Insight into the bacterial communities of the subterranean aphid Anoecia corni

PLoS One. 2021 Aug 11;16(8):e0256019. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256019. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Many insect species are associated with bacterial partners that can significantly influence their evolutionary ecology. Compared to other insect groups, aphids harbor a bacterial microbiota that has the reputation of being poorly diversified, generally limited to the presence of the obligate nutritional symbiont Buchnera aphidicola and some facultative symbionts. In this study, we analyzed the bacterial diversity associated with the dogwood-grass aphid Anoecia corni, an aphid species that spends much of its life cycle in a subterranean environment. Little is known about the bacterial diversity associated with aphids displaying such a lifestyle, and one hypothesis is that close contact with the vast microbial community of the rhizosphere could promote the acquisition of a richer bacterial diversity compared to other aphid species. Using 16S rRNA amplicon Illumina sequencing on specimens collected on wheat roots in Morocco, we identified 10 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) corresponding to five bacterial genera. In addition to the obligate symbiont Buchnera, we identified the facultative symbionts Serratia symbiotica and Wolbachia in certain aphid colonies. The detection of Wolbachia is unexpected as it is considered rare in aphids. Moreover, its biological significance remains unknown in these insects. Besides, we also detected Arsenophonus and Dactylopiibacterium carminicum. These results suggest that, despite its subterranean lifestyle, A. corni shelter a bacterial diversity mainly limited to bacterial endosymbionts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aphids / microbiology*
  • Bacteria / classification*
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Biodiversity*
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Microbiota
  • Morocco
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Symbiosis*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Merit Scholarship Program for High Technology from the Islamic Development Bank [IBD File No. 51/MOR/P33-600029718] and by the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS, FRIA Grant No. 1.E014.17F). The funders had no role in study design and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.