1
|
Shamjana U, Vasu DA, Hembrom PS, Nayak K, Grace T. The role of insect gut microbiota in host fitness, detoxification and nutrient supplementation. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 2024; 117:71. [PMID: 38668783 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-024-01970-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Insects are incredibly diverse, ubiquitous and have successfully flourished out of the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of evolutionary processes. The resident microbiome has accompanied the physical and biological adaptations that enable their continued survival and proliferation in a wide array of environments. The host insect and microbiome's bidirectional relationship exhibits their capability to influence each other's physiology, behavior and characteristics. Insects are reported to rely directly on the microbial community to break down complex food, adapt to nutrient-deficit environments, protect themselves from natural adversaries and control the expression of social behavior. High-throughput metagenomic approaches have enhanced the potential for determining the abundance, composition, diversity and functional activities of microbial fauna associated with insect hosts, enabling in-depth investigation into insect-microbe interactions. We undertook a review of some of the major advances in the field of metagenomics, focusing on insect-microbe interaction, diversity and composition of resident microbiota, the functional capability of endosymbionts and discussions on different symbiotic relationships. The review aims to be a valuable resource on insect gut symbiotic microbiota by providing a comprehensive understanding of how insect gut symbionts systematically perform a range of functions, viz., insecticide degradation, nutritional support and immune fitness. A thorough understanding of manipulating specific gut symbionts may aid in developing advanced insect-associated research to attain health and design strategies for pest management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- U Shamjana
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Deepa Azhchath Vasu
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Preety Sweta Hembrom
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Karunakar Nayak
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India
| | - Tony Grace
- Department of Genomic Science, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, 671316, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lateef AA, Azeez AA, Ren W, Hamisu HS, Oke OA, Asiegbu FO. Bacterial biota associated with the invasive insect pest Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). Sci Rep 2024; 14:8268. [PMID: 38594362 PMCID: PMC11003966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58753-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuta absoluta (the tomato pinworm) is an invasive insect pest with a highly damaging effect on tomatoes causing between 80 and 100% yield losses if left uncontrolled. Resistance to chemical pesticides have been reported in some T. absoluta populations. Insect microbiome plays an important role in the behavior, physiology, and survivability of their host. In a bid to explore and develop an alternative control method, the associated microbiome of this insect was studied. In this study, we unraveled the bacterial biota of T. absoluta larvae and adults by sequencing and analyzing the 16S rRNA V3-V4 gene regions using Illumina NovaSeq PE250. Out of 2,092,015 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) recovered from 30 samples (15 larvae and 15 adults), 1,268,810 and 823,205 ASVs were obtained from the larvae and adults, respectively. A total of 433 bacterial genera were shared between the adults and larval samples while 264 and 139 genera were unique to the larvae and adults, respectively. Amplicon metagenomic analyses of the sequences showed the dominance of the phylum Proteobacteria in the adult samples while Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated in the larval samples. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) comparison revealed the genera Pseudomonas, Delftia and Ralstonia to be differentially enriched in the adult samples while Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Lactococcus, Klebsiella and Wiessella were differentially abundant in the larvae. The diversity indices showed that the bacterial communities were not different between the insect samples collected from different geographical regions. However, the bacterial communities significantly differed based on the sample type between larvae and adults. A co-occurrence network of significantly correlated taxa revealed a strong interaction between the microbial communities. The functional analysis of the microbiome using FAPROTAX showed that denitrification, arsenite oxidation, methylotrophy and methanotrophy as the active functional groups of the adult and larvae microbiomes. Our results have revealed the core taxonomic, functional, and interacting microbiota of T. absoluta and these indicate that the larvae and adults harbor a similar but transitory set of bacteria. The results provide a novel insight and a basis for exploring microbiome-based biocontrol strategy for this invasive insect pest as well as the ecological significance of some of the identified microbiota is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Lateef
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Ilorin, Nigeria.
| | - A A Azeez
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Rainforest Research Station, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Jericho Hill, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - W Ren
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - H S Hamisu
- National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - O A Oke
- National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - F O Asiegbu
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Manthey C, Johnston PR, Nakagawa S, Rolff J. Complete metamorphosis and microbiota turnover in insects. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6543-6551. [PMID: 36039743 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The insects constitute the majority of animal diversity. Most insects are holometabolous: during complete metamorphosis their bodies are radically reorganized. This reorganization poses a significant challenge to the gut microbiota, as the gut is replaced during pupation, a process that does not occur in hemimetabolous insects. In holometabolous hosts, it offers the opportunity to decouple the gut microbiota between the larval and adult life stages resulting in high beta diversity whilst limiting alpha diversity. Here, we studied 18 different herbivorous insect species from five orders of holometabolous and three orders of hemimetabolous insects. Comparing larval and adult specimens, we find a much higher beta-diversity and hence microbiota turnover in holometabolous insects compared to hemimetabolous insects. Alpha diversity did not differ between holo- and hemimetabolous insects nor between developmental stages within these groups. Our results support the idea that pupation offers the opportunity to change the gut microbiota and hence might facilitate ecological niche shifts. This possible effect of niche shift facilitation could explain a selective advantage of the evolution of complete metamorphosis, which is a defining trait of the most speciose insect taxon, the holometabola.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christin Manthey
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul R Johnston
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institut für Biologie, Evolutionary Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Frias J, Garriga A, Peñalver Á, Teixeira M, Beltrí R, Toubarro D, Simões N. Exploring Gut Microbiome Variations between Popillia japonica Populations of Azores. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1972. [PMID: 37630532 PMCID: PMC10459852 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is an emerging invasive pest in Europe and America. In the Azores, this pest was first found on Terceira Island during the sixties and soon spread to other islands. The rate of infestation differs between islands, and we hypothesized that microbiome composition could play a role. Therefore, we sampled 3rd instar larvae and soil from sites with high and low infestation rates to analyze the microbiome using next-generation sequencing. We analyzed twenty-four 16S DNA libraries, which resulted in 3278 operational taxonomic units. The alpha and beta diversity of the soil microbiome was similar between sites. In contrast, the larvae from high-density sites presented a higher bacterial gut diversity than larvae from low-density sites, with biomarkers linked to plant digestion, nutrient acquisition, and detoxification. Consequently, larvae from high-density sites displayed several enriched molecular functions associated with the families Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae and Rikenellaceae. These bacteria revealed a supportive function by producing several CAZyme families and other proteins. These findings suggest that the microbiome must be one drive for the increase in P. japonica populations, thus providing a checkpoint in the establishment and spread of this pest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Frias
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Anna Garriga
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
- Departament de Biologia Animal, Vegetal i Ecologia, Facultat de Biociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Ángel Peñalver
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Mário Teixeira
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Rubén Beltrí
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Duarte Toubarro
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Nelson Simões
- Centro de Biotecnologia dos Açores, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9500-321 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kucuk RA, Campbell BJ, Lyon NJ, Shelby EA, Caterino MS. Gut bacteria of adult and larval Cotinis nitida Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) demonstrate community differences according to respective life stage and gut region. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1185661. [PMID: 37485511 PMCID: PMC10362445 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1185661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The close association between bacteria and insect hosts has played an indispensable role in insect diversity and ecology. Thus, continued characterization of such insect-associated-microbial communities is imperative, especially those of saprophagous scarab beetles. The bacterial community of the digestive tract of adults and larvae of the cetoniine scarab species Cotinis nitida is characterized according to life stage, gut structure, and sex via high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Through permutational ANOVAs of the resulting sequences, bacterial communities of the digestive system are shown to differ significantly between adults and larvae in taxon richness, evenness and relatedness. Significant bacterial community-level differences are also observed between the midgut and hindgut in adult beetles, while no significant host-sex differences are observed. The partitioning between bacterial communities in the larval digestive system is shown through significant differences in two distinct hindgut regions, the ileum and the expanded paunch, but not between the midgut and ileum portion of the hindgut region. These data further corroborate the hypothesis of strong community partitioning in the gut of members of the Scarabaeoidea, suggest hypotheses of physiological-digestive association, and also demonstrate the presence of a seemingly unusual non-scarab-associated taxon. These findings contribute to a general portrait of scarabaeoid digestive tract bacterial communities while illuminating the microbiome of a common new world cetoniine of the Gymnetini-a tribe largely neglected in scarab and beetle microbiome and symbiosis literature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roy A. Kucuk
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Barbara J. Campbell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Nicholas J. Lyon
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Emily A. Shelby
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Michael S. Caterino
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Studying Plant-Insect Interactions through the Analyses of the Diversity, Composition, and Functional Inference of Their Bacteriomes. Microorganisms 2022; 11:microorganisms11010040. [PMID: 36677331 PMCID: PMC9863603 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
As with many other trophic interactions, the interchange of microorganisms between plants and their herbivorous insects is unavoidable. To test the hypothesis that the composition and diversity of the insect bacteriome are driven by the bacteriome of the plant, the bacteriomes of both the plant Datura inoxia and its specialist insect Lema daturaphila were characterised using 16S sRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Specifically, the bacteriomes associated with seeds, leaves, eggs, guts, and frass were described and compared. Then, the functions of the most abundant bacterial lineages found in the samples were inferred. Finally, the patterns of co-abundance among both bacteriomes were determined following a multilayer network approach. In accordance with our hypothesis, most genera were shared between plants and insects, but their abundances differed significantly within the samples collected. In the insect tissues, the most abundant genera were Pseudomonas (24.64%) in the eggs, Serratia (88.46%) in the gut, and Pseudomonas (36.27%) in the frass. In contrast, the most abundant ones in the plant were Serratia (40%) in seeds, Serratia (67%) in foliar endophytes, and Hymenobacter (12.85%) in foliar epiphytes. Indeed, PERMANOVA analysis showed that the composition of the bacteriomes was clustered by sample type (F = 9.36, p < 0.001). Functional inferences relevant to the interaction showed that in the plant samples, the category of Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites was significantly abundant (1.4%). In turn, the category of Xenobiotics degradation and metabolism was significantly present (2.5%) in the insect samples. Finally, the phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota showed a pattern of co-abundance in the insect but not in the plant, suggesting that the co-abundance and not the presence−absence patterns might be more important when studying ecological interactions.
Collapse
|
7
|
Dong Y, Zhang ZR, Mishra S, Wong ACN, Huang JF, Wang B, Peng YQ, Gao J. Diversity and metabolic potentials of microbial communities associated with pollinator and cheater fig wasps in fig-fig wasp mutualism system. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1009919. [DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1009919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial symbionts can influence a myriad of insect behavioral and physiological traits. However, how microbial communities may shape or be shaped by insect interactions with plants and neighboring species remains underexplored. The fig-fig wasp mutualism system offers a unique model to study the roles of microbiome in the interactions between the plants and co-habiting insects because a confined fig environment is shared by two fig wasp species, the pollinator wasp (Eupristina altissima and Eupristina verticillata) and the cheater wasp (Eupristina sp1 and Eupristina sp2). Here, we performed whole genome resequencing (WGS) on 48 individual fig wasps (Eupristina spp.) from Yunnan, China, to reveal the phylogenetic relationship and genetic divergence between pollinator and congeneric cheater wasps associated with the Ficus trees. We then extracted metagenomic sequences to explore the compositions, network structures, and functional capabilities of microbial communities associated with these wasps. We found that the cheaters and pollinators from the same fig species are sister species, which are highly genetically divergent. Fig wasps harbor diverse but stable microbial communities. Fig species dominate over the fig wasp genotype in shaping the bacterial and fungal communities. Variation in microbial communities may be partially explained by the filtering effect from fig and phylogeny of fig wasps. It is worth noting that cheaters have similar microbial communities to their sister pollinators, which may allow cheaters to coexist and gain resources from the same fig species. In terms of metabolic capabilities, some bacteria such as Desulfovibrio and Lachnospiraceae are candidates involved in the nutritional uptake of fig wasps. Our results provide novel insights into how microbiome community and metabolic functions may couple with the fig-wasp mutualistic systems.
Collapse
|
8
|
Larval gut microbiome of Pelidnota luridipes (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae): high bacterial diversity, different metabolic profiles on gut chambers and species with probiotic potential. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:210. [PMID: 36050590 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03387-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Pelidnota luridipes Blanchard (1850) is a tropical beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, whose larvae live on wood without parental care. Microbiota of mid- and hindgut of larvae was evaluated by culture-dependent and independent methods, and the results show a diverse microbiota, with most species of bacteria and fungi shared between midgut and hindgut. We isolated 272 bacterial and 29 yeast isolates, identified in 57 and 7 species, respectively, while using metabarcoding, we accessed 1,481 and 267 OTUs of bacteria and fungi, respectively. The composition and abundance of bacteria and fungi differed between mid- and hindgut, with a tendency for higher richness and diversity of yeasts in the midgut, and bacteria on the hindgut. Some taxa are abundant in the intestine of P. luridipes larvae, such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria; as well as Saccharomycetales and Trichosporonales yeasts. Mid- and hindgut metabolic profiles differ (e.g. biosynthesis of amino acids, cofactors, and lipopolysaccharides) with higher functional diversity in the hindgut. Isolates have different functional traits such as secretion of hydrolytic enzymes and antibiosis against pathogens. Apiotrichum siamense L29A and Bacillus sp. BL17B protected larvae of the moth Galleria mellonella, against infection by the pathogens Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027. This is the first work with the larval microbiome of a Rutelini beetle, demonstrating its diversity and potential in prospecting microbial products as probiotics. The functional role of microbiota for the nutrition and adaptability of P. luridipes larvae needs to be evaluated in the future.
Collapse
|
9
|
Teixeira MFNP, Souza CR, Morais PB. Diversity and enzymatic capabilities of fungi associated with the digestive tract of larval stages of a shredder insect in Cerrado and Amazon Forest, Brazil. BRAZ J BIOL 2022; 82:e260039. [PMID: 35830012 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.260039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical biomes such as Brazilian Cerrado and Amazon Forest have a great diversity of fungi and insects. Interactions between these organisms can be beneficial to both partners. In streams, these interactions contribute to litter decomposition. Studying the digestive tract (DT) of shredder insects as a habitat for fungal microorganisms is an opportunity to obtain fungal strains with biotechnological potential, which may help to understand the symbiotic relationships between these organisms in tropical forests. This study investigated the fungal community in the DT of larvae of Triplectides (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) collected in low-order streams in the Cerrado and Amazon Forest biomes in Brazil. Forty-nine fungal isolates were obtained and identified among 32 species and 12 genera. The genus Roussoella was only found in the DT of insects in Amazon Forest streams, while 7 genera only occurred in the DT of insects in Cerrado streams. The genus Penicillium (40%) was the most frequent. In the Cerrado, 78% were producers of CMCase, more than two-fold that in the Amazon Forest (35%). And 62% were producers of xylanase, in the Cerrado and 71% in the Amazon Forest. In this context, the fungal community in the DT of Triplectides larvae may play an important role in the insect diet by breaking down lignocellulosic material.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M F N P Teixeira
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins - UFT, Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia Ambiental, Palmas, TO, Brasil
| | - C R Souza
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins - UFT, Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia Ambiental, Palmas, TO, Brasil.,Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Tocantins - IFTO, Gurupi, TO, Brasil
| | - P B Morais
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins - UFT, Laboratório de Microbiologia e Biotecnologia Ambiental, Palmas, TO, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Avila-Arias H, Scharf ME, Turco RF, Richmond DS. Soil Environments Influence Gut Prokaryotic Communities in the Larvae of the Invasive Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica Newman. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:854513. [PMID: 35572692 PMCID: PMC9094118 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.854513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive scarab beetles, like the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman (JB), spend most of their lives as larvae feeding in the soil matrix. Despite the potential importance of the larval gut microbial community in driving the behavior, physiology, and nutritional ecology of this invasive insect, the role of soil biological and physicochemical characteristics in shaping this community are relatively unknown. Our objectives were to (1) characterize the degree to which larval gut microbial communities are environmentally acquired, (2) examine the combined effects of the gut region (i.e., midgut, hindgut) and local soil environments on gut microbial communities, and (3) search for soil physicochemical correlates that could be useful in future studies aimed at characterizing gut microbial community variation in soil-dwelling scarabs. Gut communities from neonates that were never in contact with the soil were different from gut communities of third instar larvae collected from the field, with neonate gut communities being significantly less rich and diverse. The influence of compartment (soil, midgut, or hindgut) on prokaryotic α- and β-diversity varied with location, suggesting that JB larval gut communities are at least partially shaped by the local environment even though the influence of compartment was more pronounced. Midgut microbiota contained transient communities that varied with the surrounding soil environment whereas hindgut microbiota was more conserved. Prokaryotic communities in the hindgut clustered separately from those of soil and midgut, which displayed greater interspersion in ordination space. Soil cation exchange capacity, organic matter, water holding capacity, and texture were moderately correlated (≥29%) with gut prokaryotic microbial composition, especially within the midgut. Findings suggest that microbial communities associated with the JB gut are partially a function of adaptation to local soil environments. However, conditions within each gut compartment appear to shape those communities in transit through the alimentary canal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helena Avila-Arias
- Soil Insect Ecology Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Michael E Scharf
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ronald F Turco
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Douglas S Richmond
- Soil Insect Ecology Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sajnaga E, Skowronek M, Kalwasińska A, Kazimierczak W, Lis M, Jach ME, Wiater A. Comparative Nanopore Sequencing-Based Evaluation of the Midgut Microbiota of the Summer Chafer ( Amphimallon solstitiale L.) Associated with Possible Resistance to Entomopathogenic Nematodes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063480. [PMID: 35329164 PMCID: PMC8950650 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Root-feeding Amphimallon solstitiale larvae and certain other scarab beetles are the main soil-dwelling pests found in Europe, while entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) have been used as a biocontrol agent against these species. Our study provides the first detailed characterization of the bacterial community of the midgut in wild A. solstitiale larvae, based on the nanopore sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. In the whole dataset, we detected 2586 different genera and 11,641 species, with only 83 diverse bacterial genera shared by all studied individuals, which may represent members of the core midgut microbiota of A. solstitiale larvae. Subsequently, we compared the midgut microbiota of EPN-resistant and T0 (prior to EPN exposure) individuals, hypothesizing that resistance to this parasitic infection may be linked to the altered gut community. Compared to the control, the resistant insect microbiota demonstrated lower Shannon and Evenness indices and significant differences in the community structure. Our studies confirmed that the gut microbiota alternation is associated with resistant insects; however, there are many processes involved that can affect the bacterial community. Further research on the role of gut microbiota in insect-parasitic nematode interaction may ultimately lead to the improvement of biological control strategies in insect pest management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Sajnaga
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production, and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (M.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Marcin Skowronek
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production, and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (M.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Agnieszka Kalwasińska
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland;
| | - Waldemar Kazimierczak
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production, and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (M.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Magdalena Lis
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production, and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (M.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Monika Elżbieta Jach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Adrian Wiater
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Skowronek M, Sajnaga E, Kazimierczak W, Lis M, Wiater A. Screening and Molecular Identification of Bacteria from the Midgut of Amphimallon solstitiale Larvae Exhibiting Antagonistic Activity against Bacterial Symbionts of Entomopathogenic Nematodes. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222112005. [PMID: 34769435 PMCID: PMC8584744 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) are a group of organisms capable of infecting larvae of insects living in soil, including representatives of the family Scarabaeidae. Their insecticidal activity is related to the presence of symbiotic bacteria Xenorhabdus spp. or Photorhabdus spp. in the alimentary tract, which are released into the insect body, leading to its death caused by bacterial toxins and septicemia. Although the antibacterial activities of symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes have been well described, there is insufficient knowledge of the interactions between these bacteria and microorganisms that naturally inhabit the alimentary tract of insects infested by nematodes. In this study, 900 bacterial strains isolated from midgut samples of Amphimallon solstitiale larvae were tested for their antagonistic activity against the selected five Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus species. Cross-streak tests showed significant antibacterial activity of 20 isolates. These bacteria were identified as Bacillus [Brevibacterium] frigoritolerans, Bacillus toyonensis, Bacillus wiedmannii, Chryseobacterium lathyri, Chryseobacterium sp., Citrobacter murliniae, Enterococcus malodoratus, Paenibacillus sp., Serratia marcescens and Serratia sp. Since some representatives of the intestinal microbiota of A. solstitiale are able to inhibit the growth of Xenorhabdus and Photorhrhabdus bacteria in vitro, it can be assumed that this type of bacterial interaction may occur at certain stages of insect infection by Steinernema or Heterorhabditis nematodes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Skowronek
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (A.W.)
| | - Ewa Sajnaga
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Waldemar Kazimierczak
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Magdalena Lis
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Production and Application of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Adrian Wiater
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (A.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Aizpurua O, Nyholm L, Morris E, Chaverri G, Herrera Montalvo LG, Flores-Martinez JJ, Lin A, Razgour O, Gilbert MTP, Alberdi A. The role of the gut microbiota in the dietary niche expansion of fishing bats. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:76. [PMID: 34711286 PMCID: PMC8555116 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00137-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to its central role in animal nutrition, the gut microbiota is likely a relevant factor shaping dietary niche shifts. We analysed both the impact and contribution of the gut microbiota to the dietary niche expansion of the only four bat species that have incorporated fish into their primarily arthropodophage diet. Results We first compared the taxonomic and functional features of the gut microbiota of the four piscivorous bats to that of 11 strictly arthropodophagous species using 16S rRNA targeted amplicon sequencing. Second, we increased the resolution of our analyses for one of the piscivorous bat species, namely Myotis capaccinii, and analysed multiple populations combining targeted approaches with shotgun sequencing. To better understand the origin of gut microorganisms, we also analysed the gut microbiota of their fish prey (Gambusia holbrooki). Our analyses showed that piscivorous bats carry a characteristic gut microbiota that differs from that of their strict arthropodophagous counterparts, in which the most relevant bacteria have been directly acquired from their fish prey. This characteristic microbiota exhibits enrichment of genes involved in vitamin biosynthesis, as well as complex carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, likely providing their hosts with an enhanced capacity to metabolise the glycosphingolipids and long-chain fatty acids that are particularly abundant in fish. Conclusions Our results depict the gut microbiota as a relevant element in facilitating the dietary transition from arthropodophagy to piscivory. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-021-00137-w.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ostaizka Aizpurua
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Lasse Nyholm
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Evie Morris
- University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Biosciences, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Gloriana Chaverri
- Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica, #4000 Alamedas, Golfito, 60701, Costa Rica.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, República de Panamá
| | - L Gerardo Herrera Montalvo
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 21, San Patricio, 48980, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - José Juan Flores-Martinez
- Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117, China
| | - Orly Razgour
- University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Biosciences, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark.,University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Antton Alberdi
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Savoldelli S, Cattò C, Villa F, Saracchi M, Troiano F, Cortesi P, Cappitelli F. Biological risk assessment in the History and Historical Documentation Library of the University of Milan. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 790:148204. [PMID: 34380242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
There are billions of books that in recent and in ancient times have been produced by the human race containing evidence of its intellectual and cultural efforts. Even when stored in libraries, not all these books survive over time undamaged, because in the biosphere their materials are potential nutrients. This is the unfortunate case of the History and Historical Documentation Library of the University of Milan, where biological agents have badly affected rare and valuable old books. An entomological monitoring was carried out using sticky traps and collecting insects during inspections. The beetle Gastrallus pubens Fairmaire, rarely identified in European libraries so far, was the main biological agent responsible for the book damage, since several tunnels due to larval activity and holes made by adults were observed. Using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were found to be the most abundant phyla. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum among three fungal phyla. As bacteria and fungi spread by the insects are primary indications of the insect presence in the library, in this paper a potential biomarker able to detect the G. pubens presence before visible infestation was searched for among the bacterial and fungal community peculiar in the insect frass and gut, but also found on books and the surfaces of shelves. Symbiotaphrina, an ascomycete fungus described as one of the symbiotic levuliform fungi, present in the anobiid beetles' gut, was the only one found in all samples analyzed and has therefore been proposed as a putative biomarker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Savoldelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Cristina Cattò
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Federica Villa
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Marco Saracchi
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Federica Troiano
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Paolo Cortesi
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cappitelli
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Didion EM, Sabree ZL, Kenyon L, Nine G, Hagan RW, Osman S, Benoit JB. Microbiome reduction prevents lipid accumulation during early diapause in the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens pipiens. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 134:104295. [PMID: 34411585 PMCID: PMC8530159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito microbiome is critical to multiple facets of their biology, including larval development and disease transmission. For mosquitoes that reside in temperate regions, periods of diapause are critical to overwintering survival, but how the microbiome impacts this state is unknown. In this study, we compared the midgut microbial communities of diapausing and non-diapausing Culex pipiens and assessed how a reduced midgut microbiome influences diapause preparation. High community variability was found within and between non-diapausing and diapausing individuals, but no specific diapause-based microbiome was noted. Emergence of adult, diapausing mosquitoes under sterile conditions generated low bacterial load (LBL) lines with nearly a 1000-fold reduction in bacteria levels. This reduction in bacterial content resulted in significantly lower survival of diapausing females after two weeks, indicating acquisition of the microbiome in adult females is critical for survival throughout diapause. LBL diapausing females had high carbohydrate levels, but did not accumulate lipid reserves, suggesting an inability to process ingested sugars necessary for diapause-associated lipid accumulation. Expression patterns of select genes associated with mosquito lipid metabolism during diapause showed no significant differences between LBL and control lines, suggesting transcriptional changes may not underlie impaired lipid accumulation. Overall, a diverse, adult-acquired microbiome is critical for diapause in C. pipiens to process sugar reserves and accumulate lipids that are necessary to survive prolonged overwintering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elise M Didion
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| | - Zakee L Sabree
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Laura Kenyon
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Gabriela Nine
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Richard W Hagan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Sema Osman
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Joshua B Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Green EA, Smedley SR, Klassen JL. North American Fireflies Host Low Bacterial Diversity. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 82:793-804. [PMID: 33609143 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-021-01718-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although there are numerous studies of firefly mating flashes, lantern bioluminescence, and anti-predation lucibufagin metabolites, almost nothing is known about their microbiome. We therefore used 16S rRNA community amplicon sequencing to characterize the gut and body microbiomes of four North American firefly taxa: Ellychnia corrusca, the Photuris versicolor species complex, Pyractomena borealis, and Pyropyga decipiens. These firefly microbiomes all have very low species diversity, often dominated by a single species, and each firefly type has a characteristic microbiome. Although the microbiomes of male and female fireflies did not differ from each other, Ph. versicolor gut and body microbiomes did, with their gut microbiomes being enriched in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. Ellychnia corrusca egg and adult microbiomes were unique except for a single egg microbiome that shared a community type with E. corrusca adults, which could suggest microbial transmission from mother to offspring. Mollicutes that had been previously isolated from fireflies were common in our firefly microbiomes. These results set the stage for further research concerning the function and transmission of these bacterial symbionts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Green
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | - Jonathan L Klassen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bing XL, Winkler J, Gerlach J, Loeb G, Buchon N. Identification of natural pathogens from wild Drosophila suzukii. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:1594-1606. [PMID: 33342014 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (spotted wing drosophila), an invasive species, has recently become a significant global pest of soft-skinned fruits such as berries. Unlike other Drosophila species, female D. suzukii have evolved a specialized sharp, serrated ovipositor that pierces and penetrates ripe and ripening fruits, causing them to lose commercial value and preventing their sale. A first step for the development of biological control agents for pest management may be achieved through the identification of microbes infectious for D. suzukii in the wild. RESULTS We first determined that D. suzukii is susceptible to chemicals commonly used to rear Drosophilids in the laboratory and established a diet able to sustain healthy D. suzukii growth. Using this diet, we demonstrated that of 25 species of culturable bacteria and fungi isolated from field-collected D. suzukii, eight microbes decreased host survival when injected. Three of the eight bacteria (Alcaligenes faecalis, Achromobacter spanius and Serratia marcescens) were acutely pathogenic to both D. suzukii and Drosophila melanogaster adults by injection. Feeding of these bacteria resulted in susceptibility only in larvae. CONCLUSION We successfully identified multiple microbes from field-collected D. suzukii that are pathogenic to both larvae and adults through different routes of infection, some of which could be candidates for biocontrol of this species. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Li Bing
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jessica Winkler
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Gerlach
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Gregory Loeb
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, USA
| | - Nicolas Buchon
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Nanopore-Sequencing Characterization of the Gut Microbiota of Melolontha melolontha Larvae: Contribution to Protection against Entomopathogenic Nematodes? Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10040396. [PMID: 33806200 PMCID: PMC8067285 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study focused on the potential relationships between midgut microbiota of the common cockchafer Melolontha melolontha larvae and their resistance to entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) infection. We investigated the bacterial community associated with control and unsusceptible EPN-exposed insects through nanopore sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacterial phyla within the complex and variable midgut microbiota of the wild M. melolontha larvae. The core microbiota was found to include 82 genera, which accounted for 3.4% of the total number of identified genera. The EPN-resistant larvae differed significantly from the control ones in the abundance of many genera belonging to the Actinomycetales, Rhizobiales, and Clostridiales orders. Additionally, the analysis of the microbiome networks revealed different sets of keystone midgut bacterial genera between these two groups of insects, indicating differences in the mutual interactions between bacteria. Finally, we detected Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus as gut residents and various bacterial species exhibiting antagonistic activity against these entomopathogens. This study paves the way to further research aimed at unravelling the role of the host gut microbiota on the output of EPN infection, which may contribute to enhancement of the efficiency of nematodes used in eco-friendly pest management.
Collapse
|
19
|
Hindgut microbiota reflects different digestive strategies in dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae). Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02100-20. [PMID: 33355113 PMCID: PMC8090880 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02100-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbes play an important role in the biology and evolution of insects. Australian native dung beetles (Scarabaeinae) present an opportunity to study gut microbiota in an evolutionary context as they come from two distinct phylogenetic lineages and some species in each lineage have secondarily adapted to alternative or broader diets. In this study, we characterised the hindgut bacterial communities found in 21 species of dung beetles across two lineages using 16S rRNA sequencing. We found that gut microbial diversity was more dependent on host phylogeny and gut morphology than specific dietary preferences or environment. In particular, gut microbial diversity was highest in the endemic, flightless genus Cephalodesmius that feeds on a broad range of composted organic matter. The hindgut of Cephalodesmius harbours a highly conserved core set of bacteria suggesting that the bacteria are symbiotic. Symbiosis is supported by the persistence of the core microbiota across isolated beetle populations and between species in the genus. A co-evolutionary relationship is supported by the expansion of the hindgut to form a fermentation chamber and the fermentative nature of the core microbes. In contrast, Australian species of the widespread dung beetle genus Onthophagus, specialise on a single food resource such as dung or fungus, exhibit minimal food processing behaviour, have a short, narrow hindgut and a variable gut microbiota with relatively few core bacterial taxa. A conserved, complex gut microbiota is hypothesised to be unnecessary for this highly mobile genus.IMPORTANCE Dung beetles are a very important part of an ecosystem because of their role in the removal and decomposition of vertebrate dung. It has been suspected that symbiotic gut bacteria facilitate this role, a hypothesis that we have explored with high throughput barcoding. We found that differences in hindgut morphology had the greatest effect on the bacterial community composition. Species with a hindgut fermentation chamber harboured a distinctly different hindgut community compared to those species with a narrow, undifferentiated hindgut. Diet and phylogeny were also associated with differences in gut community. Further understanding of the relationships between dung beetles and their gut microbes will provide insights into the evolution of their behaviours and how gut communities contribute to their fitness.
Collapse
|
20
|
Divergence in Gut Bacterial Community Among Life Stages of the Rainbow Stag Beetle Phalacrognathus muelleri (Coleoptera: Lucanidae). INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11100719. [PMID: 33096611 PMCID: PMC7589407 DOI: 10.3390/insects11100719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although stag beetles are popular saprophytic insects, there are few studies about their gut bacterial community. This study focused on the gut bacterial community structure of the rainbow stag beetle (i.e., Phalacrognathus muelleri) in its larvae (three instars) and adult stages, using high throughput sequencing (Illumina Miseq). Our aim was to compare the gut bacterial community structure among different life stages. The results revealed that bacterial alpha diversity increased from the 1st instar to the 3rd instar larvae. Adults showed the lowest gut bacterial alpha diversity. Bacterial community composition was significantly different between larvae and adults (p = 0.001), and 1st instar larvae (early instar) had significant differences with the 2nd (p= 0.007) and 3rd (p = 0.001) instar larvae (final instar). However, there was little difference in the bacterial community composition between the 2nd and 3rd instar larvae (p = 0.059). Our study demonstrated dramatic shifts in gut bacterial community structure between larvae and adults. Larvae fed on decaying wood and adults fed on beetle jelly, suggesting that diet is a crucial factor shaping the gut bacterial community structure. There were significant differences in bacterial community structure between early instar and final instars larvae, suggesting that certain life stages are associated with a defined gut bacterial community.
Collapse
|
21
|
Ben Guerrero E, Salvador R, Talia P. Evaluation of hydrolytic enzyme activities from digestive fluids of Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 105:e21730. [PMID: 32737998 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, is a major pest of cotton crops in South America. In this work, partial biochemical characterizations of (hemi) cellulases and pectinases activities in the digestive system (head- and gut- extracts) of A. grandis were evaluated. Gut extract section from third instar larvae exhibited endoglucanase, xylanase, β-glucosidase, and pectinase activities. The endoglucanase and xylanase activities were localized in the foregut, whereas β-glucosidase activity was mainly detected in the hindgut. In addition, no difference in pectinase activity was observed across the gut sections. Thus, A. grandis digestive system is a potentially interesting reservoir for further lignocellulolytic enzymes research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Ben Guerrero
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hurlingham, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Salvador
- Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola (IMYZA), Hurlingham, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola Talia
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Hurlingham, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Salcedo-Porras N, Umaña-Diaz C, de Oliveira Barbosa Bitencourt R, Lowenberger C. The Role of Bacterial Symbionts in Triatomines: An Evolutionary Perspective. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1438. [PMID: 32961808 PMCID: PMC7565714 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects have established mutualistic symbiotic interactions with microorganisms that are beneficial to both host and symbiont. Many insects have exploited these symbioses to diversify and expand their ecological ranges. In the Hemiptera (i.e., aphids, cicadas, and true bugs), symbioses have established and evolved with obligatory essential microorganisms (primary symbionts) and with facultative beneficial symbionts (secondary symbionts). Primary symbionts are usually intracellular microorganisms found in insects with specialized diets such as obligate hematophagy or phytophagy. Most Heteroptera (true bugs), however, have gastrointestinal (GI) tract extracellular symbionts with functions analogous to primary endosymbionts. The triatomines, are vectors of the human parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. A description of their small GI tract microbiota richness was based on a few culturable microorganisms first described almost a century ago. A growing literature describes more complex interactions between triatomines and bacteria with properties characteristic of both primary and secondary symbionts. In this review, we provide an evolutionary perspective of beneficial symbioses in the Hemiptera, illustrating the context that may drive the evolution of symbioses in triatomines. We highlight the diversity of the triatomine microbiota, bacterial taxa with potential to be beneficial symbionts, the unique characteristics of triatomine-bacteria symbioses, and the interactions among trypanosomes, microbiota, and triatomines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Salcedo-Porras
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
| | - Claudia Umaña-Diaz
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
| | - Ricardo de Oliveira Barbosa Bitencourt
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Instituto de Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, 23890-000 Seropédica, Brasil
| | - Carl Lowenberger
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development and Disease, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; (C.U.-D.); (R.d.O.B.B.); (C.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Cambon MC, Lafont P, Frayssinet M, Lanois A, Ogier JC, Pagès S, Parthuisot N, Ferdy JB, Gaudriault S. Bacterial community profile after the lethal infection of Steinernema-Xenorhabdus pairs into soil-reared Tenebrio molitor larvae. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5704397. [PMID: 31942980 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The host microbiota may have an impact on pathogens. This is often studied in laboratory-reared hosts but rarely in individuals whose microbiota looks like that of wild animals. In this study, we modified the gut microbiota of the insect Tenebrio molitor by rearing larvae in soil sampled from the field. We showed by high throughput sequencing methods that this treatment modifies the gut microbiota so that it is more diversified than that of laboratory-reared insects, and closely resembled the one of soil-dwelling insects. To describe what the entomopathogenic bacterial symbiont Xenorhabdus (Enterobacteriaceae), vectored by the soil-dwelling nematode Steinernema, might experience in natural conditions, we studied the infestation of the soil-reared T. molitor larvae with three Steinernema-Xenorhabdus pairs. We performed the infestation at 18°C, which delays the emergence of new infective juveniles (IJs), the soil-dwelling nematode forms, but which is a temperature compatible with natural infestation. We analyzed by high throughput sequencing methods the composition of the bacterial community within the insect cadavers before the first emergences of IJs. These bacterial communities were generally characterized by one or two non-symbiont taxa. Even for highly lethal Steinernema-Xenorhabdus pairs, the symbiont does not dominate the bacterial community within the insect cadaver.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marine C Cambon
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS-IRD-Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France.,Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Lafont
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS-IRD-Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Marie Frayssinet
- Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Anne Lanois
- Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Claude Ogier
- Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvie Pagès
- Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Nathalie Parthuisot
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS-IRD-Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ferdy
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS-IRD-Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Gaudriault
- Laboratoire Diversité, Génome et Interactions Microorganismes Insectes, INRA-Université de Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Suárez-Moo P, Cruz-Rosales M, Ibarra-Laclette E, Desgarennes D, Huerta C, Lamelas A. Diversity and Composition of the Gut Microbiota in the Developmental Stages of the Dung Beetle Copris incertus Say (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1698. [PMID: 32793162 PMCID: PMC7393143 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are holometabolous insects that feed on herbivorous mammal dung and provide services to the ecosystem including nutrient cycling and soil fertilization. It has been suggested that organisms developing on incomplete diets such as dungs require the association with microorganisms for the synthesis and utilization of nutrients. We describe the diversity and composition of the gut-microbiota during the life cycle of the dung beetle Copris incertus using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We found that C. incertus gut contained a broad diversity of bacterial groups (1,699 OTUs and 302 genera). The taxonomic composition varied during the beetle life cycle, with the predominance of some bacterial genera in a specific developmental stage (Mothers: Enterobacter and Serratia; Eggs: Nocardioides and Hydrogenophaga; Larval and pupal stages: Dysgonomonas and Parabacteroides; offspring: Ochrobactrum). The beta diversity evidenced similarities among developmental stages, clustering (i) the adult stages (mother, male and female offsprings), (ii) intermediate developmental (larvae and pupa), and (iii) initial stage (egg). Microbiota differences could be attributed to dietary specialization or/and morpho-physiological factors involved in the transition from a developmental stage to the next. The predicted functional profile (PICRUSt2 analysis) for the development bacterial core of the level 3 categories, indicated grouping by developmental stage. Only 36 categories were significant in the SIMPER analysis, including the metabolic categories of amino acids and antibiotic synthesis, which were enriched in the larval and pupal stages; both categories are involved in the metamorphosis process. At the gene level, we found significant differences only in the KOs encoding functions related to nitrogen fixation, uric acid metabolism, and plant cell wall degradation for all developmental stages. Nitrogen fixation and plant cell wall degradation were enriched in the intermediate stages and uric acid metabolism was enriched in mothers. The data reported here suggested the influence of the maternal microbiota in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota of the offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Suárez-Moo
- Red de Estudios Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexico
| | | | | | - Damaris Desgarennes
- Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Carmen Huerta
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Araceli Lamelas
- Red de Estudios Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Kucuk RA. Gut Bacteria in the Holometabola: A Review of Obligate and Facultative Symbionts. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2020; 20:5893943. [PMID: 32809024 PMCID: PMC7433766 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The diversity and ecological variety of Holometabola foregrounds a wide array of dynamic symbiotic relationships with gut-dwelling bacteria. A review of the literature highlights that holometabolous insects rely on both obligate bacteria and facultative bacteria living in their guts to satisfy a number of physiological needs. The driving forces behind these differing relationships can be hypothesized through the scrutiny of bacterial associations with host gut morphology, and transmission of bacteria within a given host taxon. Our knowledge of the evolution of facultative or obligate symbiotic bacteria in holometabolan systems is further enhanced by an assessment of the various services the bacteria provide, including nutrition, immune system health, and development. The diversity of Holometabola can thus be examined through an assessment of known bacterial partnerships within the orders of Holometabola.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R A Kucuk
- Clemson University, Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson, SC
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Gómez-Gallego C, Rainio MJ, Collado MC, Mantziari A, Salminen S, Saikkonen K, Helander M. Glyphosate-based herbicide affects the composition of microbes associated with Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). FEMS Microbiol Lett 2020; 367:fnaa050. [PMID: 32188977 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnaa050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we examined whether glyphosate affects the microbiota of herbivores feeding on non-target plants. Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) were reared on potato plants grown in pots containing untreated soil or soil treated with glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH). As per the manufacturer's safety recommendations, the GBH soil treatments were done 2 weeks prior to planting the potatoes. Later, 2-day-old larvae were introduced to the potato plants and then collected in two phases: fourth instar larvae and adults. The larvae's internal microbiota and the adults' intestinal microbiota were examined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The beetles' microbial composition was affected by the GBH treatment and the differences in microbial composition between the control and insects exposed to GBH were more pronounced in the adults. The GBH treatment increased the relative abundance of Agrobacterium in the larvae and the adults. This effect may be related to the tolerance of some Agrobacterium species to glyphosate or to glyphosate-mediated changes in potato plants. On the other hand, the relative abundances of Enterobacteriaceae, Rhodobacter, Rhizobium and Acidovorax in the adult beetles and Ochrobactrum in the larvae were reduced in GBH treatment. These results demonstrate that glyphosate can impact microbial communities associated with herbivores feeding on non-target crop plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Gómez-Gallego
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
- Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Miia J Rainio
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - M Carmen Collado
- Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Seppo Salminen
- Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Kari Saikkonen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Marjo Helander
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Nobles S, Jackson CR. Effects of Life Stage, Site, and Species on the Dragonfly Gut Microbiome. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E183. [PMID: 32012869 PMCID: PMC7074884 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects that undergo metamorphosis from juveniles to adults provide an intriguing opportunity to examine the effects of life stage, species, and the environment on their gut microbiome. In this study, we surveyed the gut microbiomes of 13 species of dragonfly collected from five different locations subject to different levels of human impact. Juveniles were collected as nymphs from aquatic habitats while airborne adults were caught at the same locations. The gut microbiome was characterized by next generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Life stage was an important factor, with the gut microbiomes of dragonfly nymphs differing from those of adult dragonflies. Gut microbiomes of nymphs were influenced by sample site and, to a lesser extent, host species. Neither sample location nor host species had a strong effect on the gut microbiome of dragonfly adults. Regardless of life stage, gut microbiomes were dominated by members of the Proteobacteria, with members of the Bacteroidetes (especially in adults), Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria (especially in nymphs) also being proportionally abundant. These results demonstrate that different life stages of metamorphosing insects can harbor very different gut microbiomes and differ in how this microbiome is influenced by the surrounding environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Colin R. Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Skowronek M, Sajnaga E, Pleszczyńska M, Kazimierczak W, Lis M, Wiater A. Bacteria from the Midgut of Common Cockchafer ( Melolontha melolontha L.) Larvae Exhibiting Antagonistic Activity Against Bacterial Symbionts of Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Isolation and Molecular Identification. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21020580. [PMID: 31963214 PMCID: PMC7013910 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms of action of the complex including entomopathogenic nematodes of the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis and their mutualistic partners, i.e., bacteria Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, have been well explained, and the nematodes have been commercialized as biological control agents against many soil insect pests. However, little is known regarding the nature of the relationships between these bacteria and the gut microbiota of infected insects. In the present study, 900 bacterial isolates that were obtained from the midgut samples of Melolontha melolontha larvae were screened for their antagonistic activity against the selected species of the genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus. Twelve strains exhibited significant antibacterial activity in the applied tests. They were identified based on 16S rRNA and rpoB, rpoD, or recA gene sequences as Pseudomonas chlororaphis, Citrobacter murliniae, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Chryseobacterium lathyri, Chryseobacterium sp., Serratia liquefaciens, and Serratia sp. The culture filtrate of the isolate P. chlororaphis MMC3 L3 04 exerted the strongest inhibitory effect on the tested bacteria. The results of the preliminary study that are presented here, which focused on interactions between the insect gut microbiota and mutualistic bacteria of entomopathogenic nematodes, show that bacteria inhabiting the gut of insects might play a key role in insect resistance to entomopathogenic nematode pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Skowronek
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Application and Production of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Faculty of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (A.W.)
| | - Ewa Sajnaga
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Application and Production of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Faculty of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Małgorzata Pleszczyńska
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, ul. Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Waldemar Kazimierczak
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Application and Production of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Faculty of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Magdalena Lis
- Laboratory of Biocontrol, Application and Production of EPN, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Faculty of Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, ul. Konstantynów 1J, 20-708 Lublin, Poland; (E.S.); (W.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Adrian Wiater
- Department of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, ul. Akademicka 19, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (A.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Meng F, Bar-Shmuel N, Shavit R, Behar A, Segoli M. Gut bacteria of weevils developing on plant roots under extreme desert conditions. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:311. [PMID: 31888482 PMCID: PMC6937996 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1690-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many phytophagous insects, whose diet is generally nitrogen-poor, rely on gut bacteria to compensate for nutritional deficits. Accordingly, we hypothesized that insects in desert environments may evolve associations with gut bacteria to adapt to the extremely low nutrient availability. For this, we conducted a systematic survey of bacterial communities in the guts of weevils developing inside mud chambers affixed to plant roots in the Negev Desert of Israel, based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS Our analyses revealed that gut bacterial communities in weevil larvae were similar across a wide geographical range, but differed significantly from those of the mud chambers and of the surrounding soils. Nevertheless, a high proportion of bacteria (including all of the core bacteria) found in the weevils were also detected in the mud chambers and soils at low relative abundances. The genus Citrobacter (of the Enterobacteriaceae family) was the predominant group in the guts of all individual weevils. The relative abundance of Citrobacter significantly decreased at the pupal and adult stages, while bacterial diversity increased. A mini literature survey revealed that members of the genus Citrobacter are associated with nitrogen fixation, recycling of uric acid nitrogen, and cellulose degradation in different insects. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that although weevils could potentially acquire their gut bacteria from the soil, weevil host internal factors, rather than external environmental factors, were more important in shaping their gut bacterial communities, and suggest a major role for Citrobacter in weevil nutrition in this challenging environment. This study highlights the potential involvement of gut bacteria in the adaptation of insects to nutritional deficiencies under extreme desert conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fengqun Meng
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
| | - Nitsan Bar-Shmuel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Reut Shavit
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Adi Behar
- Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Michal Segoli
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bioprospection of Enzymes and Microorganisms in Insects to Improve Second-Generation Ethanol Production. Ind Biotechnol (New Rochelle N Y) 2019. [DOI: 10.1089/ind.2019.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
|
31
|
Mushegian AA, Tougeron K. Animal-Microbe Interactions in the Context of Diapause. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2019; 237:180-191. [PMID: 31714855 DOI: 10.1086/706078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Dormancy and diapause are key adaptations in many organisms, enabling survival of temporarily or seasonally unsuitable environmental conditions. In this review, we examine how our understanding of programmed developmental and metabolic arrest during diapause intersects with the increasing body of knowledge about animal co-development and co-evolution with microorganisms. Host-microbe interactions are increasingly understood to affect a number of metabolic, physiological, developmental, and behavioral traits and to mediate adaptations to various environments. Therefore, it is timely to consider how microbial factors might affect the expression and evolution of diapause in a changing world. We examine how a range of host-microbe interactions, from pathogenic to mutualistic, may have an impact on diapause phenotypes. Conversely, we examine how the discontinuities that diapause introduces into animal host generations can affect the ecology of microbial communities and the evolution of host-microbe interactions. We discuss these issues as they relate to physiology, evolution of development, local adaptation, disease ecology, and environmental change. Finally, we outline research questions that bridge the historically distinct fields of seasonal ecology and host-microbe interactions.
