Mating changes the genital microbiome in both sexes of the common bedbug Cimex lectularius across populations

Abstract

Many bacteria live on host surfaces, in cells and in specific organ systems. In comparison with gut microbiomes, the bacterial communities of reproductive organs (genital microbiomes) have received little attention. During mating, male and female genitalia interact and copulatory wounds occur, providing an entrance for sexually transmitted microbes. Besides being potentially harmful to the host, invading microbes might interact with resident genital microbes and affect immunity. Apart from the investigation of sexually transmitted symbionts, few studies have addressed how mating changes genital microbiomes. We dissected reproductive organs from virgin and mated common bedbugs, Cimex lectularius L., and sequenced their microbiomes to investigate composition and mating-induced changes. We show that mating changes the genital microbiomes, suggesting bacteria are sexually transmitted. Also, genital microbiomes varied between populations and the sexes. This provides evidence for local and sex-specific adaptation of bacteria and hosts, suggesting bacteria might play an important role in shaping the evolution of reproductive traits. Coadaptation of genital microbiomes and reproductive traits might further lead to reproductive isolation between populations, giving reproductive ecology an important role in speciation. Future studies should investigate the transmission dynamics between the sexes and populations to uncover potential reproductive barriers.

Transmission, Tropism, and Biological Impacts of Torix Rickettsia in the Common Bed Bug Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

“…In contrast, no paternal transmission was observed in this study, despite paternal males carrying infections, and previous evidence of Rickettsia in male sperm vesicles (Bellinvia et al, 2020 ). The situation contrasts with the leafhopper-associated Rickettsia .…”

Mating Leads to a Decline in the Diversity of Symbiotic Microbiomes and Promiscuity Increased Pathogen Abundance in a Moth

“…Animals live and evolve in a world dominated by microbes, from which they host a diversity of microbiomes on and in their bodies. It is now widely accepted that microbiomes can be an integral part of the host phenotype, which may influence the health, physiology, development, behavior, and reproduction of the host, and potentially influence the host genome and be a part of the host genome (Schoenmakers et al, 2019 ; Bellinvia et al, 2020a , b ; Rowe et al, 2021 ). A wide range of studies so far have been performed to reveal the role of microbiomes on host skin, oral, and gut from perspectives of ecology, adaption, and evolution (Dillon and Dillon, 2004 ; Voirol et al, 2018 ; Rowe et al, 2021 ).…”

“…A wide range of studies so far have been performed to reveal the role of microbiomes on host skin, oral, and gut from perspectives of ecology, adaption, and evolution (Dillon and Dillon, 2004 ; Voirol et al, 2018 ; Rowe et al, 2021 ). However, reproductive microbiomes or reproduction-related microbiomes are relatively neglected and less known (Bellinvia et al, 2020a ; Rowe et al, 2021 ). Reproductive microbiomes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoans, and unicellular algae, living in or on any structure, organ, fluid, or tissue of a host, typically make contact with the gametes or reproductive tract or organs of another individual through mating and spawning (Rowe et al, 2021 ).…”

“…However, most studies examined bacteria effects with only one or a few types of bacteria (Rowe et al, 2021 ). One possible reason is that these microbes are large in quantity and species, and most of them are hard to cultivate or uncultivable (Bellinvia et al, 2020a ). While the study of individual microbes is fundamental and informative, it is important to understand the microbiomes in a community context (Schoenmakers et al, 2019 ; Rowe et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Recent progress on high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics has revolutionized our understanding of symbiotic microbiomes. In the field of reproductive microbiomes, a few studies have demonstrated the bacterial communities of the reproductive organs in insects using 16S rDNA sequencing and subsequent bioinformatic analysis (Wang et al, 2014 ; Otti et al, 2017 ; Bellinvia et al, 2020a , b ). In the citrus fruit fly, Bactrocera minax , sequencing revealed that female ovary has the highest diversity in microbiomes, followed by male testis, and the bacterial diversity of reproductive organs is higher than that of the gut (Wang et al, 2014 ).…”