1
|
Li X, Yi S, Chen L, Hafeez M, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Zhou S, Dong W, Huang J, Lu Y. The application of entomopathogenic nematode modified microbial communities within nesting mounds of the red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168748. [PMID: 38008315 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168748] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Entomopathogenic microorganisms (e.g., fungi, bacteria, nematodes) have been widely used in biological control of soil-dwelling pests, including the red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta, a notorious invasive pest worldwide. The application of large amounts of entomopathogenic microorganisms to soil may affect the indigenous soil microbial communities. However, reports about the effect of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) on soil microbial communities are very few. In this study, the effects of EPN on RIFA populations and microbial communities in mounds were investigated. Our results showed that the application of the EPN Steinernema carpocapsae. All strain on mounds efficaciously suppressed RIFA worker populations, without forming significantly more satellite mounds compared with the control treatment. The application of EPN did not impact the bacterial and fungal diversity in soils derived from the RIFA mounds. However, it slightly altered the taxonomic make-up of the bacterial communities, but significantly altered the taxonomic composition of fungal communities at the phylum, family, and genus levels. The abundances of some beneficial bacteria and fungi, such as Streptomyces, decreased, while those of plant and animal pathogenic bacteria and fungi, dramatically increased, after EPN treatment. On the other hand, the abundances of some entomopathogenic fungi, such as Fusicolla, Clonostachys, and Mortierella, increased. Redundancy analysis or canonical correspondence analysis revealed a positive correlation between the efficacious EPN control and the presence of the insect-resistant bacteria, Sinomonas, as well as entomopathogenic fungi Fusicolla and Mortierella. This suggests that the interactions between EPN and entomopathogenic fungi may play a role in the biological control of RIFA. Our discoveries shed light on the interactions among EPN, RIFA, and soil microbial communities, and emphasize a possible mutualistic relationship between EPN and entomopathogenic fungi in the biological control of RIFA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Songwang Yi
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Limin Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Muhammad Hafeez
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Jinming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Shuxing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Wanying Dong
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
| | - Jun Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
| | - Yaobin Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of MOA of China and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China; Institute of Bio-Interaction, Xianghu Laboratory, Hangzhou 311258, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li H, Greening C. Termite-engineered microbial communities of termite nest structures: a new dimension to the extended phenotype. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2022; 46:6631553. [PMID: 35790132 PMCID: PMC9779920 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Termites are a prototypical example of the 'extended phenotype' given their ability to shape their environments by constructing complex nesting structures and cultivating fungus gardens. Such engineered structures provide termites with stable, protected habitats, and nutritious food sources, respectively. Recent studies have suggested that these termite-engineered structures harbour Actinobacteria-dominated microbial communities. In this review, we describe the composition, activities, and consequences of microbial communities associated with termite mounds, other nests, and fungus gardens. Culture-dependent and culture-independent studies indicate that these structures each harbour specialized microbial communities distinct from those in termite guts and surrounding soils. Termites select microbial communities in these structures through various means: opportunistic recruitment from surrounding soils; controlling physicochemical properties of nesting structures; excreting hydrogen, methane, and other gases as bacterial energy sources; and pretreating lignocellulose to facilitate fungal cultivation in gardens. These engineered communities potentially benefit termites by producing antimicrobial compounds, facilitating lignocellulose digestion, and enhancing energetic efficiency of the termite 'metaorganism'. Moreover, mound-associated communities have been shown to be globally significant in controlling emissions of methane and enhancing agricultural fertility. Altogether, these considerations suggest that the microbiomes selected by some animals extend much beyond their bodies, providing a new dimension to the 'extended phenotype'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Li
- Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211. China. E-mail:
| | - Chris Greening
- Corresponding author. Department of Microbiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Travanty NV, Vargo EL, Apperson CS, Ponnusamy L. Colonization by the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, Modifies Soil Bacterial Communities. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022; 84:240-256. [PMID: 34370055 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01826-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The long-standing association between insects and microorganisms has been especially crucial to the evolutionary and ecological success of social insect groups. Notably, research on the interaction of the two social forms (monogyne and polygyne) of the red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, with microbes in its soil habitat is presently limited. In this study, we characterized bacterial microbiomes associated with RIFA nest soils and native (RIFA-negative) soils to better understand the effects of colonization of RIFA on soil microbial communities. Bacterial community fingerprints of 16S rRNA amplicons using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed significant differences in the structure of the bacterial communities between RIFA-positive and RIFA-negative soils at 0 and 10 cm depths. Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons provided fine-scale analysis to test for effects of RIFA colonization, RIFA social form, and soil depth on the composition of the bacterial microbiomes of the soil and RIFA workers. Our results showed the bacterial community structure of RIFA-colonized soils to be significantly different from native soil communities and to evidence elevated abundances of several taxa, including Actinobacteria. Colony social form was not found to be a significant factor in nest or RIFA worker microbiome compositions. RIFA workers and nest soils were determined to have markedly different bacterial communities, with RIFA worker microbiomes being characterized by high abundances of a Bartonella-like endosymbiont and Entomoplasmataceae. Cloning and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the Bartonella sp. to be a novel bacterium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas V Travanty
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA
| | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, NC, 27695, Raleigh, USA.
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Barcoto MO, Rodrigues A. Lessons From Insect Fungiculture: From Microbial Ecology to Plastics Degradation. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:812143. [PMID: 35685924 PMCID: PMC9171207 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.812143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have extensively transformed the biosphere by extracting and disposing of resources, crossing boundaries of planetary threat while causing a global crisis of waste overload. Despite fundamental differences regarding structure and recalcitrance, lignocellulose and plastic polymers share physical-chemical properties to some extent, that include carbon skeletons with similar chemical bonds, hydrophobic properties, amorphous and crystalline regions. Microbial strategies for metabolizing recalcitrant polymers have been selected and optimized through evolution, thus understanding natural processes for lignocellulose modification could aid the challenge of dealing with the recalcitrant human-made polymers spread worldwide. We propose to look for inspiration in the charismatic fungal-growing insects to understand multipartite degradation of plant polymers. Independently evolved in diverse insect lineages, fungiculture embraces passive or active fungal cultivation for food, protection, and structural purposes. We consider there is much to learn from these symbioses, in special from the community-level degradation of recalcitrant biomass and defensive metabolites. Microbial plant-degrading systems at the core of insect fungicultures could be promising candidates for degrading synthetic plastics. Here, we first compare the degradation of lignocellulose and plastic polymers, with emphasis in the overlapping microbial players and enzymatic activities between these processes. Second, we review the literature on diverse insect fungiculture systems, focusing on features that, while supporting insects' ecology and evolution, could also be applied in biotechnological processes. Third, taking lessons from these microbial communities, we suggest multidisciplinary strategies to identify microbial degraders, degrading enzymes and pathways, as well as microbial interactions and interdependencies. Spanning from multiomics to spectroscopy, microscopy, stable isotopes probing, enrichment microcosmos, and synthetic communities, these strategies would allow for a systemic understanding of the fungiculture ecology, driving to application possibilities. Detailing how the metabolic landscape is entangled to achieve ecological success could inspire sustainable efforts for mitigating the current environmental crisis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana O. Barcoto
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Andre Rodrigues
- Center for the Study of Social Insects, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
- Department of General and Applied Biology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chen Y, Zhao C, Zhang D, Zhang S, Zeng W, Li Z. The effect of amending soils with biochar on the microhabitat preferences of Coptotermes formosanus (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 232:113240. [PMID: 35091298 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biochar has attracted worldwide attention owing to its potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil properties, increasing plant growth and so on. While, the assessment of a substantial amount of security is required to determine before biochar is more extensively applied. Our goal was to evaluate the security of biochar by determining the effect of biochar on the preference of soil arthropods for microhabitats. In this study, we examined the effect of varying amounts of biochar on the preference of the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) to microhabitats. In addition, we analyzed key soil characteristics to explore their relevance to the termite preferences. Our results found that when compared with 0% (control soil), there was no preference when 2.5% and 5% of biochar were applied. The application of >5% biochar repelled the termites, which then left these soils. Their fresh weight and rates of survival also decreased. The soil pH increased, but the humidity decreased when >5% of biochar was applied. Soil bacteria composition when biochar was amended at 20% also differed from 0% and 2.5% applications. The relative abundance of Cellvibrio and Flavisolibacter in 20% were significantly higher than 0% and 2.5%, while the relative abundance of Burkholderia, Candidatus_Solibacter, Dyella, Edaphobacter, Fulvimonas and Occallatibacter were significantly lower than them. And the functional results predicted by Bugbase suggested that biochar application can cause an increase in the soil potentially pathogen phenotype. In conclusion, our research indicated that biochar can affect the preference of termites for microhabitats and changes in the characteristics of soil might cause changes in these preferences. In addition, our results suggest that soil that has been amended with >10% biochar has the potential to control termites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Chen
- 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, China
| | - Chongwen Zhao
- 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, China; School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijun Zhang
- 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, China
| | - Wenhui Zeng
- 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, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- 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, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Oliveira JMM, Henriques I, Read DS, Gweon HS, Morgado RG, Peixoto S, Correia A, Soares AMVM, Loureiro S. Gut and faecal bacterial community of the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus: potential use for monitoring exposure scenarios. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:2096-2108. [PMID: 34553289 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02477-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This work aimed to characterize the gut and faeces bacterial communities (BC) of Porcellionides pruinosus using high-throughput sequencing. Isopods were collected from the field and kept in laboratory conditions similar to those normally applied in ecotoxicology tests. Faeces and purged guts of isopods (n = 3 × 30) were analysed by pyrosequencing the V3-V4 region of 16 S rRNA encoding gene. Results showed that gut and faecal BCs were dominated by Proteobacteria, particularly by an OTU (Operational Taxonomic Unit) affiliated to genus Coxiella. Diversity and richness values were statistically higher for faecal BC, mainly due to the occurrence of several low-abundance phylotypes. These results may reflect faecal carriage of bacterial groups that cannot settle in the gut. BCs of P. pruinosus comprised: (1) common members of the soil microbiota, (2) bacterial symbionts, (3) bacteria related to host metabolic/ecological features, and (4) bacterial etiological agents. Comparison of BC of this isopod species with the BC from other invertebrates revealed common bacterial groups across taxa. The baseline information provided by this work will assist the design and data interpretation of future ecotoxicological or biomonitoring assays where the analysis of P. pruinosus BC should be included as an additional indicator. CAPSULE: Terrestrial isopods bacterial communities might support ecotoxicological assays and biomonitoring processes as a valuable tool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta M M Oliveira
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Isabel Henriques
- University of Coimbra, CESAM & Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Calçada Martins de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Daniel S Read
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Hyun S Gweon
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AH, UK
| | - Rui G Morgado
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sara Peixoto
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - António Correia
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Amadeu M V M Soares
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Susana Loureiro
- CESAM- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bayen S, Roy S, Chakraborti D, Mukhopadhyay A, Hazarika LK, Pramanik P, Borchetia S, Mukherjee S. Mutualistic relation of termites with associated microbes for their harmonious survival. Symbiosis 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13199-021-00809-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
8
|
Termite gas emissions select for hydrogenotrophic microbial communities in termite mounds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102625118. [PMID: 34285074 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102625118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Organoheterotrophs are the dominant bacteria in most soils worldwide. While many of these bacteria can subsist on atmospheric hydrogen (H2), levels of this gas are generally insufficient to sustain hydrogenotrophic growth. In contrast, bacteria residing within soil-derived termite mounds are exposed to high fluxes of H2 due to fermentative production within termite guts. Here, we show through community, metagenomic, and biogeochemical profiling that termite emissions select for a community dominated by diverse hydrogenotrophic Actinobacteriota and Dormibacterota. Based on metagenomic short reads and derived genomes, uptake hydrogenase and chemosynthetic RuBisCO genes were significantly enriched in mounds compared to surrounding soils. In situ and ex situ measurements confirmed that high- and low-affinity H2-oxidizing bacteria were highly active in the mounds, such that they efficiently consumed all termite-derived H2 emissions and served as net sinks of atmospheric H2 Concordant findings were observed across the mounds of three different Australian termite species, with termite activity strongly predicting H2 oxidation rates (R 2 = 0.82). Cell-specific power calculations confirmed the potential for hydrogenotrophic growth in the mounds with most termite activity. In contrast, while methane is produced at similar rates to H2 by termites, mounds contained few methanotrophs and were net sources of methane. Altogether, these findings provide further evidence of a highly responsive terrestrial sink for H2 but not methane and suggest H2 availability shapes composition and activity of microbial communities. They also reveal a unique arthropod-bacteria interaction dependent on H2 transfer between host-associated and free-living microbial communities.
Collapse
|
9
|
Moreira EA, Persinoti GF, Menezes LR, Paixão DAA, Alvarez TM, Cairo JPLF, Squina FM, Costa-Leonardo AM, Rodrigues A, Sillam-Dussès D, Arab A. Complementary Contribution of Fungi and Bacteria to Lignocellulose Digestion in the Food Stored by a Neotropical Higher Termite. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.632590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lignocellulose digestion in termites is achieved through the functional synergy between gut symbionts and host enzymes. However, some species have evolved additional associations with nest microorganisms that collaborate in the decomposition of plant biomass. In a previous study, we determined that plant material packed with feces inside the nests of Cornitermes cumulans (Syntermitinae) harbors a distinct microbial assemblage. These food nodules also showed a high hemicellulolytic activity, possibly acting as an external place for complementary lignocellulose digestion. In this study, we used a combination of ITS sequence analysis, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics to investigate the presence and differential expression of genes coding for carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy) in the food nodules and the gut of workers and soldiers. Our results confirm that food nodules express a distinct set of CAZy genes suggesting that stored plant material is initially decomposed by enzymes that target the lignin and complex polysaccharides from fungi and bacteria before the passage through the gut, where it is further targeted by a complementary set of cellulases, xylanases, and esterases produced by the gut microbiota and the termite host. We also showed that the expression of CAZy transcripts associated to endoglucanases and xylanases was higher in the gut of termites than in the food nodules. An additional finding in this study was the presence of fungi in the termite gut that expressed CAZy genes. This study highlights the importance of externalization of digestion by nest microbes and provides new evidence of complementary digestion in the context of higher termite evolution.
Collapse
|
10
|
Chen QL, Hu HW, Yan ZZ, Li CY, Nguyen BAT, Zheng Y, Zhu YG, He JZ. Termite mounds reduce soil microbial diversity by filtering rare microbial taxa. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:2659-2668. [PMID: 33817921 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Termites are ubiquitous insects in tropical and subtropical habitats, and some of them construct massive nests ('mounds'), which substantially promote substrate heterogeneity by altering soil properties. Yet, the role of termite nesting process in regulating the distribution and diversity of soil microbial communities remains poorly understood, which introduces uncertainty in predictions of ecosystem functions of termite mounds in a changing environment. Here, by using amplicon sequencing, we conducted a survey of 134 termite mounds across >1500 km in northern Australia and found that termite mounds significantly differed from bulk soils in the microbial diversity and community compositions. Compared with bulk soils, termite nesting process decreased the microbial diversity and the relative abundance of rare taxa. Rare taxa had a narrower habitat niche breadth than dominant taxa and might be easier to be filtered by the potential intensive microbial competition during the nesting processes. We further demonstrated that the shift in pH induced by termite nesting process was a major driver shaping the microbial community profiles in termite mounds. Together, our work provides novel evidence that termite nesting is an important process in regulating soil microbial diversity, which advances our understanding of the functioning of termite mounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Lin Chen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Hang-Wei Hu
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Zhen-Zhen Yan
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Chao-Yu Li
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Bao-Anh Thi Nguyen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia
| | - Yong Zheng
- School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Ji-Zheng He
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., 3010, Australia.,School of Geographical Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Metagenomic Analysis of Microbial Community Affiliated with Termitarium Reveals High Lignocellulolytic Potential. Curr Microbiol 2021; 78:1551-1565. [PMID: 33675403 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Termitarium (nest of termites) is a rich source of microbial populations whose resources remain untapped to date. Using the metagenomic sequencing approach, we generated 38 GB sequences comprising 808,386 contigs (896 MB) with a maximum contig size of 470 kb. The taxonomic profile obtained by BLAST against the NCBI NR database and annotation by MEGAN showed that the termitarium microbial community was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. Functional annotation using the CAZY database revealed a huge diversity of glycosyl hydrolase genes from 104 families, some of which appeared to be part of polysaccharide utilization systems (PUL). Strikingly, Actinobacteria was the main contributor of the cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic GHs. Genes involving in lignin degradation were also abundantly identified in this metagenome. Comparative analysis of COG profiles of termitarium with those of other lignocellulolytic microbial communities showed a distant clustering pattern resulting from the dietary differences in carbohydrate compositions. Altogether, this study revealed that termitarium hosts a unique microbial community, which can efficiently degrade lignocelluloses.
Collapse
|
12
|
Termites Are Associated with External Species-Specific Bacterial Communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02042-20. [PMID: 33097518 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02042-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
All termites have established a wide range of associations with symbiotic microbes in their guts. Some termite species are also associated with microbes that grow in their nests, but the prevalence of these associations remains largely unknown. Here, we studied the bacterial communities associated with the termites and galleries of three wood-feeding termite species by using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We found that the compositions of bacterial communities among termite bodies, termite galleries, and control wood fragments devoid of termite activities differ in a species-specific manner. Termite galleries were enriched in bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to Rhizobiales and Actinobacteria, which were often shared by several termite species. The abundance of several bacterial OTUs, such as Bacillus, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus, was reduced in termite galleries. Our results demonstrate that both termite guts and termite galleries harbor unique bacterial communities.IMPORTANCE As is the case for all ecosystem engineers, termites impact their habitat by their activities, potentially affecting bacterial communities. Here, we studied three wood-feeding termite species and found that they influence the composition of the bacterial communities in their surrounding environment. Termite activities have positive effects on Rhizobiales and Actinobacteria abundance and negative effects on the abundance of several ubiquitous genera, such as Bacillus, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus Our results demonstrate that termite galleries harbor unique bacterial communities.
Collapse
|
13
|
Metagenomic profiling of bacterial diversity and community structure in termite mounds and surrounding soils. Arch Microbiol 2020; 202:2697-2709. [PMID: 32725600 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-020-01994-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The study focuses on analysis of the compositional and diversity of bacteria in termite mound soils in comparison with the surrounding soils to verify the assertion that the high nutrient concentrations in termite mound soils influence a complex diversity of microorganisms. Here, whole DNA was extracted from soil samples collected from termite mounds and their surrounding soils which were 10 m apart and subsequently, sequenced using shotgun metagenomic approach. Our findings showed that both environments have several soil bacterial phyla in common. However, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria significantly dominated the termite mound soils and the surrounding soils, respectively, with Tenericutes peculiar to only the termite mound soils. Furthermore, Bergeyella, Gloeothece, Thalassospira, and Glaciecola genera were exclusively identified in the termite mound soil samples. Diversity analysis showed that bacterial composition was different among the four sites (phyla level). This study also revealed a lot of unclassified groups of bacteria and this could point to the presence of potentially novel species. The differences observed in the bacterial structure and diversity from this study may be ascribed to variances in the physicochemical nature existing between the two environments. Mapping out schemes to culture these unclassified groups of bacteria discovered from this study would possibly set the platform for the discovery of novel bacteria for biotechnological applications.
Collapse
|
14
|
Wakung’oli M, Amoo AE, Enagbonma BJ, Babalola OO. Termite Societies Promote the Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Archaeal Communities in Mound Soils. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9060136. [PMID: 32630446 PMCID: PMC7345372 DOI: 10.3390/biology9060136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies involving microbial communities in termite mounds have been more focused on bacteria and fungi with little attention given to archaea, which play significant roles in nutrient cycling. Thus, we aimed at characterizing the archaeal taxonomic and functional diversity in two termite mound soils using the shotgun sequencing method with the assumption that termite activities could promote archaeal diversity. Our findings showed that termite mound soils have archaeal groups that are taxonomically different from their surrounding soils, with Euryarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota being predominant while Thaumarchaeota and Crenarchaeota were predominant in the surrounding soils. Additionally, the observed nutrient pathways: phosphorus, nitrogen, and sulfur were all significantly more predominant in termite mound soils than in their comparative surrounding soils. Alpha diversity showed that archaea were not significantly different within termite mound soils and the surrounding soils. The beta diversity revealed significant differences in the archaeal taxonomic composition and their functional categories between the termite mounds and surrounding soils. Our canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the distribution of archaeal communities was likely dependent on the soil properties. Our results suggested that termite activities may promote the diversity of archaea; with some of our sequences grouped as unclassified archaea, there is a need for further research to unveil their identity.
