From phyllosphere to insect cuticles: silkworms gather antifungal bacteria from mulberry leaves to battle fungal parasite attacks.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacterial transfers from plants to insect herbivore guts have been well investigated. However, bacterial exchanges between plant phyllospheres and insect cuticles remain unclear, as does their related biological function.

Results

Here, we report that the cuticular bacterial loads of silkworm larvae quickly increased after molting and feeding on the white mulberry (Morus alba) leaves. The isolation and examination of silkworm cuticular bacteria identified one bacterium Mammaliicoccus sciuri that could completely inhibit the spore germination of fungal entomopathogens Metarhizium robertsii and Beauveria bassiana. Interestingly, Ma. sciuri was evident originally from mulberry leaves, which could produce a secreted chitinolytic lysozyme (termed Msp1) to damage fungal

SUBMITTER: Zhao P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10895815 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature