title: Analysis of the gut microbiota of walking sticks (Phasmatodea).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the Phasmatodea gut microbial community, including whether phasmids have symbiotic bacteria aiding in their digestion. While symbionts are near ubiquitous in herbivorous insects, the Phasmatodea's distinctively thin body shape precludes the gut enlargements needed for microbial fermentation. High-throughput sequencing was used to characterize the entire microbiota of the fat bodies, salivary glands, and anterior and posterior midguts of two species of walking stick.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most bacterial sequences belonged to a strain of Spiroplasma (Tenericutes) found primarily in the posterior midgut of the parthenogenetic species Ramulus artemis (Phasmatidae). Beyond this, no significant differences were found between the R. artemis midgut sections or between that species and Peruphasma schultei (Pseudophasmatidae). Histological analysis further indicated a lack of bacteriocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phasmids are unlikely to depend on bacteria for digestion, suggesting they produce enzymes endogenously that most other herbivorous insects obtain from symbionts. This conclusion matches predictions based on phasmid anatomy. The role of Spiroplasma in insects warrants further study.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. chk@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Matan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shelomi
authors.forename: Wen-Sui
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Lynn S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Kimsey
authors.forename: Chih-Horng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005216:Fat Body / Q000382:microbiology; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D007313:Insecta / Q000382:microbiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics*; D010312:Parthenogenesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000382:microbiology; D013149:Spiroplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D013559:Symbiosis
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