Dominant Bacterial Symbionts Research Articles

Coexistence of Three Dominant Bacterial Symbionts in a Social Aphid and Implications for Ecological Adaptation.

Simple SummaryMost insects are associated with a variety of symbionts that play a crucial role in insect life history. Symbiosis of aphids and their symbionts is a good model system to study insect–symbiont interactions. Pseudoregma bambucicola is a typical social aphid that lives parthenogenetically throughout the year on bamboos in subtropical areas, and it is the only aphid that exclusively feeds on the hard stalks of bamboo. In this study, we surveyed the symbiotic bacterial community associated with P. bambucicola. Our results showed that the diversity of P. bambucicola microbiome was low, but three symbionts, namely the primary endosymbiont Buchnera and two secondary symbionts (Pectobacterium and Wolbachia), were stable coexisting with a high infection rate. Combined with the biology of P. bambucicola, we speculate that Pectobacterium may help P. bambucicola feed on the stalks of bamboo, and Wolbachia may regulate the loss of sexual reproduction or has a nutritional role in P. bambucicola. These findings will advance our knowledge of the microbiomes of social aphids and set the foundation for further studies on the functional roles of P. bambucicola symbionts.Aphids are associated with an array of symbionts that have diverse ecological and evolutionary effects on their hosts. To date, symbiont communities of most aphid species are still poorly characterized, especially for the social aphids. In this study, high-throughput 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was used to assess the bacterial communities of the social aphid Pseudoregma bambucicola, and the differences in bacterial diversity with respect to ant attendance and time series were also assessed. We found that the diversity of symbionts in P. bambucicola was low and three dominant symbionts (Buchnera, Pectobacterium and Wolbachia) were stably coexisting. Pectobacterium may help P. bambucicola feed on the hard bamboo stems, and genetic distance analysis suggests that the Pectobacterium in P. bambucicola may be a new symbiont species. Wolbachia may be associated with the transition of reproduction mode or has a nutritional role in P. bambucicola. Statistical tests on the diversity of bacterial communities in P. bambucicola suggest that aphid populations attended by ants usually have a significantly higher evenness than populations without ant attendance but there was no significant difference among aphid populations from different seasons.

Tissue- and Population-Level Microbiome Analysis of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi Identified a Novel Dominant Bacterial Symbiont.

Many ecological and evolutionary processes in animals depend upon microbial symbioses. In spiders, the role of the microbiome in these processes remains mostly unknown. We compared the microbiome between populations, individuals, and tissue types of a range-expanding spider, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our study is one of the first to go beyond targeting known endosymbionts in spiders and characterizes the total microbiome across different body compartments (leg, prosoma, hemolymph, book lungs, ovaries, silk glands, midgut, and fecal pellets). Overall, the microbiome differed significantly between populations and individuals, but not between tissue types. The microbiome of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi features a novel dominant bacterial symbiont, which is abundant in every tissue type in spiders from geographically distinct populations and that is also present in offspring. The novel symbiont is affiliated with the Tenericutes, but has low sequence identity (<85%) to all previously named taxa, suggesting that the novel symbiont represents a new bacterial clade. Its presence in offspring implies that it is vertically transmitted. Our results shed light on the processes that shape microbiome differentiation in this species and raise several questions about the implications of the novel dominant bacterial symbiont on the biology and evolution of its host.

Genome analysis of sponge symbiont 'Candidatus Halichondribacter symbioticus' shows genomic adaptation to a host-dependent lifestyle.

The marine sponge Halichondria panicea inhabits coastal areas around the globe and is a widely studied sponge species in terms of its biology, yet the ecological functions of its dominant bacterial symbiont 'Candidatus Halichondribacter symbioticus' remain unknown. Here, we present the draft genome of 'Ca. H. symbioticus' HS1 (2.8 Mbp, ca. 87.6% genome coverage) recovered from the sponge metagenome of H. panicea in order to study functions and symbiotic interactions at the genome level. Functional genome comparison of HS1 against closely related free-living seawater bacteria revealed a reduction of genes associated with carbohydrate transport and transcription regulation, pointing towards a limited carbohydrate metabolism, and static transcriptional dynamics reminiscent of other bacterial symbionts. In addition, HS1 was enriched in sponge symbiont specific gene families related to host-symbiont interactions and defence. Similarity in the functional gene repertoire between HS1 and a phylogenetically more distant symbiont in the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba, based on COG category distribution, suggest a convergent evolution of symbiont specific traits and general metabolic features. This warrants further investigation into convergent genomic evolution of symbionts across different sponge species and habitats.

Diversity, Tissue Localization, and Infection Pattern of Bacterial Symbionts of the White-Backed Planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

The white-backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth), is a destructive pest of rice. Bacterial symbionts play an important role in insect hosts, especially hemipteran hosts. This study was designed to examine the bacterial symbionts of the WBPH using 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. A total of 63 and 177 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified in females and males of three WBPH populations, respectively. These OTUs included bacteria of 75 genera from 11 phyla, where Wolbachia, Cardinium, and Asaia were the dominant genera, accounting for over 97.99% of all the symbiotic bacteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridization detected Wolbachia, Cardinium, and Asaia in the salivary glands, guts, testes, and eggs of the WBPH, indicating the potential for both horizontal and vertical transmission. Moreover, the infection pattern of the three dominant bacterial symbionts was detected in six WBPH populations. The frequencies of Wolbachia infection of females and Cardinium infection of both sexes were over 96.7%. Wolbachia infection of males ranged between 46.7 and 63.3%, which was significantly lower than that observed for females. Asaia infection of both sexes varied substantially among the populations. These results indicate that the complex host-symbiotic bacteria interaction is influenced by host sex and geographical origin and potentially by the transmission modes of the symbionts.

Comparison of bacterial communities associated withXestospongia testudinaria, sediment and seawater in a Singaporean coral reef ecosystem

Despite alterations caused by anthropogenic activities in Singaporean coral reefs, the sponge communities are quite diverse andXestospongia testudinariais one of the most common sponge species. In the present study, we used 16S rRNA gene barcoded pyrosequencing to characterize and compare bacterial communities from different biotopes (sponge, seawater and sediment) and to identify dominant bacterial symbionts ofX. testudinariain a Singaporean coral reef ecosystem. Our results showed that biotope appears to affect the richness, composition and abundance of bacterial communities. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in sediment and seawater whilst Chloroflexi was more abundant inX. testudinaria.Members of the order Caldilineales (fermentation of organic substrates), Chromatiales (purple sulphur bacteria), Rhodospirillales (purple non-sulphur bacteria) and Syntrophobacterales (sulphate-reducing bacteria) were relatively more abundant inX. testudinariasamples.

Keeping it in the family: Coevolution of latrunculid sponges and their dominant bacterial symbionts.

The Latrunculiidae are a family of cold water sponges known for their production of bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. Previously it was shown that the bacterial community associated with a Tsitsikamma sponge species comprises unusual bacterial taxa and is dominated by a novel Betaproteobacterium. Here, we have characterized the bacterial communities associated with six latrunculid species representing three genera (Tsitsikamma, Cyclacanthia, and Latrunculia) as well as a Mycale species, collected from Algoa Bay on the South African southeast coast. The bacterial communities of all seven sponge species were dominated by a single Betaproteobacterium operational taxonomic unit (OTU 0.03), while a second OTU 0.03 was dominant in the Mycale sp. The Betaproteobacteria OTUs from the different latrunculid sponges are closely related and their phylogenetic relationship follows that of their hosts. We propose that the latrunculid Betaproteobacteria OTUs are members of a specialized group of sponge symbionts that may have coevolved with their hosts. A single dominant Spirochaetae OTU 0.03 was present in the Tsitsikamma and Cyclacanthia sponge species, but absent from the Latrunculia and Mycale sponges. This study sheds new light on the interactions between latrunculid sponges and their bacterial communities and may point to the potential involvement of dominant symbionts in the biosynthesis of the bioactive secondary metabolites.

Evidence for host specificity among dominant bacterial symbionts in temperate gorgonian corals

Gorgonian corals serve as key engineering species within Mediterranean rocky-shore communities that have recently suffered from repeated mortality events during warm temperature anomalies. Among the factors that may link thermal conditions with disease outbreaks, a number of bacterial pathogens have been implicated; they may take advantage of decreases in the defenses and/or overall health of the gorgonian hosts. Considering the beneficial role of the resident bacteria in tropical coral holobionts, a detailed characterization of the gorgonian-associated microbial populations is required to better understand the relationships among native microbiota, host fitness, and pathogen susceptibility. In this study, the bacterial communities associated with three sympatric gorgonian species, Eunicella singularis, Eunicella cavolini, and Corallium rubrum, were investigated to provide insight into the stability and the specificity of host–microbe interactions. Natural variations in bacterial communities were detected using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of the 16S ribosomal DNA. No major differences were identified between individual colonies sampled in winter or in summer within each gorgonian species. Although hierarchical cluster analysis of the T-RFLP profiles revealed that the three species harbor distinct communities, comparison of the T-RFLP peaks indicated the presence of common bacterial ribotypes. From phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries, we identified a bacterial lineage related to the Hahellaceae family within the Oceanospirillales that is shared among E. singularis, E. cavolini, and C. rubrum and that dominates the communities of both species of Eunicella. However, distinct clades of Hahellaceae are harbored by various gorgonian species from Mediterranean and tropical waters, suggesting that these bacteria have formed host-specific symbiotic relationships with gorgonian octocorals. In addition, the relatedness of symbionts from host species belonging to the same taxon but occurring in geographically remote areas is consistent with codivergence between gorgonians and their associated bacteria.

Betaproteobacteria Limnohabitans strains increase fecundity in the crustacean Daphnia magna: symbiotic relationship between major bacterioplankton and zooplankton in freshwater ecosystem.

How symbioses between bacteria and aquatic animals influence food webs in freshwater ecosystems is a fundamental question in ecology. We investigated symbiosis between a crustacean zooplankton Daphnia magna and its dominant bacterial symbiont Limnohabitans, an abundant and globally distributed freshwater Betaproteobacteria. Aposymbiotic juvenile Daphnia were prepared and exposed to any of four Limnohabitans sp. - Limnohabitans strains DM1, 2KL-3, 2KL-7 and Limnohabitans planktonicus strain II-D5, all previously found in D. magna digestive tract or culture. Re-infected Daphnia were cultured until they produced the first clutch of juveniles. Limnohabitans strain DM1 and L. planktonicus strain II-D5 successfully re-infected Daphnia through single exposure at the first instar juvenile stage. In contrast to aposymbiotic Daphnia that produced non-viable juveniles, re-infected Daphnia produced viable juveniles and increased fecundity to levels of that of symbiotic Daphnia. Re-infected Daphnia did not increase their number of eggs nor growth rates. Limnohabitans strains 2KL-7 and 2KL-3 could not recover fecundity even in multiple exposures during culture. This study shows the functional evidence demonstrating that a single bacterium Limnohabitans regulates fecundity of the consumer Daphnia through symbiosis. Our results indicated that symbiotic relationship between major bacterioplankton and zooplankton is important for maintaining the population of zooplankton in freshwater ecosystems.

Ecological Inferences from a deep screening of the Complex Bacterial Consortia associated with the coral, Porites astreoides

The functional role of the bacterial organisms in the reef ecosystem and their contribution to the coral well-being remain largely unclear. The first step in addressing this gap of knowledge relies on in-depth characterization of the coral microbial community and its changes in diversity across coral species, space and time. In this study, we focused on the exploration of microbial community assemblages associated with an ecologically important Caribbean scleractinian coral, Porites astreoides, using Illumina high-throughput sequencing of the V5 fragment of 16S rRNA gene. We collected data from a large set of biological replicates, allowing us to detect patterns of geographical structure and resolve co-occurrence patterns using network analyses. The taxonomic analysis of the resolved diversity showed consistent and dominant presence of two OTUs affiliated with the order Oceanospirillales, which corroborates a specific pattern of bacterial association emerging for this coral species and for many other corals within the genus Porites. We argue that this specific association might indicate a symbiotic association with the adult coral partner. Furthermore, we identified a highly diverse rare bacterial 'biosphere' (725 OTUs) also living along with the dominant bacterial symbionts, but the assemblage of this biosphere is significantly structured along the geographical scale. We further discuss that some of these rare bacterial members show significant association with other members of the community reflecting the complexity of the networked consortia within the coral holobiont.

Physical proximity may promote lateral acquisition of bacterial symbionts in vesicomyid clams.

Vesicomyid clams harbor intracellular sulfur-oxidizing bacteria that are predominantly maternally inherited and co-speciate with their hosts. Genome recombination and the occurrence of non-parental strains were recently demonstrated in symbionts. However, mechanisms favoring such events remain to be identified. In this study, we investigated symbionts in two phylogenetically distant vesicomyid species, Christineconcha regab and Laubiericoncha chuni, which sometimes co-occur at a cold-seep site in the Gulf of Guinea. We showed that each of the two species harbored a single dominant bacterial symbiont strain. However, for both vesicomyid species, the symbiont from the other species was occasionally detected in the gills using fluorescence in situ hybridization and gene sequences analyses based on six symbiont marker genes. Symbiont strains co-occurred within a single host only at sites where both host species were found; whereas one single symbiont strain was detected in C. regab specimens from a site where no L. chuni individuals had been observed. These results suggest that physical proximity favored the acquisition of non-parental symbiont strains in Vesicomyidae. Over evolutionary time, this could potentially lead to genetic exchanges among symbiont species and eventually symbiont displacement. Symbiont densities estimated using 3D fluorescence in situ hybridization varied among host species and sites, suggesting flexibility in the association despite the fact that a similar type of metabolism is expected in all symbionts.