Yeast communities associated with stingless bees

Abstract

The yeast communities associated with the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula, Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia were studied. The bees T. angustula and F. varia showed a strong association with the yeast Starmerella meliponinorum. M. quadrifasciata more frequently carried a species related to Candida apicola, but also vectored low numbers of S. meliponinorum. Some of the yeasts isolated from adult bees were typical of species known to occur in flowers. Other yeast species found in adult bees were more typical of those found in the phylloplane. S. meliponinorum and the species in the C. apicola complex, also part of the Starmerella clade, may have a mutualistic relationship with the bees studied. Many yeasts in that group are often found in bees or substrates visited by bees, suggesting that a mutually beneficial interaction exists between them.

Starmerella caucasica sp. nov., a novel anamorphic yeast species isolated from flowers in the Caucasus

“…Lachance et al, 2001a;Nakase et al, 2010;Rosa et al, 2003Rosa et al, , 2007, their strains also occur in wine-related environments and substrates with high sugar concentration. For example, S. bombicola is quite common in fermenting grape must (Csoma and Sipiczki, 2008;Sipiczki et al, 2005) where its presence can favorably affect wine quality (Milanovic et al, 2012).…”

Sublethal effects of kaolin and the biopesticides Prestop-Mix and BotaniGard on metabolic rate, water loss and longevity in bumble bees (Bombus terrestris)

“…Another intriguing observation is that beekeepers who have used honeybees to vector Prestop-Mix have noticed that these hives were in better condition than neighbouring ones (personal communication, Dr. H. Hokkanen, University of Helsinki, Finland). They suggest that Prestop-Mix can decrease the number of external microorganisms such as yeasts (Rosa et al 2003) and entomopathogens (Yamoah et al 2008) on honeybees.…”

Yeasts Biodiversity and Its Significance: Case Studies in Natural and Human-Related Environments, Ex Situ Preservation, Applications and Challenges

“…Several examples of yeasts associated with insects have been reported in recent years (Rosa et al, 2003;Lachance et al 2005;Starmer & Lachance, 2011). In most cases, the insects vector the yeasts and use these microorganisms as a food source.…”

“…The majority of bee species, of which there are approx. 20,000 species (Michener 2000), have never been examined for the presence of yeasts (Rosa et al 2003). The clade Starmerella, that includes two teleomorphic species and several asexual Candida species, has been isolated from honey, provisional pollen, nectar and waste deposits in hives and nests of several bee species (Rosa et al 2003).…”

“…20,000 species (Michener 2000), have never been examined for the presence of yeasts (Rosa et al 2003). The clade Starmerella, that includes two teleomorphic species and several asexual Candida species, has been isolated from honey, provisional pollen, nectar and waste deposits in hives and nests of several bee species (Rosa et al 2003). The nature of the possible symbiosis is not known with certainty, but a role in pollen maturation is suspected (Starmer & Lachance, 2011).…”