The microbial community in guts and mycetomes of xylophagous insect larvae (
Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) was investigated using fluorescence-in-situ-hybridisation and PCR-based rRNA-sequencing. The mycetomes harbour yeast-like symbionts (
Candida rhagii and
Candida shehatae). The gut lumen contains a highly variable community of fungi and bacteria, which partially is taken up together with the feed. The larvae of the old house borer are remarkably different, since they are devoid of mycetomes and any intestinal microbes. The larval gut exhibits a broad hydrolytic activity against pectin and hemicelluloses. Cellulose, however, plays an insignificant role as a source of carbon. A correlation between the breakdown of carbohydrates and the microbial gut community could not be observed.
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The microbial community in guts and mycetomes of xylophagous insect larvae (
Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) was investigated using fluorescence-in-situ-hybridisation and PCR-based rRNA-sequencing. The mycetomes harbour yeast-like symbionts (
Candida rhagii and
Candida shehatae). The gut lumen contains a highly variable community of fungi and bacteria, which partially is taken up together with the feed. The larvae of the old house borer are remarkably different, since they are devoid of mycetomes and an...
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