Aphids possess several facultative bacterial symbionts that have important effects on their hosts' biology. These been most closely studied in the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), a species feeds multiple host plants. Whether secondary influence plant utilization is unclear. We report fitness consequences of introducing different strains symbiont Hamiltonella defensa into three clones collected Lathyrus pratensis naturally lack symbionts, and removing from 20 natural aphid-bacterial...

Many insects harbour facultative symbiotic bacteria, some of which have been shown to provide resistance against natural enemies. One the best-known protective symbionts is Hamiltonella defensa, in pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) confers attack by parasitoid wasps genus Aphidius (Braconidae).We asked (i) whether this symbiont also protection a phylogenetically distant group parasitoids (Aphelinidae) and (ii) there are consistent differences effects bacteria found biotypes adapted different...

Plants respond to insect attack by releasing blends of volatile chemicals that attract their herbivores' specific natural enemies, while herbivores may carry endosymbiotic microorganisms directly improve herbivore survival after enemy attack. Here we demonstrate the two phenomena can be linked. fed upon pea aphids release volatiles parasitic wasps, and aphid facultative bacteria prevent development wasp larva thus markedly We show these endosymbionts also attenuate systemic plants attack,...

The microbial symbionts of eukaryotes influence disease resistance in many host-parasite systems. Symbionts show substantial variation both genotype and phenotype, but it is unclear how natural selection maintains this variation. It also unknown whether variable symbiont genotypes specificity with the hosts or parasites populations. Genotype by interactions are a necessary condition for coevolution between interacting species. Uncovering patterns genetic among hosts, symbionts, therefore...

Summary Eukaryotes commonly host communities of heritable symbiotic bacteria, many which are not essential for their hosts' survival and reproduction. There is laboratory evidence that these facultative symbionts can provide useful adaptations, such as increased resistance to natural enemies. However, we do know how affect fitness when the latter subject attack by a suite parasites pathogens. Here, test whether two protective symbionts, Regiella insecticola Hamiltonella defensa, increase...

Animals often engage in mutualistic associations with microorganisms that protect them from predation, parasitism or pathogen infection. Studies of these interactions insects have mostly focussed on the direct effects symbiont infection natural enemies without studying community-wide effects. Here, we explore effect a defensive population dynamics and species extinctions an experimental community composed three aphid their associated specialist parasitoids. We found introducing bacterial...

Most animals host communities of symbiotic bacteria. In insects, these symbionts may have particularly intimate interactions with their hosts: many are intracellular and can play important roles in ecology evolution, including protection against natural enemies. We investigated how between different species or strains endosymbiotic bacteria within an aphid influence the outcome symbiosis for both symbiont host. first asked whether combinations facultative exist stable co-infections. then...

Animals are host to a community of microbes, collectively referred as their microbiome, that can play key role in hosts' biology. The bacterial endosymbionts insects have particularly strong influence on hosts, but despite importance we still know little about the factors composition insect microbial communities. Here, ask: what is relative relatedness and ecology structuring symbiont communities diverse aphid species? We used next-generation sequencing compare microbiomes 46 species with...

Many microbial symbionts have multiple phenotypic consequences for their animal hosts. However, the ways in which different symbiont-mediated phenotypes combine to affect fitness are not well understood. We investigated whether there correlations between phenotypes. used symbiont Spiroplasma , a striking example of bacterial conferring diverse on insect took 11 strains infecting pea aphids ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ) and assessed ability provide protection against fungal pathogen Pandora...

Abstract Many insects host vertically transmitted microbes, which can confer benefits to their hosts but are costly maintain and regulate. A key feature of these symbioses is variation: for example, symbiont density vary among genotypes. However, the evolutionary forces maintaining this variation remain unclear. We studied in using pea aphid ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ) bacterium Regiella insecticola , a that protect its against fungal pathogens. found relative varies both between two...

Summary Symbiotic bacteria can act to protect their host against natural enemies. Where this protection is asymmetric different enemies, conferred by symbionts has the potential mediate interactions between as well enemies and host. In pea aphids ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ), resistance parasitoid wasps be facultative symbiotic bacteria. We investigated whether outcome of competition two species influenced presence a defensive symbiont in exposed from single clonal line, with without strain...

Abstract 1. The taxon known as the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum , is composed of a series host plant associated populations and widely used model system to explore ecological speciation evolution specialisation. It thus important know how maternal pre‐adult experience influences utilisation in this species. 2. relative importance for adult fecundity preference was investigated using three aphid clones collected from Lathyrus pratensis maintained on or Vicia faba . 3. No significant effects...

Animal-associated microbial communities have important effects on host phenotypes. Individuals within and among species differ in the strains of microbes that they harbour, but how natural selection shapes distribution abundance symbionts populations is not well understood. Symbionts can be beneficial certain environments also impose costs their hosts. Consequently, individuals or cannot associate with will favoured under different ecological circumstances. As a result, we predict vary terms...

Microbial symbionts commonly protect their hosts from natural enemies, but it is unclear how protective influence the evolution of host immunity to pathogens. One possibility that 'extrinsic' protection provided by allows reduce investment in 'intrinsic' immunological resistance mechanisms. We tested this idea using pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and facultative bacterial increase fungal pathogen Pandora neoaphidis. The aphid taxon composed multiple plant associated populations called...

Abstract Intergenerational effects can have either adaptive or nonadaptive impacts on offspring performance. Such are likely to be of ecological and evolutionary importance in animals with extended parental care, such as birds, mammals some insects. Here, we studied the exposure microbial competition during early development subsequent reproductive success burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides , an insect elaborate care. We found that high levels both a female's larval her reproduction...

1. Microbial symbionts can play an important role in defending their insect hosts against natural enemies. However, researchers have little idea how the presence of such protective impacts food web interactions and species diversity. 2. This study investigated effects a symbiont ( H amiltonella defensa ) pea aphids A cyrthosiphon pisum on hyperparasitoids, which are trophic level above enemy target (primary parasitoids). 3. Pea aphids, with without infections . , were exposed first to...

Abstract Many aphids carry one or more facultative symbiotic bacteria which can provide a variety of fitness benefits for their hosts. They have chiefly been investigated in asexually reproducing aphids, with studies the sexual generation limited to investigation transmission rates and potential sex ratio manipulation. The effects two symbionts on mating success pea A cyrthosiphon pisum H arris ( emiptera: phididae, M acrosiphini), were no‐choice experiment. We compared natural infections...

Evolutionary interactions between parasitoid wasps and insect hosts have been well studied at the organismal level, but little is known about molecular mechanisms that insects use to resist wasp parasitism. Here we study interaction a braconid ( Aphidius ervi ) its pea aphid host Acyrthosiphon pisum ). We first identify variation in resistance parasitism can be attributed genotype. then transcriptome sequencing genes genome are differentially expressed an early stage of parasitism, compare...

Human activities may weaken or destroy reproductive isolation between young taxa, leading to their fusion with consequences for population and community ecology. Pea aphid host races are adapted different legume providing a degree of pre-mating mediated by habitat choice. Yet, all can feed reproduce on the broad bean (Vicia faba), major crop which represents 'universal plant', promote hybridization races. Here, we ask if pea have barriers prevent reduce gene flow when they co-occur universal...

An experiment was conducted to test whether parasitoid resistance within a single clonal line of pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) might increase after exposure the wasp Aphidius ervi. Any change in expected occur through an density protective symbiotic bacteria rather than genetic or bacterial symbiont. Six lineages were exposed high attack rates over nine generations, each being propagated from individuals that had survived attack; further six maintained without parasitoids as control. At...

A bstract Many insects host vertically-transmitted microbes, which can confer benefits to their hosts but are costly maintain and regulate. key feature of these symbioses is variation: for example, symbiont density vary among genotypes. However, the evolutionary forces maintaining this variation remain unclear. We studied in using pea aphid ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ) bacterium Regiella insecticola , a that protect its against fungal pathogens. found relative varies both between two phylogenetic...