Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hiroshi Arai, Takumi Takamatsu, Shiou-Ruei Lin, Tetsuya Mizutani, Tsutomu Omatsu, Yukie Katayama, Madoka Nakai, Yasuhisa Kunimi, Maki N. Inoue
Summary: Many microbes induce male killing (MK) in various insect species, but it is not clear whether they adopt similar or different MK mechanisms. Researchers found that Wolbachia and Spiroplasma disrupt the sex determination cascade by inducing female-type splice variants of doublesex in male insects. In addition, Wolbachia and Spiroplasma also trigger abnormal apoptosis in male embryos.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Charles J. Mason, Michelle Peiffer, Bosheng Chen, Kelli Hoover, Gary W. Felton
Summary: The gut microbiota plays a diverse role in the hosts, with the impact depending on the circumstances. This study explores how different gut bacteria affect the growth of Lepidopteran larvae under various dietary conditions. The results show that certain bacterial isolates facilitate the utilization of a poor diet for fall armyworm but have an antagonistic effect on beet armyworm. The findings highlight the importance of unique isolates and early growth stages in shaping the performance of larval hosts.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Optics
Shih-Wen Chen, Jin-You Lu, Bing-Yi Hung, Matteo Chiesa, Po-Han Tung, Ja-Hon Lin, Thomas Chung-Kuang Yang
Summary: A novel method for fabricating high-performance biological photonic crystal random lasers using dye-coated butterfly wings as scattering materials is proposed and demonstrated. The optical and lasing properties show superior performance compared to previous studies, with stable laser emission and a low threshold for laser generation. These biological devices have potential applications in sustainable and accessible imaging strategies.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amelie Cabirol, Silvia Moriano-Gutierrez, Philipp Engel
Summary: The gut microbiota of honey bees affects their brain and behavioral phenotypes, and the abundance of neuroactive metabolites in the gut, hemolymph, and brain is altered by the presence of microbiota.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Katherine Z. Sanidad, Mohammed Amir, Aparna Ananthanarayanan, Anvita Singaraju, Nicholas B. Shiland, Hanna S. Hong, Nobuhiko Kamada, Naohiro Inohara, Gabriel Nunez, Melody Y. Zeng
Summary: The gut microbiome-specific IgG antibodies play a critical role in promoting immunity against enteric pathogens and shaping the development of the gut microbiome and immune cells in early life.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jigyasa Arora, Yukihiro Kinjo, Jan Sobotnik, Ales Bucek, Crystal Clitheroe, Petr Stiblik, Yves Roisin, Lucia Zifcakova, Yung Chul Park, Ki Yoon Kim, David Sillam-Dusses, Vincent Herve, Nathan Lo, Gaku Tokuda, Andreas Brune, Thomas Bourguignon
Summary: By sequencing the gut metagenomes of 145 termite samples, the study reveals that the composition and function of termite gut microbiota have been remarkably conserved since the appearance of termites approximately 150 million years ago. This multipartite symbiosis, composed of termites, archaea, bacteria, and cellulolytic flagellates, has been functioning as the world's smallest bioreactor since its inception.
Article
Entomology
Shuncai Han, Qianqian Ai, Xiaofeng Xia
Summary: This study analyzed the sources and transmission modes of gut bacteria in the diamondback moth. The study found a potential association between gut bacteria and food bacteria and confirmed that gut bacteria can be vertically and horizontally transmitted through eggs. These findings provide valuable information for biological pest control based on gut bacteria.
Article
Microbiology
Garance Sarton-Loheac, Carlos Gustavo Nunes da Silva, Florent Mazel, Gilles Baud, Vincent de Bakker, Sudip Das, Yassine El Chazli, Kirsten Ellegaard, Marc Garcia-Garcera, Natasha Glover, Joanito Liberti, Lorena Nacif Marcal, Aiswarya Prasad, Vincent Somerville, German Bonilla-Rosso, Philipp Engel
Summary: Genomic data from six neotropical stingless bee species from Brazil revealed that most stingless bee gut bacteria are distantly related to those found in honey bees and bumblebees but have similar functional capabilities. The evolution of the social bee gut microbiota involved host switches and independent symbiont gain and losses, rather than strict codiversification. There was also substantial genomic divergence among strains of stingless bee gut bacteria, suggesting adaptation to different host species and glycan niches.
