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BMC Ecol Evol

Title:		"Nectar-dwelling microbes of common tansy are attractive to its mosquito pollinator, Culex pipiens L"
Author(s):		Peach DAH; Carroll C; Meraj S; Gomes S; Galloway E; Balcita A; Coatsworth H; Young N; Uriel Y; Gries R; Lowenberger C; Moore M; Gries G;
Address:		"Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada. dan@danpeach.net. The University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada. dan@danpeach.net. Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada. University of Saskatchewan, 129-72 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, 2055 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL, USA"
Journal Title:		BMC Ecol Evol
Year:		2021
Volume:		20210216
Issue:		1
Page Number:		29 -
DOI:		10.1186/s12862-021-01761-5
ISSN/ISBN:		2730-7182 (Electronic) 2730-7182 (Linking)
Abstract:		"BACKGROUND: There is widespread interkingdom signalling between insects and microbes. For example, microbes found in floral nectar may modify its nutritional composition and produce odorants that alter the floral odor bouquet which may attract insect pollinators. Mosquitoes consume nectar and can pollinate flowers. We identified microbes isolated from nectar of common tansy, Tanacetum vulgare, elucidated the microbial odorants, and tested their ability to attract the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens. RESULTS: We collected 19 microbial isolates from T. vulgare nectar, representing at least 12 different taxa which we identified with 16S or 26S rDNA sequencing as well as by biochemical and physiological tests. Three microorganisms (Lachancea thermotolerans, Micrococcus lactis, Micrococcus luteus) were grown on culture medium and tested in bioassays. Only the yeast L. thermotolerans grown on nectar, malt extract agar, or in synthetic nectar broth significantly attracted Cx. pipiens females. The odorant profile produced by L. thermotolerans varied with the nutritional composition of the culture medium. All three microbes grown separately, but presented concurrently, attracted fewer Cx. pipiens females than L. thermotolerans by itself. CONCLUSIONS: Floral nectar of T. vulgare contains various microbes whose odorants contribute to the odor profile of inflorescences. In addition, L. thermotolerans produced odorants that attract Cx. pipiens females. As the odor profile of L. thermotolerans varied with the composition of the culture medium, we hypothesize that microbe odorants inform nectar-foraging mosquitoes about the availability of certain macro-nutrients which, in turn, affect foraging decisions by mosquitoes"
Keywords:		Animals *Culex *Culicidae Female Micrococcaceae Plant Nectar Saccharomycetales *Tanacetum Culex pipiens Insect-microbe interactions Microbial volatiles Mosquito sugar feeding Mosquitoes Nectar microbes;
Notes:		"MedlinePeach, D A H Carroll, C Meraj, S Gomes, S Galloway, E Balcita, A Coatsworth, H Young, N Uriel, Y Gries, R Lowenberger, C Moore, M Gries, G eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2021/02/18 BMC Ecol Evol. 2021 Feb 16; 21(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s12862-021-01761-5"