Diversity and genomics of bacteriome-associated symbionts in treehopper <i>Darthula hardwickii</i> (Hemiptera: Aetalionidae) and implications of their nutritional functions.

ABSTRACT: Symbionts play important roles in insect nutritional ecology, and the phylogenies of some vertically transmitted symbionts mirror the host phylogeny. Here we report the diversity, distribution, transmission, and potential functions of symbionts harbored in the aetalionid treehopper Darthula hardwickii (Aetalionidae) using multiple methods and compare the potential functions of its obligate symbiont Karelsulcia with that of the related aetalionid Aetalion reticulatum. D. hardwickii harbors Karelsulcia in bacteriomes, a yeast-like fungal symbiont (YLS) in fat bodies, and Tisiphia in both the bacteriomes and fat bodies. Karelsulcia and YLS are vertically transmitted to the ovaries but do not cluster to form a "symbiont ball" in terminal oocytes, as is

SUBMITTER: Han X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12016543 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature