Using kin discrimination to construct synthetic microbial communities of Bacillus subtilis strains impacts the growth of black soldier fly larvae

Black soldier fly larvae are insects capable of converting various organic waste materials. Previous research has utilized host-related microorganisms and synthetic communities to promote larval growth. However, the construction of synthetic community still lacks theoretical guidance. After testing individual strains and constructing synthetic communities based on kin discrimination, it was found that the synthetic communities had a better growth-promoting effect on black soldier fly larvae in a pigeon manure cultivation system. Genome sequencing and analysis of the strains within the synthetic community revealed functional complementarity among the strains, enhancing the overall performance of the synthetic community. Furthermore, the synthetic community could alter the microbial composition in the larval gut and pigeon manure, making it more suitable for the growth and development of the larvae. AbstractUsing synthetic microbial communities to promote host growth is an effective approach. However, the construction of such communities lacks theoretical guidance. Kin discrimination is an effective means by which strains can recognize themselves from non-self, and construct competitive microbial communities to produce more secondary metabolites. However, the construction of cooperative communities benefits from the widespread use of beneficial microorganisms. We used kin discrimination to construct synthetic communities (SCs) comprising 13Bacillus subtilis strains from the sur...

Source: Insect Science - March 18, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Jun ‐Hui Zhao, Ping Cheng, Yi Wang, Xun Yan, Zhi‐Min Xu, Dong‐Hai Peng, Guo‐Hui Yu, Ming‐Wei Shao Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research