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Leung PB, Matanza XM, Roche B, Ha KP, Cheung HC, Appleyard S, Collins T, Flanagan O, Marteyn BS, Clements A. Shigella sonnei utilises colicins during inter-bacterial competition. Microbiology (Reading) 2024; 170:001434. [PMID: 38376387 PMCID: PMC10924462 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian colon is one of the most densely populated habitats currently recognised, with 1011-1013 commensal bacteria per gram of colonic contents. Enteric pathogens must compete with the resident intestinal microbiota to cause infection. Among these enteric pathogens are Shigella species which cause approximately 125 million infections annually, of which over 90 % are caused by Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. Shigella sonnei was previously reported to use a Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) to outcompete E. coli and S. flexneri in in vitro and in vivo experiments. S. sonnei strains have also been reported to harbour colicinogenic plasmids, which are an alternative anti-bacterial mechanism that could provide a competitive advantage against the intestinal microbiota. We sought to determine the contribution of both T6SS and colicins to the anti-bacterial killing activity of S. sonnei. We reveal that whilst the T6SS operon is present in S. sonnei, there is evidence of functional degradation of the system through SNPs, indels and IS within key components of the system. We created strains with synthetically inducible T6SS operons but were still unable to demonstrate anti-bacterial activity of the T6SS. We demonstrate that the anti-bacterial activity observed in our in vitro assays was due to colicin activity. We show that S. sonnei no longer displayed anti-bacterial activity against bacteria that were resistant to colicins, and removal of the colicin plasmid from S. sonnei abrogated anti-bacterial activity of S. sonnei. We propose that the anti-bacterial activity demonstrated by colicins may be sufficient for niche competition by S. sonnei within the gastrointestinal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. B. Leung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - X. M. Matanza
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. Roche
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - K. P. Ha
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - H. C. Cheung
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - S. Appleyard
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - T. Collins
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - O. Flanagan
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
| | - B. S. Marteyn
- Universite de Strasbourg, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UPR9002, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), F-67000 Strasbourg, France
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Inserm U1225, Unité de Pathogenèse des Infections Vasculaires, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - A. Clements
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, SW72AZ, UK
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Xiong X, Wan W, Ding B, Cai M, Lu M, Liu W. Type VI secretion system drives bacterial diversity and functions in multispecies biofilms. Microbiol Res 2024; 279:127570. [PMID: 38096690 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Type VI secretion system (T6SS) plays an essential role in interspecies interactions and provides an advantage for a strain with T6SS in multispecies biofilms. However, how T6SS drives the bacterial community structure and functions in multispecies biofilms still needs to be determined. Using gene deletion and Illumina sequencing technique, we estimated bacterial community responses in multispecies biofilms to T6SS by introducing T6SS-containing Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Results showed that the niche structure shifts of multispecies biofilms were remarkably higher in the presence of T6SS than in the absence of T6SS. The presence of T6SS significantly drove the variation in microbial composition, reduced the alpha-diversity of bacterial communities in multispecies biofilms, and separately decreased and increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota. Co-occurrence network analysis with inferred putative bacterial interactions indicated that P. putida KT2440 mainly displayed strong negative associations with the genera of Psychrobacter, Cellvibrio, Stenotrophomonas, and Brevundimonas. Moreover, the function redundancy index of the bacterial community was strikingly higher in the presence of T6SS than in the absence of T6SS, regardless of whether relative abundances of bacterial taxa were inhibited or promoted. Remarkably, the increased metabolic network similarity with T6SS-containing P. putida KT2440 could enhance the antibacterial activity of P. putida KT2440 on other bacterial taxa. Our findings extend knowledge of microbial adaptation strategies to potential bacterial weapons and could contribute to predicting biodiversity loss and change in ecological functions caused by T6SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Wenjie Wan
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Bangjing Ding
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Miaomiao Cai
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Mingzhu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Wenzhi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Danjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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De Silva PM, Bennett RJ, Kuhn L, Ngondo P, Debande L, Njamkepo E, Ho B, Weill FX, Marteyn BS, Jenkins C, Baker KS. Escherichia coli killing by epidemiologically successful sublineages of Shigella sonnei is mediated by colicins. EBioMedicine 2023; 97:104822. [PMID: 37806286 PMCID: PMC10579285 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Shigella sp. are enteric pathogens which causes >125 million cases of shigellosis annually. S. sonnei accounts for about a quarter of those cases and is increasingly prevalent in industrialising nations. Being an enteric pathogen, S. sonnei benefits from outcompeting gut commensals such as Escherichia coli to establish itself and cause disease. There are numerous mechanisms that bacterial pathogens use to outcompete its rivals including molecules called colicins. A Type 6 Secretion System (T6SS) was recently described as contributing to E. coli killing in S. sonnei. METHODS We used Bulk Phenotyping of Epidemiological Replicates (BPER) which combined bacterial Genome Wide Association Studies (bGWAS) and high throughput phenotyping on a collection of S. sonnei surveillance isolates to identify the genetic features associated with E. coli killing and explore their relationship with epidemiological behaviour. We further explored the presence of colicins and T6SS components in the isolates using genomics, laboratory experimentation, and proteomics. FINDINGS Our bGWAS analysis returned known and novel colicin and colicin related genes as significantly associated with E. coli killing. In silico analyses identified key colicin clusters responsible for the killing phenotype associated with epidemiologically successful sub-lineages. The killing phenotype was not associated with the presence of a T6SS. Laboratory analyses confirmed the presence of the key colicin clusters and that killing was contact-independent. INTERPRETATION Colicins are responsible for E. coli killing by S. sonnei, not a T6SS. This phenotype contributes to shaping the observed epidemiology of S. sonnei and may contribute to its increasing prevalence globally. BPER is an epidemiologically relevant approach to phenotypic testing that enables the rapid identification of genetic drivers of phenotypic changes, and assessment of their relevance to epidemiology in natural settings. FUNDING Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership studentship, Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (UK), French National Research Agency.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Malaka De Silva
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute for Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences (IVES), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca J Bennett
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute for Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences (IVES), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Lauriane Kuhn
- Plateforme protéomique Strasbourg Esplanade FR1589 du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Patryk Ngondo
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Lorine Debande
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Elisabeth Njamkepo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité des Bactéries pathogènes entériques, Centre National de Référence des Escherichia coli, Shigella et Salmonella, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Brian Ho
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London and Birkbeck, London, UK
| | - François-Xavier Weill
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Unité des Bactéries pathogènes entériques, Centre National de Référence des Escherichia coli, Shigella et Salmonella, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Benoît S Marteyn
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, UPR9002, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Claire Jenkins
- Gastro and Food Safety (One Health) Division, UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London, UK
| | - Kate S Baker
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute for Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences (IVES), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK.
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Arenas J, Catón L, van den Hoeven T, de Maat V, Cruz Herrero J, Tommassen J. The outer-membrane protein MafA of Neisseria meningitidis constitutes a novel protein secretion pathway specific for the fratricide protein MafB. Virulence 2021; 11:1701-1715. [PMID: 33315509 PMCID: PMC7738311 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2020.1851940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MafB proteins are toxins secreted by Neisseria spp. which are involved in interbacterial competition. Their secretion mechanism has so far not been elucidated. Each strain can produce several MafB variants. On the chromosome, the mafB genes are localized on genomic islands also containing mafA genes. MafA proteins have a role in virulence with reported activities in adhesion and transcytosis of pathogenic Neisseria, a priori unrelated to MafB activities. In this study, we investigated the possible involvement of MafA in the transport of MafB across the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis. In wild-type strains, proteolytic fragments of MafB proteins were detected in the extracellular medium. In the absence of MafA, secretion was abrogated, and, in the case of MafBI, full-length and truncated polypeptides were detected inside the cells and inside outer-membrane vesicles. MafBI secretion required its cognate MafA, whereas MafBIII could use any MafA. Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli showed that MafBIII is transported to a cell-surface-exposed, i.e. protease-accessible, location in a MafA-dependent way. MafA itself was found to be localized to the outer membrane, forming large oligomeric complexes. As homologs were found in diverse bacteria, the Maf system represents a new protein secretion system in Gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Arenas
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands.,Unit of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Zaragoza , Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Laura Catón
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Tom van den Hoeven
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Vincent de Maat
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Juan Cruz Herrero
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jan Tommassen
- Section Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Utrecht University , Utrecht, Netherlands
