Dynamic but constrained: repeated acquisitions of nutritional symbionts in bed bugs (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) from a narrow taxonomic pool.

ABSTRACT: Bed bugs (Heteroptera: Cimicidae) harbor obligate bacterial symbionts that supplement their blood diet with missing nutrients, especially B vitamins. The primary symbiont, transovarially transmitted Wolbachia, is notable for a horizontally acquired biotin operon. Additional maternally inherited bacteria, including Symbiopectobacterium and Tisiphia, have been detected but are considered facultative and nonessential. However, nearly all current knowledge is derived from the human-associated Cimex lectularius, leaving symbiont diversity across more than 100 bed bug species largely unknown. Using amplicon and metagenomic data, we identified Wolbachia, Symbiopectobacterium, Sodalis, Serratia, and Tisiphia as candidate symbionts, wit

SUBMITTER: Hypsa V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12710357 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature