In the tropical forests of Costa Rica, researchers sampled different kinds of adult wasps in search of associated microbes. From the cuticles and salivary glands of the wasps, they isolated 49 strains of Actinobacteria, a group of microbes well known for their ability to generate antimicrobial compounds.
Wasp-associated Actinobacteria inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth
The researchers found that two-thirds of these Actinobacteria strains displayed antimicrobial activity when tested against common pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli and Bacillus thuringiensis. This suggests that the Actinobacteria aren’t just passively living on or near the wasps, instead, they may play a protective role, actively producing antimicrobial compounds to shield the colony from harmful microbes.
This research also adds to a growing body of evidence that social insects, like ants, termites, and now wasps, engage in symbiotic relationships with beneficial microbes. These partnerships may help protect their colonies from infection, especially in humid, microbe-rich environments. For scientists, these relationships are a goldmine of chemical diversity.
Genomic evidence predicts antibacterial potential of wasp-associated Actinobacteria
Genome analysis of the isolated strains predicted the presence of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). The identified BGCs show similarities to known BGCs that are linked to the production of antimicrobial molecules, such as Selvamycin, Nystatin, and Piericidin A1. These compounds are known for their antifungal and antibacterial properties, and the presence of similar genetic signature hints at a broader, possibly novel, arsenal of chemical defences carried by these microbial partners.
The study also reminds us of the deep value of biodiversity, not just for ecosystems, but for human health. Tropical habitats, with their incredible complexity and interspecies interactions, may hold the keys to future antibiotics. As these environments face increasing pressure from climate change and deforestation, we risk losing more than just species. We risk losing medical breakthroughs that haven’t even been discovered yet.
In the global fight against antibiotic resistance, novel compounds from such natural sources need to be explored and tested for their antimicrobial potential to offer future solutions.
- Read the full article “Novel strains of Actinobacteria associated with neotropical social wasps (Vespidae; Polistinae, Epiponini) with antimicrobial potential for natural product discovery” by Chavarría-Pizarro et al. for free in FEMS Microbes.
Watch the presentation from the author of the paper, Laura Chavarría-Pizarro
About the author:
Manasa completed her MSc. in Biochemistry at the University of Hyderabad, India, where research on Mycobacterium tuberculosis sparked her fascination with pathogens and their gene regulation. She is now a PhD student in the group of Prof. Cynthia Sharma at the Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany. Her research focuses on exploring how RNA-binding proteins shape post-transcriptional gene regulation in the food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni.