critical and historical consideration of the present knowledge of symbiosis between insects and bacteria

ABSTRACT

Symbiotic microorganism of coccids and of homophterous insects can be cultivated using a special media and a special technique. In most coccids the symbiotes were yeast-like and produced tyrosinase which gave them a dark appearance. In homoptera the symbiotes were bacteria which produced pigments like their insect hosts. Even the firefly showed the presence of chalk-white bacterial colony producing luciferin but no luciferase, the symbiote of firefly could also be grown. It seems that originally the bacteria was self-luminescent but on symbiosis a mutant was produced which contained only luceferin but no luciferase with it ended the research on symbiosis among insects