Yeast communities associated with stingless bees.
The yeast communities associated with the stingless bees Tetragonisca angustula, Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia were studied. The bees T. angustula and F. varia showed a strong association with the yeast Starmerella meliponinorum. M. quadrifasciata more frequently carried a species related to Candida apicola, but also vectored low numbers of S. meliponinorum. Some of the yeasts isolated from adult bees were typical of species known to occur in flowers. Other yeast species found in adult bees were more typical of those found in the phylloplane. S. meliponinorum and the species in the C. apicola complex, also part of the Starmerella clade, may have a mutualistic relationship with the bees studied. Many yeasts in that group are often found in bees or substrates visited by bees, suggesting that a mutually beneficial interaction exists between them.
Rosa
Carlos A
CA
Departamento de Microbiologia, ICB, C.P. 486, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, -MG 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. carlrosa@icb.ufmg.br
Lachance
Marc André
MA
Silva
Janaína O C
JO
Teixeira
Ana Carolina P
AC
Marini
Marjorie M
MM
Antonini
Yasmine
Y
Martins
Rogerio P
RP
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D010802:Phylogeny; D015003:Yeasts / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology
D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal