Cultivation reveals physiological diversity among defensive 'Streptomyces philanthi' symbionts of beewolf digger wasps (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae).

ABSTRACT:

Background

'Candidatus Streptomyces philanthi' is a monophyletic clade of formerly uncultured bacterial symbionts in solitary digger wasps of the genera Philanthus, Philanthinus and Trachypus (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae). These bacteria grow in female-specific antennal reservoirs and - after transmission to the cocoon - produce antibiotics protecting the host larvae from fungal infection. However, the symbionts' refractoriness to cultivation has thus far hampered detailed in vitro studies on their physiology and on the evolutionary changes in metabolic versatility in response to the host environment.

Results

Here we isolated in axenic culture 22 'Streptomyces philanthi' biovars from different host species. Sequencing of gyrB revealed no heterogeneity among isolates within host

SUBMITTER: Nechitaylo TY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4236554 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature