Abstract
Symbiotic interactions between insects and microorganisms are widespread in nature and are often the source of ecological innovations. In addition to supplementing their host with essential nutrients, microbial symbionts can produce enzymes that help degrade their food source as well as small molecules that defend against pathogens, parasites, and predators. As such, the study of insect ecology and symbiosis represents an important source of chemical compounds and enzymes with potential biotechnological value. In addition, the knowledge on insect symbiosis can provide novel avenues for the control of agricultural pest insects and vectors of human diseases, through targeted manipulation of the symbionts or the host-symbiont associations. Here, we discuss different insect-microbe interactions that can be exploited for insect pest and human disease control, as well as in human medicine and industrial processes. Our aim is to raise awareness that insect symbionts can be interesting sources of biotechnological applications and that knowledge on insect ecology can guide targeted efforts to discover microorganisms of applied value.
Highlights
Insects engage in a remarkable array of symbiotic interactions with microorganisms, which range from parasitic to mutualistic relationships
Most of the best described associations are based on nutritional or defensive services provided by the symbionts to their hosts
The microorganisms protect their host against pathogens, parasites, parasitoids, or predators, often through the production of antimicrobial compounds or toxins (Flórez et al 2015), whereas in nutritional mutualisms, they provide nutrients such as amino acids and vitamins or digestive enzymes that aid in the degradation of fastidious dietary polymers or the detoxification of noxious secondary metabolites (Douglas 2009)
Summary
Insects engage in a remarkable array of symbiotic interactions with microorganisms, which range from parasitic to mutualistic relationships. The microorganisms protect their host against pathogens, parasites, parasitoids, or predators, often through the production of antimicrobial compounds or toxins (Flórez et al 2015), whereas in nutritional mutualisms, they provide nutrients such as amino acids and vitamins or digestive enzymes that aid in the degradation of fastidious dietary polymers or the detoxification of noxious secondary metabolites (Douglas 2009). As with free-living microbes, the efficiency of metabolites and enzymes produced by symbionts has been optimized for over millions of years by natural selection. In contrast to their free-living counterparts, symbiotic products have been tested for their efficacy in a eukaryotic host, increasing the chances of successful applications by humans due to the reduced risk of harmful side effects. The knowledge on host-microbe interactions can be exploited in two different ways for biotechnological use (Fig. 1): (1) by targeting or utilizing symbiotic interactions
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