| reductive evolution of bacterial genome in insect gut environment. | obligate endocellular symbiotic bacteria of insects and other organisms generally exhibit drastic genome reduction. recently, it was shown that symbiotic gut bacteria of some stinkbugs also have remarkably reduced genomes. here, we report the complete genome sequence of such a gut bacterium ishikawaella capsulata of the plataspid stinkbug megacopta punctatissima. gene repertoire and evolutionary patterns, including at richness and elevated evolutionary rate, of the 745,590 bp genome were strikin ... | 2011 | 21737395 |
| obligate symbiont involved in pest status of host insect. | the origin of specific insect genotypes that enable efficient use of agricultural plants is an important subject not only in applied fields like pest control and management but also in basic disciplines like evolutionary biology. conventionally, it has been presupposed that such pest-related ecological traits are attributed to genes encoded in the insect genomes. here, however, we report that pest status of an insect is principally determined by symbiont genotype rather than by insect genotype. ... | 2007 | 17567556 |
| symbiont acquisition alters behaviour of stinkbug nymphs. | in parasitic associations, the evolutionary interest of a symbiont contradicts that of a host, which sometimes causes the phenomena so-called 'parasite manipulation' wherein symbiont infection alters host behaviour to facilitate its vertical/horizontal transmission. in mutualistic associations, meanwhile, symbiont-induced alteration of host behaviour that enhances its transmission has been little described. here we report such a case in the stinkbug megacopta punctatissima associated with an obl ... | 2008 | 18055411 |
| laccase2 is required for cuticular pigmentation in stinkbugs. | during the maturation of insect cuticle, protein-protein and protein-chitin crosslinkages are formed by the action of diphenoloxidases. two types of diphenoloxidases, laccases and tyrosinases, are present in the insect cuticle. in coleopteran and hymenopteran insects, laccase2 gene has been identified as encoding an enzyme principally responsible for cuticular pigmentation and hardening, whereas biological roles of laccase genes in hemimetabolous insects remain to be established. here we identif ... | 2010 | 21167282 |
| biology, pest status, microbiome and control of kudzu bug (hemiptera: heteroptera: plataspidae): a new invasive pest in the u.s. | soybean is an important food crop, and insect integrated pest management (ipm) is critical to the sustainability of this production system. in recent years, the introduction into the united states of the kudzu bug currently identified as megacopta cribraria (f.), poses a threat to soybean production. the kudzu bug was first discovered in the state of georgia, u.s. in 2009 and since then has spread to most of the southeastern states. because it was not found in the north american subcontinent bef ... | 2016 | 27649166 |
| the making of symbiont capsule in the plataspid stinkbug megacopta punctatissima. | in stinkbugs of the family plataspidae, adult females deposit small brownish particles, containing specific symbiotic bacteria inside, on the underside of their egg mass. newborn nymphs ingest the content of the unique structure, called "symbiont capsule", whereby vertical transmission of the symbiont occurs. we investigated the fine structure and the formation process of the symbiont capsule in the japanese common plataspid stinkbug, megacopta punctatissima, by using light and electron microsco ... | 2005 | 16332344 |
| how many symbionts are provided by mothers, acquired by offspring, and needed for successful vertical transmission in an obligate insect-bacterium mutualism? | vertical symbiont transmission is among the most pivotal processes for maintenance of symbiotic associations. however, it is poorly understood whether and how the levels of resource allocation and investment upon vertical transmission are regulated. the stinkbug megacopta punctatissima is obligatorily associated with the gut symbiotic bacterium 'candidatus ishikawaella capsulata', whose transmission is mediated by a unique mechanism called 'symbiont capsule'. we investigated the population dynam ... | 2007 | 18028305 |
| capsule-transmitted gut symbiotic bacterium of the japanese common plataspid stinkbug, megacopta punctatissima. | the japanese common plataspid stinkbug, megacopta punctatissima, deposits small brown particles, or symbiont capsules, on the underside of the egg mass for the purpose of transmission of symbiotic bacteria to the offspring. we investigated the microbiological aspects of the bacteria contained in the capsule, such as microbial diversity, phylogenetic placement, localization in vivo, and fitness effects on the host insect. restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of 16s ribosomal dna clon ... | 2002 | 11772649 |