Always and Forever: A Microscopic Love Story

February 11, 2015 • by Marc Airhart

What if you swapped symbiotic bacteria between two strains of aphid, would the resulting aphids look or act differently than their mothers?

A green insect holds its hands over its heart, which is made up of red microbes

Illustration: Jenna Luecke


Two large insects and several smaller insects

Two mother aphids giving birth, with babies nearby. The babies already have the obligate symbiont (Buchnera) from their mothers at birth. Photo credit: Nancy Moran

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Three birds are shown. On the left is a blue jay, which is primarily blue with some patches of white on wing tips, around the face and on the chest. On the right is a green jay, which is primarily green with a lighter colored chest and a mix of blue and black patches on the face. In the center is a hybrid bird, which is primarily blue and resembles a blue jay, but with a larger area of black on the face, more akin to a green jay.

Research

So What Should We Call This – a Grue Jay?

A young woman in burnt orange smiles while sitting in front of a microscope in a lab and collections space.

UT Bridging Disciplines Program

Abby Jones’ Multifaceted UT Journey