Compositions and related methods for modulating endosymbionts

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and compositions for modulating the fitness of a host invertebrate (e.g., insect, mollusk, or nematode) by altering interactions between the host and one or more micoorganisms resident in the host. The invention features a composition including a modulating agent (e.g., a polypeptide, nucleic acid, small molecule, or combinations thereof) that can induce changes in the host's microbiota in a manner that modulates (e.g., increases or decreases) host fitness. The modulating agent described herein may modulate the fitness of a variety of invertebrates that are important for agriculture, commerce, and/or public health.

1 . A method for decreasing the fitness of an agricultural insect pest, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a composition comprising (i) validamycin and (ii) a modulating agent, wherein the modulating agent disrupts an interaction between the agricultural insect pest and a resident microorganism thereof; and   (b) delivering said composition to the agricultural insect pest, whereby the fitness of the agricultural insect pest treated with the composition is decreased relative to an untreated agricultural insect pest.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modulating agent is a polypeptide, a small molecule, or a nucleic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modulating agent targets a pathway in the agricultural insect pest that mediates an interaction between the agricultural insect pest and the resident microorganism thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modulating agent targets a pathway in the resident microorganism that mediates an interaction between the agricultural insect pest and the resident microorganism thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of the resident microorganism in the agricultural insect pest is decreased relative to an untreated agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metabolism of the resident microorganism in the agricultural insect pest is decreased relative to an untreated agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the population of the resident microorganism in the agricultural insect pest is decreased by at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% relative to an untreated agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diversity of resident microorganisms in the agricultural insect pest is reduced by at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% relative to an untreated agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decrease in fitness of the agricultural insect pest is measured as a decrease in a physiological parameter of the insect. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the decrease in fitness of the agricultural insect pest is measured as death of the insect. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery comprises delivering the composition to at least one habitat where the agricultural insect pest grows, lives, reproduces, feeds, or infests. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated with an agriculturally acceptable carrier as a liquid, a solid, an aerosol, a paste, a gel, or a gas composition. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is delivered as a spray to an agricultural crop. 
     
     
         14 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 13 , wherein the resident microorganism is a symbiont of the agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the symbiont is an endosymbiont. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  or  15 , wherein the symbiont is an obligate symbiont or a facultative symbiont. 
     
     
         17 . The method of any one of  claims 1 - 13 , wherein the resident microorganism is a commensal microorganism of the agricultural insect pest. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural insect pest is an aphid, a stinkbug, or a whitefly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the agricultural insect pest is an aphid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the aphid is  Acyrthosiphon pisum.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  or  20 , wherein the resident microorganism is  Buchnera aphidicola.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the agricultural insect pest is a stinkbug. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the stinkbug is a  Nezara  species or an  Oebalus  species. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  or  23 , wherein the resident microorganism is a  Pantoea  species. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the agricultural insect pest is a whitefly. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the whitefly is  Bemisia tabaci.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  or  26 , wherein the resident microorganism is  Portiera aleyrodidarum.