Bacterial protection of beetle-fungus mutualism

Science. 2008 Oct 3;322(5898):63. doi: 10.1126/science.1160423.

Abstract

Host-microbe symbioses play a critical role in the evolution of biological diversity and complexity. In a notably intricate system, southern pine beetles use symbiotic fungi to help overcome host-tree defenses and to provide nutrition for their larvae. We show that this beetle-fungal mutualism is chemically mediated by a bacterially produced polyunsaturated peroxide. The molecule's selective toxicity toward the beetle's fungal antagonist, combined with the prevalence and localization of its bacterial source, indicates an insect-microbe association that is both mutualistic and coevolved. This unexpected finding in a well-studied system indicates that mutualistic associations between insects and antibiotic-producing bacteria are more common than currently recognized and that identifying their small-molecule mediators can provide a powerful search strategy for therapeutically useful antimicrobial compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / chemistry
  • Acetates / metabolism*
  • Acetates / pharmacology
  • Actinobacteria / isolation & purification
  • Actinobacteria / metabolism*
  • Agaricus
  • Animals
  • Antibiosis
  • Antifungal Agents / biosynthesis*
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
  • Ascomycota / physiology*
  • Basidiomycota / physiology*
  • Biological Evolution
  • Coleoptera / growth & development
  • Coleoptera / microbiology*
  • Coleoptera / physiology
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Larva / microbiology
  • Peroxides / chemistry
  • Peroxides / metabolism*
  • Peroxides / pharmacology
  • Pinus / microbiology
  • Symbiosis

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Peroxides
  • mycangimycin