Complexity and Variability of Gut Commensal Microbiota in Polyphagous Lepidopteran Larvae

Journal Article · 17 July 2012 · PLoS ONE

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0036978 · OSTI ID:1627518

Tang, Xiaoshu ^[1]; Freitak, Dalial ^[1]; Vogel, Heiko ^[1]; Ping, Liyan ^[1]; Shao, Yongqi ^[1]; Cordero, Erika Arias ^[1]; Andersen, Gary ^[2]; Westermann, Martin ^[3]; Heckel, David G. ^[1]; Boland, Wilhelm ^[1]

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1. Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena (Germany)
2. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
3. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena (Germany)

The gut of most insects harbours nonpathogenic microorganisms. Recent work suggests that gut microbiota not only provide nutrients, but also involve in the development and maintenance of the host immune system. However, the complexity, dynamics and types of interactions between the insect hosts and their gut microbiota are far from being well understood. To determine the composition of the gut microbiota of two lepidopteran pests, Spodoptera littoralis and Helicoverpa armigera, we applied cultivation-independent techniques based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and microarray. The two insect species were very similar regarding high abundant bacterial families. Different bacteria colonize different niches within the gut. A core community, consisting of Enterococci, Lactobacilli, Clostridia, etc. was revealed in the insect larvae. These bacteria are constantly present in the digestion tract at relatively high frequency despite that developmental stage and diet had a great impact on shaping the bacterial communities. Some low-abundant species might become dominant upon loading external disturbances; the core community, however, did not change significantly. Clearly the insect gut selects for particular bacterial phylotypes. Because of their importance as agricultural pests, phytophagous Lepidopterans are widely used as experimental models in ecological and physiological studies. Our results demonstrated that a core microbial community exists in the insect gut, which may contribute to the host physiology. Host physiology and food, nevertheless, significantly influence some fringe bacterial species in the gut. The gut microbiota might also serve as a reservoir of microorganisms for ever-changing environments. Understanding these interactions might pave the way for developing novel pest control strategies.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Max Planck Society
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1627518
• Journal Information: PLoS ONE, Vol. 7, Issue 7; ISSN 1932-6203
• Publisher: Public Library of ScienceCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English