Establishing a model symbiosis for elucidating the gentic basis of insect's intracellular symbiosis

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K15850
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 39050:Insect science-related
• Research Institution: Akita Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Takeshita Kazutaka 秋田県立大学, 生物資源科学部, 助教 (40799194)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞内共生 / オオホシカメムシ / バークホルデリア / モデル共生系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A bordered plant bug, Physopelta gutta, has the unique feature that the host insect possesses culturable symbiotic Burkholderia bacteria in epithelial cells of the midgut crypts intracellularly. In this project, I tried establishing a novel model insect’s intracellular symbiosis system with this stink bug. I have achieved the establishment of a rearing system for this insect in the laboratory, the isolation and genome sequencing of Burkholderia symbionts derived from this insect, and the establishment of experimental infection of the cultured symbiont with this insect. Besides, I have developed a protocol for the genetic manipulation of the Burkholderia symbiont based on that for the other stink bug's symbiont. Therefore, I have completed this project successfully.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

一般的な昆虫の細胞内共生細菌は、宿主の体内環境に高度に適応した結果、通常の培地上で生育できないほど多くの遺伝子を失っている。そのため昆虫細胞内共生の研究においては、共生細菌の遺伝子組換え等の遺伝学的実験アプローチが適用できなかった。しかし本研究により、オオホシカメムシを対象に、遺伝子組換え共生細菌の感染実験の実施が初めて可能となった。今後、本モデル共生系を用いて研究を進めることで、昆虫細胞内共生の分子基盤に迫りたい。