Many insects and plant species carry beneficial bacteria, which provide a variety of services. Some provide nutrients, such as those living in aphids, the green and black fly which plague garden plants. Others help their animal hosts defend against parasites. However, while animals would die without some bacteria, they would hardly notice the absence of others. Why do we get this variation?
New research, published in Nature Communications, researchers tracked the evolutionary history of 106 bacterial symbioses, in a range of animal plant and fungi species.
The findings have revealed that how bacteria is passed and contracted is key to the intensity of symbiont relationships. When bacteria are passed vertically, straight from mother to offspring, they tend to be much better for their hosts than if they are transmitted via the environment (horizontally).
The team found that when bacteria are passed on vertically, hosts evolve to depend on them. Removing these bacteria can have a significant negative impact on the host. In the case of Aphids, also known as plant lice, individuals die if you take away their bacteria. In contrast, bacteria that are passed via the environment, has a smaller impact. Plants such as peas and beans acquire Rhizobia bacteria from the soil, which can extract nitrogen from the air and put it into a form that the plant can use. Rhizobia plays an important role in plant rotations, but the plants do not die without them.
The paper's co-author, said: 'If a bacteria is passed on vertically, it has a vested interest in its host's wellbeing. A healthy host, who is doing well, will produce more offspring, and in doing so, it will also pass on its bacteria as well. These offspring will then follow the same cycle with the next generation, and so on. The vertically transmitted symbionts have a lot to gain from a healthy, happy host. Whereas those passed on horizontally, via the environment, are less invested in their host's fitness and wellbeing, since it has no bearing on their own success.'
The study represents a first step towards improving understanding of symbiont relationships and their benefit or lack of benefit, for plant and insect species. As humans interact with a lot of bacteria, with further research, the work could be used to inform medical understanding.
Latest News
A new brain circuit in mice…
By newseditor
Posted 08 May
Mechanism of choline entry…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Link between UTI and breast…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Sleep resets brain connections
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Interplay of various enzyme…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Other Top Stories
What is your immune age?
Read more
Developing biomarkers for post- traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD)
Read more
More mental effort required to forget than remember
Read more
A prion-like protein keeps fear memory at bay in female mice
Read more
Preventing hacking of the medical devices inserted in the body
Read more
Protocols
Single-cell adhesive profil…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Parasympathetic neurons der…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Non-invasive measurements o…
By newseditor
Posted 05 May
A validation strategy to as…
By newseditor
Posted 04 May
Generation of rat forebrain…
By newseditor
Posted 03 May
Publications
Diabetic retinopathy is a c…
By newseditor
Posted 08 May
A body-brain circuit that r…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Host response during unreso…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Sleep pressure modulates si…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Reactive oxygen species pro…
By newseditor
Posted 07 May
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar