Gut microbiota of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) larvae as revealed by metatranscriptomic analysis

VIRLA, E.G.; CABRERA, N.A.; MCCARTHY, C.B.; ROZADILLA, G.; GRECO, N.M.

Journal of Applied Entomology

Blackwell Publishing Inc.

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2020 p. 1 - 13

1439-0418

The invasive fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith; Lepidoptera:Noctuidae), is considered one of the most harmful pests in corn, rice and cotton cropsand has developed resistance to the most widespread methods used to control it,chemical insecticides and transgenic crops based on Bt toxins. On the other hand,gut microbiota plays an important role in the insect´s fitness, and metatranscriptomicanalyses of the insect host are an invaluable tool for identifying new pest controltargets. Notwithstanding, there are extremely few reports on the functionally activeprofile of the gut microbiota in insects, especially in lepidopterans. Moreover, moststudies have only described the bacterial community even though all the componentsof the microbiota, Bacteria, Archaea, fungi, protozoa and viruses, influence differentphysiological aspects of the insect host. This is the first time an unbiased andcomprehensive metatranscriptomic approach has been used to describe the taxonomicand functional profile of the gut microbiota of S. frugiperda larvae, both bacterialand non-bacterial. We identified novel and very active components which wereputatively playing an important nutritional role, such as ammonia-oxidizing Archaeaand Bacteria, and a xylan- and hemicellulose-degrading Actinobacteria. This analysisalso allowed us to identify potential biocontrol agents.