Collapse
|
15
|
Nocardioides jejuensis sp. nov., isolated from soil. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2019; 113:339-347. [PMID: 31637662 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-019-01343-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A Gram-stain positive, asporogenous, aerobic, white -coloured bacterium, designated 18JY15-6T, was isolated from soil from Jeju Island, Korea. Pairwise analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 18JY15-6T indicated high similarity to Nocardioides phosphati DSM 104026T (97.4%), Marmoricola terrae KACC 17308T (96.7%) and Nocardioides jensenii KCTC 0074BPT (96.6%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strain 18JY15-6T formed a distinct lineage within the family Nocardioidaceae and is closely related to members of the genus Nocardioides. Genome sequencing of strain 18JY15-6T revealed 3221 total genes, including 3162 protein coding genes, 59 RNA and 31 pseudogenes. Growth was observed at 18-37 °C (optimal 30 °C) in R2A medium at pH 7.0. The major cellular fatty acids of strain 18JY15-6T were identified as C16:0, C18:1ω9c, C18:0 10-methyl, tuberculostearic and C17:0. The fatty acid profile of strain 18JY15-6T was more dissimilar when compared with M. terrae. The only respiratory quinone present was found to be MK-8(H4). The major polar lipids are diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The results of phylogenetic, biochemical and chemotaxonomic characterisation allow the differentiation of strain 18JY15-6T from N. phosphati WYH11-7T, M. terrae JOS5-1T and N. jensenii NBRC 14755T which supports the conclusion that this strain represents a novel species of the genus Nocardioides, for which we propose the name Nocardioides jejuensis sp. nov. The type strain of Nocardioides jejuensis is 18JY15-6T (= KCTC 49105T = JCM 33182T).
Collapse
|
16
|
Nest composition, stable isotope ratios and microbiota unravel the feeding behaviour of an inquiline termite. Oecologia 2019; 191:541-553. [PMID: 31571038 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04514-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Termites are eusocial insects having evolved several feeding, nesting and reproductive strategies. Among them, inquiline termites live in a nest built by other termite species: some of them do not forage outside the nest, but feed on food stored by the host or on the nest material itself. In this study, we characterized some dimensions of the ecological niche of Cavitermes tuberosus (Termitidae: Termitinae), a broad-spectrum inquiline termite with a large neotropical distribution, to explain its ecological success. We used an integrative framework combining ecological measures (physico-chemical parameters, stable isotopic ratios of N and C) and Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene to identify bacterial communities and to analyse termites as well as the material from nests constructed by different termite hosts (the builders). Our results show that (1) nests inhabited by C. tuberosus display a different physico-chemical composition when compared to nests inhabited by its builder alone; (2) stable isotopic ratios suggest that C. tuberosus feeds on already processed, more humified, nest organic matter; and (3) the gut microbiomes cluster by termite species, with the one of C. tuberosus being much more diverse and highly similar to the one of its main host, Labiotermes labralis. These results support the hypothesis that C. tuberosus is a generalist nest feeder adapted to colonize nests built by various builders, and explain its ecological success.
Collapse
|
17
|
Profiling the Functional Diversity of Termite Mound Soil Bacteria as Revealed by Shotgun Sequencing. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10090637. [PMID: 31450818 PMCID: PMC6770954 DOI: 10.3390/genes10090637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Profiling the metabolic processes performed by bacteria is vital both for understanding and for manipulating ecosystems for industrial or research purposes. In this study we aim to assess the bacterial functional diversity in termite mound soils with the assumption that significant differences will be observed in the functional diversity of bacteria between the termite mound soils and their surrounding soils and that each environment has a distinguishing metabolic profile. Here, metagenomic DNA extracted from termite mound soils and their corresponding surrounding soils, which are 10 m apart, were sequenced using a shotgun sequencing approach. Our results revealed that the relative abundances of 16 functional categories differed significantly between both habitats. The α diversity analysis indicated no significant difference in bacterial functional categories within the habitats while the β diversity showed that the bacterial functional categories varied significantly between the termite mound soils and the surrounding soil samples. The variations in soil physical and chemical properties existing between the two environments were held accountable for the differences in bacterial functional structure. With the high relative abundance of functional categories with unknown function reported in this study, this could signify the likelihood of getting novel genes from termite mound soils, which are needed for research and commercial applications.
Collapse
|
18
|
Environmental Sustainability: A Review of Termite Mound Soil Material and Its Bacteria. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11143847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The high quantity of nutrients accumulated in termite mound soils have placed termite mound as a ‘gold mine’ for bacteria concentrations. However, over the years, not much attention has been given to the bacteria present in termite mound soil. This is because many studies have focused on approaches to manage termites which they see as menace to agricultural crops and buildings. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the potential application of termite mound soil material and its bacteria for biotechnological purposes. This review has been grouped into four key parts: The termite mound as hotspot for bacterial concentration, the degradation of lignocellulose for biofuel production, termite mound soil as a soil amendment, and the role of termite mound soil and its bacteria in bioremediation and bio-filtration. Therefore, the effective usage of the termite mound soil material and its bacteria in an ecofriendly manner could ensure environmental sustainability.
Collapse
|
19
|
Kumar A, Vyas P, Malla MA, Dubey A. Taxonomic and Functional Annotation of Termite Degraded Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze (Flame of the Forest). Open Microbiol J 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/1874285801913010154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:
Butea monosperma is an economically and medicinally important plant that grows all over India, however, the plant is highly susceptible to termite attack. The present study unravelled the bacterial community composition and their functional attributions from the termite degraded Butea.
Methods:
Total genomic DNA from termite degraded Butea monosperma samples was extracted and subjected to sequencing on Illumina's Miseq. The raw and unassembled reads obtained from high-throughput sequencing were used for taxonomic and functional profiling using different online and stand-alone softwares. Moreover, to ascertain the effect of different geographical locations and environmental factors, comparative analysis was performed using four other publically available metagenomes.
Results:
The higher abundance of Actinobacteria (21.27%), Proteobacteria (14.18%), Firmicutes (10.46%), and Bacteroidetes (4.11%) was found at the phylum level. The genus level was dominated by Bacillus (4.33%), Gemmatimonas (3.13%), Mycobacterium (1.82%), Acidimicrobium (1.69%), Thermoleophilum (1.23%), Nocardioides (1.44%), Terrimonas and Acidithermus (1.09%) and Clostridium (1.05%). Functional annotation of the termite degraded B. monosperma metagenome revealed a high abundance of ammonia oxidizers, sulfate reducers, dehalogenators, nitrate reducers, sulfide oxidizers, xylan degraders, nitrogen fixers and chitin degraders.
Conclusion:
The present study highlights the significance of the inherent microbiome of the degraded Butea shaping the microbial communities for effective degradation of biomass and different environmental toxicants. The unknown bacterial communities present in the sample can serve as enzyme sources for lignocelluloses degradation for biofuel production.
Collapse
|
20
|
Potentials of termite mound soil bacteria in ecosystem engineering for sustainable agriculture. ANN MICROBIOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-019-1439-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
|
21
|
Chakdar H, Dastager SG, Khire JM, Rane D, Dharne MS. Characterization of mineral phosphate solubilizing and plant growth promoting bacteria from termite soil of arid region. 3 Biotech 2018; 8:463. [PMID: 30402365 PMCID: PMC6204427 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-018-1488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Five highly efficient phosphate solubilizing bacteria, viz., Pantoea sp. A3, Pantoea sp. A34, Kosakonia sp. A37, Kosakonia sp. B7 and Bacillus sp. AH9 were isolated from termitorial soils of Sanjivani island of southern Maharashtra, India. These isolates were characterized and explored for phosphate solubilization and plant growth promotion. Among these, Bacillus sp. AH9 showed highest phosphate solubilization index (3.5) and solubilization efficiency (250%) on Pikovskaya agar. Interestingly, Pantoea sp. A34 displayed maximum mineral phosphate solubilization (1072.35 mg/L) in liquid medium and during this period the pH dropped to 3.13. All five isolates had highest P solubilization at 48 h after inoculation. During mineral phosphate solubilization, both gluconic acid and 2-keto gluconic acid were produced by Kosakonia and Bacillus isolates, while only 2-keto gluconic acid was detected in Pantoea isolates. Highest organic acid (39.07 ± 0.04 g/L) production was envisaged in Bacillus sp. AH9, while Pantoea sp. A34 produced the least amount (13.00 ± 0.01 g/L) of organic acid. Seed bacterization with Pantoea sp. A3 and Kosakonia sp. A37 resulted in ~ 37% and ~ 53% increase in root length of tomato seedlings, respectively, while Pantoea sp. A34 and Kosakonia sp. B7 had deleterious effects on root length as well as overall growth of the seedlings. To our knowledge, this is the first report of plant growth promoting potential of microorganisms isolated from termitorial soil of Sanjivani island, which is a drought-prone area. Therefore, such efficient growth promoting P solubilizers can offer an effective solution for sustainable agriculture in arid, dryland farming and drought-prone regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hillol Chakdar
- ICAR-National Bureau of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms (NBAIM), Mau, Uttar Pradesh 275103 India
| | - Syed G. Dastager
- CSIR-National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Resource Centre, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra India
| | - Jayant M. Khire
- CSIR-National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Resource Centre, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra India
| | - Digeshwar Rane
- CSIR-National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Resource Centre, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra India
| | - Mahesh S. Dharne
- CSIR-National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) Resource Centre, National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra India
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Menezes L, Alvarez TM, Persinoti GF, Franco JP, Squina F, Moreira EA, Alvaredo Paixão DA, Costa-Leonardo AM, da Silva VX, Clerici MTPS, Arab A. Food Storage by the Savanna Termite Cornitermes cumulans (Syntermitinae): a Strategy to Improve Hemicellulose Digestibility? MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2018; 76:492-505. [PMID: 29270662 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1128-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
It has been suggested that food storage inside the nest may offer termites with a nutritional provision during low resource availability. Additionally, feces employed as construction material provide an excellent environment for colonization by microorganisms and, together with the storage of plant material inside the nest, could thus provide some advantage to the termites in terms of lignocellulose decomposition. Here, we conducted for the first time a comprehensive study of the microbial communities associated to a termite exhibiting food storage behavior using Illumina sequencing of the 16S and (ITS2) regions of rRNA genes, together with enzymatic assays and data collected in the field. Cornitermes cumulans (Syntermitinae) stored grass litter in nodules made from feces and saliva located in the nest core. The amount of nodules increased with nest size and isolation, and interestingly, the soluble fraction of extracts from nodules showed a higher activity against hemicellulosic substrates compared to termite guts. Actinobacteria and Sordariales dominated microbial communities of food nodules and nest walls, whereas Spirochetes and Pleosporales dominated gut samples of C. cumulans. Within Syntermitinae, however, gut bacterial assemblages were dissimilar. On the other hand, there is a remarkable convergence of the bacterial community structure of Termitidae nests. Our results suggest that the role of nodules could be related to food storage; however, the higher xylanolytic activity in the nodules and their associated microbiota could also provide C. cumulans with an external source of predigested polysaccharides, which might be advantageous in comparison with litter-feeding termites that do not display food storage behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Menezes
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | - Thabata Maria Alvarez
- Universidade Positivo, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Félix Persinoti
- Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - João Paulo Franco
- Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Fábio Squina
- Programa em Processos Tecnológicos e Ambientais, Universidade de Sorocaba (UNISO), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Edimar Agnaldo Moreira
- CCNH-Center for Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Douglas Antonio Alvaredo Paixão
- Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo
- Departamento de Biologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alberto Arab
- CCNH-Center for Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Zhou N, Sun YT, Chen DW, Du W, Yang H, Liu SJ. Harnessing microfluidic streak plate technique to investigate the gut microbiome of Reticulitermes chinensis. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00654. [PMID: 29897677 PMCID: PMC6436436 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The termite gut microbiome is a model system to investigate microbial interactions and their associations with host. For decades, extensive research with molecular tools and conventional cultivation method has been carried out to define the microbial diversity in termite gut. Yet, many bacterial groups of the termite gut microbiome have not been successfully cultivated in laboratory. In this study, we adapted the recently developed microfluidic streak plate (MSP) technique for cultivation of termite gut microbial communities at both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. We found that 99 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were cultivable by MSP approach and 18 OTUs were documented first time for termite gut microbiota. Further analysis of the bacterial diversities derived by culture‐dependent MSP approach and culture‐independent 16S rRNA gene typing revealed that both methods have bias in recovery of gut microbiota. In total 396 strains were isolated with MSP technique, and potential new taxa at species and/or genus levels were obtained that were phylogenetically related to Burkholderia, Micrococcus, and Dysgonomonas. Results from this study indicate that MSP technique is applicable for cultivating previously unknown and new microbial groups of termite gut microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Tong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Science, at Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Dong-Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Yang
- School of Life Sciences at Central, China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuang-Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources and Environmental Microbiology Research Center at, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,College of Life Science, at Hebei University, Baoding, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhou J, Duan J, Gao M, Wang Y, Wang X, Zhao K. Diversity, Roles, and Biotechnological Applications of Symbiotic Microorganisms in the Gut of Termite. Curr Microbiol 2018; 76:755-761. [PMID: 29754180 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-018-1502-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Termites are global pests and can cause serious damage to buildings, crops, and plantation forests. The symbiotic intestinal flora plays an important role in the digestion of cellulose and nitrogen in the life of termites. Termites and their symbiotic microbes in the gut form a synergistic system. These organism work together to digest lignocellulose to make the termites grow on nitrogen deficient food. In this paper, the diversity of symbiotic microorganisms in the gut of termites, including protozoan, spirochetes, actinomycetes, fungus and bacteria, and their role in the digestion of lignocellulose and also the biotechnological applications of these symbiotic microorganisms are discussed. The high efficiency lignocellulose degradation systems of symbiotic microbes in termite gut not only provided a new way of biological energy development, but also has immense prospect in the application of cellulase enzymes. In addition, the study on the symbiotic microorganisms in the gut of termites will also provide a new method for the biological control of termites by the endophytic bacteria in the gut of termites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Jiwei Duan
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Mingkun Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agriculture University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China. .,Heilongjiang University Library, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China.
