肠道微生物与昆虫的共生关系

昆虫肠道栖息着大量的微生物。随着近年来研究肠道微生物的方法不断进步,尤其是基于16S rDNA的分子生物学方法的应用,人们对肠道微生物的了解逐渐加深。昆虫肠道对于微生物的拓殖存在一定的选择作用。肠道微生物对昆虫寄主的作用包括提供营养、利用拓殖抗性抵抗外来微生物侵袭、参与多重营养关系、引起昆虫免疫反应。长期进化过程中肠道微生物与昆虫发展出紧密的共生关系,微生物发展出一系列手段适应昆虫肠道环境。文章从以上几个方面对近年来的研究进展进行总结,并对昆虫肠道微生态学的实践意义和将来可能的研究热点进行展望。

Symbiosis between gut microbiota and insects

It has been well known that a large and varied microbial community inhabited in the insect gut.With the development of methodology,particularly 16s rDNA based molecular techniques,the composition and function of insect gut microbiota are being gradually manifested in recent years.Insect gut is a selective environment for microbial colonization.Gut microbes play important roles both in the insect nutrition and colonization resistance against invasion of exotic microbes.Furthermore,they are involved in multitrophic interactions between the host and other biological factors,and also be able to enhance the host's immune response.During evolution,the mutualism between gut microbes and insect host has been established,and the gut microbes developed strategies adapting to the environment of the insect gut.Here we reviewed the advances of recent years in the symbiosis between gut microbiota and insects.The practical significance of researches on gut microbial ecology and the hot spots in the future were also discussed.