Spatial segregation and cross-kingdom interactions drive stingless bee hive microbiome assembly.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Host-associated microbiome assembly is crucial for understanding host and microbial evolution and health.
• Honey bee microbiomes are well-studied but may not represent the full diversity of eusocial dynamics and multi-kingdom interactions.
• Stingless bees offer a complementary model system due to their diverse eusocial dynamics, colony biology, and symbiotic yeast.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the drivers of microbiome assembly in stingless bee colonies.
• To understand the eco-evolutionary context of stingless bee microbiome assembly.
• To uncover mechanisms maintaining eusocial superorganism microbiomes.

Main Methods:

• Amplicon sequencing
• Metagenomics
• Microbial experiments

Main Results:

• Stingless bee microbiomes are spatially structured and site-adapted.
• High microbial influx from hive components is segregated from the brood.
• The brood harbors a stable, multi-kingdom community maintained by selective interactions and abiotic conditions.

Conclusions:

• Multi-layered mechanisms, including host biology and cross-kingdom interactions, shape stingless bee superorganism microbiomes.
• The brood microbiome is physically protected and actively maintained.
• Findings provide critical insights into microbiome maintenance in important pollinators.