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Abstract
Bacterial symbioses are important drivers of insect evolutionary ecology; although they can influence insect physiology and a range of phenotypic traits, little is known about their influence at a behavioral level. Aphids are suitable model systems to tackle this question, as they have evolved a diversity of associations with symbiotic bacteria. Here, experiments were conducted to assess the influence of aphid gut symbiont Serratia symbiotica (strain CWBI-2.3T) on Aphis fabae’s behavior. Quantification of aphid size highlights the symbiont’s negative impact on size and biomass, confirming its adverse effect on host fitness; infection also impacts water uptake, but assessment of lipid contents suggests no influence on energy budget. Monitoring of feeding behavior via direct current electrical penetration graph (DC-EPG) shows that total duration of probing in the host plant is longer in infected aphids, particularly when the infection is at an advanced stage. Moreover, infection delays the time taken for the aphid to probe for the first time, while negatively impacting phloem sap uptake. Locomotor behavior assays on a target arena show an increase in intrinsic movement, dispersal, and velocity in infected aphids. Overall, these results suggest that aphid behavior can be severely affected by symbionts encountered in their environment. As S. symbiotica CWBI-2.3T readily circulates in plants, we hypothesize that these behavioral modulations enhance its transmission to plants and potentially other aphids, which could also have implications for pest dispersal and the epidemiology of phytopathogens they vector. Our study marks a step forward toward a better understanding of the influential role of bacterial symbionts on insect behavior, an area that remains to be explored.
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Hamidovic, A., Ameline, A., Dhondt, L., Renoz, F., Denoirjean, T., & Hance, T. (2025). Gut symbiont Serratia symbiotica influences feeding and locomotor behavior of aphid host Aphis fabae. Arthropod - Plant Interactions, 19(5), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-025-10193-7 (Original work published 2025)