Inhibition of a nutritional endosymbiont by glyphosate abolishes mutualistic benefit on cuticle synthesis in Oryzaephilus surinamensis

Abstract

Kiefer et al. sequence the metagenome of the sawtoothed grain beetle and demonstrate how its symbiont mechanistically helps the host by providing tyrosine. Providing this amino acid in the pupal stage and early adulthood supports cuticle biosynthesis and highlights implications regarding the use of glyphosate for insect populations harboring bacterial endosymbionts.