Further evidences of an emerging stingless bee-yeast symbiosis

Autor(es)

de Paula, Gabriela Toninato ; Melo, Weilan Gomes da Paixao ; de Castro, Ivan ; Menezes, Cristiano ; Paludo, Camila Raquel ; Rosa, Carlos Augusto ; Pupo, Monica Tallarico

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY; v. 14, p. 10-pg., 2023-08-11.

Resumo

Symbiotic interactions between microorganisms and social insects have been described as crucial for the maintenance of these multitrophic systems, as observed for the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis and the yeast Zygosaccharomyces sp. SDBC30G1. The larvae of S. depilis ingest fungal filaments of Zygosaccharomyces sp. SDBC30G1 to obtain ergosterol, which is the precursor for the biosynthesis of ecdysteroids that modulate insect metamorphosis. In this work, we find a similar insect-microbe interaction in other species of stingless bees. We analyzed brood cell samples from 19 species of stingless bees collected in Brazil. The osmophilic yeast Zygosaccharomyces spp. was isolated from eight bee species, namely Scaptotrigona bipunctata, S. postica, S. tubiba, Tetragona clavipes, Melipona quadrifasciata, M. fasciculata, M. bicolor, and Partamona helleri. These yeasts form pseudohyphae and also accumulate ergosterol in lipid droplets, similar to the pattern observed for S. depilis. The phylogenetic analyses including various Zygosaccharomyces revealed that strains isolated from the brood cells formed a branch separated from the previously described Zygosaccharomyces species, suggesting that they are new species of this genus and reinforcing the symbiotic interaction with the host insects. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/50954-0 - Novos agentes terapêuticos obtidos de bactérias simbiontes de invertebrados brasileiros
• Beneficiário: Mônica Tallarico Pupo
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa BIOTA - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 13/07600-3 - CIBFar - Centro de Inovação em Biodiversidade e Fármacos
• Beneficiário: Glaucius Oliva
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Centros de Pesquisa, Inovação e Difusão - CEPIDs
• Processo FAPESP: 18/03650-0 - Análise de esteróides produzidos por fungos simbiontes isolados da célula de cria de abelhas sem ferrão
• Beneficiário: Gabriela Toninato de Paula
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 15/01001-6 - Descobrindo a diversidade simbionte bacteriana associada com formigas agricultoras em diferentes biomas brasileiros
• Beneficiário: Weilan Gomes da Paixão Melo
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado