The farming of edible insects is an alternative strategy for the production of protein-rich food and feed with a low ecological footprint. The rearing substrate not only influences insect’s performance but also plays a crucial role in shaping the insect-associated microbiota, which in turn affects the host's physiology and immunity. To date, hemolymph microbiota and its possible role in insect immune responses remain largely unexplored. The HeMiTool (Hemolymph Microbiome of insects: a promising Tool to develop innovative strategies to control pests and protect beneficials) project aims to fill in this gap of knowledge providing an in-deep evaluation of the dynamics between the hemolymph microbiome and the immune system in Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) mature larvae. For this purpose, mature larvae reared on different agro-industrial by-products, both healthy and infected ones, following a bacterial challenge with Pseudomonas entomophila or a fungal challenge with Beauveria bassiana, were analysed. The characterization of the hemolymph microbiome was conducted using high throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while the abundance of bacterial communities is measured through qPCR targeting the same gene. Several chemical and biochemical parameters of larval hemolymph, including pH, and sugars were evaluated. Moreover, the impact of the nutritional composition of the diet on hemocytes diversity/abundance were evaluated thought the identification of morphological cell types based on differences in size, morphology and staining affinity. This research offers valuable insights into the characteristics of hemolymph that are useful for identifying biological factors and interactions essential for insect survival and that could be modulated to safeguard the health of large-scale reared insects. The work is funded by PNRR_2022 project HeMiTool. Grant number P20228WWB7, funded by the European Union - KEYWORDS: hemocytes, immune system, entomopathogens, agro-industrial by-products, diets
New insight into Tenebrio molitor hemolymph microbiota / V. Candian, E. Bigarella, D. Hentati, G. Brenna, C. Jucker, E. Crotti, R. Tedeschi. 28. Congresso nazionale italiano di Entomologia : 16-20 giugno Siena 2025.
New insight into Tenebrio molitor hemolymph microbiota
E. Bigarella;D. Hentati;G. Brenna;C. Jucker;E. Crotti;
2025
Abstract
The farming of edible insects is an alternative strategy for the production of protein-rich food and feed with a low ecological footprint. The rearing substrate not only influences insect’s performance but also plays a crucial role in shaping the insect-associated microbiota, which in turn affects the host's physiology and immunity. To date, hemolymph microbiota and its possible role in insect immune responses remain largely unexplored. The HeMiTool (Hemolymph Microbiome of insects: a promising Tool to develop innovative strategies to control pests and protect beneficials) project aims to fill in this gap of knowledge providing an in-deep evaluation of the dynamics between the hemolymph microbiome and the immune system in Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) mature larvae. For this purpose, mature larvae reared on different agro-industrial by-products, both healthy and infected ones, following a bacterial challenge with Pseudomonas entomophila or a fungal challenge with Beauveria bassiana, were analysed. The characterization of the hemolymph microbiome was conducted using high throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while the abundance of bacterial communities is measured through qPCR targeting the same gene. Several chemical and biochemical parameters of larval hemolymph, including pH, and sugars were evaluated. Moreover, the impact of the nutritional composition of the diet on hemocytes diversity/abundance were evaluated thought the identification of morphological cell types based on differences in size, morphology and staining affinity. This research offers valuable insights into the characteristics of hemolymph that are useful for identifying biological factors and interactions essential for insect survival and that could be modulated to safeguard the health of large-scale reared insects. The work is funded by PNRR_2022 project HeMiTool. Grant number P20228WWB7, funded by the European Union - KEYWORDS: hemocytes, immune system, entomopathogens, agro-industrial by-products, diets
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