Nanoplastic-induced shifts in microbiome modulate host fitness and host-parasite interaction in Daphnia

In this study, we investigate how nanoplastics (NPs), a pervasive environmental contaminant, impact the microbiome of Daphnia magna and influence host fitness and host-parasite interactions. We performed a microbiome transplant experiment, transferring NP-altered and control Daphnia microbiomes to axenic hosts, followed by infection with the fungal yeast parasite Metschnikowia bicuspidata. Host and parasite fitness were assessed, and microbiomes were sequenced using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.