Effects of polystyrene diet on the growth and development of Tenebrio molitor

In recent years, the role of Tenebrio molitor in degrading polystyrene (PS) foam through its gut microbes has become the focus of research. However, little literature has reported the effect of feeding on polystyrene foam on the growth and development of Tenebrio molitor. This study explored the effects of polystyrene foams on the growth of Tenebrio molitor by evaluating the vital signs of Tenebrio molitor fed by differential polystyrene, observing intestines and excrement, analysing the impact of intaking polystyrene particles on Tenebrio molitor based on RNA-Seq technology and verifying the transcriptome sequencing results through applying qRT-PCR technology. The results showed that the excrement of Tenebrio molitor fed only on PS foam was flaky and coarse, and the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus atoms increased by about 50% compared with the wheat bran group (control group), with the enterocytes and circular muscle of Tenebrio molitor decreasing as well. KEGG enrichment indicated that the differential genes were mainly related to metabolic pathways. Three of the differential genes were verified by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with RNA-Seq analysis. From the research, it can be concluded that only eating polystyrene foam shall lead to the growth and development retardation of Tenebrio molitor.