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Myint SL, Zlatkov N, Aung KM, Toh E, Sjöström A, Nadeem A, Duperthuy M, Uhlin BE, Wai SN. Ecotin and LamB in Escherichia coli influence the susceptibility to Type VI secretion-mediated interbacterial competition and killing by Vibrio cholerae. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2021; 1865:129912. [PMID: 33892013 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2021.129912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A prevailing action of the Type VI secretion system (T6SS) in several Gram-negative bacterial species is inter-bacterial competition. In the past several years, many effectors of T6SS were identified in different bacterial species and their involvement in inter-bacterial interactions were described. However, possible defence mechanisms against T6SS attack among prey bacteria were not well clarified yet. METHODS Escherichia coli was assessed for susceptibility to T6SS-mediated killing by Vibrio cholerae. TheT6SS-mediated bacterial killing assays were performed in absence or presence of different protease inhibitors and with different mutant E. coli strains. Expression levels of selected proteins were monitored using SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analyses. RESULTS The T6SS-mediated killing of E. coli by V. cholerae was partly blocked when the serine protease inhibitor Pefabloc was present. E. coli lacking the periplasmic protease inhibitor Ecotin showed enhanced susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae. Mutations affecting E. coli membrane stability also caused increased susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae. E. coli lacking the maltodextrin porin protein LamB showed reduced susceptibility to killing by V. cholerae whereas E. coli with induced high levels of LamB showed reduced survival in inter-bacterial competition. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified two proteins in E. coli, the intrinsic protease inhibitor Ecotin and the outer membrane porin LamB, that influenced E. coli susceptibility to T6SS-mediated killing by V. cholerae. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE We envision that it is feasible to explore these findings to target and modulate their expression to obtain desired changes in inter-bacterial competition in vivo, e.g. in the gastrointestinal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Lhyam Myint
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nikola Zlatkov
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kyaw Min Aung
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Eric Toh
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Annika Sjöström
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Aftab Nadeem
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Marylise Duperthuy
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Université de Montréal, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Bernt Eric Uhlin
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Sun Nyunt Wai
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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Patz S, Becker Y, Richert-Pöggeler KR, Berger B, Ruppel S, Huson DH, Becker M. Phage tail-like particles are versatile bacterial nanomachines - A mini-review. J Adv Res 2019; 19:75-84. [PMID: 31341672 PMCID: PMC6629978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Suggestion to simplify and unify the nomenclature of phage tail-like particles. Discovery of kosakonicin, a new bacteriocin and tailocin. Microscopy of kosakonicin from Kosakonia radicincitans DSM 16656. Discovery of multiple tail fiber genes in the kosakonicin gene cluster. Discovery of large genetic diversity in the kosakonicin tail fiber locus among ten Kosakonia strains.
Type VI secretion systems and tailocins, two bacterial phage tail-like particles, have been reported to foster interbacterial competition. Both nanostructures enable their producer to kill other bacteria competing for the same ecological niche. Previously, type VI secretion systems and particularly R-type tailocins were considered highly specific, attacking a rather small range of competitors. Their specificity is conferred by cell surface receptors of the target bacterium and receptor-binding proteins on tailocin tail fibers and tail fiber-like appendages of T6SS. Since many R-type tailocin gene clusters contain only one tail fiber gene it was appropriate to expect small R-type tailocin target ranges. However, recently up to three tail fiber genes and broader target ranges have been reported for one plant-associated Pseudomonas strain. Here, we show that having three tail fiber genes per R-type tailocin gene cluster is a common feature of several strains of Gram-negative (often plant-associated) bacteria of the genus Kosakonia. Knowledge about the specificity of type VI secretion systems binding to target bacteria is even lower than in R-type tailocins. Although the mode of operation implicated specific binding, it was only published recently that type VI secretion systems develop tail fiber-like appendages. Here again Kosakonia, exhibiting up to three different type VI secretion systems, may provide valuable insights into the antagonistic potential of plant-associated bacteria. Current understanding of the diversity and potential of phage tail-like particles is fragmentary due to various synonyms and misleading terminology. Consistency in technical terms is a precondition for concerted and purposeful research, which precedes a comprehensive understanding of the specific interaction between bacteria producing phage tail-like particles and their targets. This knowledge is fundamental for selecting and applying tailored, and possibly engineered, producer bacteria for antagonizing plant pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sascha Patz
- Algorithms in Bioinformatics, Center for Bioinformatics, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Becker
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Katja R Richert-Pöggeler
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Beatrice Berger
- Institute for National and International Plant Health, Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silke Ruppel
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany
| | - Daniel H Huson
- Algorithms in Bioinformatics, Center for Bioinformatics, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Becker
- Institute for National and International Plant Health, Julius Kühn-Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, 14979 Grossbeeren, Germany
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