Effect of pepper-containing diets on the diversity and composition of gut microbiome of Drosophila melanogaster

Authors: GARCIA-LOZANO, MARLENY - West Virginia State University; HAYNES, JOSHUA - West Virginia State University; LOPEZ, CARLOS - West Virginia State University; NATARAJAN, PURUSHOTHAMAN - West Virginia State University; PENA-GARCIA, YADIRA - West Virginia State University; NIMMAKAYALA, PADMA - West Virginia State University; Stommel, John; ALAPARTHI, SURESH - West Virginia State University; SIRBU, CRISTIAN - West Virginia State University; BALAGURUSAMY, NAGAMANI - Universidad Autonoma De Coahuila; REDDY, UMESH - West Virginia State University

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2020
Publication Date: 1/31/2020
Citation: Garcia-Lozano, M., Haynes, J., Lopez, C., Natarajan, P., Pena-Garcia, Y., Nimmakayala, P., Stommel, J.R., Alaparthi, S.B., Sirbu, C., Balagurusamy, N., Reddy, U.K. 2020. Effect of pepper-containing diets on the diversity and composition of gut microbiome of Drosophila melanogaster. PLoS One. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(3), 945. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030945.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030945

Interpretive Summary: Microbial flora found in the gut of animals mediate various host processes including metabolism, physiology, and immune responses. Dietary compounds such as capsaicinoids that are responsible for spiciness in pepper fruit can cause changes in the gut microbial flora or microbiome. We utilized three strains of fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system to characterize changes in gut microflora in response to diets containing sweet bell, serrano and habanero pepper fruit. The most notable change in microbial composition in response to pepper containing diets was a decrease in abundance of broad groups of bacteria known as Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria and an increase in abundance of bacteria belonging to the broad group known as Firmicutes. At finer taxonomic levels, the abundance of Lactobacillus and Acetobacter bacteria, identified as beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome, increased in response to pepper-supplemented diets. Our results suggest that changes in gut microflora were attributed to the bioactive compounds of pepper fruit. These results will be of benefit to a broad range of researchers ranging from those studying the effects of diet on health to scientists developing new plant varieties with enhanced nutritive value.

Technical Abstract: One of the greatest impacts on the gastrointestinal microbiome is diet because the host and microbiome share the same food source. Dietary compounds such as capsaicinoids found in peppers can cause shifts in the microbiome. Thus, understanding how these interactions occur can reveal potential health implications associated with such changes. This study aimed to explore the effects of dietary pepper treatments on the gastrointestinal microbiome of Drosophila melanogaster. We analyzed the gut microbiomes of three Drosophila genotypes (Canton-S, Oregon-RC and Berlin-K) reared on control and pepper-containing diets (bell, serrano and habanero peppers). Results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the Drosophila gut microbiome is strongly influenced by genotype and pepper-containing diets. The most relevant change in microbial composition was the decreased Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria abundance with pepper-containing diets as compared with the control diet. Additionally, the content of Firmicutes increased notably in flies reared on pepper-containing diets. At higher taxonomic levels, the abundance of members of Lactobacillus and Acetobacter genera, identified as beneficial bacteria in the Drosophila microbiome, was promoted by the pepper-containing diets. Prebiotic effects of dietary treatments were attributed to the bioactive compounds of peppers.