Characterization of selected Gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria isolated from honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica)

Igor Loncaric , Werner Ruppitsch , Elisabeth Licek , Rudolf Moosbeckhofer , Hans-Jürgen Busse , Renate Rosengarten

This study was conducted to improve the knowledge about bacteria associated with honey bees, Apis mellifera carnica. In this survey, the diversity of Gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria isolated and cultivated from pollen loads, honey sac, freshly stored nectar, and honey was investigated. Bacteria were characterized by a polyphasic approach. Based on morphological and physiological characteristics and comparison of isolates protein patterns after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 11 protein similarity groups were established and confirmed by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR. One isolate, representing a protein similarity group (representative strain), was characterized in more detail by analysis of respiratory quinones, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Based on the results of these examinations, seven representative strains were identified as members of the genus Pseudomonas. The remaining representative strains were allocated to the genera Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Commamonas.

Mots clés: honey bees; 16S rDNA gene; bacterial diversity; PCR; honey

Domaines: Zoologie des invertébrés; Biodiversité; Ecologie, Environnement; Science des productions animales

Igor Loncaric, Werner Ruppitsch, Elisabeth Licek, Rudolf Moosbeckhofer, Hans-Jürgen Busse, et al.. Characterization of selected Gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria isolated from honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica). Apidologie, 2011, 42 (3), pp.312-325. ⟨10.1007/s13592-011-0019-7⟩. ⟨hal-01003550⟩