Role of the intestinal microbiome in low-density polyethylene degradation by caterpillar larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella.

ABSTRACT: Recently, a few insects, including the caterpillar larva of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella, have been identified as avid 'plastivores'. These caterpillars are able to ingest and metabolize polyethylene at unprecedented rates. While it appears that G. mellonella plays an important role in the biodegradation process, the contribution of its intestinal microbiome remains poorly understood and contested. In a series of experiments, we present strong evidence of an intricate relationship between an intact microbiome, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) biodegradation and the production of glycol as a metabolic by-product. First, we biochemically confirmed that G. mellonella larvae consume and metabolize LDPE, as individual caterpillars fed on polyethylene excreted gly

SUBMITTER: Cassone BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7126078 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature