Symbiotic Streptomycetes provide antibiotic combination prophylaxis for wasp offspring

Johannes Kroiss; Martin Kaltenpoth; Bernd Schneider; Maria-Gabriele Schwinger; Christian Hertweck; Ravi Kumar Maddula; Erhard Strohm; Ales Svatos

doi:10.1038/nchembio.331

Symbiotic Streptomycetes provide antibiotic combination prophylaxis for wasp offspring

Nat Chem Biol. 2010 Apr;6(4):261-3. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.331. Epub 2010 Feb 28.

Authors

Johannes Kroiss¹, Martin Kaltenpoth, Bernd Schneider, Maria-Gabriele Schwinger, Christian Hertweck, Ravi Kumar Maddula, Erhard Strohm, Ales Svatos

Affiliation

¹ Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.

PMID: 20190763
DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.331

Abstract

Beewolf digger wasps cultivate specific symbiotic bacteria (Streptomyces spp.) that are incorporated into the larval cocoon for protection against pathogens. We identified the molecular basis of this protective symbiosis in the natural context and demonstrate that the bacteria produce a 'cocktail' of nine antibiotic substances. The complementary action of all symbiont-produced antibiotics confers a potent antimicrobial defense for the wasp larvae that parallels the 'combination prophylaxis' known from human medicine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents / analysis
Anti-Bacterial Agents / biosynthesis*
Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Bacteria / drug effects
Female
Fungi / drug effects
Humans
Larva / metabolism
Larva / microbiology
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Streptomyces / metabolism*
Symbiosis*
Wasps / metabolism*
Wasps / microbiology*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Associated data

PubChem-Substance/87457845
PubChem-Substance/87457846
PubChem-Substance/87457847
PubChem-Substance/87457848
PubChem-Substance/87457849
PubChem-Substance/87457850
PubChem-Substance/87457851
PubChem-Substance/87457852
PubChem-Substance/87457853