| | - Kai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Douglas AE. What will it take to understand the ecology of symbiotic microorganisms? Environ Microbiol 2018; 20:1920-1924. [PMID: 29614213 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Angela E Douglas
- Department of Entomology and Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Evidence from the gut microbiota of swarming alates of a vertical transmission of the bacterial symbionts in Nasutitermes arborum (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2017; 111:573-587. [DOI: 10.1007/s10482-017-0978-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
27
|
Links between bacteria derived from penguin guts and deposited guano and the surrounding soil microbiota. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2189-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
28
|
Vieira AS, Ramalho MO, Martins C, Martins VG, Bueno OC. Microbial Communities in Different Tissues of Atta sexdens rubropilosa Leaf-cutting Ants. Curr Microbiol 2017; 74:1216-1225. [PMID: 28721658 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-017-1307-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial endosymbionts are common in all insects, and symbiosis has played an integral role in ant evolution. Atta sexdens rubropilosa leaf-cutting ants cultivate their symbiotic fungus using fresh leaves. They need to defend themselves and their brood against diseases, but they also need to defend their obligate fungus gardens, their primary food source, from infection, parasitism, and usurpation by competitors. This study aimed to characterize the microbial communities in whole workers and different tissues of A. sexdens rubropilosa queens using Ion Torrent NGS. Our results showed that the microbial community in the midgut differs in abundance and diversity from the communities in the postpharyngeal gland of the queen and in whole workers. The main microbial orders in whole workers were Lactobacillales, Clostridiales, Enterobacteriales, Actinomycetales, Burkholderiales, and Bacillales. In the tissues of the queens, the main orders were Burkholderiales, Clostridiales, Syntrophobacterales, Lactobacillales, Bacillales, and Actinomycetales (midgut) and Entomoplasmatales, unclassified γ-proteobacteria, and Actinomycetales (postpharyngeal glands). The high abundance of Entomoplasmatales in the postpharyngeal glands (77%) of the queens was an unprecedented finding. We discuss the role of microbial communities in different tissues and castes. Bacteria are likely to play a role in nutrition and immune defense as well as helping antimicrobial defense in this ant species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexsandro S Vieira
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus Rio Claro, Av. 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil.
| | - Manuela O Ramalho
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus Rio Claro, Av. 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Cintia Martins
- Universidade Federal do Piauí - Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Av. São Sebastião, 2819, Parnaíba, Piauí, 64.202-020, Brazil
| | - Vanderlei G Martins
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus Rio Claro, Av. 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Odair C Bueno
- Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Campus Rio Claro, Av. 24A, 1515, Bela Vista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Chauhan AK, Maheshwari DK, Dheeman S, Bajpai VK. Termitarium-Inhabiting Bacillus spp. Enhanced Plant Growth and Bioactive Component in Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). Curr Microbiol 2016; 74:184-192. [DOI: 10.1007/s00284-016-1172-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
30
|
Chauhan AK, Maheshwari DK, Kim K, Bajpai VK. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 colonizing Curcuma longa L.: isolation, characterization, and evaluation of their biocontrol and plant-growth-promoting activities. Can J Microbiol 2016; 62:880-892. [PMID: 27604298 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2016-0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus strains were isolated from termitarium soil and screened for their antifungal activity through the production of diffusible and volatile metabolites. Further, the bacterial strains that showed antifungal activity were evaluated for their biocontrol potential on the basis of their plant-growth-promoting attributes. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus strains TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the growth of pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani, controlled the symptoms of rhizome rot in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and demonstrated various plant-growth-promoting traits in different in vitro assays. On the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA characteristics, isolates TSH42 and TSH77 were identified as Bacillus endophyticus (KT379993) and Bacillus cereus (KT379994), respectively. Through liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis, acidified cell-free culture filtrate (CFCF) of B. cereus TSH77 was shown to contain surfactin and fengycin, while CFCF of B. endophyticus TSH42 contained iturin in addition to surfactin and fengycin. Treatment of the turmeric (C. longa L.) plants with TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the percentage incidence of rhizome rot disease caused by F. solani. The same treatment also increased the fresh rhizome biomass and plant growth in greenhouse conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Kumar Chauhan
- a Department of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar 249-404, Uttrakhand, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Maheshwari
- a Department of Botany and Microbiology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar 249-404, Uttrakhand, India
| | - Kangmin Kim
- b Division of Biotechnology, College of Environmental and Bioresource Sciences, Chonbuk National University, 79 Gobong-ro, Iksan-si-570-752, Joellabuk-do (Jeonbuk), Republic of Korea
| | - Vivek K Bajpai
- c Department of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 712-749, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Comparative Analysis of Microbial Diversity in Termite Gut and Termite Nest Using Ion Sequencing. Curr Microbiol 2015; 72:267-75. [PMID: 26613615 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-015-0947-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Termite gut and termite nest possess complex microbial communities. However, only limited information is available on the comparative investigation of termite gut- and nest-associated microbial communities. In the present study, we examined and compared the bacterial diversity of termite gut and their respective nest by high-throughput sequencing of V3 hypervariable region of 16S rDNA. A total of 14 barcoded libraries were generated from seven termite gut samples and their respective nest samples, and sequenced using Ion Torrent platform. The sequences of each group were pooled, which yielded 170,644 and 132,000 reads from termite gut and termite nest samples, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed significant differences in the bacterial diversity and community structure between termite gut and termite nest samples. Phyla Verrucomicrobia and Acidobacteria were observed only in termite gut, whereas Synergistetes and Chlorobi were observed only in termite nest samples. These variations in microbial structure and composition could be attributed with the differences in physiological conditions prevailing in the termite gut (anoxic and alkaline) and termite nest (oxic, slightly acidic and rich in organic matter) environment. Overall, this study unmasked the complexity of bacterial population in the respective niche. Interestingly, majority of the sequence reads could be classified only up to the domain level indicating the presence of a huge number of uncultivable or unidentified novel bacterial species in both termite gut and nest samples. Whole metagenome sequencing and assessing the metabolic potential of these samples will be useful for biotechnological applications.
Collapse
|
32
|
Makonde HM, Mwirichia R, Osiemo Z, Boga HI, Klenk HP. 454 Pyrosequencing-based assessment of bacterial diversity and community structure in termite guts, mounds and surrounding soils. SPRINGERPLUS 2015; 4:471. [PMID: 26355944 PMCID: PMC4556716 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-015-1262-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Termites constitute part of diverse and economically important termite fauna in Africa, but information on gut microbiota and their associated soil microbiome is still inadequate. In this study, we assessed and compared the bacterial diversity and community structure between termites’ gut, their mounds and surrounding soil using the 454 pyrosequencing-based analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. A wood-feeder termite (Microcerotermes sp.), three fungus-cultivating termites (Macrotermes michaelseni, Odontotermes sp. and Microtermes sp.), their associated mounds and corresponding savannah soil samples were analyzed. The pH of the gut homogenates and soil physico-chemical properties were determined. The results indicated significant difference in bacterial community composition and structure between the gut and corresponding soil samples. Soil samples (Chao1 index ranged from 1359 to 2619) had higher species richness than gut samples (Chao1 index ranged from 461 to 1527). The bacterial composition and community structure in the gut of Macrotermes michaelseni and Odontotermes sp. were almost identical but different from that of Microtermes and Microcerotermes species, which had unique community structures. The most predominant bacterial phyla in the gut were Bacteroidetes (40–58 %), Spirochaetes (10–70 %), Firmicutes (17–27 %) and Fibrobacteres (13 %) while in the soil samples were Acidobacteria (28–45 %), Actinobacteria (20–40 %) and Proteobacteria (18–24 %). Some termite gut-specific bacterial lineages belonging to the genera Dysgonomonas, Parabacteroides, Paludibacter, Tannerella, Alistipes, BCf9-17 termite group and Termite Treponema cluster were observed. The results not only demonstrated a high level of bacterial diversity in the gut and surrounding soil environments, but also presence of distinct bacterial communities that are yet to be cultivated. Therefore, combined efforts using both culture and culture-independent methods are suggested to comprehensively characterize the bacterial species and their specific roles in these environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huxley M Makonde
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Brunswick, Germany ; Pure and Applied Sciences, Technical University of Mombasa, P.O.Box 90420-80100, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Romano Mwirichia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Embu University College, P.O.Box 6-60100, Embu, Kenya
| | - Zipporah Osiemo
- Zoology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O.Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hamadi I Boga
- Botany, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P.O.Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hans-Peter Klenk
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Inhoffenstraße 7B, 38124 Brunswick, Germany ; School of Biology, Newcastle University, Ridley Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Scharf ME. Omic research in termites: an overview and a roadmap. Front Genet 2015; 6:76. [PMID: 25821456 PMCID: PMC4358217 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many recent breakthroughs in our understanding of termite biology have been facilitated by "omics" research. Omic science seeks to collectively catalog, quantify, and characterize pools of biological molecules that translate into structure, function, and life processes of an organism. Biological molecules in this context include genomic DNA, messenger RNA, proteins, and other biochemicals. Other permutations of omics that apply to termites include sociogenomics, which seeks to define social life in molecular terms (e.g., behavior, sociality, physiology, symbiosis, etc.) and digestomics, which seeks to define the collective pool of host and symbiont genes that collaborate to achieve high-efficiency lignocellulose digestion in the termite gut. This review covers a wide spectrum of termite omic studies from the past 15 years. Topics covered include a summary of terminology, the various kinds of omic efforts that have been undertaken, what has been revealed, and to a degree, what the results mean. Although recent omic efforts have contributed to a better understanding of many facets of termite and symbiont biology, and have created important new resources for many species, significant knowledge gaps still remain. Crossing these gaps can best be done by applying new omic resources within multi-dimensional (i.e., functional, translational, and applied) research programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Scharf
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Sujada N, Sungthong R, Lumyong S. Termite nests as an abundant source of cultivable actinobacteria for biotechnological purposes. Microbes Environ 2014; 29:211-9. [PMID: 24909709 PMCID: PMC4103528 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me13183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A total of 118 actinobacterial isolates were collected from the three types of termite nests (mound, carton, and subterranean nests) to evaluate their potential as a source of bioactive actinobacteria with antimicrobial activity. The highest number (67 isolates) and generic abundance (7 known genera) of actinobacterial isolates were obtained from carton nests. Streptomyces was the dominant genus in each type of termite nest. In the non-Streptomyces group, Nocardia was the dominant genus detected in mound and carton nests, while Pseudonocardia was the dominant genus in subterranean nests. A discovery trend of novel species (<99% similarity in the 16S rRNA gene sequence) was also observed in the termite nests examined. Each type of termite nest housed >20% of bioactive actinobacteria that could inhibit the growth of at least one test organism, while 12 isolates, belonging to the genera Streptomyces, Amycolatopsis, Pseudonocardia, Micromonospora and Nocardia, exhibited distinct antimicrobial activities. Streptomyces sp. CMU-NKS-3 was the most distinct bioactive isolate. It was closely related to S. padanus MITKK-103T, which was confirmed by 99% similarities in their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The highest level of extracellular antimicrobial substances was produced by the isolate CMU-NKS-3, which was grown in potato dextrose broth and exhibited a wide range (6.10×10−4–1.25 mg mL−1) of minimum inhibitory concentrations against diverse pathogens. We concluded that termite nests are an abundant source of bioactive strains of cultivable actinobacteria for future biotechnological needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikhom Sujada
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Abstract
Most ecosystems are populated by a large number of diversified microorganisms, which interact with one another and form complex interaction networks. In addition, some of these microorganisms may colonize the surface or internal parts of plants and animals, thereby providing an additional level of interaction complexity. These microbial relations range from intraspecific to interspecific interactions, and from simple short-term interactions to intricate long-term ones. They have played a key role in the formation of plant and animal kingdoms, often resulting in coevolution; they control the size, activity level, and diversity patterns of microbial communities. Therefore, they modulate trophic networks and biogeochemical cycles, regulate ecosystem productivity, and determine the ecology and health of plant and animal partners. A better understanding of these interactions is needed to develop microbe-based ecological engineering strategies for environmental sustainability and conservation, to improve environment-friendly approaches for feed and food production, and to address health challenges posed by infectious diseases. The main types of biotic interactions are presented: interactions between microorganisms, interactions between microorganisms and plants, and interactions between microorganisms and animals.
