The highly differentiated Pachnoda marginata gut hosts sequential microbiomes with biotechnological applications

Abstract

Background Insect gut microbiomes play a crucial role in the insect development by assisting digestion, nutrient acquisition, and detoxification. These microbial communities are shaped, among other factors, by the specialized insect diet habits as well as the morphological structure of the gut. Rose chafers (Pachnoda spp.; Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), have a highly differentiated gut characterized by a pronounced hindgut dilation which resembles a miniaturized rumen. Specifically, the species Pachnoda marginata shows a very characteristic gut morphology and has not been previously studied in detail in terms of microbial ecology. Here, we describe the complex microbial community along the compartimentalized gut of P. marginata and the potential of its microbiota for biotechnological applications. Results Here we show a fine scale study of the highly compartmentalized gut of P. marginata by using amplicon and metagenomic sequencing to shed light on the bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities thriving in each section of the gut. We found a microbial gradient along the gut from aerobic (foregut) to strictly anaerobic (hindgut) communities. In addition, we have characterized interesting biological activities and metabolic pathways of gut microbial communities related to cellulose degradation, methane production and sulfate reduction. Conclusions Taken together, our results reveal the highly diverse microbial community and the potential of P. marginata gut as a source of industrially relevant microbial diversity.