Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 3, 2025

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Wild Monochamus alternatus Populations for Biocontrol Applications in Forest Wood Borers
06:58

Author Spotlight: Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Wild Monochamus alternatus Populations for Biocontrol Applications in Forest Wood Borers

Published on: September 29, 2023

866

Bacterial diversity and community structure shapes pederin polymorphism but lacks association with host genotype

Miao-Ching Teoh1, G Veera Singham1

  • 1Centre for Chemical Biology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bayan Lepas, 11900 Penang, Malaysia.

FEMS Microbiology Ecology
|July 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Paederus fuscipes beetles exhibit pederin toxin polymorphism, with over 80% of females carrying the toxin-producing bacteria. This suggests strong selection pressure favors toxin production for survival in natural populations.

Area of Science:

  • Entomology
  • Microbiology
  • Symbiosis

Background:

  • Paederus beetles possess pederin, an irritant toxin synthesized by unculturable bacterial symbionts.
  • Pederin polymorphism, with toxin-producing (+) and non-producing (-) females, occurs in natural populations.
  • The prevalence of symbiont infections and bacterial diversity underlying this polymorphism remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate symbiont infection frequencies and bacterial diversity in Paederus fuscipes populations.
  • To understand the microbial basis of pederin polymorphism in Pa. fuscipes.
  • To explore potential fitness advantages associated with pederin polymorphism.

Main Methods:

  • Field collection of Paederus fuscipes from six natural populations.
  • Detection of bacterial ped genes to identify pederin-producing females.
  • 16S rRNA metabarcoding to analyze bacterial community composition.
  • Host mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis to investigate genetic associations.

Main Results:

  • High prevalence (>80%) of pederin-producing bacterial symbionts found in Pa. fuscipes females across all populations.
  • Pseudomonas-like bacteria (Gammaproteobacteria) dominate (+) females, while Apibacter (Bacteroidia) is abundant in (-) females.
  • No association found between host mtDNA and pederin polymorphism.

Conclusions:

  • Strong selection pressure favors pederin-producing females in natural environments.
  • Distinct bacterial communities in (+) and (-) females suggest specific roles in symbiont functionality.
  • Apibacter's abundance in (-) females may confer fitness advantages, potentially aiding population sustainability.
Keywords:
PaederusPseudomonasautomimicrychemical defencepederinpolyketide

More Related Videos

Empirical, Metagenomic, and Computational Techniques Illuminate the Mechanisms by which Fungicides Compromise Bee Health08:36

Empirical, Metagenomic, and Computational Techniques Illuminate the Mechanisms by which Fungicides Compromise Bee Health

Published on: October 9, 2017

9.9K
Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing11:22

Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Published on: October 15, 2019

29.3K

Related Concept Videos

Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
108
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
110
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
59.3K
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
117
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
120
Modern Molecular Taxonomy01:29

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
119