The Galleria mellonella Hologenome Supports Microbiota-Independent Metabolism of Long-Chain Hydrocarbon Beeswax

Cell Reports
Hyun Gi KongChoong-Min Ryu

Abstract

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, degrades wax and plastic molecules. Despite much interest, the genetic basis of these hallmark traits remains poorly understood. Herein, we assembled high-quality genome and transcriptome data from G. mellonella to investigate long-chain hydrocarbon wax metabolism strategies. Specific carboxylesterase and lipase and fatty-acid-metabolism-related enzymes in the G. mellonella genome are transcriptionally regulated during feeding on beeswax. Strikingly, G. mellonella lacking intestinal microbiota successfully decomposes long-chain fatty acids following wax metabolism, although the intestinal microbiome performs a supplementary role in short-chain fatty acid degradation. Notably, final wax derivatives were detected by gas chromatography even in the absence of gut microbiota. Our findings provide insight into wax moth adaptation and may assist in the development of unique wax-degradation strategies with a similar metabolic approach for a plastic molecule polyethylene biodegradation using organisms without intestinal microbiota.

Citations

May 11, 2019·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Anja Malawi Brandon, Craig S Criddle
Mar 27, 2021·Environmental Pollution·Asal PeydaeiJeppe Lund Nielsen
Apr 28, 2021·Environmental Microbiome·G LearO Pantos
May 2, 2021·Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy·Christophe SandtAgnès Réjasse
Jun 30, 2021·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Toxicology & Pharmacology : CBP·Juan C Sanchez-Hernandez
Oct 27, 2020·Environmental Science & Technology·Christophe Mr LeMoineBryan J Cassone
Aug 25, 2021·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Gangqi FangShuai Zhan

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