Dietary Utilization Drives the Differentiation of Gut Bacterial Communities between Specialist and Generalist Drosophilid Flies

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#amino-acids #animals #bacteria #diptera #gastrointestinal-microbiome

Dietary Utilization Drives the Differentiation of Gut Bacterial Communities between Specialist and Generalist Drosophilid Flies

Chen et al., 2022 | Microbiol Spectr | Meta Analysis

Citation

Chen Jia-Syuan, Tsaur Shun-Chern, ... Fang Shu. Dietary Utilization Drives the Differentiation of Gut Bacterial Communities between Specialist and Generalist Drosophilid Flies. Microbiol Spectr. 2022-Aug-31;10(4):e0141822. doi:10.1128/spectrum.01418-22

Abstract

Gut bacteria play vital roles in the dietary detoxification, digestion, and nutrient supplementation of hosts during dietary specialization. The roles of gut bacteria in the host can be unveiled by comparing communities of specialist and generalist bacterial species. However, these species usually have a long evolutionary history, making it difficult to determine whether bacterial community differentiation is due to host dietary adaptation or phylogenetic divergence. In this regard, we investigated the bacterial communities from two Araceae-feeding Colocasiomyia species and further performed a meta-analysis by incorporating the published data from Drosophila bacterial community studies. The compositional and functional differentiation of bacterial communities was uncovered by comparing three (Araceae-feeding, mycophagous, and cactophilic) specialists with generalist flies. The compositional differentiation showed that Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes inhabited specialists, while more Proteobacteria lived in generalists. The functional prediction based on the bacterial community compositions suggested that amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism are overrepresented pathways in specialists and generalists, respectively. The differences were mainly associated with the higher utilization of structural complex carbohydrates, protein utilization, vitamin B12 acquisition, and demand for detoxification in specialists than in generalists. The complementary roles of bacteria reveal a connection between gut bacterial communities and fly dietary specialization. IMPORTANCE Gut bacteria may play roles in the dietary utilization of hosts, especially in specialist animals, during long-term host-microbe interaction. By comparing the gut bacterial communities between specialist and generalist drosophilid flies, we found that specialists harbor more bacteria linked to complex carbohydrate degradation, amino acid metabolism, vitamin B12 formation, and detoxification than do generalists. This study reveals the roles of gut bacteria in drosophilid species in dietary utilization.

Key Findings

This study reveals the roles of gut bacteria in drosophilid species in dietary utilization.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Amino Acids
  • Animals
  • Bacteria
  • Diptera
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Vitamins

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Vertical: vitamin-b12

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09