Taxonomic profiling of Nasutitermes takasagoensis microbiota to investigate the role of termites as vectors of bacteria linked to ironwood tree decline in Guam.

ABSTRACT: The ironwood tree (Casuarina equisetifolia, family Casuarinaceae), an indigenous agroforestry species in Guam, has been threatened by ironwood tree decline (IWTD) since 2002. Formation of bacterial ooze by the wilt pathogen from the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex and wetwood bacteria (primarily Klebsiella species) has been linked to IWTD. In addition, termite infestation of trees was statistically associated with IWTD. Termites are known carriers of a diverse microbiome. Therefore, we hypothesized that termites could be vectors of bacteria linked to IWTD. To investigate the potential role of termites as pathogen vectors, we employed next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the bacteria diversity of Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Family Termitidae) workers collected from 42

SUBMITTER: Setia G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10745211 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature