Stingless Bee Larvae Require Fungal Steroid to Pupate Journal Articles

abstract

• AbstractThe larval stage of the stingless beeScaptotrigona depilismust consume a specific brood cell fungus in order to continue development. Here we show that this fungus is a member of the genusZygosaccharomycesand provides essential steroid precursors to the developing bee. Insect pupation requires ecdysteroid hormones, and as insects cannot synthesize sterolsde novo, they must obtain steroids in their diet. Larvalin vitroculturing assays demonstrated that consuming ergosterol recapitulates the developmental effects onS. depilisas ingestion ofZygosaccharomycessp. cells. Thus, we determined the molecular underpinning of this intimate mutualistic symbiosis. Phylogenetic analyses showed that similar cases of bee-Zygosaccharomyces symbiosis may exist. This unprecedented case of bee-fungus symbiosis driven by steroid requirement brings new perspectives regarding pollinator-microbiota interaction and preservation.

authors

• Paludo, Camila R
• Menezes, Cristiano
• Silva-Junior, Eduardo A
• Vollet-Neto, Ayrton
• Andrade-Dominguez, Andres
• Pishchany, Gleb
• Khadempour, Lily
• do Nascimento, Fabio S
• Currie, Cameron
• Kolter, Roberto
• Clardy, Jon
• Pupo, Mônica T

publication date

• January 18, 2018

has subject area

• Animals (MeSH)
• Bees (MeSH)
• Fungi (MeSH)
• Larva (MeSH)
• Life Cycle Stages (MeSH)
• Metamorphosis, Biological (MeSH)
• Phylogeny (MeSH)
• Pupa (MeSH)
• Steroids (MeSH)
• Symbiosis (MeSH)

published in

• Scientific Reports  Journal

keywords

• Animals
• Bees
• Fungi
• Larva
• Life Cycle Stages
• Metamorphosis, Biological
• Phylogeny
• Pupa
• Steroids
• Symbiosis

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1038/s41598-018-19583-9

start page

• 1122

volume

• 8

issue

• 1