The ancestral endosymbiont Blattabacterium was lost ten times independently in Blattellidae, Pseudophyllodromiidae and Anaplectidae cockroaches
Most cockroaches and the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis are associated with Blattabacterium, an ancient obligate endosymbiont that participates in the nitrogen metabolism of its host. Blattabacterium has been vertically transmitted since it was acquired by the common ancestor of cockroaches and termites and was reportedly lost twice, once in the cockroach genus Nocticola and once in all…
In a study examining the presence of Blattabacterium, an ancient obligate endosymbiont, in various cockroach species, researchers found that this ancient organism was lost independently ten times in the cockroach families Blattellidae, Pseudophyllodromiidae, and Anaplectidae. Cockroaches associated with Blattabacterium participate in nitrogen metabolism, but it was reportedly lost twice: in the Nocticola genus and within termites, excluding the Mastotermes darwiniensis species.
The research team collected cockroach specimens from multiple lineages across the cockroach phylogenetic tree to investigate the presence of Blattabacterium using shotgun sequencing. Three amplifications targeting the 16S and 23S ribosomal genes confirmed the absence of Blattabacterium in 64 specimens. Additionally, cockroaches without Blattabacterium were often infected by Rickettsia and Wolbachia, many of which shared similarities with the mutualistic Wolbachia strain found in Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug.
The findings suggest that the ten independent losses of Blattabacterium may have been facilitated by new associations with mutualistic Wolbachia strains, which could provide the host with essential B vitamins.
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