Incipient genome erosion and metabolic streamlining for antibiotic production in a defensive symbiont.

ABSTRACT: Genome erosion is a frequently observed result of relaxed selection in insect nutritional symbionts, but it has rarely been studied in defensive mutualisms. Solitary beewolf wasps harbor an actinobacterial symbiont of the genus Streptomyces that provides protection to the developing offspring against pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we characterized the genomic architecture and functional gene content of this culturable symbiont using genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics in combination with in vitro assays. Despite retaining a large linear chromosome (7.3 Mb), the wasp symbiont accumulated frameshift mutations in more than a third of its protein-coding genes, indicative of incipient genome erosion. Although many of the frameshifted genes were still expressed, the encoded protei

SUBMITTER: Nechitaylo TY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8092579 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature