engleski

The efects of microbiota on development and resistance in Tribolium castaneum

The relevance of microbial communi es inhabi ng di erent animal species is increasingly being studied in a broad spectrum, ranging from sponges to primates. Although the red our beetle Tribolium castaneum represents a well-established experimental model organism for studying ques ons in ecology, evolu on and development, the relevance of its microbial communi es is s ll unknown. Using a newly established protocol for microbe eradica on and raising germ-free beetles, we found that individual, sterile T. castaneum larvae show a slower growth rate in comparison to the ones harboring commensal bacteria. Moreover, we demonstrate that upon an oral infec on with the natural entomopathogen Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis, the survival of germ-free larvae is decreased in comparison to control animals, demonstra ng thus a linkage between the commensal microbiota and the pathogen resistance of host animals. Therefore, this study represents a contribu on to the accumula ng evidence showing the importance of the microbiota in insects.

microbiota, development, resistance, Tribolium castaneum

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