A novel intracellular mutualistic bacterium in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior.

摘要: The evolution of eukaryotic organisms is often strongly influenced by microbial symbionts that confer novel traits to their hosts. Here we describe the intracellular Enterobacteriaceae symbiont invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, 'Candidatus Westeberhardia cardiocondylae'. Upon metamorphosis, found in gut-associated bacteriomes deteriorate following eclosion. Only queens maintain ovarian nurse cells from where are transmitted late-stage oocytes during cell depletion. Functional analyses streamlined genome (533 kb, 23.41% GC content) indicate neither vitamins nor essential amino acids provided for host. However, encodes an almost complete shikimate pathway leading 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate, which could be converted into tyrosine Taken together with increasing titers pupal stage, this suggests a contribution cuticle formation. Despite widespread occurrence across host populations, one lineage was naturally symbiont-free, pointing loss otherwise prevalent endosymbiont. This study yields insights mutualist play role success C. obscurior.