador as well as in honey bees collected from Denmark and China. However, little is known about how MPs impact bee health. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the potential toxicity of irregularly shaped polystyrene (PS)-MP fragments on honey bee health. In the first experiment of its kind with honey bees, we chronically exposed bees with a well-established gut microbiome to small (27 ± 17 µm) or large (93 ± 25 µm) PS-MP fragments at varying concentrations (1, 10, 100 µg mL-1) for 14 days. Bee mortality, food consumption, and body weight were all studied. We found that chronic exposure to PS-MP fragments has no effect on honey bee survival, but reduced the feeding rate and body weight, particularly at 10 µg PS-MP fragments per mL, which may have long-term consequences for honey bee health. The findings of this study could assist in the risk assessment of MPs on pollinator health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Al Naggar
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Christie M. Sayes
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Clancy Collom
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Taiwo Ayorinde
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Suzhen Qi
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 591, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom 32512, Egypt
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Kai Wang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
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Decker LE, San Juan PA, Warren ML, Duckworth CE, Gao C, Fukami T. Higher Variability in Fungi Compared to Bacteria in the Foraging Honey Bee Gut. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 34997310 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.20.348128] [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] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Along with bacteria, fungi can represent a significant component of animal- and plant-associated microbial communities. However, we have only begun to describe these fungi, much less examine their effects on most animals and plants. Bacteria associated with the honey bee, Apis mellifera, have been well characterized across different regions of the gut. The mid- and hindgut of foraging bees house a deterministic set of core species that affect host health, whereas the crop, or the honey stomach, harbors a more diverse set of bacteria that is highly variable in composition among individual bees. Whether this contrast between the two regions of the gut also applies to fungi remains unclear despite their potential influence on host health. In honey bees caught foraging at four sites across the San Francisco Peninsula of California, we found that fungi were less distinct in species composition between the crop and the mid- and hindgut than bacteria. Unlike bacteria, fungi varied substantially in species composition throughout the honey bee gut, and much of this variation could be predicted by the location where we collected the bees. These observations suggest that fungi may be transient passengers and unimportant as gut symbionts. However, our findings also indicate that honey bees could be vectors of infectious plant diseases as many of the fungi we found in the honey bee gut are recognized as plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie E Decker
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA.
| | - Priscilla A San Juan
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Magdalena L Warren
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Cory E Duckworth
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Georgia, 159 Sunset Dr, Health and Natural Sciences Building, Dahlonega, GA, 30597, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Cheng Gao
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 321 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Tadashi Fukami
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA
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