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"In Insects and their Beneficial Microbes, Angela Douglas, a leading scholar in microbiology and microbiome science, brings together the first synthesis of research in beneficial insect-microbe interactions, looking at a variety of insects and their beneficial microbes and the possible ramifications of insect-microbial interactions in agriculture and medicine. Douglas first provides a foundation for microbe-insect interactions and then discusses the many applications for both insects and humans. She begins by discussing the location of these "microbial partners" (the insect and microbe), how insects acquire certain microbes, and what the microbes specifically do for their hosts. For example, we learn how insects supplement nutrients from their microbial partners that protect them from dangerous pathogens and parasites. Douglas also takes a broader look at the mechanisms underlying these symbiotic interactions and the role evolution has played in their creation. Incorporating recent advances in this burgeoning field, this book looks at the way beneficial microbes can offer solutions to problems caused by pests and disease, with possible applications to the human microbiome and human health"--.

• Cover
• Contents
• Preface
• 1. Introduction: The Diversity of Insects and Their Microbial Symbionts
  • 1.1 Naming the partners
  • 1.2 Insect habitats for microorganisms
  • 1.3 Insect associations with beneficial microorganisms
  • 1.4 How this book is structured
• 2. The Diversity of Insect-Microbial Associations
  • 2.1 Ectosymbioses
  • 2.2 Gut symbioses
  • 2.3 Endosymbioses
  • 2.4 The dorsal organs of lagriine beetles
  • 2.5 Summary
• 3. How Insects Acquire and Control Their Microbial Symbionts
  • 3.1 Environmental microorganisms acquired by insects
  • 3.2 Microbes acquired from other insects
  • 3.3 Routes of horizontal transmission in microorganisms with high vertical transmission rates
  • 3.4 The localization and abundance of endosymbionts in insects
  • 3.5 Determinants of the composition of the insect gut microbiome
  • 3.6 Microbial populations through host development
  • 3.7 Summary
• 4. Microbial Services
  • 4.1 Microbial degradation of complex biopolymers in the insect diet
  • 4.2 Microbial contributions to insect nitrogen nutrition
  • 4.3 B vitamin provisioning
  • 4.4 Sterol provisioning
  • 4.5 Microbial protection against natural enemies
  • 4.6 Microbial detoxification of dietary toxins and insecticidal chemicals
  • 4.7 Microorganisms and insect behavior
  • 4.8 Microorganisms and insect tolerance of abiotic conditions
  • 4.9 Summary
• 5. Harnessing Microbial Symbionts to Manage Insect Pests and Vectors of Disease
  • 5.1 Native microorganisms
  • 5.2 Heterologous microorganisms
  • 5.3 Engineered microorganisms
  • 5.4 Targeting required microbial symbionts and their interactions with the insect host
  • 5.5 Outlook
  • 5.6 Summary
• 6. The Insect Microbiome as a Biomedical Model
  • 6.1 Insect model systems
  • 6.2 The interface between the gut microbiota and the Drosophila gut
  • 6.3 The gut microbiota and immune function
  • 6.4 The gut microbiome and metabolic health
  • 6.5 The gut microbiome, nervous system function, and behavior
  • 6.6 Summary
• 7. Priorities for the Study of Insect-Microbial Associations
  • 7.1 Reinvigorating the microbiology of insect-microbial associations
  • 7.2 Modes of interaction between insects and microorganisms
  • 7.3 Managing microbiomes for insect health
  • 7.4 Concluding comments
• References
• Index