Gut bacterial diversity and physiological traits of Anastrepha fraterculus Brazilian-1 morphotype males are affected by antibiotic treatment

M. LAURA JUÁREZ; LIDA E. PIMPER; GUILLERMO E. BACHMANN; CLAUDIA A. CONTE; M. JOSEFINA RUIZ; LUCIA GOANE; PILAR MEDINA PEREYRA; FELIPE CASTRO; JULIETA SALGUEIRO; JORGE L. CLADERA; PATRICIA E. FERNÁNDEZ; KOSTAS BOURTZIS; SILVIA LANZAVECCHIA; TERESA VERA; DIEGO SEGURA

BMC MICROBIOLOGY

BIOMED CENTRAL LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019 vol. 19 p. 1 - 17

1471-2180

The interaction between gut bacterial symbionts and Tephritidae became the focusof several studies that showed that bacteria contributed to the nutritional status and thereproductive potential of its fruit fly hosts. Anastrepha fraterculus is an economically importantfruit pest in South America. This pest is currently controlled by insecticides, which prompt thedevelopment of environmentally friendly methods such as the sterile insect technique (SIT). ForSIT to be effective, a deep understanding of the biology and sexual behavior of the target speciesis needed. Although many studies have contributed in this direction, little is known about thecomposition and role of A. fraterculus symbiotic bacteria. In this study we tested the hypothesisthat gut bacteria contribute to nutritional status and reproductive success of A. fraterculus males.Methods: Wild and laboratory-reared males were treated with antibiotics (AB) and providedsugar (S) or sugar plus protein (S+P) as food sources. The effect of AB on the gut bacteriadiversity was assessed through DGGE and sequencing of the V6-V9 variable region of thebacterial 16S rRNA gene.Results: AB affected the bacterial community of the digestive tract of A. fraterculus, in particularbacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, which was the dominant bacterial group inthe control flies (i.e., non-treated with AB). AB negatively affected parameters directly related tothe mating success of laboratory males and their nutritional status. AB also affected males?survival under starvation conditions. The effect of AB on the behaviour and nutritional status ofthe males depended on two additional factors: the origin of the males and the presence of aproteinaceous source in the diet. Conclusions: our results suggest that A. fraterculus males gut contain symbiotic organisms that are able to exert a positive contribution on A. fraterculus males? fitness, although the physiological mechanisms still need further studies.