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Characterization of the gut microbes of greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella Linnaeus) shows presence of potential polymer degraders

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Abstract

Greater wax moth (GWM), Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a highly destructive honey bee pest prevalent throughout the world. It is considered as a major factor to the alarming decline in honey bee population. GWM destroys active honey combs as it feeds on the beeswax and lays eggs in bee hives, and the primary food of their larva is beeswax. Beeswax is a polymer composed mainly of saturated and unsaturated, linear and complex monoesters, and hydrocarbons. The most frequent bond in beeswax is ethene (CH2-CH2) which is also found in the common plastic polyethylene. As wax-digestion is not a common animal character, we hypothesized about a possible role of GWM gut microflora in the process; which could possibly degrade polyethylene-like polymers as well. This study was aimed to identify the GWM gut microflora via culture-dependant approach. We characterized several bacterial species based on the culture characteristics, Gram-reaction, and various biochemical tests. Sequencing of 16S-rDNA revealed nine bacterial and one microalgal species from GWM gut. The bacterial species included Gram-positive Exiguobacterium aestuarii, Bacillus circulans, Microbacterium zaea, Microbacterium sp. and Enterococcus faecalis; Gram-negative Agrobacterium sp., Sphingomonas pseudosanguinis, Sphingobium yanoikuyae and Acinetobacter radioresistens; the microalgae was Picochlorum oklahomensis. Some of them have been previously reported to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, low-density polyethylene, and 2-methylphenanthrene. Meanwhile, the microalga, P. oklahomensis, was reported to steal bacterial genes to adapt with abiotic stresses. Further investigation is necessary to explore the precise details about polymer degrading capabilities of these microbes; nevertheless, this study builds a foundation for elaborate and advanced future research.

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Acknowledgements

SSS is grateful to Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, for studentship; to Prof Madhumita Barooah for constructive reviews; and to Diby Jyoti Hazarika for technical helps. BKB laboratory gets funds from DBT, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Funding

R and MKD received financial support from ICAR.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, 785013, Assam, India

    Silpi Shikha Saikia & Basanta Kumar Borah

  2. Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, 785013, Assam, India

    Rokozeno & Mukul Kumar Deka

  3. Environment Division, Assam Science Technology & Environment Council, Bigyan Bhawan, Guwahati, 781005, Assam, India

    Geetanjali Baruah

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  1. Silpi Shikha Saikia
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  2. Basanta Kumar Borah
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  3. Geetanjali Baruah
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  4. Rokozeno
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  5. Mukul Kumar Deka
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Contributions

BKB conceptualized and designed the experiments, and finalized the MS; SSS and R executed the experiments; SSS and GB wrote the MS; and MKD guided R.

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Correspondence to Basanta Kumar Borah.

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Saikia, S.S., Borah, B.K., Baruah, G. et al. Characterization of the gut microbes of greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella Linnaeus) shows presence of potential polymer degraders. Folia Microbiol 67, 133–141 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-021-00925-6

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