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Abstract

The insect microbiota can change dramatically to enable adaptation of the host in different developmental stages and environments; however, little is known about how the host maintains its microbiota to achieve such adaptations. In this study, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the microorganisms in larvae and adults of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis are primarily Gram negative bacteria but that the major components in pupae are Gram positive bacteria. Using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and transcriptome analysis, we screened two specifically expressed peptidoglycan recognition protein genes (PGRP-LB and PGRP-SB1) and analyzed their relationship to B. dorsalis microbial communities. Knockdown of PGRP-LB in larvae and adults led to increased ratios of Gram positive bacteria; knockdown of PGRP-SB1 in pupae led to increased ratios of Gram negative bacteria. Our results suggest that maintenance of the microbiota in different developmental stages of B. dorsalis may be associated with PGRP-LB and PGRP-SB1.