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Thamm M, Reiß F, Sohl L, Gabel M, Noll M, Scheiner R. Solitary Bees Host More Bacteria and Fungi on Their Cuticle than Social Bees. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2780. [PMID: 38004791 PMCID: PMC10673014 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Bees come into contact with bacteria and fungi from flowering plants during their foraging trips. The Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) shows a pronounced hygienic behavior with social interactions, while the solitary red mason bee (Osmia bicornis) lacks a social immune system. Since both visit the same floral resources, it is intriguing to speculate that the body surface of a solitary bee should harbor a more complex microbiome than that of the social honeybee. We compared the cuticular microbiomes of A. mellifera (including three European subspecies) and O. bicornis for the first time by bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS gene-based high-throughput amplicon sequencing. The cuticular microbiome of the solitary O. bicornis was significantly more complex than that of the social A. mellifera. The microbiome composition of A. mellifera subspecies was very similar. However, we counted significantly different numbers of fungi and a higher diversity in the honeybee subspecies adapted to warmer climates. Our results suggest that the cuticular microbiome of bees is strongly affected by visited plants, lifestyle and adaptation to temperature, which have important implications for the maintenance of the health of bees under conditions of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Thamm
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
| | - Fabienne Reiß
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
| | - Leon Sohl
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
| | - Martin Gabel
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
- Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen, Bee Institute Kirchhain, 35274 Kirchhain, Germany
| | - Matthias Noll
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 96450 Coburg, Germany; (F.R.); (L.S.)
- Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Ricarda Scheiner
- Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; (M.T.); (M.G.)
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Cabezas-Mera FS, Atiencia-Carrera MB, Villacrés-Granda I, Proaño AA, Debut A, Vizuete K, Herrero-Bayo L, Gonzalez-Paramás AM, Giampieri F, Abreu-Naranjo R, Tejera E, Álvarez-Suarez JM, Machado A. Evaluation of the polyphenolic profile of native Ecuadorian stingless bee honeys ( Tribe: Meliponini) and their antibiofilm activity on susceptible and multidrug-resistant pathogens: An exploratory analysis. Curr Res Food Sci 2023; 7:100543. [PMID: 37455680 PMCID: PMC10344713 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are associated with infections that are resistant to conventional therapies, contributing to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. The need for alternative approaches against biofilms is well-known. Although natural products like stingless bee honeys (tribe: Meliponini) constitute an alternative treatment, much is still unknown. Our main goal was to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of stingless bee honey samples against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens through biomass assays, fluorescence (cell count and viability), and scanning electron (structural composition) microscopy. We analyzed thirty-five honey samples at 15% (v/v) produced by ten different stingless bee species (Cephalotrigona sp., Melipona sp., M. cramptoni, M. fuscopilosa, M. grandis, M. indecisa, M. mimetica, M. nigrifacies, Scaptotrigona problanca, and Tetragonisca angustula) from five provinces of Ecuador (Tungurahua, Pastaza, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Loja) against 24-h biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis. The present honey set belonged to our previous study, where the samples were collected in 2018-2019 and their physicochemical parameters, chemical composition, mineral elements, and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were screened. However, the polyphenolic profile and their antibiofilm activity on susceptible and multidrug-resistant pathogens were still unknown. According to polyphenolic profile of the honey samples, significant differences were observed according to their geographical origin in terms of the qualitative profiles. The five best honey samples (OR24.1, LR34, LO40, LO48, and LO53) belonging to S. problanca, Melipona sp., and M. indecisa were selected for further analysis due to their high biomass reduction values, identification of the stingless bee specimens, and previously reported physicochemical parameters. This subset of honey samples showed a range of 63-80% biofilm inhibition through biomass assays. Fluorescence microscopy (FM) analysis evidenced statistical log reduction in the cell count of honey-treated samples in all pathogens (P <0.05), except for S. aureus ATCC 25923. Concerning cell viability, C. tropicalis, K. pneumoniae ATCC 33495, and K. pneumoniae KPC significantly decreased (P <0.01) by 21.67, 25.69, and 45.62%, respectively. Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated structural biofilm disruption through cell morphological parameters (such as area, size, and form). In relation to their polyphenolic profile, medioresinol was only found in the honey of Loja, while scopoletin, kaempferol, and quercetin were only identified in honey of Los Rios, and dihydrocaffeic and dihydroxyphenylacetic acids were only detected in honey of El Oro. All the five honey samples showed dihydrocoumaroylhexose, luteolin, and kaempferol rutinoside. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study to analyze stingless bees honey-treated biofilms of susceptible and/or MDR strains of S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and Candida species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fausto Sebastián Cabezas-Mera
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Microbiología, Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Calle Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, 170901, Ecuador
| | - María Belén Atiencia-Carrera
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Microbiología, Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Calle Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, 170901, Ecuador
| | - Irina Villacrés-Granda
- Programa de Doctorado Interuniversitario en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias Aplicadas, Grupo de Bioquimioinformática, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), De Los Colimes esq, Quito, 170513, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Adrian Alexander Proaño
- Laboratorios de Investigación, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), Vía a Nayón, Quito, 170124, Ecuador
| | - Alexis Debut
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, 171103, Ecuador
- Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología, Universidad de Las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, 171103, Ecuador
| | - Karla Vizuete
- Centro de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología, Universidad de Las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE, Sangolquí, 171103, Ecuador
| | - Lorena Herrero-Bayo
- Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles (GIP-USAL), Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ana M. Gonzalez-Paramás
- Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles (GIP-USAL), Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Francesca Giampieri
- Research Group on Food, Nutritional Biochemistry and Health, Universidad Europea del Atlántico, C. Isabel Torres, 21, 39011, Santander, Cantabria, Spain
| | - Reinier Abreu-Naranjo
- Departamento de Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo, 160150, Ecuador
| | - Eduardo Tejera
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias Aplicadas, Grupo de Bioquimioinformática, Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA), De Los Colimes esq, Quito, 170513, Quito, Ecuador
| | - José M. Álvarez-Suarez
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Departamento de Ingeniería en Alimentos, Calle Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, 170901, Ecuador
| | - António Machado
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales COCIBA, Instituto de Microbiología, Laboratorio de Bacteriología, Calle Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, 170901, Ecuador
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Mohamat RN, Noor NRAM, Yusof YA, Sabri S, Zawawi N. Differentiation of High-Fructose Corn Syrup Adulterated Kelulut Honey Using Physicochemical, Rheological, and Antibacterial Parameters. Foods 2023; 12:foods12081670. [PMID: 37107465 PMCID: PMC10137453 DOI: 10.3390/foods12081670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Kelulut (stingless bee) honey (KH) possesses a wide range of benefits for human consumption and can exhibit medical effects. Due to its high value, this premium honey is often adulterated with different types of cheaper sugars, causing low nutrients and potential food safety threats in the final product. This study aims to determine the physicochemical, rheological, and antibacterial properties of sugar-based adulterated KH from the stingless bee species Heterotrigona itama. Adulterated samples were prepared using pure honey mixed with different concentrations of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), i.e., 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Water activity, colour, total soluble solids, pH, turbidity, viscosity, and antimicrobial activity of KH were determined. In addition, the primary sugar composition (fructose, glucose, and trehalulose) was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD). This study shows that the increasing percentage of HFCS addition in the KH samples significantly increases (p < 0.05) the total soluble solids, colour, pH, turbidity, viscosity, glucose, and fructose content; meanwhile, the water activity and trehalulose were reduced significantly (p < 0.05). Antimicrobial activity against S. aureus was reduced significantly (p = 0.006) by an increased percentage of HFCS compared to Control. Antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa was also found to be reduced significantly but showed non-significant effect from an increased percentage of HFCS in honey (p = 0.413). The bacterium S. aureus was more vulnerable to treatment with honey from both Control and adulterated groups compared to P. aeruginosa. In conclusion, HFCS-adulterated KH and authentic KH can be differentiated using all the parameters investigated. These data are vital for the governing bodies to ensure that KH sold in the markets is free from HFCS adulteration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinee Najwa Mohamat
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nur Rabiatul Adawiah Mohammad Noor
- Halal Products Research Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Negeri Sembilan, Kampus Kuala Pilah, Kuala Pilah 72000, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
| | - Yus Aniza Yusof
- Department of Process and Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Suriana Sabri
- The Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Norhasnida Zawawi
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- Halal Products Research Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
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