Identification of Key Yeast Species and Microbe-Microbe Interactions Impacting Larval Growth ofDrosophilain the Wild

Abstract

Microbiota consisting of various fungi and bacteria have a significant impact on the physiological functions of the host. However, it is unclear which species are essential to this impact and how they affect the host. This study analyzed and isolated microbes from natural food sources ofDrosophilalarvae, and investigated their functions.Hanseniaspora uvarumis the predominant yeast responsible for larval growth in the earlier stage of fermentation. As fermentation progresses,Acetobacter orientalisemerges as the key bacterium responsible for larval growth, although yeasts and lactic acid bacteria must coexist along with the bacterium to stabilize this host-bacterial association. By providing nutrients to the larvae in an accessible form, the microbiota contributes to the upregulation of various genes that function in larval cell growth and metabolism. Thus, this study elucidates the core microbial species that support animal growth under microbial transition.