Gut bacterial diversity and physiological traits ofAnastrepha fraterculusBrazilian-1 morphotype males are affected by antibiotic treatment

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe interaction between gut bacterial symbionts and Tephritidae became the focus of several studies that showed that bacteria contributed to the nutritional status and the reproductive potential of its fruit fly hosts.Anastrepha fraterculusis an economically important fruit pest in South America. This pest is currently controlled by insecticides, which prompt the development of environmentally friendly methods such as the sterile insect technique (SIT). For SIT to be effective, a deep understanding of the biology and sexual behavior of the target species is needed. Although many studies have contributed in this direction, little is known about the composition and role ofA. fraterculussymbiotic bacteria. In this study we tested the hypothesis that gut bacteria contribute to nutritional status and reproductive success ofA. fraterculusmales.MethodsWild and laboratory-reared males were treated with antibiotics (AB) and provided sugar (S) or sugar plus protein (S+P) as food sources. The effect of AB on the gut bacteria diversity was assessed through DGGE and sequencing of the V6-V9 variable region of the bacterial 16SrRNAgene.ResultsAB affected the bacterial community of the digestive tract ofA. fraterculus, in particular bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, which was the dominant bacterial group in the control flies (i.e., non-treated with AB). AB negatively affected parameters directly related to the mating success of laboratory males and their nutritional status. AB also affected males’ survival under starvation conditions. The effect of AB on the behaviour and nutritional status of the males depended on two additional factors: the origin of the males and the presence of a proteinaceous source in the diet.ConclusionsOur results suggest thatA. fraterculusmales gut contain symbiotic organisms that are able to exert a positive contribution onA. fraterculusmales’ fitness, although the physiological mechanisms still need further studies.