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Published on: August 31, 2018
Symbiotic bacterium modifies aphid body color
Tsutomu Tsuchida1, Ryuichi Koga, Mitsuyo Horikawa
1Molecular Entomology Laboratory, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako 351-0198, Japan. t-tsuchida@riken.jp
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 25, 2010
Summary
Pea aphid color changes from red to green when infected by Rickettsiella bacteria. This color shift, driven by pigment changes, may alter how predators and parasites interact with these insects.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Microbiology
- Insect Biology
Background:
- Color variation in pea aphid populations affects their interactions with predators and parasites.
- Facultative endosymbionts are microorganisms that live in insects but are not essential for their survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of Rickettsiella endosymbiont infection on the body color of pea aphids.
- To understand the biochemical basis of color change in infected pea aphids.
Main Methods:
- Field collection of pea aphids in Western Europe.
- Spectrophotometric analysis of aphid body color.
- Pigment analysis to quantify quinones and carotenoids.
Main Results:
- Approximately 8% of collected pea aphids harbored Rickettsiella infections.
- Rickettsiella infection caused a shift in pea aphid body color from red to green.
- Infected aphids showed increased levels of blue-green polycyclic quinones and minimal changes in carotenoids.
Conclusions:
- Rickettsiella endosymbionts can induce significant color changes in pea aphids.
- The observed color alteration is linked to changes in pigment composition.
- This endosymbiont-induced color change is hypothesized to influence ecological interactions, including prey-predator dynamics and other symbiotic relationships.
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