Herrera-Cardoso Ericka Denice, Tapia-Cervantes Karen Alejandra, Cepeda-Negrete Jonathan, Gutiérrez-Vargas Santiago, León-Galván Ma Fabiola
Life Science Division, Graduate Program in Biosciences, University of Guanajuato, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36500, Mexico.
Department of Agricultural engineering, University of Guanajuato, Campus Irapuato-Salamanca, Irapuato, Guanajuato 36500, Mexico.
FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2025 Jan 10;372. doi: 10.1093/femsle/fnaf015.
Entomophagy, the practice of consuming insects, is a global tradition. In Mexico, one of the most notable and widely consumed insects is the larva of Aegiale hesperiaris. This insect feeds on the leaves of various Agave species with high polysaccharide content, suggesting their potential role as prebiotics for the intestinal microbiota, particularly lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB are recognized for their use as probiotics in foods due to their health-promoting capabilities. In this study, LAB from the intestinal microbiota of A. hesperiaris larvae were isolated and characterized, utilizing 16S rRNA gene identification. The analysis revealed three bacterial species from the Lactobacillaceae family, indicating a close symbiotic relationship with the insect. This suggests a significant impact on carbohydrate and protein metabolism, vitamin synthesis, and amino acid production, contributing to the high nutritional value of this edible insect. The study provides insights into the bacteria within the digestive tract of A. hesperiaris larvae and their role in enhancing the nutritional value of this edible insect. Additionally, it establishes a foundation for future research on the ecological roles and potential biotechnological benefits of these bacteria in the food industry and the development of therapies for various conditions and diseases.
食用昆虫，即食用昆虫的行为，是一种全球传统。在墨西哥，最著名且食用广泛的昆虫之一是赫氏艾姬蛾（Aegiale hesperiaris）的幼虫。这种昆虫以各种多糖含量高的龙舌兰属植物的叶子为食，这表明它们可能作为肠道微生物群，特别是乳酸菌（LAB）的益生元发挥作用。乳酸菌因其促进健康的能力而被认可作为食品中的益生菌使用。在本研究中，利用16S rRNA基因鉴定对赫氏艾姬蛾幼虫肠道微生物群中的乳酸菌进行了分离和表征。分析揭示了来自乳杆菌科的三种细菌物种，表明与该昆虫存在密切的共生关系。这表明对碳水化合物和蛋白质代谢、维生素合成以及氨基酸产生有重大影响，这有助于这种可食用昆虫具有高营养价值。该研究深入了解了赫氏艾姬蛾幼虫消化道内的细菌及其在提高这种可食用昆虫营养价值方面的作用。此外，它为未来研究这些细菌在食品工业中的生态作用和潜在生物技术益处以及针对各种病症和疾病的治疗方法开发奠定了基础。
