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Recent studies have shown that host-microbiota interactions can lead to dramatic changes in host phenotype. We investigate the causal drivers of microbe-associated shifts in host phenotype by examining how feeding behaviour is modulated by microbiota interactions in two omnivorous cockroaches: Blatta orientalis and Blatella germanica. We conducted food-choice experiments after challenging hosts with a common entomopathogenic soil bacterium to understand the impact of pathogens on host macronutrient preference. We find that immune challenge by a pathogenic microbe drives a sharp decline in carbohydrate intake and results in a relative increase in the ratio of protein to carbohydrate (P:C) consumed. Additionally, infected cockroaches reduce their overall nutrient intake, which is consistent with an illness-induced anorexia-like response. We show for the first time that cockroach feeding behaviour is dynamically modulated by a pathogen, and examine the influence of modified feeding behaviour on host immunity. We also investigate whether in addition to pathogens, gut commensals are causally responsible for shifts in host behavioural phenotype. Here, we conduct food-choice and immune-challenge experiments in germ-free cockroaches, which have been refaunated with gut microbiota that are experimentally adapted to variable macronutrient (P:C) diets.
Recent studies have shown that host-microbiota interactions can lead to dramatic changes in host phenotype. We investigate the causal drivers of microbe-associated shifts in host phenotype by examining how feeding behaviour is modulated by microbiota interactions in two omnivorous cockroaches: Blatta orientalis and Blatella germanica. We conducted food-choice experiments after challenging hosts with a common entomopathogenic soil bacterium to understand the impact of pathogens on host macronutrient preference. We find that immune challenge by a pathogenic microbe drives a sharp decline in carbohydrate intake and results in a relative increase in the ratio of protein to carbohydrate (P:C) consumed. Additionally, infected cockroaches reduce their Overall nutrient intake, which is consistent with an illness-induced anorexia-like response. We show for the first time that cockroach feeding behaviour is dynamically modulated by a pathogen, and examine the influence of modified feeding behaviour on host immunity. We also investigate whether in Addition to pathogens, gut commensals are causally responsible for shifts in host behavioural phenotype. Here, we conduct food-choice and immune-challenge experiments in germ-free cockroaches, which have been refaunated with gut microbiota that are experimentally adapted to variable macronutrient (P:C) diets.
Recent studies have shown that host-microbiota interactions can lead to dramatic changes in host phenotype especially behaviour. We investigate the causal drivers of microbe-associated shifts in host phenotype by examining how feeding behaviour is modulated by a bacterial infection in an omnivorous cockroach: Blatta orientalis. We conducted food-choice experiments after challenging hosts with the common entomopathogenic soil bacterium Pseudomonas entomophila to understand the impact of bacterial pathogens on host macronutrient preference. We find that immune challenge by this bacterium drives a sharp decline in carbohydrate intake and results in a relative increase in the ratio of protein to carbohydrate consumed. Additionally, infected cockroaches reduce their overall nutrient intake. We show for the first time that cockroach feeding behaviour is dynamically modulated by a pathogen. In contrast to studies on Spodoptera moths, this modulation does not impact any of the immune parameters we measured: it does not affect the abundance of immune related proteins in the hemolymph, hemolymph antimicrobial activity, or survival. This leads to the possibility that as long-lived omnivorous species B. orientalis may be better adapted to unpredictable variation in food availability and quality. An illness-induced anorexia-like response which is thought to assist hosts in limiting nutritional resources available to pathogens is therefore the most likely cause of the observed phenotype. Reduction of carbohydrate intake by sick individuals would be consistent with such an explanation.
In another cockroach species Blatella germanica we also investigate whether in addition to pathogens, host microbiota especially gut commensals are causally responsible for shifts in host behavioural phenotype and immune competence. To address this, we conduct food-choice and immunechallenge experiments in germ-free cockroaches and naïve cockroaches.