Cardinium and Wolbachia are negatively correlated in the microbiome of various populations of stored product mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae

ABSTRACT

The microbiomes of several populations of Tyrophagus putrescentiae differ in the composition and profiles of intracellular symbiotic bacteria and gut-associated bacteria. We try to describe the interaction among symbiotic bacteria in T. putrescentiae microbiomes. The symbionts profiles were constructed by barcode sequencing of 16S DNA. Several TP populations  were analyzed with respect to intracellular symbionts (Wolbachia, Cardinium, Solitalea-like, and Blattabacterium-like) and selected associated bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Bartonella-like) under different diet treatments (diet shifts). The results show two separate co-occurring groups. Wolbachia co-occurs with Blattabacterium, Bartonella, and Solitalea while Cardinium is distinctly separate. The rest of the microbiome including Bacillus cereus have more complex relationships with Wolbachia and Cardinium, suggesting more frequent horizontal transfers. The negative correlation between intracellular symbiotic bacteria Cardinium and Wolbachia is discussed in terms of within-host competition. The profile changes were analyzed to assess the effects of population, diet shifts and their interaction in terms of explained variability. The mite population explained highest variability in all bacterial species. Intracellular symbionts (Wolbachia and Cardinium) and proposed intracellular symbionts (Solitalea and Blattabacterium) show high stability, with variation being influenced mainly by the population. Bacillus cereus and Bartonella bacteria are influenced by diet shift supporting their presence in the gut lumen.

KEYWORDS:

• Intracellular symbionts
• gut symbionts
• mites
• perturbation
• microbiome

Acknowledgments

We thank Martin Markovic for valuable help.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

JH and MN were supported by the Czech Science Foundation (GACR No. GA19-09998S), and BS was supported by the project RO0418 of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic.