title: Inhibitory effect of gut bacteria from the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica, against Melissococcus plutonius, the causal agent of European foulbrood disease.
abstract: European foulbrood is a contagious bacterial disease of honey bee larvae. Studies have shown that the intestinal bacteria of insects, including honey bees, act as probiotic organisms. Microbial flora from the gut of the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), were characterized and evaluated for their potential to inhibit the growth of Melissococcus plutonius corrig. (ex White) Bailey and Collins (Lactobacillales: Enterococcaceae), the causative agent of European foulbrood. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences from 17 bacterial strains isolated by using a culture-dependent method revealed that most isolates belonged to Bacillus, Staphylococcus, and Pantoea. The isolates were screened against the pathogenic bacterium M. plutonius by using an in vitro growth inhibition assay, and one isolate (Acja3) belonging to the genus Bacillus exhibited inhibitory activity against M. plutonius. In addition, in vivo feeding assays revealed that isolate Acja3 decreased the mortality of honey bee larvae infected with M plutonius, suggesting that this bacterial strain could potentially be used as a probiotic agent against European foulbrood.
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan tanghis.wu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Meihua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takaya
authors.affiliation: Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, NARO, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Takamatsu
authors.affiliation: Technical Services for Diagnosis, Diagnostic Section, Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute of Animal Health, NARO, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
authors.forename: DeMar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Honey Bee Research Unit, Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, 2 Ikenodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshiyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001407:Bacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D056569:Enterococcaceae / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D019936:Probiotics; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: honey bee disease; microbial flora; probiotic