Symbiotic gut bacteria confer insecticide resistance

摘要

Insecticides help control agricultural, medical, and hygienic pests but gradually become less effective as insects accumulate genomic adaptations that convey resistance. Yoshito-mo Kikuchi et al. (pp. 8618-8622) report that certain pests acquire symbiotic gut bacteria that degrade common insecticides and confer virtually immediate resistance. The bean bug Riptortus pedestris and allied stinkbugs, the authors found, obtain bacteria of the genus Burkholderia from nymphal insects in the soil.