Abstract
The diversity of the intestinal bacterial communities in Dastarcus helophoroides (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae) larvae and adults was assayed by PCR-DGGE to determine whether different artificial diets could influence these bacterial communities. Two diets were used for feeding the larvae and four for the adults. Escherichia, Desemzia, Staphylococcus, Asticcacaulis, Cellvibrio, Aurantimonas, and Planomicrobium were isolated from the gut of the adults, with Escherichia and Staphylococcus being the main bacterial communities, and the quantities of intestinal bacterial were different in the adults fed different diets. Specifically, the amount of intestinal bacteria from the adults fed different diets had the following ranking according to the major component of the diet: ant powder > darkling beetle pupa powder > cricket powder > silkworm pupa powder. Escherichia, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Kurthia, Planococcaceae, Ralstonia, Leptothrix, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas were isolated from the gut of the larvae. The quantity of intestinal bacteria from the larvae fed the darkling beetle pupae was greater than that from the larvae fed other artificial diets. This study, for the first time, investigated the effect of artificial diets on the bacterial community and the intestinal microbial diversity of D. helophoroides .
Highlights
Vast numbers of microorganisms inhabit the insect gut, and many occupy the alimentary tract and play an important role in the physiological function and behavior of their host (Dillon and Dillon 2004)
We examined the microbial communities of larval and adult guts of D. helophoroides by using Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to separate amplified 16S rDNA gene fragments by PCR
DGGE profiles of intestinal bacteria The predominant DGGE bands and quantitative changes in the intestinal bacteria of D. helophoroides fed different diets are shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, respectively
Summary
Vast numbers of microorganisms inhabit the insect gut, and many occupy the alimentary tract and play an important role in the physiological function and behavior of their host (Dillon and Dillon 2004). Using polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), Zhang and Jackson (2008) studied the digestive tract of scarabs and found that the dominant bacterial communities were mainly Clostridiales, followed by Proteobacteria and Bacteroides. The effect of diet on the intestinal bacteria in crickets (Kaufman et al 2000), cockroaches (Kane and Breznak 1991), and wasps (Reeson et al 2003) has been reported. If the composition of the artificial diet were inappropriate, it would affect the intestinal bacterial community and the digestive function and healthy growth of the insect.
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