Gut microbiome mediates an evolutionarily conserved social behavior in eusocial insects - ID 15406

Alias: wasp_microbiome
Abstract: The gut microbiome is increasingly recognized as a key mediator of social behavior and division of labor in eusocial insects. In some species, trophallactic interactions facilitate nutrient exchange between larvae and adults, creating social interdependency. However, the role of gut bacterial symbionts in this process remains unclear. Here, we investigated the relative contributions of host identity, environment, and trophallactic interactions to gut microbiome assembly in two social wasp species, Vespa orientalis and Vespula germanica, using a cross-fostering common garden experiment. Newly emerged workers and early-instar larvae were reciprocally exchanged and reared under controlled conditions. High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional inference revealed limited variation across treatments in worker gut communities, mainly shaped by shared environment, indicating stability or environmental dominance. Conversely, larval gut microbiomes were highly plastic, influenced by both larval species and the identity of their nursing workers, highlighting the impact of social interactions. Functional profiles reflected caste-specific roles: workers harbored microbiomes enriched for antimicrobial and detoxification pathways, while larvae were enriched in metabolic functions for protein digestion and development. These findings demonstrate that metabolic division of labor in eusocial wasps is supported by life stage-specific microbial communities and functions and maintained by social interactions, positioning the gut microbiome as a key contributor to the maintenance of eusociality.
Description: an experimental approach towards describing the possible origin of sociality in social insects via host/microbiome co-evolution.
Owner: talimagory@gmail.com
Publications:
PI: Eran Levin (Tel Aviv University)
EBI: ERP157449 (submitted)
Artifacts
ID Data Type Platform Target Gene Target Subfragment Algorithm
192722     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 200)
193366     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 90)
193367     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 100)
193368     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 150)
217279     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 200)
222030     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 90)
222031     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 100)
222032     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Trimming (length: 150)
192724     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 200)
193375     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 90)
193376     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 100)
193377     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 150)
217282     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 200)
222050     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 90)
222051     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 100)
222052     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Pick closed-reference OTUs (reference-seq: /databases/gg/13_8/rep_set/97_otus.fasta) | Trimming (length: 150)
192703     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Split libraries FASTQ
217278     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Split libraries FASTQ
192725     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 200)
192726     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 200)
193369     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 100)
193370     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 100)
193371     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 90)
193372     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 90)
193373     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 150)
193374     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 150)
217280     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 200)
217281     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 200)
222035     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 90)
222036     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 90)
222037     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 100)
222038     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 100)
222039     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: reference-hit.biom) | Trimming (length: 150)
222040     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8, BIOM: all.biom) | Trimming (length: 150)
222041     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Filter features against reference [filter_features] (Phylogenetic tree: /databases/gg/2024.09/2024.09.taxonomy.asv.nwk.qza) | Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8)
222042     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Filter features against reference [filter_features] (Phylogenetic tree: /databases/gg/2024.09/2024.09.taxonomy.asv.nwk.qza) | Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8)
222043     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4 Filter features against reference [filter_features] (Phylogenetic tree: /databases/gg/2024.09/2024.09.taxonomy.asv.nwk.qza) | Deblur 2021.09 (Reference phylogeny for SEPP: Greengenes_13.8)
192702     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4
217277     16S Illumina 16S rRNA V4