Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany.
Nat Chem Biol. 2010 Apr;6(4):261-3. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.331. Epub 2010 Feb 28.
Beewolf digger wasps cultivate specific symbiotic bacteria (Streptomyces spp.) that are incorporated into the larval cocoon for protection against pathogens. We identified the molecular basis of this protective symbiosis in the natural context and demonstrate that the bacteria produce a 'cocktail' of nine antibiotic substances. The complementary action of all symbiont-produced antibiotics confers a potent antimicrobial defense for the wasp larvae that parallels the 'combination prophylaxis' known from human medicine.
大黄蜂蚁后培育特定的共生细菌（链霉菌属），这些细菌被整合到幼虫茧中，以抵御病原体。我们在自然环境中确定了这种保护性共生的分子基础，并证明这些细菌产生了九种抗生素物质的“鸡尾酒”。所有共生体产生的抗生素的互补作用赋予了黄蜂幼虫强大的抗菌防御能力，类似于人类医学中已知的“联合预防”。
