Researchers describe a new endosymbiont that is widespread in insects

The endosymbiont Symbiodolus clandestinus, which lives inside the cells of insects, has remained undiscovered by researchers until now. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology now report for the first time the discovery of Symbiodolus, which is found in at least six different insect orders. Using fluorescence in situ hybridisation, the researchers were able to show that Symbiodolus is present in all life stages and tissues of infected insects. The symbiont is particularly abundant in the reproductive organs of adult females, as well as in eggs and larvae, suggesting that it is transmitted transovarially to the next generation. The interactions of the newly discovered bacterial symbiont with its host insects are not yet understood, but Symbiodolus is likely to have a considerable impact on insect communities and thus on ecosystems.

Living organisms are always part of an ecosystem and are influenced by other living organisms. There are harmful interactions, such as when a parasite deprives its host of important resources, but there are also symbioses in which both partners benefit from the exchange of important services. The boundaries between parasitism and symbiosis are often blurred. A team of researchers led by Martin Kaltenpoth, head of the Department of Insect Symbiosis at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, has now described for the first time the newly discovered insect symbiont Symbiodolus clandestinus.

"Several members of our research group independently discovered Symbiodolus in different insect species. Through the lively exchange in our group and research in DNA databases, I realized that we were on the trail of a bacterial symbiont that is widespread in different insect species. Although it has been found from time to time, it has never been analyzed in detail. This is probably because the symbiont does not appear to have a clear effect on the hosts, and also because it is not always found in large numbers in the host. As a result, it seems to have escaped research until now," explains first author Jürgen Wierz.

Read on: https://www.mpg.de/22098484/symbiodolus-bacteria-in-insects