Brettell Laura E, Hoque Ananya F, Joseph Tara S, Dhokiya Vishaal, Hornett Emily A, Hughes Grant L, Heinz Eva
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Manchester, UK.
Environ Microbiol. 2025 Jan;27(1):e70027. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.70027.
The microbiome influences critical aspects of mosquito biology and variations in microbial composition can impact the outcomes of laboratory studies. To investigate how biotic and abiotic conditions in an insectary affect the composition of the mosquito microbiome, a single cohort of Aedes aegypti eggs was divided into three batches and transferred to three different climate-controlled insectaries within the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The bacterial microbiome composition was compared as mosquitoes developed, the microbiome of the mosquitoes' food sources was characterised, environmental conditions over time in each insectary were measured, and mosquito development and survival were recorded. While developmental success was similar across all three insectaries, differences in microbiome composition were observed between mosquitoes from each insectary. Environmental conditions and bacterial input via food sources varied between insectaries, potentially contributing to the observed differences in microbiome composition. At both adult and larval stages, specific members of the mosquito microbiome were associated with particular insectaries; the insectary with less stable and cooler conditions resulted in a slower pupation rate and higher diversity of the larval microbiome. These findings underscore that even minor inconsistencies in rearing conditions can affect the composition of the mosquito microbiome, which may influence experimental outcomes.
微生物群影响蚊子生物学的关键方面，微生物组成的变化会影响实验室研究的结果。为了研究昆虫饲养室内的生物和非生物条件如何影响蚊子微生物群的组成，将一批埃及伊蚊卵分成三批，转移到利物浦热带医学院内三个不同的气候控制昆虫饲养室。随着蚊子的发育，比较其细菌微生物群组成，对蚊子食物来源的微生物群进行表征，测量每个昆虫饲养室内随时间变化的环境条件，并记录蚊子的发育和存活情况。虽然在所有三个昆虫饲养室中发育成功率相似，但在每个昆虫饲养室的蚊子之间观察到微生物群组成的差异。昆虫饲养室之间的环境条件和通过食物来源的细菌输入有所不同，这可能导致了观察到的微生物群组成差异。在成虫和幼虫阶段，蚊子微生物群的特定成员与特定的昆虫饲养室相关；条件不太稳定且较凉爽的昆虫饲养室导致化蛹率较低和幼虫微生物群多样性较高。这些发现强调，即使饲养条件存在微小差异也会影响蚊子微生物群的组成，进而可能影响实验结果。
