Diversity and Dynamics of Bacterial Communities in the Digestive and Excretory Systems across the Life Cycle of Leafhopper, Recilia dorsalis

Abstract

Recilia dorsalis is a notorious rice pest that harbors numerous symbiotic microorganisms. However, the structure and dynamics of bacterial communities in various tissues of R. dorsalis throughout its life cycle remain unclear. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the bacterial communities in the digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems of R. dorsalis at different developmental stages. The results showed that the initial microbiota in R. dorsalis mostly originated from vertical transmission via the ovaries. After the second-instar nymphs, the diversity of bacterial communities in the salivary gland and Malpighian tubules gradually decreased, while the midgut remained stable. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that the structure of bacterial communities in R. dorsalis was primarily influenced by the developmental stage, with minimal variation in bacterial species among different tissues but significant variation in bacterial abundance. Tistrella was the most abundant bacterial genus in most developmental stages, followed by Pantoea. The core bacterial community in R. dorsalis continuously enriched throughout development and contributed primarily to food digestion and nutrient supply. Overall, our study enriches our knowledge of the bacterial community associated with R. dorsalis and provides clues for developing potential biological control technologies against this rice pest.