Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Corn, Soybean and Wheat Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #293987
Title: Microbiome diversity of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) with extensive superinfection of Arsenophonus and Wolbachia in native and invasive populations

Author
item BANSAL, RAMAN - The Ohio State University
item Mian, Rouf
item MICHEL, ANDREW - The Ohio State University

Submitted to: The ISME Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/13/2013
Publication Date: 10/21/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/59966
Citation: Bansal, R., Mian, R.M., Michel, A.P. 2013. Microbiome diversity of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) with extensive superinfection of Arsenophonus and Wolbachia in native and invasive populations. The ISME Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology. 6:57-69.

Interpretive Summary: The soybean aphid is the most important insect pest of soybean in the USA. Like many other insects, the soybean aphid can have either symbiotic cooperation with bacteria which could promote ecological and evolutionary adaptation, or a parasitic relationship through reproductive manipulation. We characterized the microbiome of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines), with the long-term goal of understanding the potential roles of bacterial symbionts in host-plant utilization and invasion success. Using 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we compared microbiome diversity and abundance among field-collected and laboratory-reared populations. Additionally, we screened several A. glycines populations from native (Japan, South Korea and China) and invasive regions (North America) to broadly determine the microbiome diversity. Our results suggested that Arsenophonus (relative abundance of 54.6%), Buchnera (38.7%), and Wolbachia (3.7%) were the major bacteria associated with A. glycines. Arsenophonus was the most abundant in field populations, but was significantly reduced in laboratory populations. Overall, we identified 18 operational taxonomical units (OTUs) belonging to various bacteria genera (including 2 OTUs for Buchnera) which have differential abundances in field and laboratory populations. Among native and invasive populations, the A. glyinces microbiome was largely similar, and provided evidence for substantial superinfection of Arsenophonus and Wolbachia. The lone exception was a lack of Arsenophonus in A. glycines from Japan. Divergent selection pressures among natural and laboratory populations were inferred as factors driving the differential bacterial communities observed. The bacterial populations in the soybean aphid seem to be greatly affected by the environment to which they are exposed.

Technical Abstract: The interaction among insects and microbes can lead to either symbiotic cooperation which could promote ecological and evolutionary adaptation, or a parasitic relationship through reproductive manipulation. We characterized the microbiome of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines), with the long-term goal of understanding the potential roles of bacterial symbionts in host-plant utilization and invasion success. Using 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we compared microbiome diversity and abundance among field-collected (F) and laboratory-reared (L) populations. Additionally, we screened several A. glycines populations from native (Japan, South Korea and China) and invasive regions (North America) to broadly determine the microbiome diversity. Our results suggested that Arsenophonus (relative abundance of 54.6%), Buchnera (38.7%), and Wolbachia (3.7%) were the major bacteria associated with A. glycines. Arsenophonus was the most abundant in F populations, but was significantly reduced in L populations. Overall, we identified 18 operational taxonomical units (OTUs) belonging to various bacteria genera (including 2 OTUs for Buchnera) which have differential abundances in F and L populations. Among native and invasive populations, the A. glyinces microbiome was largely similar, and provided evidence for substantial superinfection of Arsenophonus and Wolbachia. The lone exception was a lack of Arsenophonus in A. glycines from Japan. Divergent selection pressures among natural and laboratory populations were inferred as factors driving the differential bacterial communities observed. As this is the first sequence-based microbiome of an Aphis species, our results will allow for improved comparative aphid-symbiont research and broaden our understanding of these interactions.