The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host

Abstract Insect gut symbiotic microbiota play a crucial role in the nutritional, physiological, and behavioral aspects of their hosts, providing valuable insights for investigating the co-evolution of insects and plants. Sophora alopecuroides L. serves as an important windbreak plant, while Etiella...

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Main Authors: Liangyue Chen, Zeshuai He, Dazhi Zhang, Fuqiang Zhao, Yuan Zhang, Rongrong Ding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86359-3
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author Liangyue Chen
Zeshuai He
Dazhi Zhang
Fuqiang Zhao
Yuan Zhang
Rongrong Ding
author_facet Liangyue Chen
Zeshuai He
Dazhi Zhang
Fuqiang Zhao
Yuan Zhang
Rongrong Ding
author_sort Liangyue Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Insect gut symbiotic microbiota play a crucial role in the nutritional, physiological, and behavioral aspects of their hosts, providing valuable insights for investigating the co-evolution of insects and plants. Sophora alopecuroides L. serves as an important windbreak plant, while Etiella zinckenella is a major pest that infests its seeds. However, the structure of the gut microbiota community in E. zinckenella remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota of E. zinckenella across different developmental stages—larvae (1st—5th instars), pupae, and adults—infesting S. alopecuroides using 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed that the dominant phyla throughout the development of E. zinckenella were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota, although the dominant genera varied significantly across stages. Diversity analysis of gut microbiota at different developmental stages indicated that microbial diversity was significantly higher in the larval stage compared to the pupal and adult stages. Functional predictions further highlighted the richness of metabolic pathways within the gut microbiota of E. zinckenella. Notably, carbohydrate metabolism functions were significantly more abundant during the larval stage, while lipid metabolism functions were substantially lower. Our findings demonstrate dynamic changes in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota across the developmental stages of E. zinckenella, underscoring the critical roles of these bacteria during specific stages of the insect’s life cycle. This study lays the groundwork for future strategies aimed at controlling E. zinckenella through modulation of its gut microbiota, offering significant theoretical implications.
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spelling doaj-art-21496d2807db4d3a9c486347e2259dce2025-08-20T02:48:33ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-86359-3The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant hostLiangyue Chen0Zeshuai He1Dazhi Zhang2Fuqiang Zhao3Yuan Zhang4Rongrong Ding5Zoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityZoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityZoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityZoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityZoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityZoology Innovation Laboratory, School of Life Science, Ningxia UniversityAbstract Insect gut symbiotic microbiota play a crucial role in the nutritional, physiological, and behavioral aspects of their hosts, providing valuable insights for investigating the co-evolution of insects and plants. Sophora alopecuroides L. serves as an important windbreak plant, while Etiella zinckenella is a major pest that infests its seeds. However, the structure of the gut microbiota community in E. zinckenella remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the gut microbiota of E. zinckenella across different developmental stages—larvae (1st—5th instars), pupae, and adults—infesting S. alopecuroides using 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed that the dominant phyla throughout the development of E. zinckenella were Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota, although the dominant genera varied significantly across stages. Diversity analysis of gut microbiota at different developmental stages indicated that microbial diversity was significantly higher in the larval stage compared to the pupal and adult stages. Functional predictions further highlighted the richness of metabolic pathways within the gut microbiota of E. zinckenella. Notably, carbohydrate metabolism functions were significantly more abundant during the larval stage, while lipid metabolism functions were substantially lower. Our findings demonstrate dynamic changes in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota across the developmental stages of E. zinckenella, underscoring the critical roles of these bacteria during specific stages of the insect’s life cycle. This study lays the groundwork for future strategies aimed at controlling E. zinckenella through modulation of its gut microbiota, offering significant theoretical implications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86359-3Etiella ZinckenellaSophora alopecuroides LHost adaptationGut microbiotaDifferent developmental stages
spellingShingle Liangyue Chen
Zeshuai He
Dazhi Zhang
Fuqiang Zhao
Yuan Zhang
Rongrong Ding
The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
Scientific Reports
Etiella Zinckenella
Sophora alopecuroides L
Host adaptation
Gut microbiota
Different developmental stages
title The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
title_full The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
title_fullStr The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
title_full_unstemmed The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
title_short The role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the Etiella zinckenella to a plant host
title_sort role of gut microbiota at different developmental stages in the adaptation of the etiella zinckenella to a plant host
topic Etiella Zinckenella
Sophora alopecuroides L
Host adaptation
Gut microbiota
Different developmental stages
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86359-3
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