Heliconius Butterflies Host Characteristic and Phylogenetically Structured Adult-Stage Microbiomes.

ABSTRACT: Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are diverse and ecologically important, yet we know little about how they interact with microbes as adults. Due to metamorphosis, the form and function of their adult-stage microbiomes might be very different from those of microbiomes in the larval stage (caterpillars). We studied adult-stage microbiomes of Heliconius and closely related passion-vine butterflies (Heliconiini), which are an important model system in evolutionary biology. To characterize the structure and dynamics of heliconiine microbiomes, we used field collections of wild butterflies, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, quantitative PCR, and shotgun metagenomics. We found that Heliconius butterflies harbor simple and abundant bacterial communities that are moderately consistent amon

SUBMITTER: Hammer TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7688219 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature