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Seasonal Dynamics Without Reset: Core Microbiota Stability Across Development in a Gall-Dwelling Weevil
Haiming Qin1, Chao Xue1, Wei Li2
1School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China.
Insects
|June 26, 2026
Summary
The gut microbiota of the gall-inducing insect Coccotorus beijingensis changes throughout its larval and pupal stages. Seasonal dynamics and larval development drive these microbial community shifts within the gall environment.
Area of Science:
- Microbial Ecology
- Insect-Microbe Symbiosis
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Gall-inducing insects like Coccotorus beijingensis offer unique models for studying host-microbe symbiosis.
- Understanding the dynamic microbial communities associated with insect development is crucial for deciphering symbiotic relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the temporal succession of the symbiotic microbiota in Coccotorus beijingensis during its larval and pupal stages.
- To investigate the influence of larval development and seasonal changes on the insect's associated microbial community structure and predicted function.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed for systematic analysis of monthly collected samples.
- Microbial community structure was analyzed across larval (April-August) and pupal (September) stages.
- PICRUSt2 was used for exploratory functional prediction of microbial metabolic potential.
Main Results:
- Significant temporal variations in the larval microbial community structure were observed.
- Bacillota and Bacteroidota were the dominant bacterial phyla throughout development.
- No clear microbial community reset occurred during metamorphosis, despite seasonal fluctuations in non-core bacteria.
Conclusions:
- Larval development and seasonal dynamics jointly shape the microbial community within the confined gall microhabitat.
- The predicted metabolic potential of the microbiota varies across developmental stages, particularly in carbohydrate, amino acid, and energy metabolism.
- Findings offer new insights into symbiotic mechanisms in holometabolous insects and their associated microbiota.
Keywords:
Coccotorus beijingensiscore microbiotafunctional predictionlarval developmentseasonal successionMore Related Videos
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