Symbionts of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): biotechnological potential for bioremediation and implications for insecticide metabolization by the host

Author(s)

Luís Gustavo de Almeida

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2013-07-30

Examining board members

Fernando Luis Cônsoli; Marcelo Brocchi; Celso Omoto

• Advisor: Fernando Luis Cônsoli

Abstract

The capacity of living organisms to degrade xenobiotics has been intensively studied, mainly for soil-associated bacteria. Thus, there is a growing need to search for new niches to lead to the isolation of highly efficient microrganisms. As insect-bacteria interactions are very diverse, we focused on exploiting insecticide resistant insects as a niche of pesticidedegrading bacteria to develop studies devoted to a) bacterial utilization in bioremediation and ii) determination of bacterial contribution to insecticide metabolization by the host insect. Our main objetives were to i) isolate, identify and characterize the microrganisms associated to the gut of resistant strains of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) capable to degrade lambda-cyhalothrin,deltamethrin (pyrethroids), chlorpyrifos ethyl (organophosphate), spinosad (naturalyte) and lufenuron (chitin synthesis inhibitor), ii) verify their potential to degrade these insecticides, iii) to verify their association to natural populations of S. frugiperda, and iv) to determine their role in the metabolization of xenobiotics in the host. Bacteria with biodegrading capacity were selected from the gut flora of fifth instars of S. frugiperda on selective media based on the minimum media M9 added of 10 ?g/mL of one of the insecticides selected as the sole carbon source. The isolated bacteria were subjected to RFLP-PCR analysis of the 16S rDNA gene using three restriction enzymes (EcoRI, Rsa, DdeI), which led to the identification of 16 isolates. These isolates were grouped in ten phylotypes after sequencing, representing Firmicutes (Enterococcaceae and Staphylococcaceae), ?-Proteobacteria (Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae), ?- Proteobacteria (Comamonadaceae) and Actinobacteria (Micrococcaceae e Microbacteriaceae). Enterococcus, Pseudomonas and Microbacterium were the only represented by more than two phylotypes. Delftia, Leclercia, Staphylococcus and Arthrobacter were also represented. Enterococcus casseliflavus and Enterococcus mundtii were isolated from almost all resistant lines of S. frugiperda. Antibiogram and carbohydrate metabolism assays indicated the similarity among the isolates of E. casseliflavus, while those of E. mundtii displayed some differences. However, no molecular differences were observed by comparing different alleles in multilocus sequence analysis. Diagnostic-PCR analysis of a susceptible, lab-strain of S. frugiperda allowed the identification of four out of the ten phylotypes isolated from resistant strains. But no bacteria from the susceptible strain could be cultivated in the selective media. In natural populations of S. frugiperda, five out of the ten isolates were detected. The most active isolate to degrade each pesticide was selected for further tests and all displayed a dose-dependent response to the insecticides. Analyses by gas or liquid chromatography-coupled mass spectrometry demonstrated the capacity of each isolate to degrade the insecticides tested. Gut colonization of larvae from the susceptible strain with Microbacterium arborescens isolated from resistant larvae increased the LC50 to lufenuron in 10 fold when compared to the aposymbiont strain. Thus, resistant strains of S. frugiperda are an excellent reservoir of bacteria capable of degrading the tested insecticides, and have a potential to be exploited for the bioremediation of xenobiotic contaminated areas. Moreover, these bacteria can auxiliate the host insect to metabolize insecticides and may play a role in insect response to insecticides. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/13714-3 - Insect symbionts and the degradation of xenobiotics: implications for the development of insect resistance to insecticides and their potential for bioremediation
• Grantee: Luis Gustavo de Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master