Gut microbes of generalist and specialist herbivores

Endosymbionts play a major role in the ecology of herbivorous insects. For instance, they may metabolize plant compounds, enhance digestive efficiency, and prevent ingested pathogens from establishing. Here we use culture methods to determine the gut microbiome of several species of Lepidopteran herbivores. We test the hypothesis that the microbiome is dependent on the physiological conditions inside the midgut, which can potentially vary among herbivore species and also vary within a species based on diet. We discuss the implications of gut microbiome in regard to understanding the ecology of plant-herbivore-symbiont interactions.