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Drosophila melanogaster as a High-Throughput Model for Host-Microbiota Interactions
Mark Trinder1,2, Brendan A Daisley1,2, Josh S Dube1,2
1Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotic Research, Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph's Health Care London, LondonON, Canada.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|May 16, 2017
Summary
Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) offer a cost-effective, high-throughput model for studying host-microbiome interactions. This model facilitates mechanistic insights into microbial community effects on host physiology, complementing traditional germ-free mouse studies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Animal Models
Background:
- Host-microbiome interactions are crucial for host physiology.
- Germ-free mouse models are standard but costly and time-consuming for mechanistic studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce Drosophila melanogaster as a high-throughput, cost-effective alternative for studying host-microbiome interactions.
- To highlight the utility of fruit flies in exploring microbial community effects on host phenotypes.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing axenic Drosophila melanogaster for microbiome studies.
- Leveraging the fruit fly's genetic tractability and affordability for strain-level analysis.
- Employing fruit flies as a screening model for host-microbe symbioses.
Main Results:
- Drosophila melanogaster provides a replicable and convenient platform for in vivo screening of host-microbiome interactions.
- The simplified microbiota structure in fruit flies allows for detailed analysis of individual microbial contributions.
- Mutant fruit fly strains are readily available for investigating host genetic influences on microbial interactions.
Conclusions:
- Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model for high-throughput investigation of host-microbe symbioses.
- This model can accelerate research in areas like pathogen exclusion, immunity, diet, and xenobiotic metabolism.
- Fruit flies offer a valuable alternative for mechanistic studies in microbiota research.