Collapse
|
36
|
Kurtböke DI, French JRJ, Hayes RA, Quinn RJ. Eco-taxonomic insights into actinomycete symbionts of termites for discovery of novel bioactive compounds. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 147:111-35. [PMID: 24817085 DOI: 10.1007/10_2014_270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Termites play a major role in foraging and degradation of plant biomass as well as cultivating bioactive microorganisms for their defense. Current advances in "omics" sciences are revealing insights into function-related presence of these symbionts, and their related biosynthetic activities and genes identified in gut symbiotic bacteria might offer a significant potential for biotechnology and biodiscovery. Actinomycetes have been the major producers of bioactive compounds with an extraordinary range of biological activities. These metabolites have been in use as anticancer agents, immune suppressants, and most notably, as antibiotics. Insect-associated actinomycetes have also been reported to produce a range of antibiotics such as dentigerumycin and mycangimycin. Advances in genomics targeting a single species of the unculturable microbial members are currently aiding an improved understanding of the symbiotic interrelationships among the gut microorganisms as well as revealing the taxonomical identity and functions of the complex multilayered symbiotic actinofloral layers. If combined with target-directed approaches, these molecular advances can provide guidance towards the design of highly selective culturing methods to generate further information related to the physiology and growth requirements of these bioactive actinomycetes associated with the termite guts. This chapter provides an overview on the termite gut symbiotic actinoflora in the light of current advances in the "omics" science, with examples of their detection and selective isolation from the guts of the Sunshine Coast regional termite Coptotermes lacteus in Queensland, Australia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D Ipek Kurtböke
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia,
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Andrews ES. Analyzing arthropods for the presence of bacteria. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2013; Chapter 1:Unit 1E.6. [PMID: 23408130 DOI: 10.1002/9780471729259.mc01e06s28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria within arthropods can be identified using culture-independent methods. This unit describes protocols for surface sterilization of arthropods, DNA extraction of whole bodies and tissues, touchdown PCR amplification using 16S rDNA general bacteria primers, and profiling the bacterial community using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.
Collapse
|
38
|
Boucias DG, Cai Y, Sun Y, Lietze VU, Sen R, Raychoudhury R, Scharf ME. The hindgut lumen prokaryotic microbiota of the termiteReticulitermes flavipesand its responses to dietary lignocellulose composition. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:1836-53. [PMID: 23379767 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 12/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Drion G. Boucias
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Yunpeng Cai
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology; Chinese Academy of Science; Shenzhen China
| | - Yijun Sun
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Verena-Ulrike Lietze
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of Florida; Gainesville FL 32610-3622 USA
| | - Ruchira Sen
- Department of Entomology; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907-2089 USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scharf
- Department of Entomology; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907-2089 USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Analysis of stomach and gut microbiomes of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) from coastal Louisiana, USA. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51475. [PMID: 23251548 PMCID: PMC3520802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We used high throughput pyrosequencing to characterize stomach and gut content microbiomes of Crassostrea virginica, the Easter oyster, obtained from two sites, one in Barataria Bay (Hackberry Bay) and the other in Terrebonne Bay (Lake Caillou), Louisiana, USA. Stomach microbiomes in oysters from Hackberry Bay were overwhelmingly dominated by Mollicutes most closely related to Mycoplasma; a more rich community dominated by Planctomyctes occurred in Lake Caillou oyster stomachs. Gut communities for oysters from both sites differed from stomach communities, and harbored a relatively diverse assemblage of phylotypes. Phylotypes most closely related to Shewanella and a Chloroflexi strain dominated the Lake Caillou and Hackberry Bay gut microbiota, respectively. While many members of the stomach and gut microbiomes appeared to be transients or opportunists, a putative core microbiome was identified based on phylotypes that occurred in all stomach or gut samples only. The putative core stomach microbiome comprised 5 OTUs in 3 phyla, while the putative core gut microbiome contained 44 OTUs in 12 phyla. These results collectively revealed novel microbial communities within the oyster digestive system, the functions of the oyster microbiome are largely unknown. A comparison of microbiomes from Louisiana oysters with bacterial communities reported for other marine invertebrates and fish indicated that molluscan microbiomes were more similar to each other than to microbiomes of polychaetes, decapods and fish.
Collapse
|
40
|
Guernaoui S, Garcia D, Gazanion E, Ouhdouch Y, Boumezzough A, Pesson B, Fontenille D, Sereno D. Bacterial flora as indicated by PCR-temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) of 16S rDNA gene fragments from isolated guts of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae). JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2011; 36 Suppl 1:S144-S147. [PMID: 21366767 DOI: 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2011.00124.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we tested the capacity of Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TGGE)-based fingerprinting of 16S rDNA PCR fragments to assess bacterial composition in a single isolated sand fly gut. Bacterial content was studied in different life stages of a laboratory-reared colony of Phlebotomus duboscqi and in a wild-caught Phlebotomus papatasi population. Our study demonstrates that a major reorganization in the gut bacterial community occurs during metamorphosis of sand flies. Chloroflexi spp. was dominant in the guts of pre-imaginal stages, although Microbacterium spp. and another as yet unidentified bacteria were detected in the gut of the adult specimen. Interestingly, Microbacterium spp. was also found in all the adult guts of both species. We demonstrate that the analysis of bacterial diversity in an individualized sand fly gut is possible with fingerprinting of 16S rDNA. The use of such methodology, in conjunction with other culture-based methods, will be of great help in investigating the behavior of the Leishmania-bacterial community in an ecological context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Guernaoui
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement BP 64501, Montpellier Cedex 5, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Composition of bacterial communities associated with natural and laboratory populations of Asobara tabida infected with Wolbachia. Appl Environ Microbiol 2009; 75:3755-64. [PMID: 19376923 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02964-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Asobara tabida wasps are fly endoparasitoids that naturally harbor three Wolbachia strains, which induce cytoplasmic incompatibility and control oogenesis. To investigate whether other bacteria play a role in wasp biology, we surveyed the bacterial communities of wild A. tabida populations originating from different regions of France and of laboratory colonies using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and culture methods. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were found to be the main phyla represented in these populations. Among these were several cultured and uncultured representatives of the genera Acetobacter, Acidomonas, Bacillus, Brevibacillus, Duganella, Herbaspirillum, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. In addition to Wolbachia, wild individuals harbored Rickettsia, which tended to be lost when insects were reared in the laboratory. The antibiotic treatment used to generate wasp sublines singly infected with Wolbachia also affected the overall bacterial composition, with most fingerprint sequences being characteristic of the family Enterobacteriaceae. We also screened for potentially heritable endosymbionts by PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization in stable laboratory lines, with only Wolbachia being consistently found in wasp ovaries.
Collapse
|
42
|
Ohkuma M. Symbioses of flagellates and prokaryotes in the gut of lower termites. Trends Microbiol 2008; 16:345-52. [PMID: 18513972 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2008.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2008] [Revised: 04/15/2008] [Accepted: 04/15/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The microbial community in the gut of phylogenetically lower termites, comprising both flagellated protists and prokaryotes, has fascinated many scientists because of the symbiotic relationships that are responsible for the efficient degradation of lignocellulose. However, the complex nature of this microbial community and the formidable unculturability of most members have hampered detailed microbial studies. Comprehensive phylogenetic descriptions of the community members in the past decade still provide little information about their functions because the community contains diverse novel microbial species. Recent advances in molecular approaches have shed new light on species-specific spatial distributions, particularly the cellular associations of flagellated protists and prokaryotes, their functional interactions and coevolutionary relationships. These advances have gradually unveiled how this symbiotic complex functions to efficiently utilize lignocellulose.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moriya Ohkuma
- Ecomolecular Biorecycling Science Research Team, RIKEN, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|