0000000001319094

AUTHOR

Shantanu P. Shukla

showing 3 related works from this author

Burying beetles regulate the microbiome of carcasses and use it to transmit a core microbiota to their offspring

2017

Necrophagous beetles utilize carrion, a highly nutritious resource that is susceptible to intense microbial competition, by treating it with antimicrobial anal and oral secretions. However, how this regulates the carcass microbiota remains unclear. Here, we show that carcasses prepared by the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides undergo significant changes in their microbial communities subsequent to their burial and ‘preparation’. Prepared carcasses hosted a microbial community that was more similar to that of beetles’ anal and oral secretions than to the native carcass community or the surrounding soil, indicating that the beetles regulated the carcass microbiota. A core microbial comm…

0301 basic medicineanimal diseasesmedia_common.quotation_subjectEnterococcaceaeCompetition (biology)03 medical and health sciencesfluids and secretionsEnterococcaceaeGeneticsAnimalsCarrionMicrobiomeSymbiosisEcology Evolution Behavior and Systematicsmedia_commonbiologyEcologyMicrobiotadigestive oral and skin physiologyXanthomonadaceaetechnology industry and agriculturefood and beveragesbiology.organism_classificationNicrophorus vespilloidesColeoptera030104 developmental biologyMicrobial population biologyLarvaBurying beetleDigestive SystemMolecular Ecology
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Microbiome-assisted carrion preservation aids larval development in a burying beetle

2018

Significance Ephemeral diets such as carrion are high-quality resources that are susceptible to microbial spoilage. Carrion-feeding insects that breed on decaying carcasses must overcome challenges arising from competing microbes. Here we report that a carrion-feeding burying beetle preserves carcasses by regulating its microbial growth, resulting in changes in its biochemical properties including the reduction of toxic polyamines associated with putrefaction and nutrient loss. The beetle’s microbial symbionts form a biofilm-like matrix on carcasses, which is important for optimal larval development. The beetles and their microbiome thus coordinate a specialized adaptive strategy of carrion…

0301 basic medicineZoologyDecomposer03 medical and health scienceschemistry.chemical_compoundCadaverinePutrescineinsect nutritionAnimalsCarrionMicrobiomeresource competitionLarvaCadaverineMultidisciplinaryEcologygut microbiotaBacteriabiologyMicrobiotafungusfungiFungifood and beveragesBiological Sciencesbiology.organism_classificationNicrophorus vespilloidessymbiosisColeoptera030104 developmental biologyMicrobial population biologychemistryBiofilmsLarvaBurying beetleTranscriptome
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Data from: Burying beetles regulate the microbiome of carcasses and use it to transmit a core microbiota to their offspring

2017

Necrophagous beetles utilize carrion, a highly nutritious resource that is susceptible to intense microbial competition, by treating it with antimicrobial anal and oral secretions. However, how this regulates the carcass microbiota remains unclear. Here, we show that carcasses prepared by the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides undergo significant changes in their microbial communities subsequent to their burial and ‘preparation’. Prepared carcasses hosted a microbial community that was more similar to that of beetles’ anal and oral secretions than to the native carcass community or the surrounding soil, indicating that the beetles regulated the carcass microbiota. A core microbial comm…

medicine and health carefluids and secretionsanimal diseasespreservationdigestive oral and skin physiologymicrobial successiontechnology industry and agricultureLife SciencesMedicinefood and beveragesYarrowiasymbiosis
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