Facultative Endosymbiont Serratia symbiotica Inhibits the Apterization of Pea Aphid To Enhance Its Spread
Zhiwei Kang, Meng Zhang, He‐He Cao, Shanshan Guo, Fang‐Hua Liu, Tong‐Xian Liu
Abstract
Wing polyphenism is an important adaptative response to environmental changes for aphids. Endosymbionts are widespread in aphids and also confer the ability to withstand unfavorable conditions. However, little is known about whether endosymbionts are involved in the wing polyphenism. In this study, we report a new finding that winged nymphs of the pea aphid could turn into adults without wings or wing-related structures through apterization when winged nymphs escaped from stressful to favorable environments. Further analysis revealed that the facultative symbiont S. symbiotica could prevent the temporal determination of the host in wing suppression by inhibiting apterization, to enhance its spread. Our findings provide a novel angle to understanding the wing polyphenism regulation of aphids.