Data from: Diet breadth and exploitation of exotic plants shift the core microbiome of Cephaloleia, a group of tropical herbivorous beetles

The beetle genus Cephaloleia has evolved in association with tropical
ginger plants and for many species their specific host plant associations
are known. Here we show that the core microbiome of six closely related
Costa Rican Cephaloleia species comprises only eight bacterial groups,
including members of the Acinetobacter, Enterobacteriacea, Pseudomonas,
Lactococcus, and Comamonas. The Acinetobacter and Enterobacteriacea
together accounted for 35% of the total average 16S rRNA ribotypes
recovered from all specimens. Further, microbiome diversity and community
structure was significantly linked to beetle diet breadth, between those
foraging on less than two plant types (specialists) versus over nine plant
types (generalists). Moraxellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and
Pseudomonadaceae were highly prevalent in specialist species, and also
present in eggs, while Rickettsiaceae associated exclusively with
generalist beetles. Bacteria isolated from Cephaloleia digestive systems
had distinct capabilities and suggested a possible beneficial role in both
digestion of plant-based compounds, including xylose, mannitol, and
pectin, and possible detoxification, via lipases. Cephaloleia species are
currently expanding their diets to include exotic invasive plants, yet it
is unknown whether their microbial community plays a role in this
transition. In this study, colonization of invasive plants was correlated
with a dysbiosis of the microbiome, suggesting a possible relationship
between gut bacteria and niche adaptation.