Collapse
|
32
|
Bozorov TA, Rasulov BA, Zhang D. Characterization of the gut microbiota of invasive Agrilus mali Matsumara (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) using high-throughput sequencing: uncovering plant cell-wall degrading bacteria. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4923. [PMID: 30894631 PMCID: PMC6427011 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41368-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Agrilus comprises diverse exotic and agriculturally important wood-boring insects that have evolved efficient digestive systems. Agrilus mali Matsumara, an invasive insect, is causing extensive mortality to endangered wild apple trees in Tianshan. In this study, we present an in-depth characterization of the gut microbiota of A. mali based on high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and report the presence of lignocellulose-degrading bacteria. Thirty-nine operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were characterized from the larval gut. OTUs represented 6 phyla, 10 classes, 16 orders, 20 families, and 20 genera. The majority of bacterial OTUs belonged to the order Enterobacteriales which was the most abundant taxa in the larval gut. Cultivable bacteria revealed 9 OTUs that all belonged to Gammaproteobacteria. Subsequently, we examined the breakdown of plant cell-wall compounds by bacterial isolates. Among the isolates, the highest efficiency was observed in Pantoea sp., which was able to synthesize four out of the six enzymes (cellulase, cellobiase, β-xylanase, and β-gluconase) responsible for plant-cell wall degradation. One isolate identified as Pseudomonas orientalis exhibited lignin peroxidase activity. Our study provides the first characterization of the gut microbial diversity of A. mali larvae and shows that some cultivable bacteria play a significant role in the digestive tracts of larvae by providing nutritional needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tohir A Bozorov
- Key Lab of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China. .,Institute of Genetics and Plants Experimental Biology, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Yukori-Yuz, 111226, Kibray, Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan.
| | - Bakhtiyor A Rasulov
- Key Lab of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.,Institute of Genetics and Plants Experimental Biology, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Yukori-Yuz, 111226, Kibray, Tashkent Region, Uzbekistan
| | - Daoyuan Zhang
- Key Lab of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Beijing Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
The Intestinal Microbiota of Hermetia illucens Larvae Is Affected by Diet and Shows a Diverse Composition in the Different Midgut Regions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.01864-18. [PMID: 30504212 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01864-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The larva of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) has emerged as an efficient system for the bioconversion of organic waste. Although many research efforts are devoted to the optimization of rearing conditions to increase the yield of the bioconversion process, microbiological aspects related to this insect are still neglected. Here, we describe the microbiota of the midgut of H. illucens larvae, showing the effect of different diets and midgut regions in shaping microbial load and diversity. The bacterial communities residing in the three parts of the midgut, characterized by remarkable changes in luminal pH values, differed in terms of bacterial numbers and microbiota composition. The microbiota of the anterior part of the midgut showed the highest diversity, which gradually decreased along the midgut, whereas bacterial load had an opposite trend, being maximal in the posterior region. The results also showed that the influence of the microbial content of ingested food was limited to the anterior part of the midgut, and that the feeding activity of H. illucens larvae did not significantly affect the microbiota of the substrate. Moreover, a high protein content compared to other macronutrients in the feeding substrate seemed to favor midgut dysbiosis. The overall data indicate the importance of taking into account the presence of different midgut structural and functional domains, as well as the substrate microbiota, in any further study that aims at clarifying microbiological aspects concerning H. illucens larval midgut.IMPORTANCE The demand for food of animal origin is expected to increase by 2050. Since traditional protein sources for monogastric diets are failing to meet the increasing demand for additional feed production, there is an urgent need to find alternative protein sources. The larvae of Hermetia illucens emerge as efficient converters of low-quality biomass into nutritionally valuable proteins. Many studies have been performed to optimize H. illucens mass rearing on a number of organic substrates and to quantitatively and qualitatively maximize the biomass yield. On the contrary, although the insect microbiota can be fundamental for bioconversion processes and its characterization is mandatory also for safety aspects, this topic is largely overlooked. Here, we provide an in-depth study of the microbiota of H. illucens larval midgut, taking into account pivotal aspects, such as the midgut spatial and functional regionalization, as well as microbiota and nutrient composition of the feeding substrate.
Collapse
|
34
|
Zhang Z, Jiao S, Li X, Li M. Bacterial and fungal gut communities of Agrilus mali at different developmental stages and fed different diets. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15634. [PMID: 30353073 PMCID: PMC6199299 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34127-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Agrilus mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an invasive wood borer pest that has caused considerable damage to the Xinjiang wild fruit forest. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and fungal intestinal microbial communities of A. mali during different developmental stages, including larvae, pupae and newly eclosed adults or fed different diets (leaves of Malus halliana and Malus pumila) using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that microbial alpha diversity first increased and then decreased during the developmental stages, with the most dominant bacteria and fungi exhibiting the dynamic patterns "Decrease", "Increase" and "Fluctuation". With respect to the different diets, the bacterial communities were similar between the newly eclosed adults and adults fed M. pumila leaves, while the structure of the fungal communities showed great differences between newly eclosed adults and adults fed different diets. Through a co-correlation network analysis, we observed complex microbial interactions among bacterial and fungal taxa that were associated with potential diverse functions and intricate biological processes in the intestinal microbiota of A. mali. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated that the invasive insect A. mali harbours diverse, dynamic, and presumably multifunctional microbial communities, an understanding of which could improve our ability to develop more effective management approaches to control A. mali.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengqing Zhang
- Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Shuo Jiao
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Menglou Li
- Laboratory of Forestry Pests Biological Control, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Ledón-Rettig CC, Moczek AP, Ragsdale EJ. Diplogastrellus nematodes are sexually transmitted mutualists that alter the bacterial and fungal communities of their beetle host. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:10696-10701. [PMID: 30275294 PMCID: PMC6196496 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809606115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent accumulation of studies has demonstrated that nongenetic, maternally transmitted factors are often critical to the health and development of offspring and can therefore play a role in ecological and evolutionary processes. In particular, microorganisms such as bacteria have been championed as heritable, symbiotic partners capable of conferring fitness benefits to their hosts. At the same time, parents may also pass various nonmicrobial organisms to their offspring, yet the roles of such organisms in shaping the developmental environment of their hosts remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that the nematode Diplogastrellus monhysteroides is transgenerationally inherited and sexually transmitted by the dung beetle Onthophagus taurus By manipulating artificial chambers in which beetle offspring develop, we demonstrate that the presence of D. monhysteroides nematodes enhances the growth of beetle offspring, empirically challenging the paradigm that nematodes are merely commensal or even detrimental to their insect hosts. Finally, our research presents a compelling mechanism whereby the nematodes influence the health of beetle larvae: D. monhysteroides nematodes engineer the bacterial and fungal communities that also inhabit the beetle developmental chambers, including specific taxa known to be involved in biomass degradation, possibly allowing larval beetles better access to their otherwise recalcitrant, plant-based diet. Thus, our findings illustrate that nongenetic inheritance can include intermediately sized organisms that live and proliferate in close association with, and in certain cases enhance, the development of their hosts' offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Armin P Moczek
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| | - Erik J Ragsdale
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Kaczmarczyk A, Kucharczyk H, Kucharczyk M, Kapusta P, Sell J, Zielińska S. First insight into microbiome profile of fungivorous thrips Hoplothrips carpathicus (Insecta: Thysanoptera) at different developmental stages: molecular evidence of Wolbachia endosymbiosis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14376. [PMID: 30258200 PMCID: PMC6158184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects' exoskeleton, gut, hemocoel, and cells are colonized by various microorganisms that often play important roles in their host life. Moreover, insects are frequently infected by vertically transmitted symbionts that can manipulate their reproduction. The aims of this study were the characterization of bacterial communities of four developmental stages of the fungivorous species Hoplothrips carpathicus (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae), verification of the presence of Wolbachia, in silico prediction of metabolic potentials of the microorganisms, and sequencing its mitochondrial COI barcode. Taxonomy-based analysis indicated that the bacterial community of H. carpathicus contained 21 bacterial phyla. The most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacterioidetes and Firmicutes, and the most abundant classes were Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria, with different proportions in the total share. For pupa and imago (adult) the most abundant genus was Wolbachia, which comprised 69.95% and 56.11% of total bacterial population respectively. Moreover, similarity analysis of bacterial communities showed that changes in microbiome composition are congruent with the successive stages of H. carpathicus development. PICRUSt analysis predicted that each bacterial community should be rich in genes involved in membrane transport, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, replication and repair processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kaczmarczyk
- Department of Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Halina Kucharczyk
- Department of Zoology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Marek Kucharczyk
- Department of Nature Protection, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Akademicka 19, 20-033, Lublin, Poland
| | - Przemysław Kapusta
- Center for Medical Genomics - OMICRON, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 7c, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jerzy Sell
- Department of Genetics and Biosystematics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sylwia Zielińska
- Department of Bacterial Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland
- Phage Consultants, Partyzantow 10/18, 80-254, Gdansk, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Phalnikar K, Kunte K, Agashe D. Dietary and developmental shifts in butterfly-associated bacterial communities. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171559. [PMID: 29892359 PMCID: PMC5990769 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial communities associated with insects can substantially influence host ecology, evolution and behaviour. Host diet is a key factor that shapes bacterial communities, but the impact of dietary transitions across insect development is poorly understood. We analysed bacterial communities of 12 butterfly species across different developmental stages, using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Butterfly larvae typically consume leaves of a single host plant, whereas adults are more generalist nectar feeders. Thus, we expected bacterial communities to vary substantially across butterfly development. Surprisingly, only few species showed significant dietary and developmental transitions in bacterial communities, suggesting weak impacts of dietary transitions across butterfly development. On the other hand, bacterial communities were strongly influenced by butterfly species and family identity, potentially due to dietary and physiological variation across the host phylogeny. Larvae of most butterfly species largely mirrored bacterial community composition of their diets, suggesting passive acquisition rather than active selection. Overall, our results suggest that although butterflies harbour distinct microbiomes across taxonomic groups and dietary guilds, the dramatic dietary shifts that occur during development do not impose strong selection to maintain distinct bacterial communities across all butterfly hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Deepa Agashe
- Authors for correspondence: Deepa Agashe e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Fungal, Bacterial, and Archaeal Diversity in the Digestive Tract of Several Beetle Larvae (Coleoptera). BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2018; 2018:6765438. [PMID: 29850548 PMCID: PMC5926521 DOI: 10.1155/2018/6765438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Interpretation of how partnerships between fungi, bacteria, archaea, and insects are maintained through the life of the hosts is a big challenge within the framework of symbiosis research. The main goal of this work was to characterize the gut microbiota in larvae of several Coleoptera species using sequencing of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Thus, larvae with various food preferences, including Amphimallon solstitiale, Oryctes nasicornis, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Schizotus pectinicornis, Rhagium mordax, and Rhagium inquisitor, were thoroughly investigated in this work. We revealed an association of these beetle species mainly with four bacterial phyla, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, as well as with three fungal phyla, Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Basidiomycota, but microbial communities varied depending on the beetle host, individual organism, and surrounding environment. Moreover, archaea within the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota in the hindgut content of O. nasicornis and A. solstitiale were additionally detected. The identified microbial communities suggest their potential role in the exploitation of various resources, providing nutritional needs for the host organism. These microorganisms can also represent a valuable source of novel metabolic capacities for their application in different biotechnologies.
Collapse
|
39
|
Paniagua Voirol LR, Frago E, Kaltenpoth M, Hilker M, Fatouros NE. Bacterial Symbionts in Lepidoptera: Their Diversity, Transmission, and Impact on the Host. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:556. [PMID: 29636736 PMCID: PMC5881003 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The insect’s microbiota is well acknowledged as a “hidden” player influencing essential insect traits. The gut microbiome of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) has been shown to be highly variable between and within species, resulting in a controversy on the functional relevance of gut microbes in this insect order. Here, we aim to (i) review current knowledge on the composition of gut microbial communities across Lepidoptera and (ii) elucidate the drivers of the variability in the lepidopteran gut microbiome and provide an overview on (iii) routes of transfer and (iv) the putative functions of microbes in Lepidoptera. To find out whether Lepidopterans possess a core gut microbiome, we compared studies of the microbiome from 30 lepidopteran species. Gut bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae families were the most widespread across species, with Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, and Enterococcus being the most common genera. Several studies indicate that habitat, food plant, and age of the host insect can greatly impact the gut microbiome, which contributes to digestion, detoxification, or defense against natural enemies. We mainly focus on the gut microbiome, but we also include some examples of intracellular endosymbionts. These symbionts are present across a broad range of insect taxa and are known to exert different effects on their host, mostly including nutrition and reproductive manipulation. Only two intracellular bacteria genera (Wolbachia and Spiroplasma) have been reported to colonize reproductive tissues of Lepidoptera, affecting their host’s reproduction. We explore routes of transmission of both gut microbiota and intracellular symbionts and have found that these microbes may be horizontally transmitted through the host plant, but also vertically via the egg stage. More detailed knowledge about the functions and plasticity of the microbiome in Lepidoptera may provide novel leads for the control of lepidopteran pest species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Enric Frago
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Unité Mixte de Recherche Peuplements Végétaux et Bioagresseurs en Milieu Tropical, Saint-Pierre, La Réunion
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department for Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Monika Hilker
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina E Fatouros
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Zhang ZY, Yuan Y, Ali MW, Peng T, Peng W, Raza MF, Zhao Y, Zhang H. Cultivable anaerobic and aerobic bacterial communities in the fermentation chambers of Holotrichia parallela (coleoptera: scarabaeidae) larvae. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190663. [PMID: 29304141 PMCID: PMC5755877 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
As important pests, scarab beetle larvae survive on plant biomass and the microbiota of the fermentation chamber play an important role in the digestion of lignocellulose-rich diets. However, the cultivable microbes, especially the anaerobic cultivable microbes, are still largely unknown. Here, both cultivable anaerobic and aerobic bacterial communities associated with the fermentation chamber of Holotrichia parallela larvae were investigated. In total bacteria cells directly enumerated by the 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining method, the viable plate counts of cultivable bacteria in the fermentation chamber accounted for 0.92% of proportion. These cultivable bacteria were prone to attach to the fermentation chamber wall (88.41%) compared to the chamber contents. Anaerobic bacteria were dominant in the cultivable bacteria attaching to the fermentation chamber wall (70.20%), while the quantities of anaerobes and aerobes were similar in the chamber contents. Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), fingerprinting and sequence analysis of isolated colonies revealed that the cultivable bacteria are affiliated with class γ-Proteobacteria, Bacteroidia, Actinobacteria, Clostridia and β-Proteobacteria. γ-Proteobacteria was the major type of anaerobic cultivable bacteria and even the only one type of aerobic cultivable bacteria. Taken together, our results suggest, for the first time, that anaerobic microbiota are dominant in cultivable bacteria in the special anoxia niche of the fermentation chamber from H. parallela larvae. These bacterial isolates could be a treasure trove for screening lignocellulytic microbes which are essential for the plant biomass digestion of this scarab species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-yu Zhang
- College of Environmental Design, Wuhan Institute of Design and Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Yimin Yuan
- College of Environmental Design, Wuhan Institute of Design and Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Muhammad Waqar Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Tao Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Wei Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Muhammad Fahim Raza
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Yongshun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (ZH); (ZY)
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Institute of Urban and Horticultural Pests, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (ZH); (ZY)
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Alonso-Pernas P, Bartram S, Arias-Cordero EM, Novoselov AL, Halty-deLeon L, Shao Y, Boland W. In Vivo Isotopic Labeling of Symbiotic Bacteria Involved in Cellulose Degradation and Nitrogen Recycling within the Gut of the Forest Cockchafer ( Melolontha hippocastani). Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1970. [PMID: 29075241 PMCID: PMC5643479 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The guts of insects harbor symbiotic bacterial communities. However, due to their complexity, it is challenging to relate a specific symbiotic phylotype to its corresponding function. In the present study, we focused on the forest cockchafer (Melolontha hippocastani), a phytophagous insect with a dual life cycle, consisting of a root-feeding larval stage and a leaf-feeding adult stage. By combining in vivo stable isotope probing (SIP) with 13C cellulose and 15N urea as trophic links, with Illumina MiSeq (Illumina-SIP), we unraveled bacterial networks processing recalcitrant dietary components and recycling nitrogenous waste. The bacterial communities behind these processes change between larval and adult stages. In 13C cellulose-fed insects, the bacterial families Lachnospiraceae and Enterobacteriaceae were isotopically labeled in larvae and adults, respectively. In 15N urea-fed insects, the genera Burkholderia and Parabacteroides were isotopically labeled in larvae and adults, respectively. Additionally, the PICRUSt-predicted metagenome suggested a possible ability to degrade hemicellulose and to produce amino acids of, respectively, 13C cellulose- and 15N urea labeled bacteria. The incorporation of 15N from ingested urea back into the insect body was confirmed, in larvae and adults, by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Besides highlighting key bacterial symbionts of the gut of M. hippocastani, this study provides example on how Illumina-SIP with multiple trophic links can be used to target microorganisms embracing different roles within an environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pol Alonso-Pernas
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Bartram
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Erika M Arias-Cordero
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexey L Novoselov
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Lorena Halty-deLeon
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Yongqi Shao
- Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wilhelm Boland
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Alonso-Pernas P, Arias-Cordero E, Novoselov A, Ebert C, Rybak J, Kaltenpoth M, Westermann M, Neugebauer U, Boland W. Bacterial Community and PHB-Accumulating Bacteria Associated with the Wall and Specialized Niches of the Hindgut of the Forest Cockchafer ( Melolontha hippocastani). Front Microbiol 2017; 8:291. [PMID: 28293223 PMCID: PMC5329036 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A characterization of the bacterial community of the hindgut wall of two larval and the adult stages of the forest cockchafer (Melolontha hippocastani) was carried out using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragment. We found that, in second-instar larvae, Caulobacteraceae and Pseudomonadaceae showed the highest relative abundances, while in third-instar larvae, the dominant families were Porphyromonadaceae and Bacteroidales-related. In adults, an increase of the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria (γ- and δ- classes) and the family Enterococcaceae (Firmicutes) was observed. This suggests that the composition of the hindgut wall community may depend on the insect’s life stage. Additionally, specialized bacterial niches hitherto very poorly described in the literature were spotted at both sides of the distal part of the hindgut chamber. We named these structures “pockets.” Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragment revealed that the pockets contained a different bacterial community than the surrounding hindgut wall, dominated by Alcaligenaceae and Micrococcaceae-related families. Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation in the pocket was suggested in isolated Achromobacter sp. by Nile Blue staining, and confirmed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) on cultured bacterial mass and whole pocket tissue. Raman micro-spectroscopy allowed to visualize the spatial distribution of PHB accumulating bacteria within the pocket tissue. The presence of this polymer might play a role in the colonization of these specialized niches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pol Alonso-Pernas
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany
| | - Erika Arias-Cordero
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany
| | - Alexey Novoselov
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany
| | - Christina Ebert
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Photonic TechnologyJena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Rybak
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltenpoth
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Ute Neugebauer
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University HospitalJena, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Photonic TechnologyJena, Germany
| | - Wilhelm Boland
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Kim JM, Choi MY, Kim JW, Lee SA, Ahn JH, Song J, Kim SH, Weon HY. Effects of diet type, developmental stage, and gut compartment in the gut bacterial communities of two Cerambycidae species (Coleoptera). J Microbiol 2016; 55:21-30. [DOI: 10.1007/s12275-017-6561-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
44
|
Franzini PZN, Ramond JB, Scholtz CH, Sole CL, Ronca S, Cowan DA. The Gut Microbiomes of Two Pachysoma MacLeay Desert Dung Beetle Species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) Feeding on Different Diets. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161118. [PMID: 27532606 PMCID: PMC4988786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro-organisms inhabiting animal guts benefit from a protected and nutrient-rich environment while assisting the host with digestion and nutrition. In this study we compare, for the first time, the bacterial and fungal gut communities of two species of the small desert dung beetle genus Pachysoma feeding on different diets: the detritivorous P. endroedyi and the dry-dung-feeding P. striatum. Whole-gut microbial communities from 5 individuals of each species were assessed using 454 pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS gene regions. The two bacterial communities were significantly different, with only 3.7% of operational taxonomic units shared, and displayed intra-specific variation. The number of bacterial phyla present within the guts of P. endroedyi and P. striatum individuals ranged from 6-11 and 4-7, respectively. Fungal phylotypes could only be detected within the gut of P. striatum. Although the role of host phylogeny in Pachysoma microbiome assembly remains unknown, evidence presented in this study suggests that host diet may be a deterministic factor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Z. N. Franzini
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Genomic Research Institute, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ramond
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Genomic Research Institute, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Clarke H. Scholtz
- Scarab Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Catherine L. Sole
- Scarab Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Sandra Ronca
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Genomic Research Institute, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Don A. Cowan
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Genomic Research Institute, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Budachetri K, Gaillard D, Williams J, Mukherjee N, Karim S. A snapshot of the microbiome of Amblyomma tuberculatum ticks infesting the gopher tortoise, an endangered species. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:1225-1229. [PMID: 27460902 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The gopher tortoise tick, Amblyomma tuberculatum, has a unique relationship with the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, found in sandy habitats across the southeastern United States. We aimed to understand the overall bacterial community associated with A. tuberculatum while also focusing on spotted fever group Rickettsia. These tortoises in the Southern Mississippi region are a federally threatened species; therefore, we have carefully trapped the tortoises and removed the species-specific ticks attached to them. Genomic DNA was extracted from individual ticks and used to explore overall bacterial load using pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA on 454-sequencing platform. The spotted fever group of Rickettsia was explored by amplifying rickettsial outer membrane protein A (rompA) gene by nested PCR. Sequencing results revealed 330 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) after all the necessary curation of sequences. Four whole A. tuberculatum ticks showed Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes as the most dominant phyla with a total of 74 different bacterial genera detected. Together Rickettsiae and Francisella showed >85% abundance, thus dominating the bacterial community structure. Partial sequences obtained from ompA amplicons revealed the presence of an uncharacterized Rickettsia similar to the Rickettsial endosymbiont of A. tuberculatum. This is the first preliminary profile of a complete bacterial community from gopher tortoise ticks and warrants further investigation regarding the functional role of Rickettsial and Francisella-like endosymbionts in tick physiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khemraj Budachetri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Daniel Gaillard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Jaclyn Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Nabanita Mukherjee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
| | - Shahid Karim
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Biodiversity and Activity of the Gut Microbiota across the Life History of the Insect Herbivore Spodoptera littoralis. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29505. [PMID: 27389097 PMCID: PMC4937375 DOI: 10.1038/srep29505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes that live inside insects play critical roles in host nutrition, physiology, and behavior. Although Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are one of the most diverse insect taxa, their microbial symbionts are little-studied, particularly during metamorphosis. Here, using ribosomal tag pyrosequencing of DNA and RNA, we investigated biodiversity and activity of gut microbiotas across the holometabolous life cycle of Spodoptera littoralis, a notorious agricultural pest worldwide. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominate but undergo a structural “metamorphosis” in tandem with its host. Enterococcus, Pantoea and Citrobacter were abundant and active in early-instar, while Clostridia increased in late-instar. Interestingly, only enterococci persisted through metamorphosis. Female adults harbored high proportions of Enterococcus, Klebsiella and Pantoea, whereas males largely shifted to Klebsiella. Comparative functional analysis with PICRUSt indicated that early-instar larval microbiome was more enriched for genes involved in cell motility and carbohydrate metabolism, whereas in late-instar amino acid, cofactor and vitamin metabolism increased. Genes involved in energy and nucleotide metabolism were abundant in pupae. Female adult microbiome was enriched for genes relevant to energy metabolism, while an increase in the replication and repair pathway was observed in male. Understanding the metabolic activity of these herbivore-associated microbial symbionts may assist the development of novel pest-management strategies.
Collapse
|
47
|
Bili M, Cortesero AM, Mougel C, Gauthier JP, Ermel G, Simon JC, Outreman Y, Terrat S, Mahéo F, Poinsot D. Bacterial Community Diversity Harboured by Interacting Species. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155392. [PMID: 27258532 PMCID: PMC4892616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
All animals are infected by microbial partners that can be passengers or residents and influence many biological traits of their hosts. Even if important factors that structure the composition and abundance of microbial communities within and among host individuals have been recently described, such as diet, developmental stage or phylogeny, few studies have conducted cross-taxonomic comparisons, especially on host species related by trophic relationships. Here, we describe and compare the microbial communities associated with the cabbage root fly Delia radicum and its three major parasitoids: the two staphylinid beetles Aleochara bilineata and A. bipustulata and the hymenopteran parasitoid Trybliographa rapae. For each species, two populations from Western France were sampled and microbial communities were described through culture independent methods (454 pyrosequencing). Each sample harbored at least 59 to 261 different bacterial phylotypes but was strongly dominated by one or two. Microbial communities differed markedly in terms of composition and abundance, being mainly influenced by phylogenetic proximity but also geography to a minor extent. Surprisingly, despite their strong trophic interaction, parasitoids shared a very low proportion of microbial partners with their insect host. Three vertically transmitted symbionts from the genus Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Spiroplasma were found in this study. Among them, Wolbachia and Spiroplasma were found in both the cabbage fly and at least one of its parasitoids, which could result from horizontal transfers through trophic interactions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this hypothesis may explain some but not all cases. More work is needed to understand the dynamics of symbiotic associations within trophic network and the effect of these bacterial communities on the fitness of their hosts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikaël Bili
- Université Rennes 1, UMR1349 IGEPP, F-35000, Rennes, France
- Université Européenne de Bretagne, Rennes, France
| | - Anne Marie Cortesero
- Université Rennes 1, UMR1349 IGEPP, F-35000, Rennes, France
- Université Européenne de Bretagne, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Gwennola Ermel
- UMR CNRS 6026 Interactions Cellulaires et Moléculaires, Université de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Denis Poinsot
- Université Rennes 1, UMR1349 IGEPP, F-35000, Rennes, France
- Université Européenne de Bretagne, Rennes, France
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Prosdocimi EM, Mapelli F, Gonella E, Borin S, Crotti E. Microbial ecology-based methods to characterize the bacterial communities of non-model insects. J Microbiol Methods 2015; 119:110-25. [PMID: 26476138 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Among the animals of the Kingdom Animalia, insects are unparalleled for their widespread diffusion, diversity and number of occupied ecological niches. In recent years they have raised researcher interest not only because of their importance as human and agricultural pests, disease vectors and as useful breeding species (e.g. honeybee and silkworm), but also because of their suitability as animal models. It is now fully recognized that microorganisms form symbiotic relationships with insects, influencing their survival, fitness, development, mating habits and the immune system and other aspects of the biology and ecology of the insect host. Thus, any research aimed at deepening the knowledge of any given insect species (perhaps species of applied interest or species emerging as novel pests or vectors) must consider the characterization of the associated microbiome. The present review critically examines the microbiology and molecular ecology techniques that can be applied to the taxonomical and functional analysis of the microbiome of non-model insects. Our goal is to provide an overview of current approaches and methods addressing the ecology and functions of microorganisms and microbiomes associated with insects. Our focus is on operational details, aiming to provide a concise guide to currently available advanced techniques, in an effort to extend insect microbiome research beyond simple descriptions of microbial communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica M Prosdocimi
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - Francesca Mapelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - Elena Gonella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari (DISAFA), Università degli Studi di Torino, Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Sara Borin
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| | - Elena Crotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze per gli Alimenti, la Nutrizione e l'Ambiente (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Choi MY, Ahn JH, Song J, Kim SH, Bae JW, Weon HY. Analysis of gut bacterial diversity and exploration of cellulose-degrading bacteria in xylophagous insects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.7845/kjm.2015.5018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
|
50
|
Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus (Pallas, 1781) larvae in cockchafer (Melolontha spp.) grubs in different habitat conditions. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-015-0910-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|