Chromosomal Ploidy Dynamics in Aphid Bacteriocytes Reveal Tight Coevolution Between Host and Symbiont

The cooperative relationship between aphids and their intracellular symbiotic bacteria is remarkably intricate. In the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, a specialized cell type known as the bacteriocyte houses the bacterial symbiont Buchnera aphidicola. These cells are not only unusually large but also play a central role in nutritional symbiosis. Because of their size and function, scientists have long suspected that the chromosomes inside these cells exist in a highly polyploid state.

The bacteriocytes within the bacteriome of the pea aphid contain Buchnera aphidicola（Image source：Nozaki T and Shigenobu S. (2022)， CC BY 4.0 ）

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