biostudies-literatureSugiyama RMEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)MEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agencye0134224https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11389372biostudies-literatureUnknown15(9)Diverse insects are intimately associated with specific symbiotic bacteria, where host and symbiont are integrated into an almost inseparable biological entity. These symbiotic bacteria usually exhibit host specificity, uncultivability, reduced genome size, and other peculiar traits relevant to their symbiotic lifestyle. How host-symbiont specificity is established at the very beginning of symbiosis is of interest but poorly understood. To gain insight into the evolutionary issue, we adopted an experimental approach using the recently developed evolutionary model of symbiosis between the stinkbug <i>Plautia stali</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Based on the laboratory evolution of <i>P. stali-E. coli</i> mutualism, we selected Δ<i>cyaA</i> mutant of <i>E. coli</i> as an artificial symbionmBioHost range of naturally and artificially evolved symbiotic bacteria for a specific host insect.PMC11389372JPMJER1902Sugiyama RKoga RMoriyama MFukatsu TfalseHost range of naturally and artificially evolved symbiotic bacteria for a specific host insect.Diverse insects are intimately associated with specific symbiotic bacteria, where host and symbiont are integrated into an almost inseparable biological entity. These symbiotic bacteria usually exhibit host specificity, uncultivability, reduced genome size, and other peculiar traits relevant to their symbiotic lifestyle. How host-symbiont specificity is established at the very beginning of symbiosis is of interest but poorly understood. To gain insight into the evolutionary issue, we adopted an experimental approach using the recently developed evolutionary model of symbiosis between the stinkbug <i>Plautia stali</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>. Based on the laboratory evolution of <i>P. stali-E. coli</i> mutualism, we selected Δ<i>cyaA</i> mutant of <i>E. coli</i> as an artificial symbion2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Sep2025-04-18T13:39:48.095Z2025-04-04T11:34:33.336ZS-EPMC113893723908282610.1128/mbio.01342-24