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Symbionts as major modulators of insect health: lactic Acid bacteria and honeybees.

Vasquez, Alejandra LU ; Forsgren, Eva ; Fries, Ingemar ; Paxton, Robert J ; Flaberg, Emilie ; Szekely, Laszlo and Olofsson, Tobias LU (2012) In PLoS ONE 7(3).
Abstract
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well recognized beneficial host-associated members of the microbiota of humans and animals. Yet LAB-associations of invertebrates have been poorly characterized and their functions remain obscure. Here we show that honeybees possess an abundant, diverse and ancient LAB microbiota in their honey crop with beneficial effects for bee health, defending them against microbial threats. Our studies of LAB in all extant honeybee species plus related apid bees reveal one of the largest collections of novel species from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium ever discovered within a single insect and suggest a long (>80 mya) history of association. Bee associated microbiotas highlight Lactobacillus kunkeei as... (More)
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well recognized beneficial host-associated members of the microbiota of humans and animals. Yet LAB-associations of invertebrates have been poorly characterized and their functions remain obscure. Here we show that honeybees possess an abundant, diverse and ancient LAB microbiota in their honey crop with beneficial effects for bee health, defending them against microbial threats. Our studies of LAB in all extant honeybee species plus related apid bees reveal one of the largest collections of novel species from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium ever discovered within a single insect and suggest a long (>80 mya) history of association. Bee associated microbiotas highlight Lactobacillus kunkeei as the dominant LAB member. Those showing potent antimicrobial properties are acquired by callow honey bee workers from nestmates and maintained within the crop in biofilms, though beekeeping management practices can negatively impact this microbiota. Prophylactic practices that enhance LAB, or supplementary feeding of LAB, may serve in integrated approaches to sustainable pollinator service provision. We anticipate this microbiota will become central to studies on honeybee health, including colony collapse disorder, and act as an exemplar case of insect-microbe symbiosis. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
PLoS ONE
volume
7
issue
3
article number
e33188
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • wos:000302381500108
  • pmid:22427985
  • scopus:84858050440
  • pmid:22427985
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0033188
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d2b237d5-5fc7-45ac-a34c-febde5722f0c (old id 2431682)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22427985?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:39:44
date last changed
2022-04-23 21:33:35
@article{d2b237d5-5fc7-45ac-a34c-febde5722f0c,
  abstract     = {{Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are well recognized beneficial host-associated members of the microbiota of humans and animals. Yet LAB-associations of invertebrates have been poorly characterized and their functions remain obscure. Here we show that honeybees possess an abundant, diverse and ancient LAB microbiota in their honey crop with beneficial effects for bee health, defending them against microbial threats. Our studies of LAB in all extant honeybee species plus related apid bees reveal one of the largest collections of novel species from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium ever discovered within a single insect and suggest a long (>80 mya) history of association. Bee associated microbiotas highlight Lactobacillus kunkeei as the dominant LAB member. Those showing potent antimicrobial properties are acquired by callow honey bee workers from nestmates and maintained within the crop in biofilms, though beekeeping management practices can negatively impact this microbiota. Prophylactic practices that enhance LAB, or supplementary feeding of LAB, may serve in integrated approaches to sustainable pollinator service provision. We anticipate this microbiota will become central to studies on honeybee health, including colony collapse disorder, and act as an exemplar case of insect-microbe symbiosis.}},
  author       = {{Vasquez, Alejandra and Forsgren, Eva and Fries, Ingemar and Paxton, Robert J and Flaberg, Emilie and Szekely, Laszlo and Olofsson, Tobias}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Symbionts as major modulators of insect health: lactic Acid bacteria and honeybees.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5383753/2835989.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0033188}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}