Article
Parasitology
Godfrey Nattoh, Brenda Onyango, Edward Edmond Makhulu, Diana Omoke, Lilian Mbaisi Angango, Luna Kamau, Maxwell Machani Gesuge, Eric Ochomo, Jeremy Keith Herren
Summary: This study investigated the infection prevalence and characteristics of the Anopheles symbiont Microsporidia MB in Anopheles gambiae s.s. in Kenya. The results showed that Microsporidia MB naturally occurs in this mosquito species and undergoes both maternal and horizontal transmission. The study suggests that Microsporidia MB could be a potential tool for malaria transmission-blocking.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Polpass Arul Jose, Boaz Yuval, Edouard Jurkevitch
Summary: Polyphagous and holometabolous insects adapt to rapid diet shifts imposed by their ecology and life cycle. The insect's microbiome also changes in relation to development and larval host, but the contributions of parental and larval host to its structure and trans-generational dynamics are unknown.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Xiaofeng Xia, Qian Wang, Geoff M. Gurr, Liette Vasseur, Shuncai Han, Minsheng You
Summary: The diamondback moth (DBM) has adapted to the chemical defenses of Brassicaceae plants, but its role in the DBM's adaptation to plant defense compounds is unknown. In this study, the secondary metabolites of radish seedlings were identified and found to reduce the growth of DBM larvae lacking gut bacteria. However, the re-introduction of Enterobacter dominated gut microbiota counteracted this effect. The bacterium Enterobacter not only degrades the flavonoid kaempferol, but also colonizes the gut epithelium, forming a protective biofilm.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fangyuan Zhou, Qingxia Liang, Xiaoyan Zhao, Xiaoqing Wu, Susu Fan, Xinjian Zhang
Summary: Pesticide resistance causes significant economic losses globally each year. Previous research has mainly focused on investigating the interactions between resistant pests and associated microbes, with a lack of quantification on the individual contributions of the pest host and associated microbes to resistance. This study compares resistant and sensitive strains and uses metaproteomics to analyze protein profiles, revealing contributions by the pest and its gut bacteria to phoxim resistance.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Manisha Gupta, Rajbir Kaur, Ankita Gupta, Rhitoban Raychoudhury
Summary: Maternally inherited endosymbionts of arthropods are a diverse group of bacteria that show extensive horizontal transfer and recombination, especially in ecological communities. Studying the incidence, diversity, and transfer of endosymbionts within a specific arthropod community can provide insights into their spread.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Wendy Fonseca, Carrie-Anne Malinczak, Kei Fujimura, Danny Li, Kathryn McCauley, Jia Li, Shannon K. K. Best, Diana Zhu, Andrew J. Rasky, Christine C. Johnson, Jennifer Bermick, Edward M. Zoratti, Dennis Ownby, Susan Lynch, Nicholas W. Lukacs, Catherine Ptaschinski
Summary: Supplementation of Lactobacillus to maternal mice resulted in reduced airway mucus and Th2 cell-mediated response in their offspring following RSV infection. Maternal supplementation led to consistent gut microbiome in mothers and their offspring, and decreased inflammatory metabolites in maternal plasma, breastmilk, and offspring plasma. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to Lactobacillus showed significant impact on immune response in neonates.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Martina Prazeres, T. Edward Roberts, Shadrina Fildzah Ramadhani, Steve S. Doo, Christiane Schmidt, Marleen Stuhr, Willem Renema
Summary: The study found that local habitat is the main factor influencing the overall composition of the algal symbiont community, while host identity and phylogenetic relationship among hosts are also relevant in shaping the specific endosymbiont diatom community. The ability of Amphistegina species to associate with a diverse array of diatoms and possibly other algal groups likely underpins the ecological success of these crucial calcifying organisms across their extensive geographic range.
Review
Entomology
Hassan Salem, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: This article reviews recent studies on the role of bacterial symbionts in promoting beetle fitness. The functional diversity of these symbionts expands the host's ecological niche, but also constrains its evolutionary potential. The article discusses the relationship between bacterial localization and beneficial effects, as well as the molecular and behavioral mechanisms of symbiont translocation and transmission by the beetle host.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Sthandiwe Nomthandazo Kanyile, Tobias Engl, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: This study investigates the protective effects of nutritional symbiosis on the saw-toothed grain beetle, showing that symbiotic beetles have higher survival rates against predation and fungal infection. The symbionts accelerate the development of the beetle's cuticle, providing structural protection.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Wolfgang Goettler, Martin Kaltenpoth, Samuel McDonald, Erhard Strohm
Summary: Females of the solitary digger wasp tribe Philanthini cultivate strains of symbiotic bacteria in their antennae, which provide protection for the wasp offspring. The morphology of the antennal glands varies among species, with European and African species having more complex glands compared to North American species.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aurelien Vigneron, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: In this study, a transmissible syntheticsymbiosis was successfully established, providing exciting new opportunities to explore the initial dynamics of endosymbiotic interactions.
Article
Ecology
Rebekka S. Janke, Filip Kaftan, Sarah P. Niehs, Kirstin Scherlach, Andre Rodrigues, Ales Svatos, Christian Hertweck, Martin Kaltenpoth, Laura V. Florez
Summary: The cuticle is the first line of defense against predators and pathogens in invertebrates. In this study, it was found that the beetle Lagria villosa harbors bacterial symbionts in unique dorsal invaginations of its cuticle, which release protective compounds during molting and provide extended defense against fungi during larval development. One dominant bacterial strain, producing an antifungal compound called lagriamide, plays a crucial role in protecting the beetle from pathogenic fungi at all life stages.
