Synergistic pectin deconstruction is a prerequisite for mutualistic interactions between honeybee gut bacteria

Junbo Tang, Wenlong Zuo, Lizhen Guo, Zhihao Han, Chengfeng Yang, Benfeng Han, Lei Dai (), Xue Zhang () and Xin Zhou ()
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Junbo Tang: China Agricultural University
Wenlong Zuo: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lizhen Guo: China Agricultural University
Zhihao Han: China Pharmaceutical University
Chengfeng Yang: China Agricultural University
Benfeng Han: China Agricultural University
Lei Dai: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xue Zhang: China Agricultural University
Xin Zhou: China Agricultural University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract The honeybee gut microbiome is crucial for degrading diverse pollen glycans. Yet it is unclear how this process shapes the interactions among bacteria. Here, we demonstrate a conditional mutualistic interaction between strains of two honeybee gut bacteria Bifidobacterium asteroides and Gilliamella apicola. When co-occurring in vitro and in vivo, Bifidobacterium provides complementary demethylation service to promote Gilliamella growth on methylated homogalacturonan, an enriched polysaccharide of pectin. In exchange, Gilliamella shares digestive products with Bifidobacterium, through which a positive interaction is established. This positive interaction vanishes when Bifidobacterium is not required on a non-methylated diet. Results from biochemical and gene expression analyses combined with model simulation further suggest that the ratio change of the two major homogalacturonan breakdown products, galacturonic acid (GalA) and di-GalA, determines the bacterial interaction. This study unravels how glycan metabolism may shape the interactions between honeybee gut bacteria.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51365-y

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