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The Journal of Experimental Biology 204, 3027-3038 (2001)
© 2001 The Company of Biologists Limited

The impact of host plant on the abundance and function of symbiotic bacteria in an aphid

T. L. Wilkinson^*,, D. Adams, L. B. Minto and A. E. Douglas

Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5YW, UK
^* Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
Present address: Insight Medical, 8 Hayne Street, London, EC1A 9RE, UK

Author for correspondence (e-mail: T.L.Wilkinson{at}bham.ac.uk)

Accepted June 6, 2001

The black-bean aphid Aphis fabae bears populations of coccoid symbiotic bacteria Buchnera spp. at 2.0–3.2x10⁷cellsmg^-1aphidmass and rod-shaped secondary symbionts of uncertain taxonomic affiliation at 0.1–0.6x10⁷cellsmg^-1aphidmass. Buchnera provides essential amino acids, supplementing the poor supply in the aphid diet of plant phloem sap. Comparison of the performance of A. fabae containing and experimentally deprived of their bacteria showed that the bacteria caused increased larval mass of aphids reared on Chenopodium album and Papaver dubium plants, but not when reared on Lamium purpureum. In the aphids reared on L. purpureum, the density of the bacteria, especially the secondary symbionts, was significantly elevated, and bacterial-mediated production of the essential amino acid threonine was reduced, even though the essential amino acid content of phloem exudates from L. purpureum had a low threonine content. It is proposed that the shortfall in threonine, possibly compounded by the high density of secondary symbionts, may contribute to the poor performance of the aphids on L. purpureum. This study offers the first evidence to suggest plant-mediated interference with the nutritional function of symbiotic bacteria in any phytophagous insect.

Key words: aphid, Aphis fabae, symbiosis, Buchnera spp., threonine, essential amino acid, plant resistance.

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