Review
Microbiology
Ramya Ganesan, Juergen C. Wierz, Martin Kaltenpoth, Laura Florez
Summary: Beneficial associations with bacteria are common in animals, including various symbiont localizations, transmission routes, and functions. These associations can either be obligate relationships with permanent symbiont localization within the host or colonization of every host generation through the environment or maternal provisions. This review focuses on the early stages of beneficial bacterium-invertebrate associations, from initial contact to the establishment of symbionts in specific locations within the host's body. The study highlights the importance of developing experimentally tractable systems to understand the ecological factors and molecular adaptations underlying the origin and establishment of beneficial symbioses in animals.
MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julian S. T. Kiefer, Gerrit Schmidt, Ronja Krusemer, Martin Kaltenpoth, Tobias Engl
Summary: The endosymbiotic Wolbachia is a common intracellular bacteria in arthropods and nematodes, but little is known about its impact on the order Coleoptera. This study reveals that Wolbachia wSur, found in the sawtoothed grain beetle, manipulates the reproductive traits of its host and affects host fitness.
Article
Microbiology
M. Denise Dearing, Martin Kaltenpoth, Jonathan Gershenzon
Summary: This article discusses the role of microbial symbionts in detoxifying plant toxins, and introduces several research cases and methods. By studying host health costs, microbial gene functions, and chemical analysis, a comprehensive understanding of microbial contributions to plant toxin reduction and their importance for host health can be achieved.
Article
Physiology
Rebekka S. Janke, Safira Moog, Benjamin Weiss, Martin Kaltenpoth, Laura V. Florez
Summary: This study reveals that Lagria beetles maintain symbionts on their surface in specialized cuticular structures to bypass the constraints of metamorphosis. These organs play an important role in symbiont transmission to female adults and allow for symbiont relocation on the outer surface. This strategy enables Lagria beetles to maintain a tight relationship with their beneficial partners during growth and metamorphosis.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julian Simon Thilo Kiefer, Eugen Bauer, Genta Okude, Takema Fukatsu, Martin Kaltenpoth, Tobias Engl
Summary: A dual co-obligate symbiosis has been characterized in a family of xylophagous beetles, involving two symbiotic bacteria that provide complementary metabolic functions. These bacteria, Shikimatogenerans bostrichidophilus and Bostrichicola ureolyticus, assist the beetles in cuticle biosynthesis, sclerotisation, melanisation, and nitrogen recycling by producing tyrosine precursors and lysine. This study highlights the importance of symbiotic relationships in herbivorous beetles.
Article
Ecology
Anna Michalik, Eugen Bauer, Teresa Szklarzewicz, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: In this study, the symbionts of scale insects from the Eriococcidae family were functionally characterized using microscopic and genomic approaches. These symbionts, Burkholderia bacteria, were found to have highly reduced genomes and a low GC content. They retained biosynthetic pathways for essential amino acids and multiple cofactors. The results suggest that the symbiosis between Burkholderia and eriococcids is relatively young but functionally convergent.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chantal Selina Ingham, Tobias Engl, Bernal Matarrita-Carranza, Paul Vogler, Bruno Huettel, Natalie Wielsch, Ales Svatos, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: Symbiosis with microbes is important for the evolutionary success of insects, and a study on beewolves shows that the host provides a protective barrier against nitric oxide to ensure the survival of symbiotic bacteria during transmission.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Andre Rodrigues, Andrew J. Johnson, Ross A. Joseph, You Li, Nemat O. Keyhani, Edward L. Stanley, Benjamin Weiss, Martin Kaltenpoth, Matthew E. Smith, Jiri Hulcr
Summary: Platypodinae ambrosia beetles rely on mutualistic fungi for food and cooperate in colonizing dead trees. The study discovered that Euplatypus parallelus may lack mycangia, unlike other Platypodinae species. However, both Euplatypus species contain yeast related to the fungi.
Article
Microbiology
Sthandiwe Nomthandazo Kanyile, Tobias Engl, Abdelaziz Heddi, Martin Kaltenpoth
Summary: Insects often have symbiotic relationships with internal microbial symbionts (endosymbionts) that enhance their ability to survive in challenging environments. This study investigated the ecological relevance of endosymbiotic relationships with cuticle-enhancing microbes in the rice-weevil, Sitophilus oryzae, in dry environments. The presence of the endosymbionts enabled the beetles to increase their population size significantly under dry conditions compared to aposymbiotic beetles. This advantage is likely due to the thicker cuticle provided by the symbionts, which reduces water loss through cuticular transpiration.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ramya Ganesan, Rebekka S. Janke, Martin Kaltenpoth, Laura V. Florez
Summary: This study investigates the colonization dynamics of a defensive bacterial symbiont on the external surfaces of Lagria villosa beetles. The symbiont remains on the egg surface before hatching, providing protection, and then colonizes the larvae after hatching. The host's passive or active translocation likely supports colonization of the larval symbiotic organs.