Erwiniaceae bacteria play defensive and nutritional roles in two widespread ambrosia beetles.

ABSTRACT: Ambrosia beetles are fungal-growing insects excavating galleries deep inside the wood. Their success as invaders increased scientific interest towards them. However, most studies on their microbiota targeted their fungal associates whereas the role of bacterial associates is understudied. To explore the role of abundant microbial associates, we isolated bacteria from active galleries of two widespread ambrosia beetles, Xylosandrus crassiusculus and X. germanus. These isolates were classified within the Erwiniaceae family and through a phylogenetic analysis including isolates from other insects we showed that they clustered with isolates obtained from ambrosia and bark beetles, including Erwinia typographi. The whole genome analysis of the isolate from active galleries of X. crassiusculus s

SUBMITTER: Cambronero-Heinrichs JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10664977 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature