Microsensors for the characterization of the insect gut environment

Abstract

Microorganisms establish a wide range of symbiotic associations with their insect host, encompassing mutualistic, parasitic and commensal relationships. Insect gut microbiota is involved in many essential aspects of the host biology, physiology and behaviour. Factors such as pH, oxygen availability, retention time of the food and host innate immune system are important determinants of the gut symbionts’ colonization. Deciphering the interactions that take place and shape the symbiosis is an intriguing topic that cannot exclude the characterization of the physicochemical conditions occurring in the insect gut niche. Microsensors and microelectrodes can be usefully employed to characterize the physicochemical conditions occurring in the insect intestine, allowing to gain a better knowledge of the gut microenvironment in which the gut microbiota thrives.