Evolutionary genomics reveals plant-associated origins of acetic acid bacteria in fermented food
Ana Cuesta-Maté, Thibault P. Bret, David Alejandro Duchêne, Angela Oliverio, Jonathan Z. Shik, Sandra B. Andersen, Robert R. Dunn, Juan Antonio Rodríguez, Veronica M. Sinotte
This study traces the evolutionary origins of acetic acid bacteria, showing they transitioned from plant-associated lifestyles to fermented foods, not from social insect hosts.
bioRxiv · Jul 9, 2025 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology