DOCSLIB.ORG

Investigating Physiological Collaborations Between a Lower Termite and Its Symbionts Brittany F

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Investigating Physiological Collaborations Between a Lower Termite and Its Symbionts Brittany F Purdue University Purdue e-Pubs Open Access Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 3-2016 Investigating physiological collaborations between a lower termite and its symbionts Brittany F. Peterson Purdue University Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations Part of the Entomology Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Microbiology Commons Recommended Citation Peterson, Brittany F., "Investigating physiological collaborations between a lower termite and its symbionts" (2016). Open Access Dissertations. 696. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/696 This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. Graduate School Form 30 Updated PURDUE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL Thesis/Dissertation Acceptance This is to certify that the thesis/dissertation prepared By Brittany F Peterson Entitled INVESTIGATING PHYSIOLOGICAL COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN A LOWER TERMITE AND ITS SYMBIONTS For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Is approved by the final examining committee: Michael E. Scharf Jeffery J. Stuart Chair Peter E. Dunn Catherine A. Hill John Patterson To the best of my knowledge and as understood by the student in the Thesis/Dissertation Agreement, Publication Delay, and Certification Disclaimer (Graduate School Form 32), this thesis/dissertation adheres to the provisions of Purdue University’s “Policy of Integrity in Research” and the use of copyright material. Approved by Major Professor(s): Michael E. Scharf Approved by: Christine A. Hyrcyna 3/30/2016 Head of the Departmental Graduate Program Date i INVESTIGATING PHYSIOLOGICAL COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN A LOWER TERMITE AND ITS SYMBIONTS A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Purdue University by Brittany F Peterson In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2016 Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this project and this document would have never been possible without the incredible guidance, mentoring, and encouragement from my major professor, Dr. Michael E. Scharf. Because of his continuous support I was able to see through a project that I am passionate and excited about. I thank him for believing in me regardless of my missteps along the way. For his patience and expertise, I am especially grateful. I would also like to thank my dissertation committee, Drs. Peter Dunn, Catherine Hill, John Patterson, and Jeff Stuart, for their direction and insight through the development and execution of this research. To the Indiana Academy of Sciences, Entomological Society of America, and O. Wayne Rollins-Orkin Endowment at Purdue University for financial support for this project without which this project could not have been done. I am thankful to the many friends and lab mates that have provided support and encouragement through the years. I also cannot neglect to acknowledge the many things that contributed to my success and sanity at Purdue: my dog Taq, long walks at the agronomy farm, lots of coffee, horrible reality TV, post-it notes, board games, good beer, road trips, and of course, Netflix. And finally, I would like to thank my family for their unconditional love and support throughout this process. For being my biggest cheerleaders and my most trusted confidants. To my parents, Lee and Regina, who have stuck with me through this crazy, academic endeavor, I am forever indebted. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. x CHAPTER 1. LOWER TERMITE ASSOCIATIONS WITH MICROBES: SYNERGY, PROTECTION, AND INTERPLAY† .......................................................................................... 1 Abstract............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 Characterizing the Lower Termite Gut Consortium ......................................... 3 Symbiotic Collaboration in Termite Digestion and Nutrition ........................... 4 Symbiont-Pathogen Interplay ........................................................................... 7 Concluding Remarks ......................................................................................... 8 Dissertation Scope and Statement of Objectives ........................................... 10 Literature Cited ............................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2. QUANTIFICATION OF SYMBIOTIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOWER-TERMITE LIGNOCELLULOSE DIGESTION USING ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENTS‡ ............................ 20 Introduction .................................................................................................... 20 Materials and Methods .................................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Termite and Bioassay Setup ........................................................................ 23 2.2.2 Bacterial Enumeration and Culturing ......................................................... 23 2.2.3 Protist Cell Counting ................................................................................... 24 2.2.4 16S rDNA Clone Library Construction and Analysis .................................... 24 2.2.5 Post-Hoc Determination of Bacterial: Host Genomic DNA Ratio ............... 25 2.2.6 RNA Extraction and qPCR ............................................................................ 25 2.2.7 Termite Gut Protein Preparations .............................................................. 26 iv Page 2.2.8 In Vitro Saccharification Assays .................................................................. 26 2.2.9 Monosaccharide Detection ......................................................................... 26 2.2.10 Cellulase Activity Assays using Model Substrates ...................................... 27 2.2.11 Antimicrobial Interference Assays .............................................................. 27 2.2.12 Statistical Analyses ...................................................................................... 28 Results ............................................................................................................. 28 2.3.1 Antimicrobial treatments significantly reduce symbiont load in the termite gut ..................................................................................................................... 28 2.3.2 16S sequencing captures antimicrobial impact on termite gut bacterial diversity ..................................................................................................................... 29 2.3.3 Termite saccharification potential and efficiency are reduced in association with antimicrobial induced microbiota shifts ............................................................ 30 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 31 2.4.1 Key variables associated with efficient lignocellulose digestion ................ 31 2.4.2 Symbiotic prokaryotes of note ................................................................... 34 2.4.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................. 36 Literature Cited ............................................................................................... 44 CHAPTER 3. SYMBIONT-MEDIATED PATHOGEN DEFENSE IN RETICULITERMES FLAVIPES ................................................................................................................. 49 Introduction .................................................................................................... 49 Materials and Methods .................................................................................. 51 3.2.1 Termites, Pathogens, and Bioassay Setup .................................................. 51 3.2.2 Gut Bacteria Enumeration .......................................................................... 52 3.2.3 Hemocyte Enumeration .............................................................................. 52 3.2.4 Protein Analysis ........................................................................................... 53 3.2.5 Quantitative Real-Time PCR ........................................................................ 53 3.2.6 Data Normalization ..................................................................................... 54 3.2.7 Biochemical Characterization Enzyme Activity Assays ............................... 54 v Page 3.2.8 Conidia Viability Experiments and Potency Bioassays ................................ 55 Results ............................................................................................................. 56 3.3.1 Whole organism bioassays show pathogen specific effects of symbiont removal ..................................................................................................................... 56 3.3.2 Stereotypical host immune responses appear inconsistent ...................... 56 3.3.3 GHF7-5 and 7-6 activity against β-1,3- and/or β-1,6-glycosidic bonds ...... 57 3.3.4 Testing two protist glycosyl hydrolases for anti-fungal activity ................. 58 3.3.5 Pre-treatment of fungal pathogenic agents with GHF7s attenuates some antibiotic-induced
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Broadly Sampled Multigene Analyses Yield a Well-Resolved Eukaryotic Tree of Life
    Smith ScholarWorks Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications Biological Sciences 10-1-2010 Broadly Sampled Multigene Analyses Yield a Well-Resolved Eukaryotic Tree of Life Laura Wegener Parfrey University of Massachusetts Amherst Jessica Grant Smith College Yonas I. Tekle Smith College Erica Lasek-Nesselquist Marine Biological Laboratory Hilary G. Morrison Marine Biological Laboratory See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Parfrey, Laura Wegener; Grant, Jessica; Tekle, Yonas I.; Lasek-Nesselquist, Erica; Morrison, Hilary G.; Sogin, Mitchell L.; Patterson, David J.; and Katz, Laura A., "Broadly Sampled Multigene Analyses Yield a Well-Resolved Eukaryotic Tree of Life" (2010). Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/126 This Article has been accepted for inclusion in Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected] Authors Laura Wegener Parfrey, Jessica Grant, Yonas I. Tekle, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Hilary G. Morrison, Mitchell L. Sogin, David J. Patterson, and Laura A. Katz This article is available at Smith ScholarWorks: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/bio_facpubs/126 Syst. Biol. 59(5):518–533, 2010 c The Author(s) 2010. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected] DOI:10.1093/sysbio/syq037 Advance Access publication on July 23, 2010 Broadly Sampled Multigene Analyses Yield a Well-Resolved Eukaryotic Tree of Life LAURA WEGENER PARFREY1,JESSICA GRANT2,YONAS I. TEKLE2,6,ERICA LASEK-NESSELQUIST3,4, 3 3 5 1,2, HILARY G.
    [Show full text]
  • The Oxymonad Genome Displays Canonical Eukaryotic Complexity in the Absence of a Mitochondrion Anna Karnkowska,*,1,2 Sebastian C
    The Oxymonad Genome Displays Canonical Eukaryotic Complexity in the Absence of a Mitochondrion Anna Karnkowska,*,1,2 Sebastian C. Treitli,1 Ondrej Brzon, 1 Lukas Novak,1 Vojtech Vacek,1 Petr Soukal,1 Lael D. Barlow,3 Emily K. Herman,3 Shweta V. Pipaliya,3 TomasPanek,4 David Zihala, 4 Romana Petrzelkova,4 Anzhelika Butenko,4 Laura Eme,5,6 Courtney W. Stairs,5,6 Andrew J. Roger,5 Marek Elias,4,7 Joel B. Dacks,3 and Vladimır Hampl*,1 1Department of Parasitology, BIOCEV, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vestec, Czech Republic 2Department of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland 3Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada 4Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article-abstract/36/10/2292/5525708 by guest on 13 January 2020 5Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada 6Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 7Institute of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic *Corresponding authors: E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]. Associate editor: Fabia Ursula Battistuzzi Abstract The discovery that the protist Monocercomonoides exilis completely lacks mitochondria demonstrates that these organ- elles are not absolutely essential to eukaryotic cells. However, the degree to which the metabolism and cellular systems of this organism have adapted to the loss of mitochondria is unknown. Here, we report an extensive analysis of the M.
    [Show full text]
  • Biosystems, 10 (1978) 67--89 67 © Elsevier/North-Holland Scientific Publishers Ltd. PROBLEMS in the DEVELOPMENT of an EXPLICIT
    BioSystems, 10 (1978) 67--89 67 © Elsevier/North-Holland Scientific Publishers Ltd. PROBLEMS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPLICIT HYPOTHETICAL PHYLOGENY OF THE LOWER EUKARYOTES F.J.R. TAYLOR Department of Botany and Institute of Oceanography, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1 W5 A semi-explicit arrangement of the lower eukaryotes is provided to serve as a basis for phyletic discussions. No single character is used to determine the position of all the groups. The tree provides no ready separation of protozoa, algae and fungi, groups assigned to these traditional assemblages being considered to be for the most part inextricably interwoven. Photosynthetic forms, whose relationships seem to be more readily discernable, are considered to have given rise repeatedly to nonphotosynthetic forms. The assumption that there are primitive "preflagellar" eukaryotes (red algae, non-flagellated fungi) is adopted. The potential value of mitochondrial features as indicators of broad affinities is emphasised, particularly in determining the probable affinities of non-photosynthetic forms, and this criterion is contra-indicative of a ciliate ancestry for the Metazoa. In the arrangement provided the distributions of chloroplast, mitochondrial and flagellar features match one another well, suggesting their probable co-evolution. 1. Introduction view of the relations of the algae, his "tree" contained numerous, not strictly representa- At the start of a paper of this type it is tional "twigs". Dodge {1974) was even less often appropriate to begin with an apt, but explicit, preferring to comment more on not very serious quotation to set the right taxonomic consequences. Leedale (1974) tone. In this instmace, the only quotation preferred to ignore the details of origin of which sprang readily to mind was "..
    [Show full text]
  • Novel Lineages of Oxymonad Flagellates from the Termite Porotermes Adamsoni (Stolotermitidae): the Genera Oxynympha and Termitim
    Protist, Vol. 170, 125683, December 2019 http://www.elsevier.de/protis Published online date 21 October 2019 ORIGINAL PAPER Novel Lineages of Oxymonad Flagellates from the Termite Porotermes adamsoni (Stolotermitidae): the Genera Oxynympha and Termitimonas a,1 b a c b,1 Renate Radek , Katja Meuser , Samet Altinay , Nathan Lo , and Andreas Brune a Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology/Zoology, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany b Research Group Insect Gut Microbiology and Symbiosis, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany c School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Submitted January 21, 2019; Accepted October 9, 2019 Monitoring Editor: Alastair Simpson The symbiotic gut flagellates of lower termites form host-specific consortia composed of Parabasalia and Oxymonadida. The analysis of their coevolution with termites is hampered by a lack of informa- tion, particularly on the flagellates colonizing the basal host lineages. To date, there are no reports on the presence of oxymonads in termites of the family Stolotermitidae. We discovered three novel, deep-branching lineages of oxymonads in a member of this family, the damp-wood termite Porotermes adamsoni. One tiny species (6–10 ␮m), Termitimonas travisi, morphologically resembles members of the genus Monocercomonoides, but its SSU rRNA genes are highly dissimilar to recently published sequences of Polymastigidae from cockroaches and vertebrates. A second small species (9–13 ␮m), Oxynympha loricata, has a slight phylogenetic affinity to members of the Saccinobaculidae, which are found exclusively in wood-feeding cockroaches of the genus Cryptocercus, the closest relatives of termites, but shows a combination of morphological features that is unprecedented in any oxymonad family.
    [Show full text]
  • The Amoeboid Parabasalid Flagellate Gigantomonas Herculeaof
    Acta Protozool. (2005) 44: 189 - 199 The Amoeboid Parabasalid Flagellate Gigantomonas herculea of the African Termite Hodotermes mossambicus Reinvestigated Using Immunological and Ultrastructural Techniques Guy BRUGEROLLE Biologie des Protistes, UMR 6023, CNRS and Université Blaise Pascal de Clermont-Ferrand, Aubière Cedex, France Summary. The amoeboid form of Gigantomonas herculea (Dogiel 1916, Kirby 1946), a symbiotic flagellate of the grass-eating subterranean termite Hodotermes mossambicus from East Africa, is observed by light, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. Amoeboid cells display a hyaline margin and a central granular area containing the nucleus, the internalized flagellar apparatus, and organelles such as Golgi bodies, hydrogenosomes, and food vacuoles with bacteria or wood particles. Immunofluorescence microscopy using monoclonal antibodies raised against Trichomonas vaginalis cytoskeleton, such as the anti-tubulin IG10, reveals the three long anteriorly-directed flagella, and the axostyle folded into the cytoplasm. A second antibody, 4E5, decorates the conspicuous crescent-shaped structure or cresta bordered by the adhering recurrent flagellum. Transmission electron micrographs show a microfibrillar network in the cytoplasmic margin and internal bundles of microfilaments similar to those of lobose amoebae that are indicative of cytoplasmic streaming. They also confirm the internalization of the flagella. The arrangement of basal bodies and fibre appendages, and the axostyle composed of a rolled sheet of microtubules are very close to that of the devescovinids Foaina and Devescovina. The very large microfibrillar cresta supporting an enlarged recurrent flagellum resembles that of Macrotrichomonas. The parabasal apparatus attached to the basal bodies is small in comparison to the cell size; this is probably related to the presence of many Golgi bodies supported by a striated fibre that are spread throughout the central cytoplasm in a similar way to Placojoenia and Mixotricha.
    [Show full text]
  • Author's Manuscript (764.7Kb)
    1 BROADLY SAMPLED TREE OF EUKARYOTIC LIFE Broadly Sampled Multigene Analyses Yield a Well-resolved Eukaryotic Tree of Life Laura Wegener Parfrey1†, Jessica Grant2†, Yonas I. Tekle2,6, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist3,4, Hilary G. Morrison3, Mitchell L. Sogin3, David J. Patterson5, Laura A. Katz1,2,* 1Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, 611 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA 2Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, 44 College Lane, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, USA 3Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA 4Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, 80 Waterman Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA 5Biodiversity Informatics Group, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA 6Current address: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA †These authors contributed equally *Corresponding author: L.A.K - [email protected] Phone: 413-585-3825, Fax: 413-585-3786 Keywords: Microbial eukaryotes, supergroups, taxon sampling, Rhizaria, systematic error, Excavata 2 An accurate reconstruction of the eukaryotic tree of life is essential to identify the innovations underlying the diversity of microbial and macroscopic (e.g. plants and animals) eukaryotes. Previous work has divided eukaryotic diversity into a small number of high-level ‘supergroups’, many of which receive strong support in phylogenomic analyses. However, the abundance of data in phylogenomic analyses can lead to highly supported but incorrect relationships due to systematic phylogenetic error. Further, the paucity of major eukaryotic lineages (19 or fewer) included in these genomic studies may exaggerate systematic error and reduces power to evaluate hypotheses.
    [Show full text]
  • Hemolymph Protein Profiles of Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Hemolymph protein profles of subterranean termite Reticulitermes favipes challenged Received: 30 April 2018 Accepted: 22 August 2018 with methicillin resistant Published: xx xx xxxx Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa Yuan Zeng1,4, Xing Ping Hu1, Guanqun Cao2 & Sang-Jin Suh3 When the subterranean termite Reticulitermes favipes is fed heat-killed methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the termite produces proteins with antibacterial activity against the inducer pathogen in its hemolymph. We used a proteomic approach to characterize the alterations in protein profles caused by the inducer bacterium in the hemolymph of the termite. Nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis identifed a total of 221 proteins and approximately 70% of these proteins could be associated with biological processes and molecular functions. Challenges with these human pathogens induced a total of 57 proteins (35 in MRSA-challenged, 16 in P. aeruginosa-challenged, and 6 shared by both treatments) and suppressed 13 proteins by both pathogens. Quasi-Poisson likelihood modeling with false discovery rate adjustment identifed a total of 18 and 40 proteins that were diferentially expressed at least 2.5-fold in response to MRSA and P. aeruginosa-challenge, respectively. We selected 7 diferentially expressed proteins and verifed their gene expression levels via quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Our fndings provide an initial insight into a putative termite immune response against MRSA and P. aeruginosa-challenge. Insect hemolymph plays key roles in insect innate immunity1. Although many of the hemolymph components have yet to be characterized, some of the proteins have been identifed and their functions elucidated.
