Growth and longevity modulation through larval environment mediate immunosenescence and immune strategy of Tenebrio molitor.

Background: The Disposable Soma Theory of aging suggests a trade-off between energy allocation for growth, reproduction and somatic maintenance, including immunity. While trade-offs between reproduction and immunity are well documented, those involving growth remain under-explored. Rapid growth might deplete resources, reducing investment in maintenance, potentially leading to earlier or faster senescence and a shorter lifespan.

Influential Insider: , an Intracellular Symbiont, Manipulates Bacterial Diversity in Its Insect Host.

Facultative intracellular symbionts like the α-proteobacteria influence their insect host phenotype but little is known about how much they affect their host microbiota. Here, we quantified the impact of infection on the bacterial community of the cabbage root fly by comparing the microbiota of -free and infected adult flies of both sexes. We used high-throughput DNA sequencing (Illumina MiSeq, 16S rRNA, V5-V7 region) and performed a community and a network analysis.