The Microbiology of Insects

Steinhaus, Edward A.

doi:10.1128/mmbr.4.1.17-57.1940

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(56 reference statements)

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“…Possibly this disposition of materials within the "symbiont" body is a characteristic derived from the intracellular existence rather than an indication of relationship to the Corynebacterium. It would probably be desirable for taxonomists so to define the Rickettsiaceae (as proposed by Steinhaus, 1940) as to include most of the bacterialike intracellular symbionts, at least until they can be demonstrated to belong to the Bacteriaceae.…”

Section: Discussion and Special Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mercier (1907), Glaser (1920, Gropengiesser (1925), and Bode (1936) reported success, but Javelly (1914), Hertig (1921), Wollman (1926), and Hovasse (1930) admitted failure. These efforts have recently been summarized by Buchner (1930) and Steinhaus (1940). Mercier (1907) cultivated, from the ootheca of Blatta orientalis, a motile, sporeforming bacillus which he named Bacillus cuenoti.…”

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Intracellular Bacteroids in the Cockroach ( Periplaneta americana Linn.)

Gier

1947

J Bacteriol

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Problems involving the so-called "intracellular symbionts"2 have long troubled some cytologists and bacteriologically inclined zoologists. The solution of many of those problems, however, yet evade even the most careful investigators. Several workers in this field (Buchner, Glaser, Mlercier, Schwartz) hold to the view that the physiology and systematic position of the intracellular bacteroids can be accurately determnined only by the cultivation of these organisms on artificial media. Toward this end, many workers (see Schw^artz, 1935) have struggled with sterilization and dissection techniques and experimented with various culture media in what has usually been futile or unsatisfactory attempts to grow the bacteroids in unnatural conditions. The extracellular "symbionts" in the gut of insects are generally not strict in their growth requirements (Schwvartz, 1935; Steinhauis, 1941), and some of the forms that have an intracellular stage in the gut wall and an extracellular stage in the gut lumen seem to grow readily on artificial media from their extracellular stage: e.g., those of species of Sitodrepa, Ernobius, Rhagium, Xestobium (Heitz, 1927; Muller, 1934), Rhodnius (Wigglesworth, 1936), and others (see Schwartz, 1935, p. 398). The more closely adapted intracellular organisms, however, grow with difficulty if at all, and none of the reports of successful cultures of these are above serious criticism on matters of sterilization and manipulation. The intracellular bacteroids of the cockroaches, w'ith which this paper deals specifically, have been so thoroughly described (Fraenkel, 1921; Gier, 1936; Bode, 1936; Hoover, 1945) that it suffices here to say that these bacteroids are nonmotile, nonsporeforming, faintly gram-positive, straight or slightly curved rods, 0.8-1 ,u by 1.5-6.5 ,, and may stain barred, somewhat like diphtheroids. They occur around the ovarian eggs and in specialized cells, the mycetocytes of the abdominal fat bodies. 1 The work reported here was begun at Indiana University under the direction of Dr. Fernandus Payne, as part, of a doctorate problem, and wAas continued at Harvard University Biological Laboratories on a National Research Council Fellowship and a Harvard University Research Fellowship under the general supervision of Dr. L. iR. Cleveland and Dr. A. B. Dawson. Aid and counsel which made this work possible and profitable are gratefully acknowledged. 2 The term "symbiont" definitely connotes a helpful association between two types of organisms. Such a relationship has never been demonstrated for any of the true "intracellular symbionts." MIercier (1907) designated the bodies of the roach mycetocytes as "bacteroidi" and this lead was followed by Hertig (1921), Gier (1936), and Hoover (1945). It seems better thus openly to confess our ignorance as to the nature of these bodies by continuing to designate them merely as "bacterialike" than to imply a relationship which probably does not, exist, even though these "bacteroidi" may sometime be definitely placed taxonomically with the bacte...

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Section: Discussion and Special Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Intracellular Bacteroids in the Cockroach ( Periplaneta americana Linn.)

Gier

1947

J Bacteriol

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“…The nature of the association between insects and bacteria has been a controversial point for decades. In the early 1900s, a few scientists started to hypothesise that the presence of bacteria in insects was not a random event as bacteria seemed to be involved in important insect processes (reviewed by Steinhaus, 1940). However, these studies were limited by the available techniques at that time, mainly microscopy and culturing, to study microorganism morphology and physiology (reviewed by Handelsman, 2004).…”

Section: Weevils An Understudied But Extensive Insect Taxonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Could bacterial associations determine the success of weevil species?

Morera‐Margarit

Pope

Mitchell

et al. 2020

Annals of Applied Biology

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The weevil superfamily Curculionoidea is the largest insect group and so the largest animal group on earth. This taxon includes species which represent an important threat to many economically important crops and, therefore, pose a risk to agriculture and food security. Insect-bacteria associations have been recognised to provide the insect host with many benefits, such as ensuring the acquisition of essential nutrients or protecting the host from natural enemies. The role of bacteria associations within the weevil superfamily remains nonetheless understudied in comparison with other insect taxa. This review draws together existing knowledge on the influence of bacteria associated with weevils known to be agricultural pest species. The implications of these weevil-bacterial associations in determining pest status and their relevance to targeted pest management interventions are discussed. Specific consideration is given to the role of bacteria in cuticle formation, flight activity, reproduction manipulation and adaptation to different environments and food sources.

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“…The bacterial flora may vary in different parts of the alimentary tract. For example, the milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus Say, has a distinctly different bacterial flora in its pylorum and rectum from that in the four stomachs which precede them (Steinhaus, 1940). The predominant bacterium isolated from the pylorum and rectum is one closely associated with the Proteus group of bacteria, while in the four stomachs the main flora consists of a species of the genus Proteus which differs from that found in the pylorum and rectum, and an organism very similar to those of the genus Eberthella.…”

Section: The Extracellular Flora Of Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Just what types and groups of bacteria predominate in insects is difficult to say with certainty. A recent survey of the bacterial flora of certain insects (Steinhaus, 1940) indicates that most of the major types of bacteria are represented. These include gram positive and negative short rods, gram positive spore-forming bacilli, and gram positive cocci.…”

Section: The Extracellular Flora Of Insectsmentioning

confidence: 99%