Population Dynamics of Intestinal <i>Enterococcus</i> Modulate Galleria mellonella Metamorphosis
Hyun Gi Kong, Jin‐Soo Son, Joon-hui Chung, Soohyun Lee, Jun‐Seob Kim, Choong‐Min Ryu
Abstract
First, we demonstrated that the presence of Enterococcus spp. is a driving force for insect metamorphosis. RNA sequencing and peptide production subsequently revealed that antimicrobial peptides targeted against microorganisms in the gut of Galleria mellonella (wax moth) did not kill Enterobacteria species, but did kill Enterococcus species, when the moth was at a certain stage of growth, and this promoted moth pupation.
Topics & Concepts
Galleria mellonellaBiologyMetamorphosisMicrobiologyAntimicrobial peptidesGut floraEnterococcusMicrobiomeAntimicrobialLarvaEcologyVirulenceAntibioticsImmunologyGeneticsGeneInsect symbiosis and bacterial influencesInsect Utilization and EffectsInsect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior