A bioinformatic study of antimicrobial peptides identified in the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) play a key role in the innate immunity, the first line of defense against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. AMPs are small molecules, ranging from 10 to 100 amino acid residues produced by all living organisms. Because of their wide biodiversity, insects are among the richest and most innovative sources for AMPs. In particular, the insect Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) shows an extraordinary ability to live in hostile environments, as it feeds on decaying substrates, which are rich in microbial colonies, and is one of the most promising sources for AMPs. The larvae and the combined adult male and female H. illucens transcriptomes were examined, and all the sequences, putatively encoding AMPs, were analysed with different machine learning-algorithms, such as the Support Vector Machine, the Discriminant Analysis, the Artificial Neural Network, and the Random Forest available on the CAMP database, in order to predict their antimicrobial activity. Moreover, the iACP tool, the AVPpred, and the Antifp servers were used to predict the anticancer, the antiviral, and the antifungal activities, respectively. The related physicochemical properties were evaluated with the Antimicrobial Peptide Database Calculator and Predictor. These analyses allowed to identify 57 putatively active peptides suitable for subsequent experimental validation studies.

Mechanical Processing of Hermetia illucens Larvae and Bombyx mori Pupae Produces Oils with Antimicrobial Activity

“…Insects oils are rich in other putative antimicrobials such as antimicrobial peptides (AMP), polymers, and chemical complexes that could act alone or synergically with fatty acids [ 34 , 35 , 52 , 53 ]. A recent “in silico” transcriptomic analysis of H. illucens brought to the identification of 57 peptides with putative antimicrobial activity and belonging to cecropin and defensin families [ 54 ]; on the other hand, six families of AMP have been identified in B. mori , namely cecropin, defensin, moricin, gloverin, attacin, and lebocin [ 55 ].…”

Black Soldier Fly Full-Fat Larvae Meal as an Alternative to Fish Meal and Fish Oil in Siberian Sturgeon Nutrition: The Effects on Physical Properties of the Feed, Animal Growth Performance, and Feed Acceptance and Utilization

“…The observed improvements in growth performance may be interpreted mainly by the functional role of insect protein – containing AMP and fat composition—with high share of lauric acid as well as chitin prebiotic properties which are widely discussed in the literature [ 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 ]. AMP presence positively affects the microbiome, while the presence of high concentration of lauric acid (21 g/100 g of crude fat) may also play a key role in fish health—immune system stimulation, and microbiome stabilization also [ 62 ].…”

Microbial Stress Resistance of Eristalis tenax Rat-Tailed Maggots

“…The ecological niche with this extremely harsh environment enable Eristalis tenax immune system to overcome infection by a general and rapid response to different invading organisms, similarly, the larvae of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, shows an extraordinary ability to live in harsh environments, as it forages on decaying substrates, which are rich in diverse microbial colonies, and is one of the most promising sources for AMPs. The related physicochemical properties were assessed and allowed to identify 57 active peptides appropriate for later experimental validation studies (Moretta et al, 2020).…”