    [Show full text]
  • Eastern (Common) Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes Flavipes
    Eastern (Common) Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes flavipes DIAGNOSTIC MORPHOLOGY Winged Adults: Alates • Dark-brown to black, 3/8” – ½” in length with two translucent wings of equal length; the wings break off after swarming Soldiers: • Elongated, enlarged heads with well-developed jaws, light-yellow in color, 1/8” - ¼” in length, soft-bodied and prone to desiccation Workers: • Creamy white in color, 1/8” - ¼” (3 – 6 mm) in length, soft-bodies and prone to desiccation; these are the termites that feed on wood and cause damage GENERAL INFORMATION Immature Stage: Nymph The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the most • any newly-hatched termite can develop into a number common termite found in North America. They of different caste levels of termite, depending on the needs of the are social insects that have a caste system where colony particular termites perform distinct functions: workers, soldiers, and the separate reproductives: Termite damage is another obvious indicator of an primary, secondary, and tertiary. The Primary Worker termites live underground and are the infestation, but it is important to distinguish reproductives: developed from alate swarmers; food-gatherers and care-givers for the colony; they between old and recent damage, which can be queen is larger than the king; maintain their dark- care for the eggs and nymphs, feeding and more readily performed by an experienced pest brown to black coloring grooming them, and also construct and repair nest expert. Secondary reproductives: similar appearance to tunnels. Soldier termites are found in mud tubes workers, but larger; may have small wing buds and the nest defending the colony; these are Damage from termites -as opposed to carpenter Tertiary reproductives: wingless; similar usually found in strong colonies.
    [Show full text]
  • Relationship Between Invasion Success and Colony Breeding Structure in a Subterranean Termite
    Molecular Ecology (2015) doi: 10.1111/mec.13094 SPECIAL ISSUE: INVASION GENETICS: THE BAKER AND STEBBINS LEGACY Relationship between invasion success and colony breeding structure in a subterranean termite 1 E. PERDEREAU,* A.-G. BAGNERES,* E.L. VARGO,† G. BAUDOUIN,* Y. XU,‡ P. LABADIE,† S. DUPONT* and F. DEDEINE* *Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS - Universite Francßois-Rabelais,UFR Sciences, Parc Grandmont, Tours 37200, France, †Department of Entomology and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, Box 7613, North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC 27695-7613, USA, ‡Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China Abstract Factors promoting the establishment and colonization success of introduced popula- tions in new environments constitute an important issue in biological invasions. In this context, the respective role of pre-adaptation and evolutionary changes during the invasion process is a key question that requires particular attention. This study com- pared the colony breeding structure (i.e. number and relatedness among reproductives within colonies) in native and introduced populations of the subterranean pest termite, Reticulitermes flavipes. We generated and analysed a data set of both microsatellite and mtDNA loci on termite samples collected in three introduced populations, one in France and two in Chile, and in the putative source population of French and Chilean infestations that has recently been identified in New Orleans, LA. We also provided a synthesis combining our results with those of previous studies to obtain a global pic- ture of the variation in breeding structure in this species. Whereas most native US populations are mainly composed of colonies headed by monogamous pairs of primary reproductives, all introduced populations exhibit a particular colony breeding structure that is characterized by hundreds of inbreeding reproductives (neotenics) and by a propensity of colonies to fuse, a pattern shared uniquely with the population of New Orleans.
