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Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to The Gut Microbiome Associated to Honeybees and Waste-reducing Insects
ClearMechanisms and Perspectives of Microplastic Biodegradation by Insects and Their Associated Microorganisms
This review examined how insects and their gut microbiota contribute to microplastic biodegradation, summarizing known degradation mechanisms and the microorganisms involved. The authors found that several insect species harbor gut bacteria capable of depolymerizing common plastics like polystyrene and polyethylene, though degradation rates remain too slow for practical remediation at scale.
Microplastics occurrence, detection and removal with emphasis on insect larvae gut microbiota
This review covers the sources, detection methods, and toxic effects of microplastics across ecosystems, with a special focus on insect larvae gut microbiota as a biological degradation tool. Researchers found that certain insect larvae, such as mealworms and waxworms, harbor gut bacteria capable of breaking down plastic polymers. The study highlights biological degradation by insect-associated microbes as a promising avenue for microplastic remediation.
Plastic Biodegradation through Insects and their Symbionts Microbes: A Review
This review examines how insects and their gut microbes can break down plastic waste, covering species like mealworms and waxworms that can digest polyethylene and polystyrene. The bacteria living in insect guts are responsible for much of this plastic-degrading activity. Insect-based biodegradation could offer a scalable biological solution to reducing plastic pollution.
Gut microbiota protects honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) against polystyrene microplastics exposure risks
Researchers found that honey bees with intact gut microbiota were significantly more resilient to polystyrene microplastic exposure than bees with disrupted gut communities. The gut microbiota helped reduce oxidative stress and maintained immune function in bees exposed to microplastics. The study suggests that a healthy gut microbiome may serve as a natural defense mechanism against the harmful effects of microplastic ingestion in pollinators.
Association of specific gut microbiota with polyethylene microplastics caused gut dysbiosis and increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens in honeybees
Honeybees fed polyethylene microplastics (the type used in food packaging) showed disrupted gut bacteria and became more vulnerable to disease-causing pathogens. The larger 100-micrometer particles caused the most harm, physically damaging the gut lining and displacing beneficial bacteria. This research demonstrates how microplastic contamination in the environment can weaken important pollinator species by compromising their gut health and immune defenses.
Plastics shape the black soldier fly larvae gut microbiome and select for biodegrading functions
Researchers found that black soldier fly larvae can adapt their gut microbiome to digest a wide range of plastics, shifting their microbial communities to favor biodegrading functions. This suggests the insects could serve as living incubators for discovering new plastic-breaking enzymes for industrial cleanup applications.
Microbiota and Its Importance in Honey Bees
This review examines the role of microbiota in honey bee health, finding that gut microbiome composition is critical for metabolism, immune function, and protection against pathogens, with environmental stressors including pollution threatening bee microbiome stability.
Understanding the Ecological Robustness and Adaptability of the Gut Microbiome in Plastic-Degrading Superworms (Zophobas atratus) in Response to Microplastics and Antibiotics
Researchers studied superworms (Zophobas atratus larvae) that can eat and break down five major types of plastic, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. They found that the gut microbiome of these insects adapted to digest different plastics even when challenged with antibiotics, suggesting the larvae and their gut bacteria work together in a robust system that could inform future plastic biodegradation strategies.
Plastic biodegradation by in vitro environmental microorganisms and in vivo gut microorganisms of insects
Researchers reviewed seven years of studies on plastic biodegradation by environmental microorganisms and insect gut microbes. The study found that while microbial degradation in environmental conditions is extremely slow, certain insects can biodegrade plastics like polystyrene and polyethylene at much faster rates, likely through gut microbe-dependent processes.
Insects to the rescue? Insights into applications, mechanisms, and prospects of insect-driven remediation of organic contaminants
This review explores the emerging field of using insects and their gut microbiomes to break down organic pollutants, including plastics, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. Researchers found that certain insect species and their associated bacteria can metabolize contaminants that are difficult to treat with conventional methods. The study highlights insect-driven remediation as a novel and eco-friendly approach that deserves more research attention for environmental cleanup applications.
Gut microbiota, a key to understanding the knowledge gaps on micro-nanoplastics-related biological effects and biodegradation
This review explores how micro- and nanoplastics affect the community of microorganisms living in the gut, and how those same gut microbes might be able to break down plastic particles. Swallowed microplastics can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, potentially leading to various diseases. On the other hand, some gut bacteria can actually degrade plastics into smaller, less harmful molecules, opening a possible avenue for biological cleanup.
Nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics disturb gut microbiota and intestinal immune system in honeybee.
Honeybees orally exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics showed disrupted gut microbiota and impaired intestinal immune function, with nanoplastics causing greater effects than microplastics. Since honeybees are critical pollinators for food production, microplastic contamination in their environment could affect both bee health and agricultural systems.
Assessing the Impact of Nutritional Stress on the Identification of Plastic-Associated Bacteria in Insect Gut Microbiota
Scientists studied the gut bacteria of plastic-eating insects to find microbes that might help break down plastic waste, but they discovered a major problem with the research method. When insects eat only plastic, they're basically starving, and this starvation changes their gut bacteria in ways that have nothing to do with plastic breakdown. This finding suggests that previous studies may have incorrectly identified which bacteria actually digest plastic, which matters because these microbes could potentially help solve our growing plastic pollution problem.
Examining the potential of plastic-fed black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) as "bioincubators" of plastic-degrading bacteria.
Researchers examined whether black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) fed on plastic waste can serve as 'bioincubators' for plastic-degrading bacteria, investigating how gut microbiota shifts in response to plastic-containing diets and whether these bacteria retain degradation activity.
Enhanced biodegradation of microplastic and phthalic acid ester plasticizer: The role of gut microorganisms in black soldier fly larvae
Researchers discovered that black soldier fly larvae can biodegrade microplastics and phthalate plasticizers, with their gut microorganisms playing a key role in the breakdown process. The study found that the larvae's digestive bacteria enhanced the degradation of both contaminants, suggesting that insect-based bioprocessing could offer a novel approach to addressing plastic pollution.
Microbial Chemical Sensing of Microplastic-Derived Compounds in Insect Gut Ecosystems
This perspective reviews how insect gut microbiomes detect and respond to chemical compounds leached from microplastics, including phthalates and bisphenol A, through microbial sensing pathways such as two-component systems and quorum sensing. In some species like mealworms, gut bacteria can enzymatically degrade plastic polymers, while in others the response leads to oxidative stress and immune disruption. The authors propose leveraging insect-associated microbes for bioremediation strategies to address plastic pollution.
The use of insects, some land and marine invertebrates, in the biodegradation of plastic
This review examines the potential of insects and invertebrates—including mealworms, wax moths, and shipworms—to biodegrade plastics, microplastics, and nanoplastics, summarizing the gut microbiomes and enzymes involved and the prospects for practical bioremediation.
Identification of plastic-degrading bacteria in the human gut
Scientists discovered bacteria in the human gut that can break down common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, though all the plastic-degrading species identified were opportunistic pathogens. The bacteria could physically and chemically alter plastic surfaces but only achieved limited depolymerization. This finding raises the question of whether microplastic exposure in the gut could promote the growth of potentially harmful bacteria while they attempt to digest the plastic.
Effects of different microplastic types and co-exposure on the survival of Apis mellifera ligustica (Spinola, 1806) and its associated microbial communities
Researchers fed honey bees three types of microplastics (polystyrene, polyethylene, and polymethyl methacrylate) individually and in combination, and found that all treatments significantly reduced bee survival compared to controls. The combination of all three microplastic types had the strongest negative effect, and the gut microbial community showed time- and treatment-specific shifts that may represent an initial compensatory response to maintain functional stability.
Mite-microbe gut symbiosis: Novel concept for plastic degradation and waste management
Researchers propose a novel concept for plastic biodegradation based on mite-microbe gut symbiosis, building on three years of research exploring whether soil microarthropods (mites) and their gut microbial communities could degrade plastic materials. The paper reviews existing evidence on bacterial and fungal plastic degradation and discusses preliminary findings suggesting that mites ingesting microplastics may harbor gut symbionts capable of contributing to plastic breakdown.