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A nuptially transmitted ichthyosporean symbiont of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Jeffrey C Lord1, Kris L Hartzer, Srinivas Kambhampati

  • 1USDA Agricultural Research Service, Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, 1515 College Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA. jeff.lor-d@ars.usda.gov

The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
|April 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

A novel symbiont infects yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), targeting key tissues like the fat body and testes. This protist, identified as Ichthyosporea, is transmitted during mating, impacting beetle reproduction.

Area of Science:

  • * Microbiology
  • * Entomology
  • * Protistology

Background:

  • * The yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) hosts an unidentified symbiont.
  • * This symbiont exhibits unique spore morphology and tissue tropism within the host.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To characterize the yellow mealworm symbiont.
  • * To determine the symbiont's impact on Tenebrio molitor reproduction.
  • * To classify the symbiont taxonomically.

Main Methods:

  • * Microscopic examination of infected Tenebrio molitor tissues (fat body, ventral nerve cord, testes, ovaries).
  • * Analysis of spore morphology and location within host tissues.
  • * Molecular phylogenetic analysis using nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing.

Main Results:

  • * The symbiont infects the fat body and ventral nerve cord in larvae and adults.
  • * Adult male testes show heavy infection, with spores found in spermatophores transferred to females; ovaries remain uninfected.
  • * Phylogenetic analysis places the symbiont within Ichthyosporea, a group near the animal-fungi divergence.

Conclusions:

  • * The characterized symbiont is a novel Ichthyosporean protist infecting Tenebrio molitor.
  • * Reproductive tissues, particularly male testes, are significantly affected, with potential implications for host reproduction.
  • * The symbiont's transmission occurs via mating, highlighting a unique host-symbiont interaction.

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