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Updated: May 8, 2026
Rearing the Fruit Fly Drosophila melanogaster Under Axenic and Gnotobiotic Conditions
Published on: July 30, 2016
A dataset on microbiome alterations in Drosophila melanogaster infected by entomopathogenic nematodes
Sreeradha Mallick1,2, Christina Pavloudi2,3, George Joseph Chakkalakkal1,2
1School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Abstract:
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model for dissecting the molecular processes that regulate host-microbe interactions and the role of the microbiome in host homeostasis. More recently, the fly has also been used as a model for understanding entomopathogenic nematode infection and host response against these parasites. To gain insights into the effect of entomopathogenic nematode infection on the insect microbiome, D. melanogaster larvae were exposed to Heterorhabditis bacteriophora containing their symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus luminescens (symbiotic worms) and nematodes lacking their bacterial symbionts (axenic worms). Microbiome changes were examined through 16S rRNA sequencing. Data were collected at 24- and 48-hours following infection of D. melanogaster larvae with either type of nematode. The complete set of raw sequencing data generated in this study has been deposited in the European Nucleotide Archive under accession number PRJEB85826.
Insights
Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) infection with symbiotic or axenic nematodes alters their gut microbiome. This study reveals how nematode symbionts impact insect-microbe interactions during infection.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Insect Pathology
- Host-Microbe Interactions
Background:
- Drosophila melanogaster is a key model for studying host-microbe interactions and homeostasis.
- Entomopathogenic nematode infections are increasingly studied in insects, including Drosophila.
- Understanding the impact of these infections on the insect microbiome is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of entomopathogenic nematode infection on the Drosophila melanogaster larval microbiome.
- To compare the impact of symbiotic (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora with Photorhabdus luminescens) versus axenic nematodes.
Main Methods:
- Drosophila melanogaster larvae were infected with either symbiotic or axenic H. bacteriophora.
- Microbiome composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.
- Samples were collected at 24 and 48 hours post-infection.
Main Results:
- Entomopathogenic nematode infection significantly altered the Drosophila melanogaster larval microbiome.
- Differences in microbiome composition were observed between infections with symbiotic and axenic nematodes.
- The symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus luminescens played a role in modulating the host microbiome during infection.
Conclusions:
- Entomopathogenic nematode infection dynamics are influenced by the presence of bacterial symbionts.
- The insect microbiome is a critical factor in host response to parasitic nematode infections.
- Further research can explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these microbiome alterations.