    [Show full text]
  • Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) Using No-, Two-, and Four-Choice Designs and Seven Different Measures of Wood Consumption
    Journal of Economic Entomology, 109(2), 2016, 785–791 doi: 10.1093/jee/tov391 Advance Access Publication Date: 7 January 2016 Household and Structural Insects Research article Wood Preference of Reticulitermes virginicus (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) Using No-, Two-, and Four-Choice Designs and Seven Different Measures of Wood Consumption T.-Y. Lee and B. T. Forschler1 Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 120 Cedar St. Rm 413 Biological Sciences Bldg., Athens, GA 30602 ([email protected]; [email protected]) and 1Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Received 21 September 2015; Accepted 5 December 2015 Downloaded from Abstract Three hundred Reticulitermes virginicus (Banks) workers were exposed to three 1-cm3 wood blocks of either Quercus sp. (Red Oak), Populus sp. (Poplar), Pinus sp. (Pine), or Sequoia sp. (Redwood) placed into one of the three bioassay designs (no-, two-, and four-choice) for 21 d. Termite wood consumption was measured by wood weight loss, resistance class, and visual rating. Wood consumption rates were determined using four for- http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/ mulas in addition to two standardized visual rating scales (American Society for Testing and Materials [ASTM] and American Wood Protection Association [AWPA]) and a preference ranking obtained for each measure. The wood consumption formula, rating scale, and preference rankings were compared by bioassay design. The overall preference ranking of the four wood types as determined by the combination of all three designs was—1) Pine, 2) Red Oak, 3) Redwood, and 4) Poplar. Results indicate that bioassay design influenced both wood consumption and preference rankings. A no-choice design can determine aversion; a four-choice design the most preferred wood; and a two-choice design can illuminate the fine details of comparative preference.
    [Show full text]
  • Revealing the Metabolic Capacity of Streblomastix Strix and Its Bacterial Symbionts Using Single- Cell Metagenomics
    Revealing the metabolic capacity of Streblomastix strix and its bacterial symbionts using single- cell metagenomics Sebastian C. Treitlia, Martin Koliskob, Filip Husníkc, Patrick J. Keelingc, and Vladimír Hampla,1 aDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV, 252 42 Vestec, Czech Republic; bInstitute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Cˇeské Budeˇ jovice, Czech Republic; and cDepartment of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada Edited by Nancy A. Moran, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, and approved August 14, 2019 (received for review June 26, 2019) Lower termites harbor in their hindgut complex microbial commu- Besides partial ribosomal (r)RNA genes used for diversity studies, nities that are involved in the digestion of cellulose. Among these are there are almost no molecular or biochemical data available for protists, which are usually associated with specific bacterial symbi- any of these protists. Early studies showed that Trichomitopsis onts found on their surface or inside their cells. While these form the termopsidis and several Trichonympha species, from the hindgut of foundations of a classic system in symbiosis research, we still know Zootermopsis (13–16), have the capacity to degrade cellulose (17, little about the functional basis for most of these relationships. Here, 18), but for other flagellates, including all oxymonads, the in- we describe the complex functional relationship between one pro- volvement in cellulose digestion remains unclear. Recent results tist, the oxymonad Streblomastix strix, and its ectosymbiotic bacte- have shown that the bacterial symbionts of oxymonads have the rial community using single-cell genomics.
    [Show full text]
  • Reticulitermes Flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Colonies: Reproductive Lifespans, Caste Ratios, Nesting and Foraging Dynamics, and Genetic Architecture
    ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: RETICULITERMES FLAVIPES (ISOPTERA: RHINOTERMITIDAE) COLONIES: REPRODUCTIVE LIFESPANS, CASTE RATIOS, NESTING AND FORAGING DYNAMICS, AND GENETIC ARCHITECTURE Catherine Everitt Long, Doctor of Philosophy, 2005 Dissertation Directed By: Professor Barbara L. Thorne Department of Entomology The eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) is a major decomposer of wood and a significant pest of lumber and paper. Despite its economic and ecological importance, key aspects of its colony dynamics are poorly understood. In 1993, laboratory colonies were initiated with alate pairs. In 2003, the colonies contained an average of 12,600 individuals. Ninety-seven percent of kings and 72% of primary queens survived; 29% of colonies contained replacement female reproductives. In addition to providing unprecedented demographic information regarding colony growth rate and longevity, lifespan of founding reproductives, and the response of colonies to the loss of primary kings and queens, these complete colonies demonstrated foraging and nesting activities of socially intact families. The laboratory colonies foraged in multi-resource networks. Travel between the resource nodes was observed, and after 30 weeks all spatial networks were censused. None of the castes was distributed equally among the three resources. Reproductives, which were found in a satellite node in 71% of colonies, and brood did not share the same node a significant portion of the time, suggesting that the nesting strategy was polydomous rather than monodomous. Mark-recapture data indicate that workers were significantly more likely to be found in the resource where they had been located previously, indicating i) they feed non-randomly among the multiple resources and ii) they feed extensively at one location rather than shuttling regularly between satellite- and central nodes (as in a central-place foraging model).
    [Show full text]