背景:据报道,阴沟肠杆菌杀虫蛋白通过影响中肠微生物组来杀死它们。然而,所涉及的机制尚不清楚.在这里,我们旨在研究杀虫蛋白如何作用于G.mellonella幼虫的中肠Duox-ROS系统和微生物群落。
方法:使用逆转录qPCR和荧光探针来评估Duox表达水平并评估ROS水平的定量变化。进行了G.mellonella幼虫中肠细菌16SrRNA基因序列的测序,以进一步分析细菌多样性,composition,和丰富。
结果:注射杀虫蛋白后,Duox表达水平在28小时内首先增加,然后在36小时达到峰值,然后慢慢下降。同时,ROS水平在36小时显著增加,在48小时达到峰值,并在60小时迅速下降到正常水平。响应ROS水平的变化,中肠微生物群落的结构发生了实质性改变,与未经处理的幼虫相比。肠杆菌科细菌和其他特定致病菌的相对丰度显著增加,而乳酸菌则急剧下降。重要的是,在关键的中肠预测代谢功能中观察到显著的变化,包括膜运输,碳水化合物代谢,和氨基酸代谢。
结论:阴沟肠球菌的杀虫蛋白主要通过产生高氧化应激来杀死青霉幼虫,中肠微生物群落和功能的改变,以及对生理功能的损害。这些发现提供了有关阴沟肠球菌杀虫蛋白对G.mellonella幼虫的抑制机制的见解。
BACKGROUND: Enterobacter cloacae insecticidal proteins have been reported to kill Galleria mellonella larvae through affecting their midgut microbiome. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here we aim to investigate how the insecticidal proteins act on the midgut Duox-ROS system and microbial community of G. mellonella larvae.
METHODS: Reverse transcription qPCR and fluorescence probes were utilized to assess the Duox expression levels and to evaluate quantitative changes of the ROS levels. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of the midgut bacteria of G. mellonella larvae was conducted for further analyses of bacterial diversity, composition, and abundance.
RESULTS: After the injection of the insecticidal proteins, the Duox expression levels first increased within 28 h, then dramatically peaked at 36 h, and slowly decreased thereafter. Simultaneously, the ROS levels increased significantly at 36 h, peaked at 48 h, and rapidly declined to the normal level at 60 h. Responsive to the change of the ROS levels, the structure of the midgut microbial community was altered substantially, compared to that of the untreated larvae. The relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and other specific pathogenic bacteria increased significantly, whereas that of Lactobacillus decreased sharply. Importantly, notable shifts were observed in the crucial midgut predicted metabolic functions, including membrane transportation, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism.
CONCLUSIONS: Insecticidal proteins of E. cloacae kill G. mellonella larvae mainly through generation of high oxidative stress, alterations of the midgut microbial community and function, and damage to the physiological functions. These findings provide insights into the inhibition mechanism of E. cloacae insecticidal proteins to G. mellonella larvae.