Premium
The effect of diet on the metabolic rate and microbiome of Gromphadorhina portentosa
Author(s) -
Contreras Heidy L.,
Lorenz Todd
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.978.3
Subject(s) - biology , cockroach , feces , microbiome , respirometry , zoology , gut microbiome , physiology , ecology , biochemistry , bioinformatics
The metabolic phenotype of an animal is shaped by the developmental trajectory of its gut microbiome. Although the core microbiota of an organism is stable throughout adulthood, there are certain parts of the microbiome that can be altered through an array of environmental stressors, such as diet. So far, there is a lot of research focused on the effects that diet has on the metabolism and gut microbiome of vertebrate mammals. However, not a lot of work is focused on how a change in diet can affect the metabolic rates, or the microbiome, of invertebrates. In its natural habitat Gromphadorhina portentosa, the hissing cockroach, feeds opportunistically on fruits and may also consume decaying animal material and small insects. In this study we measured the effects of diet on the metabolic rate, and microbiota, of G. portentosa . Prior to data collection we normalize the microbiota of forty male cockroaches by placing them on a control diet. Preliminary data showed that roaches would move all gut contents through their digestive system within 7 days. Resting metabolic rates for normalized cockroaches was measured after cockroaches had been placed for 2 weeks under the control diet. Fecal samples were also collected at this time. Ten male roaches were placed under one of four diet treatments (control, high protein, high carbohydrate or high lipid) for a total of 8 weeks. During this experimental period, resting metabolic rates were obtained on a weekly basis using flow through respirometry. Fecal samples were once again collected at the end of the 8‐week experimental period. Cultivation independent metagenomic sequencing was accomplished so that changes in the microbiota of roaches could be identified. Previous work has shown a shift in the microbiota of organisms fed varying amounts of fat vs. protein, were animals fed a high protein diet showed an increase in bacteroidetes with was an inverse relationship to the firmicute population. Furthermore, an increase in metabolic rates have also been seen when animals are given a high protein diet. We expect G. portentosma to respond in a similar manner when their diet is altered. Support or Funding Information ULV Faculty Research Grant