Weevil Carbohydrate Intake Triggers Endosymbiont Proliferation: A Trade-Off between Host Benefit and Endosymbiont Burden
Elisa Dell’Aglio, Virginie Lacotte, Sergio Peignier, Isabelle Rahioui, Fadéla Benzaoui, Agnès Vallier, Pedro Da Silva, Emmanuel Desouhant, Abdelaziz Heddi, Rita Rebollo
Abstract
interaction is the exponential increase in endosymbiotic titer observed in young adult insects, in concomitance with cuticle biosynthesis. Here, we show that host carbohydrate intake triggers endosymbiont exponential proliferation, even in conditions that lead to the detriment of the host survival. In addition, when hosts thrive on a balanced diet, endosymbiont proliferation is dispensable for several host fitness traits. The endosymbiont exponential proliferation is therefore dependent on the nutritional status of the host, and its consequences on host cuticle biosynthesis and survival depend on food quality and availability.