Elucidation of evolutionary and molecular bases underpinning intracellular host-symbiont interactions in the seed bug Togo hemipterus

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14586
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Evolutionary biology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kikuchi Yoshitomo 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生物プロセス研究部門, 主任研究員 (30571864)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞内共生 / 進化 / 生物間相互作用 / 微生物 / 昆虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A number of insects possess intracellular symbiotic bacteria in specialized cells called “bacteriocytes”, wherein symbiotic bacteria are vertically transmitted. Although genomic and physiological aspects of the intracellular symbiosis have been studied, the evolutionary origin of it remains unclear. Molecular and histological investigations have strongly suggested that gut symbiosis is the origin of the intracellular symbiosis; however, the evolutionary hypothesis have never validated because of a lack of an intermediate state between gut symbiosis and highly-developed intracellular symbiosis. Recently we found that the seed bug, Togo hemipterus, which acquires its Burkholderia symbiont from environmental soil every generation, intracellularly harbors the symbiont. In this study, we have demonstrated the infection process of the symbiont, genetic bases of the symbiosis, and evolutionary diversity of the symbiotic system in heteropteran insects.

Free Research Field

進化生物学