Rearing Axenic Delia antiqua with Half-Fermented Sterile Diets

Summary

A simple procedure for rearing axenic Delia antiqua with half-fermented sterile diets is described. Only one Wolbachia strain was detected in each instar of axenic D. antiqua using PCR.

Abstract

Axenic insects are obtained from sterile artificial rearing systems using sterile media. These insects, characterized by their small size, short growth cycle, and low feed requirements, are ideal for studying the relationship between microorganisms and hosts. The gut microbiota significantly influences the physiological characteristics of insect hosts, and introducing specific strains into axenic insects provides a method for verifying gut microbial functions. Delia antiqua, a threatening pest in the order Diptera, family Anthomyiidae, and genus Delia, primarily feeds on onions, garlic, leeks, and other vegetables of the family Liliaceae. Its larvae feed on the bulbs, causing rotting, wilting, and even death of entire plants. By rearing axenic larvae, follow-up studies can be conducted to observe the effects of intestinal microflora on the growth and development of D. antiqua. Unlike the method involving antibiotic elimination of associated microbes, this article presents a low-cost and high-efficiency approach to raising axenic D. antiqua. After surface sterilization of D. antiqua eggs, half-fermented sterile diets were used to raise larvae, and the axenic state of D. antiqua was verified through culture-dependent and culture-independent assays. In conclusion, the combination of insect egg sterilization and the preparation of sterile diets for larval culture has enabled the development of an efficient and simple method for obtaining axenic D. antiqua. This method provides a powerful approach to studying insect-microflora interactions.

Introduction

Axenic animals, defined as animals in which no viable microorganisms or parasites can be detected, are valuable experimental models for studying host-microorganism interactions^1,2. Insects, the largest group of invertebrates, can form symbiotic relationships with microorganisms³. Axenic insects can be used to study host-symbiont interactions in symbiotic systems⁴. For example, Nishide et al.⁵ established a practical sterile rearing procedure for the malodor worm Plautia stali, enabling reliable and rigorous analysis of host-symbio....

Protocol

D. antiqua are obtained from the field of Fanzhen, Taian.

1. Preparation of sterile diets

1. Peel off the outer layers of the scallions and discard the green leaves. Keep the white part of the scallions (Figure 1A) and wash them with sterile water, repeating the rinsing process three times. Cut the white part of the scallions into 1-2 cm diced pieces using scissors (see Table of Materials) sterilized with 75 % Et.......

Discussion

Insects possess a highly complex gut microbiota^20,21, necessitating the use of axenic insects inoculated with specific gut microbial strains for studying insect-microorganism interactions. The preparation of axenic insects is crucial for such research endeavors. Antibiotic treatment is a method used to eliminate gut microbiota. For example, Jung and Kim²² fed Spodoptera exigua with penicillin, while Raymond²³

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.22 μM filter bottle	Thermo Scientific	450-0045
0.22 μM Syringe Filter	Biosharp	BS-QT-011
100-mesh sieve	Zhejiang Shangyu Jinding Standard Sieve Factory	No Catalog numbers
1x PBS solution	Solarbio	P1020
2x Taq PCR Master Mix	GENVIEW	GR1113-1ML
5.2% NaClO solution	Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.	80010428
500 mL Conical flask	Thermo Scientific	4103-0500
50 mL vented centrifuge tube	JET BIOFIL	BRT-011-050
50x TAE buffer	GENVIEW	GT1307
Agar powder	Ding Guo	DH010-1.1
Biochemical incubator	STIK	21040121500010
Cell sieve	SAINING	5022200
Choline chloride	Sangon Biotech	A600299-0100
ddH2O	Ding Guo	PER018-2
Disposable grinding pestle	JET BIOFIL	CSP-003-002
DNA extraction kit	Sangon Biotech	B518221-0050
DNA Marker	Sangon Biotech	B600335-0250
Ethanol absolute	Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.	10009218
Filter paper	NEWSTAR	1087309025
Food processor	Guangdong Midea Life Electric Appliance Manufacturing Co., Ltd.	WBL25B26
Illuminated  incubator	Shanghai ESTABLISH Instrumentation Co., Ltd.	A16110768
L-Ascorbic acid	Sangon Biotech	A610021-0100
L-shaped spreader	SAINING	6040000
Nutrient agar medium	Hope Bio	HB0109
Scissors	Bing Yu	BY-103	Purchase on Jingdong
Shock incubator	Shanghai Zhichu Instrument Co., Ltd.	2020000014
Sucrose	GENVIEW	CS326-500G
Super Green nucleic acid dye	Biosharp	BS355A
Super-clean table	Heal Force	AC130052
TSB	Hope Bio	HB4114
Vacuum pump	Zhejiang Taizhou Seeking Precision Vacuum Pump Co., Ltd.	22051031
Yeast extract	Thermo Scientific	LP0021B