No, Not Grasshoppers: Microbiota Characterization of Hoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) with Respect to Host Plant Specificity
Margeson L, Malagon D, Bewick S, Caterino M. No, Not Grasshoppers: Microbiota Characterization of Hoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) with Respect to Host Plant Specificity. Clemson University, Clemson, SC
ABSTRACT: Leaf, plant, and treehoppers (“hoppers”) are sap-sucking insects of the order Hemiptera. As is the case for many phytophagous insects, specialized microbes may be necessary to both allow hoppers to detoxify plants that they would otherwise be unable to eat, as well as provide hoppers with supplemental nutrients not present in their low-quality sap diet. We collected 17 hopper morphotypes across 24 plant morphotypes at Purchase Knob in August 2022 and we extracted whole-insect DNA from each hopper. We then used this to amplify both the hopper cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene as well as the V3V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Microbiome samples were prepared and sequenced on a MiSeq at Clemson University, while CO1 samples were sent to Psomagen, Inc. for sequencing. Our analysis of microbiome samples showed no evidence of microbiome specialization by plant morphotype on which the hopper was feeding; however, hopper microbiomes do appear to be differentiated based on hopper morphotype. Most hopper morphotypes were dominated by Bacteriodetes (particularly Sulcia) and Proteobacteria; other prevalent phyla included Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, and Tenericutes. Overall, the hoppers surveyed had relatively species-poor microbiota, with only 93 genera represented.
- Type
- Poster
- Authors
- Margeson, Lily; Malagon, Daniel; Bewick, Sharon; Caterino, Michael
- Publisher
- Clemson University, Clemson, SC
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, ATBI, Bacteriodetes, Firmicutes, GRSM-02189, gut bacteria, Hemiptera, Insecta, microbiota, proteobacteria, Tenericutes, Verrucomicrobia