Influence of dietary aconitine and nicotine on the gut microbiota of two lepidopteran herbivores

• Published in: Archives of insect biochemistry and physiology 2020-07, Vol.104 (3), p.e21676-n/a
• Main Authors: Zeng, Jian‐Yong, Wu, De‐Dong, Shi, Zhong‐Bin, Yang, Jing, Zhang, Guo‐Cai, Zhang, Jie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aconitine; Biodegradation; Canals; Coevolution; defensive plant secondary metabolite; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Digestive system; DNA; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Gastrointestinal tract; Gene sequencing; gut microbiota; Herbivores; Host plants; Insects; Intestinal microflora; Larvae; Leaves; lepidopteran; Metabolites; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Morphology; Nicotine; Nucleotide sequence; Pesticides; rRNA 16S; Sequence analysis
• ISSN: 0739-4462; 1520-6327
• DOI: 10.1002/arch.21676

The gut microbiota plays an important role in pheromone production, pesticide degradation, vitamin synthesis, and pathogen prevention in the host animal. Therefore, similar to gut morphology and digestive enzyme activity, the gut microbiota may also get altered under plant defensive compound‐induced stress. To test this hypothesis, Dendrolimus superans larvae were fed either aconitine‐ or nicotine‐treated fresh leaves of Larix gmelinii, and Lymantria dispar larvae were fed either aconitine‐ or nicotine‐treated fresh leaves of Salix matsudana. Subsequently, the larvae were sampled 72hr after diet administration and DNA extracted from larval enteric canals were employed for gut microbial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (338 F and 806 R primers). The sequence analysis revealed that dietary nicotine and aconitine influenced the dominant bacteria in the larval gut and determined their abundance. Moreover, the effect of either aconitine or nicotine on D. superans and L. dispar larvae had a greater dependence on insect species than on secondary plant metabolites. These findings further our understanding of the interaction between herbivores and host plants and the coevolution of plants and insects. Studied effect of dietary aconitine and nicotine on gut microbiota in two herbivores. Documented that larval gut microbiota was altered by plant defensive compound‐induced stress Research Highlights ●Studied effect of dietary aconitine and nicotine on gut microbiota in two herbivores. ●Documented that larval gut microbiota was altered by plant defensive compound‐induced stress.