Microbiome response to cadmium and copper ingestion in the spider Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae): short-term and long-term effects of metal intoxication

The purpose of the study was to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate changes in the microbiome of the opisthosoma of the spider Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) in response to short-term (4 weeks) and long-term (12 months) exposure to copper, as a biogenic element, and cadmium, as a xenobiotic, administered under controlled laboratory conditions using Drosophila hydei flies as prey. We examined how factors such as the type of metal and duration of exposure influence the quantitative and qualitative changes in the opisthosoma microbiome during exposure to sublethal concentrations of metals administered in the feed. The data obtained can help in understanding the role of the microbiome in the resistance and adaptation mechanisms of these carnivorous invertebrates to environments contaminated with heavy metals.