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Flowers and Wild Megachilid Bees Share Microbes
Quinn S McFrederick1, Jason M Thomas2, John L Neff3
1Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA. quinn.mcfrederick@ucr.edu.
Microbial Ecology
|September 5, 2016
Summary
Flowers act as microbial transmission hubs for wild bees, facilitating the spread of bacteria like Lactobacillus micheneri. This study reveals shared microbes between bees and flowers, highlighting indirect transmission routes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Microbial symbiont transmission is crucial for persistence and evolution.
- Non-core bacteria associated with bees are found on flowers, suggesting indirect transmission routes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if multiple flower and wild bee species share microbes.
- To determine if flowers serve as microbial transmission hubs for bees.
Main Methods:
- Sampling of flower and megachilid bee (adults and larvae) microbiomes.
- Analysis of pollen provisions and flower samples (bagged and open).
- Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences.
Main Results:
- A specific Lactobacillus operational taxonomic unit (OTU) was found in all sample types.
- This Lactobacillus OTU was most abundant in bee guts and pollen provisions.
- Shared bacterial types between bees and flowers support the hypothesis of flowers as transmission hubs.
Conclusions:
- Flowers act as significant hubs for microbial transmission among wild bee populations.
- Bee-associated bacteria can be transmitted to flowers via various routes, including plant surfaces or air.
- A novel species, Lactobacillus micheneri, is proposed for the dominant Lactobacillus OTU found.
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