Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences

Defensive symbiont genotype distributions are linked to parasitoid attack networks

The paper shows that Hamiltonella defensa genotype distributions in aphids align with shared parasitoids rather than host plants, indicating parasitoids drive symbiosis prevalence.

Spiroplasma endosymbiont reduction of host lipid synthesis and Stomoxyn-like peptide contribute to trypanosome resistance in the tsetse fly Glossina fuscipes

This study identifies Spiroplasma-induced lipid reduction and a Stomoxyn-like peptide as mechanisms contributing to trypanosome resistance in tsetse flies.

Prevalence of heritable symbionts in the Parisian Bedbugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

The paper examines heritable symbionts in Parisian bedbugs, finding all three symbionts are widespread, with triple infections common and facultative symbionts present in most individuals.

Functional carbohydrate-active enzymes acquired by horizontal gene transfer from plants in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci

The paper identifies plant-derived horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events in Bemisia tabaci, revealing functional CAZymes with distinct glucanase activities.

Development of the Incompatible Insect Technique targeting Aedes albopictus: introgression of a wild nuclear background restores the performance of males artificially infected with Wolbachia

This study shows that introgression of a wild genetic background into Wolbachia-infected Aedes albopictus males restores their fitness and mating competitiveness, enhancing the effectiveness of the Incompatible Insect Technique.

Recovering ecological interactions by mining non-target data from whole genome re-sequencing projects

The paper identifies ecological interactions by analyzing non-target data from whole-genome sequencing projects of the Glanville fritillary butterfly.

A persistent bacterial Regiella transinfection in the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi increasing host fitness and decreasing plant virus transmission

This study transinfected the bird cherry-oat aphid with Regiella insecticola, enhancing host fitness and reducing plant virus transmission.

Rapid evolution of Wolbachia in cherry fruit flies

This study investigates rapid genome evolution of Wolbachia in cherry fruit flies, revealing structural and gene content changes over ecological timeframes.

Recombination, truncation and horizontal transfer shape the diversity of cytoplasmic incompatibility patterns

The paper investigates how recombination, truncation, and horizontal transfer shape the diversity of cytoplasmic incompatibility patterns in Wolbachia wPip strains.

Mosquitoes reared in distinct insectaries within an institution in close spatial proximity possess significantly divergent microbiome

This study shows that mosquitoes reared in different insectaries have divergent microbiomes, influenced by environmental conditions and food sources.

How does host age and nutrition affect density regulation of obligate versus facultative bacterial symbionts? Insights from the tsetse fly

This study compares how host age and nutrition affect the density regulation of obligate and facultative bacterial symbionts in tsetse flies, finding that obligate symbionts are more tightly regulated by the host than facultative ones.

Wolbachia strain wMelM disrupts egg retention by Aedes aegypti females prevented from ovipositing

This study evaluates the impact of Wolbachia strains wAlbB and wMelM on egg retention and viability in Aedes aegypti females under extended egg retention conditions, finding greater negative effects with wMelM.

Whole mitochondrial genome analysis of Aedes aegypti reveal association with Wolbachia infection

The paper analyzes mitochondrial genomes of Aedes aegypti samples to explore genetic diversity and its association with Wolbachia infection.

The relative importance of host phylogeny and dietary convergence in shaping the bacterial communities hosted by several Sonoran Desert Drosophila species

The paper examines how host phylogeny and diet influence bacterial communities in Sonoran Desert Drosophila species, finding diet has a stronger impact than phylogeny.

Genome dynamics across the evolutionary transition to endosymbiosis

This study uses comparative genomics of Arsenophonus to show that endosymbionts initially expand their genomes through horizontal gene transfer and loss of defense systems, followed by genome reduction.

Host trees partially explain the complex bacterial communities of two threatened saproxylic beetles

The paper examines microbial communities in two red flat bark beetles, finding host tree species significantly influence microbiome composition, while beetle species show less distinct clustering.

Defensive symbionts provide high protection against natural enemies at low cost to hosts: a meta-analysis

This study quantitatively assesses the costs and benefits of defensive symbionts in terrestrial arthropods, finding strong protection with minimal fitness costs to hosts.

Metabolic flexibility among fiber degraders supports gut microbiome stability across host diets in the American cockroach

This study shows that fiber-degrading microbes in cockroaches adjust their metabolism based on diet, using host glycans when fiber is scarce, maintaining gut microbiome stability.

Sodalis praecaptivus subsp. spalangiae subsp. nov., a nascent bacterial endosymbiont isolated from the parasitoid wasp, Spalangia cameroni

The paper describes the isolation and characterization of a new subspecies of Sodalis praecaptivus, an endosymbiont of the parasitoid wasp Spalangia cameroni, highlighting its genomic and phylogenetic differences from its free-living relative.

The diversification of mealybugs was triggered by new symbiont acquisitions and followed by adaptive radiations on host plants

This study investigates how mealybugs diversified by acquiring new symbionts and adapting to different host plants.

Wolbachia strengthens the match between pre-mating and early post-mating isolation in spider mites

This study shows Wolbachia enhances pre-mating isolation in spider mites by aligning it with post-mating isolation caused by the endosymbiont.

Implementing high-throughput insect barcoding in microbiome studies: impact of non-destructive DNA extraction on microbiome reconstruction

This study evaluates the impact of non-destructive DNA extraction using HotSHOT on microbiome reconstruction in insect specimens, finding it suitable for community composition but less reliable for abundance estimates.

Global prevalence of naturally occurring Wolbachia in field-collected Aedes mosquitoes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This study estimates the global prevalence of Wolbachia in field-collected Aedes mosquitoes through a systematic review and meta-analysis, finding higher prevalence in Ae. albopictus than Ae. aegypti and a negative correlation with dengue incidence.

A strong priority effect in the assembly of a specialized insect-microbe symbiosis

The paper shows that the order of bacterial colonization in squash bugs strongly affects symbiont population establishment, regardless of strain competition or availability.

Frequent and asymmetric cell division in endosymbiotic bacteria of cockroaches

This paper reports that Blattabacterium, an endosymbiont of cockroaches, exhibits frequent and asymmetric cell division, unlike other uncultivable symbiotic bacteria.

The endosymbiont Rickettsiella viridis increases the virulence of Diuraphis noxia but reduces alate frequency

The Gut Microbiome Attenuates the Adaptation of a Reproductive Endosymbiont

The paper shows gut microbiota modulate Wolbachia adaptation in Drosophila testes by altering gene expression and reducing cytoplasmic incompatibility.

Prophage-encoded Hm-oscar gene recapitulates Wolbachia-induced male killing in the tea tortrix moth Homona magnanima

This study shows that the prophage-encoded Hm-oscar gene in the tea tortrix moth causes male lethality, similar to Wolbachia-induced male killing in other insects.

Cold and lonely: low microbial abundance and no core microbiota in mosquito populations across Greenland

The paper analyzes microbial communities in Greenland mosquitoes, finding low abundance and no core microbiota, with high diversity and sex-specific associations.

A new tool in a toolbox: Addressing challenges in high-throughput microbiota surveys across diverse wild insects

The paper introduces a high-throughput quantitative multi-target amplicon sequencing workflow to improve microbial community profiling in wild insects, addressing contamination and identification issues.