Speaker
Description
Insects are home to a vast diversity of microbial communities, among which bacterial symbionts play a crucial role in host physiology, ecology, and evolution. They profoundly influence insect nutrition, immunity, and reproduction. Over millions of years of host association, many symbionts have undergone extensive genome reduction. This process - marked by the loss of genes unnecessary in the stable host environment - offers a powerful model for studying genome streamlining and the functional integration of microbes into host biology.
A key question is: what constitutes the minimal gene set that enables symbionts to persist and function within their hosts? This study addresses that question by analyzing the genomes of 423 bacterial symbionts across a wide range of insect hosts and symbiotic relationships - spanning facultative associations, obligate mutualisms, manipulators, and pathogenic interactions. Using comparative genomic approaches, we identify core genes and pathways conserved across symbionts. We also examine how these minimal gene sets vary with factors such as symbiont localization (e.g., intracellular vs. extracellular) and the type of host interaction. These findings reveal underlying patterns in the evolution of minimal yet functional symbiont genomes and contribute to a deeper understanding of how microbial life adapts to long-term, intimate associations with animal hosts.
| Status Group | Postdoctoral Researcher |
|---|---|
| Poster Presentation Option | Yes, I’m willing to present as a poster. |
