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Higher Variability in Fungi Compared to Bacteria in the Foraging Honey Bee Gut
Leslie E Decker1, Priscilla A San Juan2, Magdalena L Warren2
1Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA, 48109-1085, USA. lesldeck@stanford.edu.
Abstract:
Along with bacteria, fungi can represent a significant component of animal- and plant-associated microbial communities. However, we have only begun to describe these fungi, much less examine their effects on most animals and plants. Bacteria associated with the honey bee, Apis mellifera, have been well characterized across different regions of the gut. The mid- and hindgut of foraging bees house a deterministic set of core species that affect host health, whereas the crop, or the honey stomach, harbors a more diverse set of bacteria that is highly variable in composition among individual bees. Whether this contrast between the two regions of the gut also applies to fungi remains unclear despite their potential influence on host health. In honey bees caught foraging at four sites across the San Francisco Peninsula of California, we found that fungi were less distinct in species composition between the crop and the mid- and hindgut than bacteria. Unlike bacteria, fungi varied substantially in species composition throughout the honey bee gut, and much of this variation could be predicted by the location where we collected the bees. These observations suggest that fungi may be transient passengers and unimportant as gut symbionts. However, our findings also indicate that honey bees could be vectors of infectious plant diseases as many of the fungi we found in the honey bee gut are recognized as plant pathogens.
Insights
Honey bee gut fungi composition differs from bacteria. Fungal communities varied significantly by location, suggesting they may be transient and potentially act as vectors for plant pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Entomology
Background:
- Fungi are key members of animal and plant microbial communities, but their role in host health is understudied.
- Honey bee gut bacteria are well-characterized, with distinct compositions in the crop versus the mid- and hindgut.
- It remains unclear if fungal communities in honey bees exhibit similar regional differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fungal community composition in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) gut.
- To compare fungal and bacterial community structures across different gut regions (crop, mid- and hindgut).
- To determine if fungal gut symbionts are influenced by geographic location.
Main Methods:
- Fungal DNA was extracted from honey bee gut samples collected from four sites.
- Fungal species composition was analyzed using sequencing techniques.
- Comparisons were made between fungal and bacterial community structures and their distribution within the gut.
Main Results:
- Fungal species composition was less distinct between the crop and mid- and hindgut compared to bacteria.
- Fungal communities varied significantly throughout the honey bee gut.
- Geographic location strongly predicted fungal community variation.
Conclusions:
- Honey bee gut fungi show greater variability and less regional specificity than bacteria.
- Fungal communities may represent transient populations rather than stable gut symbionts.
- Honey bees could serve as vectors for plant pathogens due to the presence of pathogenic fungi in their guts.
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