Abstract
AbstractIn preparation for winter many insects enhance the supercooling capacity of their body fluids by 25°C or more, thereby avoiding the lethal effects of tissue freezing. A primary factor limiting supercooling capacity is the presence of nucleating agents that catalyze ice formation at high subzero temperatures. Two species of ice nucleating active (INA) bacteria, Enterobacter agglomerans and Enterobacter taylorae, the latter with previously unknown ice nucleating activity, were isolated from the gut of two species of field‐collected beetles, Ceratoma trifurcata and Hippodamia convergens. Ingestion of these INA bacteria greatly diminished the capacity of our insect model, H. convergens, to supercool and caused freezing at temperatures as high as ‐ 1.5°C. Removal or masking of endogenous INA bacteria may be a major factor in the cold‐hardening of freeze intolerant insects for winter survival. Furthermore, these bacteria may provide a novel biological insecticide to control overwintering pest insects by decreasing their natural capacity to supercool.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
