Host-symbiont synergy via carbohydrate metabolism crosstalk promotes honeybee acclimation to temperate zone

Description

Objective: This study aims to elucidate the physiological mechanisms enabling key pollinators, specifically Eastern and Western honeybees, to adapt to temperate cold climates from the perspective of symbiotic evolution with gut microbiota. Methods: By comparing the gut microbiome metagenomics and sugar metabolism contents in bees, we analyze the characteristics of cold-resistant gut bacteria and their sugar metabolism functions. A comparative study of the genomes of bee hosts and gut bacterial strains was conducted to identify the sugar and lipid metabolism traits of cold-resistant bee hosts and their advantageous gut bacteria. Ex vivo culturing experiments and transcriptome data analysis were employed to support the metabolic interaction between host and symbiotic bacteria, enhancing bee fat storage. Colonization experiments confirmed that gut bacteria colonization facilitated the production of metabolites usable by symbiotic bacteria, the absorption and utilization of glucose and pyruvate, and the synthesis of lipids and production of heat for cold resistance. Results: Compared to tropical bees, Eastern and Western honeybees significantly enrich the gut bacteria Gilliamella, which lacks glucose-specific transport proteins but is capable of degrading host metabolites such as glucuronic acid and vitamin C to produce pyruvate and glucose from polysaccharides such as β-glucans, aiding in host utilization. Additionally, these bacteria encode more genes for producing glucuronic acid, vitamin C, glucose, pyruvate, and long-chain fatty acids. The colonization by Gilliamella enhances the host's fat storage and thermogenic cold resistance. Conclusion: The carbohydrate dialogue between gut symbionts and bees promotes host lipid accumulation and thermogenesis, offering new evidence for gut microbiota-host coevolution enhancing the adaptability of pollinating insects. It provides insights for the study and promotion of pollinating insects' adaptation to climate change.

Period	15 Jun 2024
Event title	The 6th Pollinating Insects Conference of the Entomological Society of China & the 19th Academic Seminar on Nectar Sources and Pollination of the Chinese Beekeeping Association
Event type	Conference
Location	Beijing, ChinaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	National