Microbiota of edible Liometopum apiculatum ant larvae reveals potential functions related to their nutritional value
Autor: | Jorge L. González-Escobar, A. Grajales-Lagunes, Antonio De León-Rodríguez, Adam Smoliński, Ana P. Barba de la Rosa, Alicia Chagolla-López |
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Rok vydání: | 2018 |
Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Male Firmicutes Microorganism Zoology Ribotyping 03 medical and health sciences Animals Symbiosis biology Obligate Bacteria Phylum Ants Microbiota fungi biology.organism_classification 030104 developmental biology Culturomics Liometopum apiculatum Larva Host-Pathogen Interactions Female Metagenomics Proteobacteria Nutritive Value Food Analysis Food Science |
Zdroj: | Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.). 109 |
ISSN: | 1873-7145 |
Popis: | Edible insects, due to their high nutritive value, are currently considered as a potential renewable source for food and feed production. Liometopum apiculatum ants are widely distributed in arid and semi-arid ecosystems and their larvae (escamoles) are considered as a delicacy, however the microbial importance in L. apiculatum nutritional ecology is unknown. The aim of this research was to characterize the microorganisms associated with both L. apiculatum larvae and the reproductive adult ants using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and culturomics approaches. The obligate endosymbionts were also investigated through microscopic analysis. The most abundant Phylum identified by sequencing in the larvae was Firmicutes while in adult ants was Proteobacteria. Interestingly, the culturomics results showed 15 genera corresponding to the bacteria identified by sequencing analysis. Particularly, it was observed a large population of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which could be linked with the high protein content in escamoles. Endosymbionts were detected in bacteoriocytes, these bacteria are related with vitamins and essential amino acids biosynthesis, and both compounds contributing to the high nutritional value of escamoles. This is the first report of the microorganisms present in the escamolera ant ensuring their safety as food and opening new areas of nutritional ecological and food processing. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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