Lactobacillus plantarumfavors the early emergence of fit and fertile adult Drosophila upon chronic undernutrition

Abstract

Animals are naturally surrounded by a variety of microorganisms with which they constantly interact. Among these microbes, some live in close association with a host and form its microbiota. These communities are being extensively studied, owing to their contributions to shaping various aspects of animal physiology. One of these commensal species, Lactobacillus plantarum, and in particular the L.p.WJL strain, has been shown to promote the growth of Drosophila larvae upon nutrient scarcity, allowing earlier metamorphosis and adult emergence compared with axenic individuals. As for many insects, conditions surrounding the postembryonic development dictate key adult life history traits in Drosophila, and adjusting developmental timing according to the environment is essential for adult fitness. Thus, we wondered whether the growth acceleration induced by L.p.WJL in a context of poor nutrition could adversely impact the fitness of Drosophila adults. Here, we show that the L.p. WJL-mediated acceleration of growth is not deleterious; adults emerging after an accelerated development are as fit as their axenic siblings. Additionally, the presence of L.p.WJL even leads to a lifespan extension in nutritionally challenged males. These results demonstrate that L.p.WJL is a beneficial partner for Drosophila melanogaster through its entire life cycle. Thus, commensal bacteria allow the earlier emergence and longer survival of fit and fertile individuals and might represent one of the factors contributing to the ecological success of Drosophila.

Microbial Control of Intestinal Homeostasis via Enteroendocrine Cell Innate Immune Signaling

“…Interestingly, the presence of both Acetobacter and Lactobacillus sp. in the gut microbial community have been shown to accelerate Drosophila growth and development by distinct mechanisms that ultimately impact insulin signaling and, therefore, host nutrient utilization [1,[22][23][24][25]. A similar correlation between the gut microbiota and human development exists [26][27][28].…”

A gut commensal niche regulates stable association of a multispecies microbiota

“…Furthermore, the fly gut microbiota are of low diversity, with ~5 species of stable colonizers from two primary groups: the genera Lactobacillus (phylum Firmicutes), which was recently split into Lactiplantibacillus and Levilactibacillus, and Acetobacter (class a-Proteobacteria) (19,21). These species are easily cultured, genetically tractable (20), and they affect fly lifespan, fecundity, and development (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28).…”

How gut microbiome interactions affect nutritional traits of Drosophila melanogaster

“…Murgier et al, 2019;Shin et al, 2011), although this developmental delay can be much reduced or undetectable on high nutrient diets (e.g. Storelli et al, 2011;Tefit and Leulier, 2017;Wong et al, 2014).…”