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Hidden partners: Symbiodolus bacteria found in various insect orders - EurekAlert
The endosymbiont Symbiodolus clandestinus, which lives inside the cells of insects, has remained undiscovered by researchers until now. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology now report for the first time the discovery of Symbiodolus, which is found in at least six different insect orders. Using fluorescence in situ hybridisation, the researchers were able to show that Symbiodolus is present in all life stages and tissues of infected insects. The symbiont is particularly abundant in the reproductive organs of adult females, as well as in eggs and larvae, suggesting that it is transmitted transovarially to the next generation. The interactions of the newly discovered bacterial symbiont with its host insects are not yet understood, but Symbiodolus is likely to have a considerable impact on insect communities and thus on ecosystems.
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