From eggs to guts: Symbiotic association of Sodalis nezarae sp. nov. with the Southern green shield bug Nezara viridula.

ABSTRACT: Phytophagous insects engage in symbiotic relationships with bacteria that contribute to digestion, nutrient supplementation, and development of the host. The analysis of shield bug microbiomes has been mainly focused on the gut intestinal tract predominantly colonized by Pantoea symbionts and other microbial community members in the gut or other organs have hardly been investigated. In this study, we reveal that the Southern green shield bug Nezara viridula harbours a Sodalis symbiont in several organs, with a notable prevalence in salivary glands, and anterior regions of the midgut. Removing external egg microbiota via sterilization profoundly impacted insect viability but did not disrupt the vertical transmission of Sodalis and Pantoea symbionts. Based on the dominance of Sodalis in test

SUBMITTER: Rogowska-van der Molen MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11879575 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature