Microbiome repertoire across the life cycle of the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (16S amplicon sequencing)

The species-rich insect order Hemiptera (aphids, cicadas, true bugs) is highly diverse for mode of microbiome acquisition. Within the seed-feeding subfamily Lygaeinae, the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus offers an excellent research model for these phenomena. Here we report the O. fasciatus microbiome profile, based on 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing. We assayed a laboratory population to establish a baseline for assessing microbiome constituents and how these vary between the sexes and across life history stages in a controlled environment, with a particular focus on maternal-to-embryo transmission and distinguishing egg-stage bacterial constituents that are superficial or internal (transovarially transmitted). Among a core microbiome of 28 prokaryotic genera, the egg stage shows the greatest diversity. We also analyze inter-individual variability in nymphs and adults, as well as stage-specific detection of chloroplast material. Overall, we provide a nuanced assessment of patterns of bacterial abundance across the life cycle and their implications for mode of acquisition and potential relevance as nutritional endosymbionts. This will underpin comparative investigations in seed-feeding bugs and future work in O. fasciatus on tissue-specific and diet-specific microbiome profiles, including in natural populations. [16S amplicon sequencing data overview: MiSeq v3 PE 300; 8 sample types across the life cycle for eggs (young/old and untreated/surface-sterlized), fifth-instar nymphs (individual specimen or pooled sample of 3 nymphs), and adults (individual male/female); 2 technical replicates and 2-4 biological replicates per sample type; from a laboratory colony of the Carolina Biological Supply strain.]