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The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum: A model for host-microbiome interactions
Aparna Agarwal1, Deepa Agashe1
1National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India.
Plos One
|October 2, 2020
Summary
The red flour beetle
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Insect Biology
- Host-Microbiome Interactions
Background:
- Host-microbiome interactions are crucial for ecological and evolutionary outcomes.
- Synthesizing data across species is necessary for general conclusions.
- The red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) is a key insect model for stored product pests.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate factors shaping the Tribolium castaneum microbiome.
- Develop methods to manipulate the beetle microbiome.
- Assess the impact of the microbiome on host fitness.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed the Tribolium castaneum microbiome composition.
- Manipulated beetle microbiome through controlled feeding.
- Measured host fitness parameters including fecundity, survival, and lifespan.
Main Results:
- The beetle microbiome originates from flour, influenced by resource type and beetle density.
- Microbiome confers benefits like increased fecundity, egg survival, lifespan, and reduced cannibalism.
- Benefits are specific to the ancestral wheat flour resource, not novel grains.
Conclusions:
- The Tribolium castaneum microbiome is essential for fitness but not survival.
- The beetle is a tractable model for host-microbiome research in its natural niche.
- Microbiome benefits are resource-dependent, highlighting ecological specificity.
