Compartmentalized PGRP expression along the dipteran Bactrocera dorsalis gut forms a zone of protection for symbiotic bacteria.

All metazoan guts are subject to opposing pressures wherein the immune system must eliminate pathogens while tolerating the presence of symbiotic microbiota. The Imd pathway is an essential defense against invading pathogens in insect guts, but tolerance mechanisms are less understood. Here, we find PGRP-LB and PGRP-SB express mainly in the anterior and middle midgut in a similar pattern to symbiotic Enterobacteriaceae bacteria along the Bactrocera dorsalis gut. Knockdown of PGRP-LB and PGRP-SB enhances the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes and reduces Enterobacteriaceae numbers while increasing abundance of opportunistic pathogens. Microbiota numbers recover to normal levels after the RNAi effect subsided. In contrast, high expression of PGRP-LC in the foregut allows increased antibacterial peptide production to efficiently filter the entry of pathogens, protecting the symbiotic bacteria. Our study describes a mechanism by which regional expression of PGRPs construct a protective zone for symbiotic microbiota while maintaining the ability to fight pathogens.