Gut microbiota analysis of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) infested with the mite Varroa destructor reveals altered bacterial and archaeal community

Abstract

The western honeybee, Apis mellifera L., is a crop pollinator that makes royal jelly and other hive products. However, widespread concerns arise about opportunistic diseases (e.g., bacteria, fungi, or mites) or chemicals that have an effect on the health and number of colonies, as well as their activity. The relationships between the gut microbiota and its host are currently being researched extensively. The effects of Varroa destructor infection on the gut microbial community, in particular, have received little investigation. This work utilized amplicon sequencing of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes to assess the bacterial and archaeal communities of adult bee groups (healthy and affected by Varroa designed in NG and VG, respectively) and larvae from Varroa destructor-infected hives. Our results suggest that the genus Bombella was substantially dominant in larvae, while the genera Gillamella, unidentified Lactobacillaceae, and Snodgrassella were significantly dominant in adult bees. NG and VG, on the other hand, did not differ statistically significantly. The PICRUSt study revealed a significant difference in the KEGG classifications of larvae and adult bee groups. A greater number of genes involved in cofactor and vitamin production were identified in larvae. Additionally, despite the complexity of the honeybee’s bacterial community, all groups exhibited a straightforward archaeal community structure. Surprisingly, methanogen was detected in low abundance in the microbiota of honeybees. In summary, larvae and adult bees infected with Varroa destructor exhibit altered gut microbiota composition and function.