Commensal bacteria act as a broad genetic buffer that maintains phenotypic homogeneity and developmental robustness in Drosophila. Commensal bacteria act as a broad genetic buffer that maintains phenotypic homogeneity and developmental robustness in Drosophila

Among the diverse forms of symbioses, facultative nutritional mutualism forged by the host and its resident gut microbiota permits the symbiont to adapt to the changing nutritional environment during the host’s life time. The horizontally acquired gut bacteria in Drosophila are a perfect example of nutritional mutualists. Here, we study the Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp WJL) infection effect in the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) collection in context of larvae raised in chronic undernutrtion.