Comparative Analysis of the Gut Bacterial Community in Laboratory-Reared and Seasonally Field-Released Larvae of the Antheraea pernyi
1
College of Life Science and Engineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang 110044, China
2
College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 110193, China
3
College of Life Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Insects 2026, 17(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010079
Submission received: 30 November 2025
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Revised: 2 January 2026
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Accepted: 8 January 2026
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Published: 9 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Insect Physiology, Reproduction and Development)
Simple Summary
The insect gut bacterial community plays a crucial role in the dynamic physiological processes of the host. This study conducted a comparative analysis of gut bacterial communities among laboratory-reared, spring field-released, and autumn field-released larvae of Antheraea pernyi in the same strain. The study revealed that the structure and function of the gut bacterial community in A. pernyi are governed by both rearing environment and seasonal factors. The results contribute to enriching the understanding of gut bacterial community features under different rearing conditions and seasonal variations, providing insights and references for developing microbial resources in lepidopteran insects.
Abstract
Analyzing the composition and structure of the gut bacterial community in Antheraea pernyi is essential for improving its economic traits, as well as for understanding gut bacteria–host interactions in lepidopteran insects. This study utilized the Illumina MiSeq PE 300 platform to conduct 16S rRNA gene sequencing for a comparative analysis of gut bacterial community in laboratory-reared and field-released (spring and autumn) Antheraea pernyi larvae of the same strain. The study revealed the specific effects of rearing environment and seasonal variation on the structural and functional dynamics of the larval gut bacterial communities. The composition of the dominant gut bacteria varied significantly with rearing environment and season. Laboratory-reared and spring field-released groups exhibited similar bacterial community structures, whereas the autumn field-released group showed a significant trend toward specialization, characterized by enrichment of specific bacterial taxa. Linear discriminant analysis effect size identified statistically significant biomarkers across samples. Taxonomic analysis revealed that Actinomycetota, Actinobacteria, Mycobacteriales, Dietziaceae, and Dietzia were characteristic of the gut bacteria profile in spring field-released, Lactobacillales, Enterococcaceae, and Enterococcus were enriched in the autumn field-released group, and the laboratory-reared group exhibited a relative dominance of Alphaproteobacteria. Functional prediction indicated that gut bacterial community structure likely influences its metabolic potential, which may suggest an adaptive response of the Antheraea pernyi to distinct ecological environments. This study provides important insights into the highly complex nature of insect-microbe interactions.
