| Title: | Wolbachia-Free Heteropterans Do Not Produce Defensive Chemicals or Alarm Pheromones |
| Author(s): | Becerra JX; Venable GX; Saeidi V; |
| Address: | "Department of Biosphere 2, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA, jxb@email.arizona.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-015-0596-4 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The true bugs, or heteropterans, are known for their widespread production of anti-predator chemicals and alarm pheromones in scent glands, a derived trait that constitutes one of the defining characters of the suborder Heteroptera and a potential novel trait that contributed to their diversification. We investigated whether symbiotic bacteria could be involved in the formation of these chemicals using Thasus neocalifornicus, a coreid bug that produces semiochemicals frequently found in other bugs. Using DNA phylogenetic methodology and experiments using antibiotics coupled with molecular techniques, we identified Wolbachia as the microorganism infecting the scent glands of this bug. Decreasing the level of Wobachia infection using antibiotics was correlated with a diminution of heteropteran production of defensive compounds and alarm pheromones, suggesting that this symbiotic bacterium might be implicated in the formation of chemicals" |
| Keywords: | Aldehydes/*metabolism Animals Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology Heteroptera/*microbiology/*physiology Pheromones/*metabolism Phylogeny *Symbiosis Wolbachia/drug effects/genetics/isolation & purification/*physiology; |
| Notes: | "MedlineBecerra, Judith X Venable, Gabriela X Saeidi, Vahid eng 2015/06/14 J Chem Ecol. 2015 Jul; 41(7):593-601. doi: 10.1007/s10886-015-0596-4. Epub 2015 Jun 13" |
