Symbiotic Bacteria Protect Wasp Larvae from Fungal Infestation

Kaltenpoth, Martin; Göttler, Wolfgang; Herzner, Gudrun; Strohm, Erhard

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2004.12.084

Cited by 392 publications

(303 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…For instance, adults of the group living beetle Dendroctonus rufipennis exude oral secretions in their galleries to inhibit the growth of colonizing fungi [44]. Subsocial females of the beewolf Philanthus triangulum cultivate Streptomyces bacteria on their antenna and apply them to brood cells to protect cocoons from fungal infection [45]. Frass removal occurs in the subsocial cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus [57], the group living beetle Trachyostus ghanaensis [58] and the subsocial cricket Anurogryllus muticus [59].…”

Section: Social Immunity In Eusocial Non-eusocial and Solitary Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social immunity and the evolution of group living in insects

Meunier

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

159

180

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One contribution of 14 to a theme issue 'The sociality-health -fitness nexus in animal societies'. The evolution of group living requires that individuals limit the inherent risks of parasite infection. To this end, group living insects have developed a unique capability of mounting collective anti-parasite defences, such as allogrooming and corpse removal from the nest. Over the last 20 years, this phenomenon (called social immunity) was mostly studied in eusocial insects, with results emphasizing its importance in derived social systems. However, the role of social immunity in the early evolution of group living remains unclear. Here, I investigate this topic by first presenting the definitions of social immunity and discussing their applications across social systems. I then provide an up-to-date appraisal of the collective and individual mechanisms of social immunity described in eusocial insects and show that they have counterparts in non-eusocial species and even solitary species. Finally, I review evidence demonstrating that the increased risks of parasite infection in group living species may both decrease and increase the level of personal immunity, and discuss how the expression of social immunity could drive these opposite effects. By highlighting similarities and differences of social immunity across social systems, this review emphasizes the potential importance of this phenomenon in the early evolution of the multiple forms of group living in insects.

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Section: Social Immunity In Eusocial Non-eusocial and Solitary Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social immunity and the evolution of group living in insects

Meunier

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

159

180

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“…For example Streptomyces symbionts in the beewolf digger wasp protect their cocoon from fungal infection by producing a cocktail of 9 antibiotics and significantly enhance the larva's chances of survival during hibernation in the soil [47,48]. Non leguminous angiosperm species having actinomycetes in root-nodule have also been noted [49][50][51].…”

Section: Symbiosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Why antibiotics: A comparative evaluation of different hypotheses for the natural role of antibiotics and an evolutionary synthesis

Kumbhar¹,

Watve²

2013

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Although secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and other bioactivities are explored extensively, the natural or ecological role(s) of secondary metabolites is not yet clearly known. We review here the different hypotheses for the ecological role of antibiotics, with particular focus on the genus Streptomyces which is unparalleled in the richness of secondary metabolites. We first lay down our expectations from an ecological hypothesis for antibiotics and then weigh the six predominant hypotheses against them including antibiotics as weapons in competition, as aid in sporulation, as bartered benefits in symbioses, as signal molecules in community homeostasis, as weapons in predation and as metabolic waste or bi-products. The analysis shows that no single hypothesis meets all the expectations. While the waste or bi-product hypothesis can safely be eliminated all others have some evidence in support. It is possible therefore that antibiotics serve a multitude of ecological functions and it is possible to visualize a pathway for the radiating functions. According to this synthesis antibiotics evolved primarily as weapons in predation on other microorganisms. The inevitable co-evolution with prey species led to diversification of the genes and pathways. Some of the secondary metabolites eventually radiated to acquire other functions such as competition between predators. Some secondary metabolites evolved animal toxicity as a mutualistic barter to protect the symbiotic partner from grazing/predation by animals. Transcription modulation primarily evolved as activation of defense mechanisms by the prey which may have later radiated to serve interspecies signaling functions. The synthesis successfully links different functions of antibiotics with logical coherence.

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“…Antibiotic producing bacteria carried by fungus-growing ants protect their fungal crop from attack by the parasitic fungus Escovopsis [3]. Streptomyces bacteria protect digger wasp larvae from fungal attack [4]. Other examples include triterpene glycosides produced by Caribbean reef sponges to discourage predation by reef fish [5], and toxic secondary compounds produced by lichens to avoid predation by beetles [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sentinel cells, symbiotic bacteria and toxin resistance in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum

Brock¹,

Callison²,

Strassmann³

et al. 2016

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is unusual among eukaryotes in having both unicellular and multicellular stages. In the multicellular stage, some cells, called sentinels, ingest toxins, waste and bacteria. The sentinel cells ultimately fall away from the back of the migrating slug, thus removing these substances from the slug. However, some D. discoideum clones (called farmers) carry commensal bacteria through the multicellular stage, while others (called non-farmers) do not. Farmers profit from their beneficial bacteria. To prevent the loss of these bacteria, we hypothesize that sentinel cell numbers may be reduced in farmers, and thus farmers may have a diminished capacity to respond to pathogenic bacteria or toxins. In support, we found that farmers have fewer sentinel cells compared with non-farmers. However, farmers produced no fewer viable spores when challenged with a toxin. These results are consistent with the beneficial bacteria Burkholderia providing protection against toxins. The farmers did not vary in spore production with and without a toxin challenge the way the non-farmers did, which suggests the costs of Burkholderia may be fixed while sentinel cells may be inducible. Therefore, the costs for non-farmers are only paid in the presence of the toxin. When the farmers were cured of their symbiotic bacteria with antibiotics, they behaved just like non-farmers in response to a toxin challenge. Thus, the advantages farmers gain from carrying bacteria include not just food and protection against competitors, but also protection against toxins.

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Symbiotic Bacteria Protect Wasp Larvae from Fungal Infestation

Cited by 392 publications

References 15 publications

Social immunity and the evolution of group living in insects

Social immunity and the evolution of group living in insects

Why antibiotics: A comparative evaluation of different hypotheses for the natural role of antibiotics and an evolutionary synthesis

Sentinel cells, symbiotic bacteria and toxin resistance in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum

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