Luminal hindgut bacterial diversities of the grass and sugarcane feeding termite Trinervitermes trinervoides

Abstract

Termites depend on intestinal fauna for digestion of lignocellulose, but the variations in gut bacterial diversity between termites species is poorly characterised. Bacterial diversities from the third proctodeal hindgut segments (P3, the paunch) of the grass and sugarcane feeding Trinervitermes trinervoides (Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) termites were compared using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequence analysis. A total of 2274 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from the sugarcane feeding termites at 99% sequence identity, and 2943 OTUs were identified from the grass feeding termites. The bacterial communities in both termites were dominated by Spirochaetes of the genusTreponema. The Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes were more represented in the hindgut of the sugarcane feeding termite, whereas Acidobacteria and Firmicutes were more represented in the grass feeding termite. The Fibrobacteres had a slight correlatation with a woody diet. Planctomycetes and Acidobacteria correlated with sugarcane and grass, respectively, and were the key distinguishing bacterial functional groups between these termites of the same species. Termite hindgut bacterial diversity did not cluster according to diet but termite phylogeny; this suggests diet was not the main determinant of microbial diversity. Key words: Termite hindgut, 16S rRNA gene, pyrosequencing, bacterial diversity, substrate preference.